Australia’s rail industry is entering a new era of harmonisation, safety, and efficiency with the release of AS 7662.1 – 25kV AC Rail Traction Systems, a new national Standard that aligns the design, construction, and operation of 25 kilovolt alternating current (AC) electrified rail networks.
Developed by the Australian Rail Industry Standards Organisation (ARISO), formerly known as the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB), in close consultation with industry stakeholders, this is Part 1 of a new series of Standards that addresses one of the rail sector’s long-standing challenges – the fragmentation of electrification practices across projects and jurisdictions.
With major metropolitan networks embracing 25 kilovolt AC traction power systems and the continued drive towards decarbonisation, the lack of a unified framework has created variations in design standards, maintenance practices, and interface requirements.
The result has often been duplicated effort, increased cost, and bespoke technical requirements. This new Standard series changes that, providing a clear, consistent set of requirements for the design, installation, testing, commissioning, operation, and asset management of traction power systems across Australia.
For James Adamson, Systems Engineer – Overhead Engineering, Public Transport South Australia (PTSA), the Standard’s release represents a long-awaited step forward.
“PTSA, as the operator of the 25 kilovolt electrified railway network in the Adelaide Metropolitan area, welcomes the development and publication of the new 25 kilovolt AC Rail Traction System Standard AS 7662.1,” he said.
“Having a nationwide electrification standard is of great benefit for all involved in the industry.”
His point underscores the value of national consistency – not only for operators already running electrified networks, but for future projects that will now have a common reference point.
The Standard brings together lessons learned from multiple states and projects, ensuring that best practices are shared and embedded into future work.
Mo Mansour, Principal Engineer Electrical Networks at Transport for New South Wales (Transport) believes the Standard has transformative potential for Australia’s rail reform agenda.
“This standard marks a pivotal step in strengthening system reliability and accelerating the delivery of modern rail infrastructure, in alignment with the strategic priorities of the National Rail Action Plan,” he said.
“By streamlining operations and improving safety, AS 7662.1 enables seamless interoperability across previously fragmented networks.
“Through harmonised design and maintenance practices, it drives significant cost efficiencies and supports long-term asset sustainability.”
For ARISO, AS 7662.1 embodies our mission to harmonise rail standards and enable a safer, more efficient, and interoperable national network.
By aligning technical requirements across jurisdictions, the Standard supports not just harmonisation in design between networks, but also the productivity benefits achievable through economies of scale and reduced need for bespoke design and manufacture.
“AS 7662.1 takes what were previously disparate project-specific standards and replaces them with a unified framework that can be confidently applied anywhere in the country,” said Cris Fitzhardinge, Senior Standards Development Manager at ARISO.
By providing a single point of truth for electrification across Australia’s rail industry, the Standard helps reduce costs, improves reliability, and most importantly, strengthens safety. Future parts will focus on safety critical areas of bonding and overhead line wire.
It’s a collaborative achievement, according to Fitzhardinge, with the Standard’s development group drawing on expertise from state networks, contractors, designers, and operators to produce a Standard that truly reflects Australia’s rail environment.
The value of AS 7662.1 goes beyond the technical. It represents a strategic shift towards long-term sustainability, helping the industry build and maintain electrified networks that are safer, more efficient, and easier to integrate.
As rail continues to expand its role in sustainable transport, harmonised traction power systems will ensure that future projects can connect seamlessly.
In an industry defined by complex systems and diverse stakeholders, AS 7662.1 – 25kV AC Rail Traction System stands as a benchmark of collaboration and progress.
By setting a consistent national standard, it drives harmonisation, improves safety outcomes, and enhances cost efficiency, powering a more connected and resilient rail future for Australia.
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