Rhomberg Sersa Australia recently celebrated 20 years of operation in the Australian rail industry, marking two decades of growth, innovation, and contribution to the reliability and efficiency of the nation’s rail networks.
The company has developed significantly since its establishment, becoming a leading provider of rail infrastructure solutions.
From a small team of 20 staff, the company has grown to a workforce of nearly 300, supporting critical rail projects along the East Coast.
Some major projects Rhomberg Sersa Australia has been involved in include the Newcastle Light Rail, Sydney Metro in New South Wales, and Cross River Rail in Brisbane.
The company has been one of the preferred contracting partners of the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) for the past two decades, employing many locals and subcontractors to deliver work across the Lower and Upper Hunter Valley.
Rhomberg Sersa Australia is now preparing to play a key role in the delivery of the highly anticipated Western Sydney Airport metro line.
Richard Morgan, Managing Director of Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, said that reaching the 20-year mark is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the team.
“Whilst I am extremely proud of our achievements over these past 20 years, what really excites me is the passion and dedication of our people,” he said.
“Our strategy has always prioritised our core business clients and delivering the highest standard of work.
“Looking ahead, Rhomberg Sersa Australia will continue investing in our people and technology to further enhance our reputation and ensure continued success over the next 20 years.”
Founding Managing Director and current Chief Technology Officer of Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group, Garry Thur, said: “We are proud of the success story in Australia and that our strategy of combining European and Australian expertise adds value to our customers.”
An exciting new launch
To coincide with its 20th anniversary celebrations, Rhomberg Sersa Australia has added a brand-new tamper to its fleet – M612.
The first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, the arrival of the machine marks another significant milestone for the company.
Rhomberg Sersa Australia’s General Manager of Rail Operations Scott Richardson said M612, an 09-2X – 4×4/4S Dynamic Tamper, is a “true universal machine” that can deliver impressive efficiency across all operations.
“It can achieve production speeds up to 1400 metres per hour on plain track and up to about 700 metres per hour through turnouts or switches,” he said.
“Most universal machines, or what they call a ‘Unimat’, will have to stop for each tamp. They index, so the whole machine moves forward, stops, tamps and then moves again after each tamping cycle, but this machine is capable of continuous action.”
Richardson said the machine brings a change in approach that will save Rhomberg Sersa Australia’s customers time and money.
“Typically you would utilise two machines in a section of track – you would use a plain line machine to resurface the plain line scope, and a second machine normally in a separate possession to resurface the turnouts within that same area,” he said.
“With this machine, you can complete the plain track and turnouts in one. There’s a time and cost saving for our customers as they only need one machine to complete the scope.”
The M612 also features dynamic stabilisation for both track and turnouts, ensuring smooth and reliable performance.
“This uses a similar frequency to the tamping tool, so it creates a vibration through the dynamic stabiliser and then the machine uses hydraulic cylinders to push the stabilisers down on the track, and that consolidates your ballast,” he said.
Richardson said that fresh ballast is “soft and fluffy”, with lots of gaps within the material, but the stabiliser removes those gaps.
“It’s not uncommon to be on a recon site and the machine will be running a 120 millilitre lift, and you’ll push it back down to 30 or 40 per cent of that.
“That enables you to tamp in hotter weather, and you don’t have to put a speed restriction on trains after you’ve tamped.
“You get more track stability and the track geometry also lasts longer when it’s been stabilised at the same time as tamping, because you have that consolidation effect.”
Throughout design of the M612, Rhomberg Sersa Australia worked with Original Equipment Manufacturer, Plasser Australia, to tailor the machine to its needs.
“It’s the first of its kind in this configuration,” Richardson said. “Traditionally with machines such as these there are two operating cabins – one at the satellite and one at the rear of the satellite – and you would require two operators.
“Our machine has been configured to be operated by just one person, controlling the plain line and the turnout tamping from both cabs.”
Tweaks have also been made to the work head orientation on the tamper.
“The machine’s plain line heads had been closest to the lifting and lining unit, and the turnout heads were the furthest away from the lifting lining,” Richardson said. “In terms of tamping principles, that’s not ideal, because where you’re measuring your lift is further away from the lifting lining unit.
“You’re actually increasing the amount of lift you have to put into the superstructure to achieve the right amount of lift at the reading point.”
In the M612, the heads have been turned around so the lift is measured from as close as possible.
“This also reduces the stresses introduced into the rail itself.”
From the start of April, the new tamping machine will be earning its keep at work in the Hunter Valley, as part of the ARTC’s National Resurfacing Project.
“We’re excited about the M612 and the level of innovation it brings,” Richardson said.
“We’ve always seen ourselves as the premier supplier of resurfacing equipment in Australia, and the new machine maintains our position within the market.”
