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International VisitorsAreas of International Activity by the Australian Railway Industry
ARIC is the peak industry export body of the Australian Railway industry. It is recognised internationally as the primary access to Australian capabilities in rail technologies and services.
DiversitySpanning three time zones, and with roughly the same land mass as China or the USA, Australia is a continent of different climates, disparate topography and great distances. Australia is also distinctive as one of the most sparsely populated but urbanised nation in the world. Australia is a continent of topographical variety and vast distances. For example, the train trip from Sydney in the east to Perth in the west spans 4,352 km, with much the same distance separating Australia’s northern and southern coastlines. Such journeys traverse mountains, deserts, rainforests, plains and snowfields. Australia has a population of over 18 million people of whom almost 12 million live in 8 capital cities scattered around the coastal fringe. Nearly 80% of Australians live on the eastern seaboard. This demographic pattern established from the outset of European settlement, makes Australia one of the worlds most urbanised yet least populated nations. This situation posed special problems for Australia’s rail pioneers upon whose work the nations rail pioneer upon whose work the nation’s economic development depended. Today, Australia has the benefit across the nation which satisfies large-scale demand for passenger and freight traffic in urban areas, and the needs of communities and industries in remote locations. Australia features an astonishing range of climates: tropical heat and extreme humidity, monsoons and cyclones, arid deserts, sub tropical and temperate zones, and sub-zero mountain ranges. Over the years Australia’s railway engineers have become pre-eminent for their solutions to the challenges of climate diversity. They are renowned for their skill and experience in developing and operating efficient railway systems in tropical and desert areas. CredentialsWith an annual turnover in excess of $8 billion and employing approximately 75, 000 people the Australian Railway Industry is one of the most modern and sophisticated in construction and consultancy services, but also in the innovative engineering solutions to combat a variety of physical, economic and technical challenges. InnovationIn the 19th Century, Australia’s economic future depended on the development of an effective and affordable rail network to connect the nation’s emerging primary industries with their domestic and overseas markets. Australia’s topography, climates, distances and scattered communities meant that this challenging goal could only be achieved by innovative engineering. This tradition of finding a better way remains integral to the success of an engineering environment where the imperative is to achieve cost effective railway solutions over vast distances and extremely arduous operating conditions. Design and ManufacturingThere are seven rollingstock manufacturers in Australia, each experienced in the design of short and medium runs of customised locomotives, a full range of freight wagons, passenger coaches, double and single-deck electric and diesel multiple units. This industry is also self-sufficient in the development and supply of a wide variety of components such as cast and fabricated bogies, wheels, and axles. The component range also includes track supplies, brake pads and blocks, pantographs, traction motors, specialised air-conditioning units, centralised traffic control systems, electronic and solar powered remote area signalling. In Australia, tracks vary from the relatively lightweight variety used in the transportation of sugar cane to the heavy tracks designed for Australia’s iron ore railways. Track maintenance equipment covers the full range from hand-held power tools to fully computerised 60 metre long track relaying machines. Network DevelopmentAustralia's public and private railway network currently comprises a total of 37 000 kms of multi-gauge tracks. Over the past 2 decades some rural networks have been rationalised, but many thousands of kilometres of new track have been built to satisfy the increased demand for freight and passenger services.
Industry ServicesOver the years, Australia’s railway industry has developed specialised expertise and acquired extensive experience in all aspects of the design, development, construction, operation, maintenance and refurbishment of modern rail systems. The industry’s engineers have a proud record of achievement- particularly heavy haul networks in remote locations and hostile environments. The industry’s consultancy skills include feasibility reviews, route surveys, planning, detailed design, project management, estimating, financial analysis of options, infrastructure reviews, passenger reservation systems, and information technology. The services of Australia’s public and private railway professional are available to transport authorities overseas as consultants, advisors, agents and supervisors in dealings with Australian manufacturers and suppliers. Australian railway consultants have completed numerous projects such as transport planning in Eastern Europe and Asia, benchmarking in Hong Kong and the UK, train simulation, signal planning and supervision, as well as privatisation projects in Australia. PerformanceAustralia’s rail networks operational performance is impressive by any standard. Every year, more than 500 million tonnes of fright is hauled and 650 million passenger journeys completed.
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