Support from the Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation for a major research effort to transform rail construction and maintenance has borne fruit.
The Minister for Education and Training, Simon Birmingham, announced in June a successful funding bid by the University of Wollongong. It is for nearly $4 million from Australian Research Centre funding from 2017 to 2020 for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure (ITTC-Rail). This money will be matched by a further $4.8 million in cash and kind from a range of partners.
ACRI is a leading industry partner in the new Australian Training Centre.
ACRI CEO Vicki Brown said, “This new research centre will be strategically focused on the aspects of advanced design and manufacturing for Australian railroad infrastructure.”
Wollongong University’s Dr Buddhima Indraratna, who headed the ARC bid, said, “The aim of the new centre is to transform Australia’s rail construction and maintenance technologies through specialist training of industry-focused researchers.