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ACRI welcomes new Project Manager, Dr Ankie Larsson.

September 7, 2017

Ankie joins ACRI as a highly experienced research program manager. Ankie previously managed the successful application for the Energy Pipelines Cooperative Research Centre and has also overseen the delivery of commercial research and development projects in the oil and gas industry. Ankie has a PhD in chemical engineering from Lund University and a research/teaching career in materials chemistry, both in Sweden as Assistant Professor Stockholm University and Australia with the Australian National University. Ankie looks forward to engaging across ACRI working groups and researchers to deliver timely and quality research that aids Australasian rail industry decision making. ACRI always…

Active ‘Expect Trains’ Sign Trial Research Report Released

September 7, 2017

ACRI has released the results of the Active 'Expect Trains" Sign Trial. The study evaluated the effects of road-vehicle-activated "Expect Trains" signs (see illustration above) on drivers' visual scanning and search behaviours' to confirm whether "checking activity' was increased at the trail site where the active signage was installed compared to standard passive level crossing sites. The research complements a wider project conducted by ACRI Participant KiwiRail that evaluates the reliability of this active signage. Read the full report on the ACRI Participants Portal

ACRI Welcomes new CEO, Andrew Meier

June 19, 2017

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S MESSAGE Vicki Brown, Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation. ACRI welcomes new Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Meier The Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation is to have a new Chief Executive Officer, so this will be my last newsletter before my retirement in mid-July when the new CEO will take over. Fortunately, ACRI has secured the services of Andrew Meier, who has extensive experience in the Australian and New Zealand transport sectors, particularly in the field of research. For the past decade, Andrew has worked for the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB). ARRB is the source…

ARC Linkage Project Prevention of Subgrade Instability under Fast Heavy Haul Trains to increase productivity, reduce costs of rail network.

June 16, 2017

Researchers at the University of Wollongong and their industry partners have been awarded Australian Research Council (ARC) funding for a project that aims to increase the productivity and reduce the maintenance costs of Australia’s rail network. The project, led by Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna from UOW’s School of Civil, Mining and Environmental Engineering, received a $675,000 grant, the largest of any of the four successful applications. When combined with funding from the project’s industry partners (Infra Tech, Australasian Centre For Rail Innovation, Geoharbour Group, Coffey Geotechnics, and SMEC Australia) this takes the total funding for the project to almost $1million.…

Industry and University Collaboration yields Government funding towards ARC Training Centre for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure

June 15, 2017

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…