Converting a Legacy Rail

Corridor to GoA4 Unattended

Train Operation
NSW Australia (Sydenham to Bankstown Line)
Presenter: Steve Allday

1
Contents
Overview
Background
Southwest Corridor Core Challenges
Rolling Stock
Retained Assets
Operational Readiness and Railway Performance
Corridor Protection
Takeaways, Conclusions & Food for Thought
2
Overview & Background

3
Sydney Metro City & Southwest - Overview
Conversion Activities
i. Overlaying Sydney Metro Assets onto a
Sydney Trains operational railway
ii. Addressing Sydney Trains operational
requirements (living together)
iii. Residual assets activities
iv. Pre-conversion testing requirements
affecting
a. Infrastructure
b. Systems and
c. Operations
v. Post conversion arrangements

Converting a Legacy Rail Corridor to GoA4 Unattended Train Operation 4

 Background

• Sydney Metro City & Southwest is an ‘Augmentation of Sydney

Metro Northwest (in operation)
• City Section is a ‘Greenfield Extension’ (goes live 2024)
• Southwest Section is a ‘Brownfield Conversion’ (GoA1
operation to GoA4), currently Operated by Sydney Trains.
- Approximately 14km of ‘at grade railway’
- Approximately 6 km of shared corridor with ARTC

ST’s/SM ARTC

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Background (continued)
• Facilitate the continued operation of Sydney Trains until final
shutdown
• Facilitate testing Sydney Metro systems and trains whilst Sydney
Trains network remains operational.
• Overlay and commission (as far as possible) new Sydney Metro
systems, plus facilitate Sydney Trains access to their retained assets
• Maximise existing whole-of-life asset value
• Maintain performance criteria and KPI regime to mirror:
- Sydney Metro Northwest
- Sydney Metro City Section
• Core requirements;
- DSAPT compliance
- Corridor protection
- Future proof headway growth

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Southwest Corridor Core Challenges

7
Southwest Corridor Core Challenges
• Circa 100-year-old corridor of differing aged assets (track, OHW System, drainage , bridges, embankments, retaining
walls, stations, etc.).
• Ballasted track formation along the whole of the alignment also OHW heights and staggers on the Southwest Section
differ to those on Northwest and City Sections (greenfield tunnel versus established brownfield open).
• Parallel Freight Corridor along 50% of the corridor
• Significant areas of dense population (history of corridor breaches).
• Stations (heritage protection, long and curved platforms, singular exits, can’t cater for equipment rooms, etc.).
• Traction system not capable of supplying the headway requirements to meet future projected demands.
• Elements of the line are subjected to flooding events.
• Rolling Stock procured for the Northwest and City Sections required to operate on the Southwest Section with no
modifications.
• Bankstown station currently a through station required to become a “double terminus station” for Sydney Trains and
Sydney Metro Operations.

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Rolling Stock

9
 Rolling Stock
• Rolling stock procured for Northwest:
- 6 car length with future expansion to 8 car to be
considered.
- Circa 150mm narrower than the Sydney Trains rolling
stock running on Southwest Corridor (and that which
was running on the Epping to Chatswood Section on
the Northwest Corridor prior to conversion).
• Platform to train interface (DSAPT requirements)
managed through:
- Straight platforms
- Fixed gap fillers mounted on the platform
- PSD fixed gap fillers
Note – the above is relevant to the Northwest and City Sections

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Rolling Stock
Southwest Corridor Introduced Requirements
• Curved platforms introduce additional complexity to comply with Disability Standards Accessible Public Transport
(DSAPT) requirements:
- Introduction of integrated Platform Screen Doors with Mechanical Gap Fillers and Obstacle Detectors
(PSD’s with MGF’s and ODS’s)
- Platform Screen Door/Signalling/Train interface changes
- Constrain active platform to 6 car length
• Wheel/Rail interface
- Facilitated a Northwest legacy issue (Monash University)
- Ride Quality
• Overhead Wire/Pantograph interface
- Differing Heights & Staggers
- Pantograph/Wire wear
• Kinematic Envelope/Kinematic Gauge Proving
11
Retained Assets

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Retained Assets
• Broken into differing categories (Commercially)
- Track, OHW Structures and OHW.
- Retaining Walls, Embankments and Culverts.
- Drainage.
- Other (Station Structures, Bridges, etc.).
• Condition Assessments and Strengthening (if appropriate)
- Bridges, Station Structures, etc. assessed and retained or renewed
based on remaining asset life.
- Culverts cleaned out and ‘enhanced/renewed’ based on modelling
results.
Sydenham through to Marrickville
- Drainage broken out into two distinct categories (within or outside in flood plain

of the known flood plain) – it should be noted that flooding

impacted design in respect to cable ducting and cable
specifications.

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Retained Assets
(Track, OHW Structures & Wire)
• Requirement to prove that the assets were “fit for the purpose intended”
- Asset Condition Evidence (Measurement)
▪ 2015
▪ 2019
▪ Annually thereafter to point of handover
- Asset Condition Evidence (RAMS)
▪ Review of failure reports over the previous four years along the alignment (excluding elements that were
planned to be renewed)
▪ Annual review of failures leading up to handover/commissioning (excluding elements that were planned to be
renewed)
- Asset Condition Evidence (Compliance to Standards)
▪ Assets designed and installed pre-current standards
▪ Compliance to “Maintenance Standards” Evidenced.
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Retained Assets
(Embankments and Cuttings)
• Review historic data (excluding planned renewals and/or
enhancements)
• Review incident logs to point of handover
• Implement measurement systems (movement
detection)

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Operational Readiness and Railway
Performance

16
Operational Readiness and Railway
Performance Activities
CBTC Overlay
Equipment
• Balises installed in the track
• Axle counters fitted
• Wi-Fi antenna’s mounted on OHW Structures
• Points & turn-outs fitted, detected but locked out of service.

Note – In order to install these whilst under the operational control of Sydney Trains, it was incumbent upon Sydney
Metro to demonstrate there would be:
• No issues relating to EMC that would adversely affect their systems.
• No issues relating to the physical installations that would adversely impact their maintenance activities.
• No issues that would introduce safety concerns and/or create hazards to their staff or infrastructure

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Operational Readiness and Railway
Performance Activities
Crossovers – Temporary & Permanent Arrangements

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Operational Readiness and Railway Performance
Activities
Platform / train Interface

Equipment
• Platform Screen Doors (with integrated Mechanical Gap Fillers and Intrusion Detectors) Functionality
• PSDMGF/ODS interface with Train Functionality
• CBTC & CCS Functionality

Note – Due to Sydney Trains Rolling Stock Doors not aligning with the Sydney Metro Rolling Stock Doors:
- PSD’s and ODS’s cannot be installed prior to the final shutdown.
- MGF testing and meeting legislative requirements with respect to PTI Compliance needs advance testing.
- RAM’s verification necessary in advance of shutdown and transfer of operations.
- Assurance required that MGF’s will not deploy whilst under Sydney Trains Operations

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Operational Readiness and Railway
Performance Activities
Station systems
Equipment
• CCTV (new system, not possible to re-use existing system or camera’s)
• Public address (new system, not possible to re-use existing system or speakers)
• PIDS & Wayfinding (not possible to re-use existing system or displays)
• Help points (not possible to re-use existing system or units)
• Electronic access system (interim arrangements required to meet Fire Regulations)
• Introduction of New Lifts and Conversion of Retained Lifts

Note – Due to the need for the continued safe and compliant delivery of Sydney Trains services and operations:
- Installation prior to conversion needed to be coordinated with Sydney Trains (particularly Camera’s, Speakers, Help
Points).
- Interim maintenance contracts for lifts required to ensure early introduction of new facilities.
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Operational Readiness and Railway Performance
Activities
General Alignment Activities
Equipment
• Fencing (segregation and / or boundary)
• Electronic access system (Sydney Trains requirements & commissioning timing)
• Track changes
• OHW changes
• Traction power changes
Note – A coordinated and agreed methodology of ‘gradual introduction of required changes’ necessary to maintain a
safe and reliable Sydney trains Service until conversion:
- Fencing introduces ‘Signal Sighting and Corridor Access issues’
- Electronic Access Control into the corridor (Sydney Trains assets remain in the corridor and thus requires post
conversion access arrangements)
- Track and OHW changes required planned possessions and ‘Standards Derogations’
- Temporary traction control arrangements to facilitate testing
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Corridor Activities &
Protection

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Corridor Activities & Protection
Initial Approach
• Market Research – Included UK Test Track Activities
• Development of Safety, Operational, and Technical Requirements
• Risks and Hazard Workshops
• Development of Performance Specifications
Market Engagement
• EOI – Included Operational and Performance requirements
Contract Awarded 2023

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Corridor Activities & Protection
Overall Solution
• Physical Protection
- Boundary Fencing
- Segregation Fencing
• System Protection
- Fibre Cable
- CCTV
Additional Benefits
• Asset Condition Monitoring (Infrastructure and Rolling Stock)
- Broken Rail
- Wheel Flat Spots
- Rock Fall in Cuttings
• Flood Detection

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Corridor Activities & Protection

Pre and Post Conversion Activities

1. Fencing – Boundary and Segregation (though facilitating Sydney Trains Access)

2. CSR (also forms Segregation Fencing at some points)
3. Overbridge Bridge Protection
4. Access Control (including facilitating Sydney Trains post conversion to access cables)

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Takeaways, Conclusions & Food for
Thought

26
Takeaways, Conclusions & Food for Thought –
Metro Conversions
Sydenham to Bankstown

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Takeaways, Conclusions & Food for Thought
Systems Integration – Critical to Success
• Interface Requirements Specifications (Systems Based – Lead and Match)
• Detailed Interface Requirements (System based – Lead and Match)
• Governance & Management in Place
• Roles & Responsibilities Clearly Defined
• Design Review Process (Including the Systems Integrator and Operator(s))
• Testing & Commissioning Plan at “Systems Acceptance Test” Phase
• Integrated Testing & Commissioning Plan at “Systems Integration Acceptance Test” Phase
• Progressive Systems Engineering & Safety Assurance
• Operational Readiness & Acceptance by the Rail Regulator

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Takeaways, Conclusions & Food for Thought
• Invest time in:
- Investigating Current Asset Condition and identify Residual Whole of Life Remaining
- Condition Monitoring
- Proactive RAMS Analysis
- Retention and adherence to ‘maintenance scheduling’ and ‘condition assessment’
• Plan and Define
- Requirements for each system
- Transition Methodology (Interim and Final)
- Testing Regime (activities Pre and During Conversion)
• Build a Collaborative (but Challenging) Relationship Between The Operator(s) and Rail Regulator.
and…………………………

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Takeaways, Conclusions & Food for Thought
• As an Industry share knowledge

Converting legacy rail corridors to GoA4 unattended train operation (UTO)

• Is a reality
• Delivers Customer Benefits
• Delivers Environmental Benefits: and
• Through knowledge sharing and lessons learnt engagements, can and will prove to be ever more cost effective.

Acknowledgement should be given to Sydney Metro for the investment entered into, their engineering vision and the
contribution they have, and with knowledge share, will continue to provide to the industry.

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