SEPTEMBER 2020 Issue number 19
www.railprofessional.com
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR RAIL
Betting on domestic rail Rail investment retains pace across Asia
NEWS All the latest coverage from around the region
EVENTS Rail Asia 2020 in Bangkok
ENGINEERING & CONSULTING Projects across Asia Pacific
WELCOME |
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SEPTEMBER 2020 Issue number 19
www.railprofessional.com
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR RAIL
Betting on domestic rail Rail investment retains pace across Asia
NEWS All the latest coverage from around the region
EVENTS Rail Asia 2020 in Bangkok
ENGINEERING & CONSULTING Projects across Asia Pacific
publisher RAIL PROFESSIONAL LIMITED Hallmark House, Downham Road, Ramsden Heath, Essex CM11 1PU Tel: +44 (0)1268 711811 EditorIAL EDITOR SAM SHERWOOD-HALE editor@railprofessional.com ADVERTISING BEN WARING ben@railpro.co.uk ADMINISTRATION cherie nugent info@railpro.co.uk DESIGN & PRODUCTION MILES JOHNSTONE production@railpro.co.uk
Rail Professional welcomes contributions in the form of articles, photographs or letters, preferably by email. Original photographs may be submitted, but, while every care will be exercised, neither the editor nor the publisher take responsibility for loss of, or damage to, material sent. Submission of material to Rail Professional will be taken as permission for it to be published in the magazine. ISSN 2397-8287 © All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owners. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor does it accept liability for any printing errors or otherwise which may occur.
B
ack in the Summer I lamented my lost opportunities to travel throughout the region, but I was optimistic about being able to do so in time for our September issue. I may have been wrong about the possibility to travel with relative ease, however my optimism was not entirely misplaced as we are seeing the resumption of activity across the industry along with cooperation between countries as Japan and Cambodia are discussing allowing each other’s residents to return under a new travel bubble. This is expected to begin in September with other plans for travel between countries across Asia Pacific coming later in the year. Construction sites across the region have been back up and operational for a few months now, with work resuming at Ho Man Tin Station in Hong Kong and track foundations along the Laos-China railway having been recently completed. Around 20 per cent of the track has been laid with other numbers put out by the construction company suggesting that the railway bridges along the route are almost all complete and most of the tunnels have been drilled. Contracts for future projects are also being awarded with China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) recently winning the bid for the second phase (north extension) of Line 13 of the Shenzhen Metro, with a contract value of approximately 12.06 billion yuan ($1.7 billion). Also, Thales JV in China – Thales SEC Transport (TST) has been contracted by Zhengzhou Metro to provide its innovative TSTCBTC ®2.0 signalling system for the city’s Metro Line 6 Phase 1 project. Alongside that, a consortium with French transportation solutions provider Alstom and Taiwan’s largest turnkey contractor CTCI has been awarded a contract to provide system-wide electrical and mechanical (E&M) work to Taipei City Government’s Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line Phase 2 metro extension. This is a recognition of the consortium’s quality service for undertaking the Phase 1 project previously awarded in 2018. With approximately US$503 million in total contract amount, Phase 2 covers 13.3 kilometres and 13 stations, and is expected to be completed in 2028. Once completed, the 22.8-km Wanda-Zhonghe-Shulin Line will boost Taipei metro network by connecting Xindian Line, Circular Line, Tucheng Line, and Xinzhuang Line. On top of all that, the Vietnamese Government is considering a proposal to build an underground metro line in Hanoi, acting as an extension of the NhonHanoi Station line which is currently under construction and the Thai Government is expected to approve two extensions to routes running to the north and northeast. Each extension covers over 300 kilometres and is expected to cost $2-3 billion. My interview this month was with the Board Chairman of the State Railway of Thailand, Chirute Visalachitra. We discussed high-speed rail in Thailand, the extensions being planned for the country’s northern and north-eastern lines, and get an update on the cross-border link with Cambodia. We also have features from Teltronic and DB Engineering & Consulting and all the latest news from the across the region.
Sam Sherwood-Hale Editor
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issue 19 • SEPTEMBER 2020
06 News Productivity-boosting rail project on track for South Australia, Prasarana and SMRT sign Joint Venture Agreement for Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System Link, MTR Awarded Shenzhen Metro Line 13 Private-Public Partnership Project
10 Rail Professional Interview Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to the Board Chairman of the State Railway of Thailand, Mr. Chirute Visalachitra, about the RAIL Asia Exhibition in November, high-speed rail in Thailand and regional connection in Southeast Asia
15 Business Profile Teltronic unveils its new RTP-800, a multi-technology onboard equipment (TETRA, LTE and Wi-Fi) that integrates critical communication voice services and broadband data services in a single rack
16 Business Profile RAIL Asia 2020 once again embraces the strong support of the State Railway of Thailand as hosts of this year’s event, now firmly established as Thailand’s only rail and metro exhibition and conference
17 Business Profile DB Engineering & Consulting is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, the rail, mobility and logistics company that profitably operates Germany’s railway network Rail Professional
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| NEWS
News in brief... Aurecon appoints Jasmin Abad Lock to support its growth in Infrastructure Advisory Hong Kong – International engineering, design and advisory company, Aurecon has announced the appointment of Jasmin Abad Lock as Principal, Infrastructure Advisory, effective 3 August 2020. Based in Hong Kong with experience across Hong Kong, China and Southeast Asia, Jasmin will work closely with Aurecon’s Infrastructure, Buildings
and Energy teams to grow Aurecon’s Infrastructure Advisory services in the wider Asia region. Of an estimated $15 trillion global infrastructure investment gap, Asia is expected to represent over 60 per cent of medium-term infrastructure spending by 2025. The Asian Development Bank’s 2030 Strategy is also striving to develop Asia and the Pacific to be prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable by focusing on priority sectors and themes – water, environment, climate change and disaster risk management, technology, transport, urban development, finance, public-private partnerships, and the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Productivity-boosting rail project on track for South Australia Adelaide, Australia – The AUS$252 million major re-railing upgrade between Adelaide and Tarcoola is nearing completion, with final contracts being awarded from this month. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the significant infrastructure project had created much-needed local jobs for South Australia and would provide a long-term freight productivity boost. ‘As many as 180 workers have been employed on the project so far, with many of these located in regional South Australia, such as Whyalla and Port Augusta’ the Deputy Prime Minister said. ‘The main re-railing work is already done and dusted, paving the way for finishing works such as replacing wooden sleepers with new concrete ones to complete the project. ‘This a great example of how our record $100 billion investment in infrastructure is creating local jobs and driving growth at a time when it’s needed most.’ Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said the project was already significantly improving the efficiency and productivity of freight movements between Eastern and Western Australia, meaning businesses can get their goods to local and international markets faster. ‘Re-railing this key section of the national rail network will allow heavier, more efficient freight trains to safely operate at faster speeds’ Senator Cormann said. ‘This is a major shot in the arm for our entire supply Key facts – Adelaidechain, particularly some of our key industries such as Tarcoola project by the numbers: mining, which will be able to haul larger loads of their world-renowned products on more efficient trains. Nearly 70,000 tonnes of ‘With some of the final tenders for remaining works to Whyalla-made 60 kg/m rail be signed as soon as next month, South Australia and the 180 direct jobs in the entire national supply chain will soon reap the benefits of Flashbutt welding depot and in project management and the improved track.’ delivery Federal Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey said nearly More than 38,000 welds at 70,000 tonnes of Australian-made steel from Liberty’s the Flashbutt Depot in Port Whyalla plant was delivered as part of this critical upgrade, Augusta providing a welcome boost to local steel manufacturing. More than 5,000 mobile ‘The investments in staff and skills on this project Flashbutt welds and 4,590 ensured Liberty was able to secure further contracts with aluminothermic welds in the ARTC to deliver steel rail to the Melbourne to Brisbane the field Inland Rail Program and the Goulburn to Sydney re-railing 3.5 million Pandrol clips to clip the rail, along with 1.75 program’ Mr Ramsey said. million new rail pads ‘This highlights just how large-scale infrastructure 60 turnouts tamped projects such as this can be a significant catalyst for further 440-kilometres of rail line economic growth, creating jobs and giving businesses tamped the boost they need to upskill and employ more people, encouraging local investment. ‘This will be a boost for the broader South Australian economy, because more jobs and investment equals more cash flowing across local goods and services.’ The project involved upgrading approximately 600 kilometres of standard gauge rail track between Adelaide and Tarcoola line by replacing 47-kilogram-per-metre rail with stronger 60-kilogram-per-metre rail, allowing for 25-tonne axle load limits. For more information, visit https://www.artc.com.au/projects/adelaide-tarcoola-rerailing-upgrade.
Prasarana and SMRT sign Joint Venture Agreement for Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System Link Singapore – Prasarana Malaysia Bhd (Prasarana), Malaysia’s leading public transportation provider, and SMRT Corporation Ltd (SMRT), Singapore’s leading rail operator, have signed a Joint Venture (JV) Agreement to form the Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link operating company, RTS Operations Pte Ltd. RTS Operations Pte Ltd, a Singapore incorporated company, will design, build, and finance the RTS Link operating assets including trains, tracks and systems. This company will also operate and maintain the rail line between Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, and Woodlands North in Singapore. The RTS Link passenger service is targeted to commence by end-2026, and it will be able to carry up to 10,000 passengers every hour
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| NEWS
News in brief... Davies Turner’s Express China rail freight service now goes direct to UK regions Bookings on its weekly fixed-day rail consol service from China to the UK continue to increase, so Davies Turner is adding UK destinations that will be served directly from China. Tony Cole, Head Of Supply Chain Services at one of the UK’s leading independent freight and logistics company says: ‘Having reviewed the pattern of shipments we are carrying, we have decided to offer a direct service to our regional freight hubs in Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester, in addition to the existing direct service to Dartford. ‘Since the direct service recommenced in March, we have seen three to four 40ft High Cube containers arriving every week direct into our Dartford freight hub. ‘However, following the review, we have identified many of the shipments are for distribution to other parts of the UK, so we are now working with our partners in China to refine the consolidation process at Hefei, and to ensure that shipments destined for the South West, Midlands or North West are consolidated in the same container. ‘This additional fine tuning of the service will enable us to make a further reduction in the transit time.’ The weekly service leaves the Hefei rail hub and heads to Neuss in Germany, from where containers are then trucked under bond to the port of Rotterdam and transported by ferry to Purfleet in East London. In future, on-carriage will be undertaken from Purfleet by truck direct to one of Davies Turner’s distribution centres in Birmingham, Bristol, Dartford or Manchester, where the contents will be discharged, customs cleared and delivered.
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in each direction. The JV Agreement was signed digitally by Encik Muhammad Nizam Alias, President and Group CEO of Prasarana, Mr Neo Kian Hong, Group Chief Executive Officer of SMRT, and Yang Berbahagia Datuk Syed Mohamed bin Syed Ibrahim, Chairman of RTS Operations Pte Ltd. The signing was witnessed by Yang Berhormat Dato Sri Haji Tajuddin Bin Abdul Rahman, Group Chairman of Prasarana, and Mr Seah Moon Ming, Chairman of SMRT. Also present were Yang Berbahagia Datuk Isham Ishak, Secretary-General Ministry of Transport Malaysia, Mr Yap Kim Wah, Vice Chairman of RTS Operations Pte Ltd, as well as Mr Abu Bakar, Dato T Jasudasen and Encik Mohd Rafizee Abdul Rahman, board members of RTS Operations Pte Ltd. Dato’ Sri Haji Tajuddin Abdul Rahman said: ‘Prasarana is proud to be part of this initiative, which fits well to its mission to be a catalyst for further development and economic growth to Malaysia.’ Mr Seah Moon Ming emphasised that ‘the RTS Link is a significant milestone that will bring the people, cultures and societies on both sides of the Causeway closer. It will enhance cross-border connectivity for millions of commuters for decades to come.’ Encik Muhammad Nizam said: ‘Prasarana is fully committed for successful delivery of the Project according to its schedule as the RTS Link is very important for both Malaysia and Singapore in tapping the vast economic opportunities in both countries for mutual benefit.’ Mr Neo Kian Hong said: ‘We are excited to work with Prasarana to provide a service on the third land link between Singapore and Malaysia, which will improve the commute of people who work and live on the two sides of the Causeway. We look forward to forging a close working relationship between our two rail companies.’ Datuk Syed Mohamed Syed Ibrahim said: ‘Apart from providing an alternative mode of transport between Johor Bahru and Singapore, we hope that the collaboration could benefit both companies in terms of access to greater resources, for example, technology, finance and new knowledge and expertise, including specialised staff.’
MTR Awarded Shenzhen Metro Line 13 Private-Public Partnership Project Hong Kong – The MTR Corporation has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, MTR Consulting (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd, (MTR Consulting), taking the lead in a partnership with China Railway Electrification Bureau (Group) Co., Ltd (EEB), was awarded the tender for the Shenzhen Metro Line 13 (Line 13) PrivatePublic Partnership (PPP) project. An agreement will be signed with the Shenzhen Municipal Government for the investment and construction of the project, and operation of Line 13 for a term of 30 years after completion. The PPP project will be undertaken by a Joint Venture Company in which MTR Consulting and EEB will have effective interest of 83 per cent and 15 per cent respectively, with the balance (two per cent) owned by a subsidiary of the Shenzhen Municipal Government. The PPP project covers track laying, rolling stock and electrical and mechanical systems including the signalling system and the automated fare collection system, with a total capital cost of approximately
RMB¥4.91 billion ($540 million) to be financed by both debt and equity. The civil construction of the project is being undertaken by Shenzhen Metro Group Co., Ltd. ‘We are delighted to be awarded the Line 13 PPP project and to participate in the railway network development of Shenzhen again after Shenzhen Line 4 and Line 4 North Extension’ said Dr Jacob Kam, CEO of MTR Corporation. ‘Building on our proven expertise in operating international railway services and experience in serving commuters in Shenzhen since 2010, we look forward to working closely with the Shenzhen Metro Group and delivering safe, reliable and convenient metro service to serve more commuters in this city. We will continue to contribute to improving the railway network of Shenzhen and further stimulating economic vitality in the Greater Bay Area.’ The 22.4-kilometre Line 13 includes 16 stations extending from south to north in central Shenzhen. The line is expected to commence service in 2023.
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| INTERVIEW
Chirute Visalachitra Sam Sherwood-Hale spoke to the Board Chairman of the State Railway of Thailand, Mr. Chirute Visalachitra, about the RAIL Asia Exhibition in November, high-speed rail in Thailand and regional connection in Southeast Asia
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hai railways transported around eleven million tonnes of freight per year in 20072012, which was around two per cent of the total amount of freight moved by all modes of transportation. How can SRT expand rail’s share of the freight market? To increase the market share of railway transportation, the government has supported State Railway of Thailand (SRT) infrastructure for track doubling projects. In 2019 SRT completed the construction of double track with the signalling section Chachoengsao to Kaeng Khoi with three Chord lines at Chachoengsao Junction, Kaeng Khoi Junction and Ban Phachi Junction in order to reduce shunting time of locomotive at the junctions. After this track doubling project is completed, SRT will be able to increase the average speed of freight trains in this section from about 26-28 kph to 60 kph, as well as facilitating freight train transportation, reducing fuel costs and other expenses and increasing punctuality and frequency of freight trains. These improvements will increase the confidence of cargo customers hoping for an increase in freight train service, especially big customers in LPG, Oil and Container transportation between the Inland Container Depot (ICD) Lat Krabang to Laem Chabang Port. SRT assists the private sector in managing the ICD Lat Krabang by offering better service for all freight trains and cooperates with single rail transfer operator (SRTO) at Laem Chabang Port, SRT will be able to increase the amount of railway transportation from 350,000400,000 TEU per year (TEU average weight of 15 tonnes) to 800,000 TEU per year. For future transportation, SRT has taken new concepts with JR-Freight company by carrying out a feasibility study into the application of small size containers to the market of Thai consumer goods, including parcel and border transportation between Thailand and neighbouring countries. We are targeting growth in railway transportation in this sector of about 38 million tonnes by 2027. Regarding our plans for rolling stock, SRT has already supplied 20 electric diesel locomotives for freight train operation since 2015, alongside procuring a bogie flat wagon 308 set in 2016 to support the
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INTERVIEW |
increased container weight. There are also plans to procure 965 bogies for domestic assembly, there are plans to rent diesel electric locomotives to support track doubling project and new double track lines by 2023. SRT is currently constructing double track railway (phase 1), with a total distance of approximately 1,000 kilometres, including two new double track lines from Den Chai-Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong (323 kilometre) and from Ban Phai-Mukdahan to Nakhon Phanom (355 kilometres). The plan is scheduled for completion by 2024-2025. We expect that the proportion of freight will increase to 4-5 per cent in the future. Cambodia has stepped up rail enhancement projects in recent years, with the much-publicised link between Bangkok and Phnom Penh drawing closer. How closely do you work with your counterparts in Cambodia when it comes to developing this link? We are working on a rail system development action plan by connecting railway tracks between Thailand and Cambodia. SRT currently operates a railway route from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet and has restored tracks connecting the two countries with the goal to reopen the link through Cambodia from Aranyaprathet to
new station named Ban Khlong Luek Border Station. On 22 April 2019, General Prayut Chano-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand and Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia signed a railway agreement to restore the rail link between the two countries at Ban Khlong Luek Border. SRT delivered a diesel rail passenger car to link the rail transportation between Thailand and Cambodia as well as confirming cooperation to interoperate trains in the future. At present, SRT is ready to work together with Cambodia to achieve a joint design for connecting Ban Khlong Luek Border Station and Poipet Station by first opening train operation between the stations, then extending the track to Si Sophon and Phra Tabong in the next phase. However, Cambodia shall consider providing a signalling and communication system that extends to include solving problems of level crossing between railways and roads. This train link will also help plans to develop special economic zones between the two countries and benefit the deep seaport in the future. As of 2018, SRT’s network carries around 35 million passengers annually.
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At present, SRT is ready to work together with Cambodia to achieve a joint design ‌ [the] train link will also help plans to develop special economic zones between the two countries and benefit the deep seaport in the future Rail Professional
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| INTERVIEW
The passenger count is expected to double by 2027 when expansion plans are realised, can you give us an update on these expansion plans? SRT passenger trains consist of two types which are public service operations (PSO) trains and commercial trains, which currently have a commercial proportion of 32 per cent of the total number of passengers. SRT focusses on the commercial passenger group, which has approximately 11-12 million passengers a year, because the commercial market income is 90 per cent of total passenger revenue. The Construction plan of Double Track Railway Project includes installation of a new train control system (phase 1). In total seven routes are under construction and are
Choosing Thailand to be the host of RAIL Asia event has created synergies between Thai companies and overseas companies through meetings, conferences, seminars and site visits. All of which will spur future improvement in the railway network across ASEAN. SRT hosts and supports RAIL Asia at Makkasan Expo Halls as the business and knowledge platform for the industry bringing together the world’s leading suppliers and Southeast Asia’s rail professionals and looks forward to welcoming the industry professionals to Bangkok this year Rail Professional
expected to be completed by 2024, which will increase connection capacity to Bangkok from major provinces near Bangkok to around 250-300 kilometres. Two new double track lines from Den chai-Chiang Rai to Chiang Khong and from Ban Phai-Mukdahan to Nakhon Phanom are in the process of land expropriation preparation, with the tender for construction coming in 2021. The procurement plan of 184 BMUs (Bi-mode Multiple Unit) is under approval and will support operations within a radius of 250-300 kilometres. The target is commercial passengers travelling within three hours at an average speed of 90100 kph and to increase the procurement of more BMUs in the next phase. This BMU will promote the market to a new group of potential customers offering new long-distance services by increasing the capacity of the passenger car in service to 273 by 2025. We may have to improve the marketing of long-distance trains to target customers as the predicted commercial
passengers 20 to 22 million people a year by 2027. Which areas/provinces of Thailand does SRT see as the most important in increasing passenger service? The major plan is to increase the number of passengers who make journeys of around 250-300 kilometres. SRT is preparing the process for extending electric commuter train (CT) in the red line project area including Rangsit to Thammasart University, Siriraj to Taling Chan to Salaya (Mahidol University), Bang Sue station to Hua Mak station and Bang Sue station to Hua Lamphong station. SRT is also preparing for investment in infrastructure for longdistance (LD) electric trains to other provinces such as Ayutthaya, Nakhon pathom, Chachoengsao, Ratchaburi(Pak Tho district). Do you have any updates on the new SRT Southern line connecting Thailand to Singapore?
INTERVIEW |
For railway interface between Thailand and Singapore, right now SRT will continue to extend more meter gauge infrastructure which connects to Malaysia and through to Singapore. SRT has finished a feasibility study of a high-speed route from Bangkok to Hua Hin (213 kilometres) then connecting to Padang Besar which is 973 kilometres from Bangkok. The project cost is extremely hight and it not worth the investment. Last October, a conglomerate led by Thailand’s CP Group signed a contract with SRT for the construction of a high-speed rail line linking Bangkok’s two airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, with a third airport on the eastern seaboard. Where are we with that project and what can you tell us about it? SRT already signed the agreement for a high-speed railway linking the three airports with CP Group’s Eastern High-Speed Rail Linking Three Airports Co., Ltd. (EHSR) and is currently preparing the construction area including the relocation of public utilities and carrying out due diligence for the transfer of the airport rail link system to EHSR. When will we first see high-speed trains operating on Thailand’s railway? The Bangkok to Nakhon Ratchasima highspeed train (Phase 1) is already in civil construction process and will be in service by 2025. The high-speed rail linking three airports project (Don Mueang airport Suvarnabhumi Airport - U-Tapao Airport) will be in service by 2026. How successful do you think the airport link has been? The Airport Rail link (ARL) is a successful subsidiary company of SRT and has performed all servicing and maintenance of all systems for more than nine years. SRTET is training staff and maintenance technicians and supports the development of new technician. SRTET is certified for engineering and maintenance ISO 9001:2015 and certified for operating for electric trains ISO 9001: 2015 in 2020. The number of ARL passengers has grown from the first year of service in 2010, from 4.7 million passengers then to 26.15 million passengers in 2019. What are you prioritising for Thailand’s rail development right now? Rail enhancements on old lines, the highspeed rail link with north-eastern Thailand, or connections with other countries? In the past, SRT lacked continuous improvement, but at present SRT has set a
long-term plan to get more support from the Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Finance. The previous and present Government developed a railway plan which established clear guidelines for the development of the country’s railway system. Based on this, the goal is to ensure that railway systems in Thailand will be continuously developed to promote national development and regional development with ASEAN as well as connecting with the People’s Republic of China.
The Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong) is an important historic building and is over 100 years old. It is valuable to keep the station as a tourist attraction so it will be turned into a museum and the rail system will be preserved Will Thailand 4.0 see a modal shift from road and air travel to rail? What Government legislation can be enacted to support this? Smog levels remained at unhealthy levels in Bangkok and Thailand and PM with a diameter of less than 2.5 (PM 2.5) is a problem. Bangkok has many lines of electric train which surely has reduced PM 2.5 and also called people’s attention to use more public transportation. The use of rail instead of road and air transport will increase when the current railway projects are finished. Is there any appetite to extend the northern line beyond Chiang Mai? The Government has already approved the construction of a double track railway (meter gauge) as part of a new northern route, between Denchai - Chiang Rai - Chiang Khong. The line passes through Phrae,
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Phayao, Chiang Rai and reaches the border of Laos PDR at Chiang Khong District with a total distance of 323 kilometres. SRT is preparing the process for the construction tender, with completion expected by 2024. What is going to happen to Hua Lamphong station? Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong) is the centre of the Northern Line, North East Line, South Line and Eastern Line. There are approximately 244 trains a day, with guidelines to reduce the role of service at Bangkok Railway Station. In accordance with the red line electric train project, the historic Hua Lamphong station will not be demolished. Trains from Northern Lines, Northeast Lines and Southern Lines, between Bang Sue and Bangkok shall be reduced with the new terminal station at Bang Sue Station and Bang Sue Grand Station (Red Line). When the red line extension starts full service, SRT shall reduce all long-distance service trains then transfer to the new EMU service from Bang Sue Grand Station to Bangkok station. Eastern running trains between Hua Mak - Makkasan - Bangkok will continue to use Bangkok station as the destination station. After the Red Line completed, SRT shall transfer eastern train to the Bang Sue Grand Station. The Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong) is an important historic building and is over 100 years old. It is valuable to keep the Bangkok Station as a tourist attraction so it will be turned into a museum and the rail system will be preserved. Will visitors to RAIL Asia in November have a chance to visit Bang Sue Grand Station and see what the future of Thailand’s rail network will be like? Bang Sue Grand Station is under construction in November 2020 and hopefully will nearly be complete, then SRT will have a great opportunity to welcome the visitors to RAIL Asia as our special guest at Bang Sue Grand Station. How will SRT engage with visitors to RAIL Asia this November? Choosing Thailand to be the host of RAIL Asia event has created synergies between Thai companies and overseas companies through meetings, conferences, seminars and site visits. All of which will spur future improvement in the railway network across ASEAN. SRT hosts and supports RAIL Asia at Makkasan Expo Halls as the business and knowledge platform for the industry bringing together the world’s leading suppliers and Southeast Asia’s rail professionals and looks forward to welcoming the industry professionals to Bangkok this year. Rail Professional
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BUSINESS PROFILE |
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TETRA+LTE to revolutionise train-to-ground communications Teltronic unveils its new RTP-800, a multi-technology onboard equipment (TETRA, LTE and Wi-Fi) that integrates critical communication voice services and broadband data services in a single rack
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N50155 and EN45545 compliant, it provides digital audio (VoIP) capabilities and multiple interconnection possibilities, facilitating its integration with the different subsystems of trams, metros, trains and buses. The technology used has been validated for ETCS, CBTC and PTC railway signalling applications, and its design has been geared towards meeting the future FRMCS. Public transport systems require reliable and efficient communications networks that provide voice services and that satisfy the growing demand for data transmission. In this context, Teltronic, leading company in the design and manufacture of radio communication solutions for transport, presents the new RTP-800, a new generation on-board equipment that integrates in a single rack TETRA, LTE and Wi-Fi for voice and data critical communications. The new onboard equipment, with a compact design and easy to install, is configured as a single, standardised hardware platform that supports multiple configurations: TETRA (voice and data), TETRA (voice) + LTE (data), or LTE (MCPTT and VoIP services for voice and broadband data services). Based on this multi-configuration approach, the main novelty provided by the RTP-800, and which makes it unique in the market, is that its hardware may be fully dedicated to broadband communications, a completely independent and transparent interface that allows transmission data without interfering with mission critical functionalities and without having to add
additional equipment to the rack. In this way, this new onboard unit provides massive transmission of data for railway signalling applications and on-board video services, among others, while all voice services work correctly without any downtime. Another point to highlight is that it offers wide connectivity possibilities, with Ethernet, serial ports and Wi-Fi, as well
comply the European FRMCS standard (Future Railway Mobile Communication System), which is being defined by the International Union of Railways to be used by high-speed trains. The new equipment, like all the on-board units designed by Teltronic, is certified with the EN50155 (electronic equipment used on rolling stock for railway applications) and EN45545 (protection against fire
as a digital audio switching matrix that facilitates integration with train audio subsystems, such as intercom and public address systems. In addition, the RTP-800 comes standard with interfaces for connection to other subsystems, such as the Train Control Management System (TCMS), and its TETRA and LTE technologies have been validated to transmit ETCS (European Train Control System), CBTC (CommunicationsBased Train Control) and PTC (Positive Train Control). The terminal has been designed to
incidents in railways) regulations. Regarding the security, the equipment complies with the European cybersecurity standard for industrial environments EN62443. With this new product release, Teltronic expands its portfolio by reinforcing its well-known range of on-board equipment and solutions for buses, metros, trams and railways. Tel: +34 976 46 56 56 Email: sales@teltronic.es Visit: www.teltronic.es
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RAIL Asia 2020 remains on track for 2020 Expo in Bangkok RAIL Asia 2020 once again embraces the strong support of the State Railway of Thailand as hosts of this year’s event, now firmly established as Thailand’s only rail and metro exhibition and conference
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n an interview in the current issue of Rail Professional Asia Pacific, the Board Chairman of the State Railway of Thailand, Mr. Chirute Visalachitra, explained about the growth and opportunities in Thailand’s railway industry and how SRT will engage with visitors at RAIL Asia this November. ‘Thailand’s railway network investment plan includes public railways, monorail, electric trains, long distance trains and high-speed trains. They are all interested in the major investors of Thailand, to include construction companies and the world’s leading manufacturers that relate to railway development networks in Thailand. ‘Choosing Thailand to be the host of RAIL Asia event has created synergies between Thai companies and overseas companies through meetings, conferences, seminars and site visits. All of which will spur future improvement in the railway network across ASEAN. ‘SRT hosts and supports RAIL Asia at Makkasan Expo Halls as the business and knowledge platform for the industry bringing together the world’s leading suppliers and Southeast Asia’s rail professionals and looks forward to welcoming the industry professionals to Bangkok this year.’ The State railway of Thailand is joined by the Ministry of Transport to officially open
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RAIL Asia 2020 on 25 November at SRT’s Makkasan Expo Halls in Bangkok. Within the Free-to-Attend Conference programme RAIL Asia 2020 will explore a wide scope of rail and metro initiatives from ASEAN inter-connectivity, high-speed rail, specialised technical papers and case studies from the region. The main stimulus of the regional expansion of RAIL Asia in Bangkok over the past few years has been the vast investment into transport infrastructure currently amounting to $93 billion of confirmed spend in Asia by 2021 with Thailand accounting for over 40 per cent of all new rail and metro investment in the region. Additional to the high-speed projects, Thailand will be expanding and upgrading its
existing 4,000 kilometres of track, upgrading signaling and telecommunications systems throughout the network, vastly expanding its rolling stock capabilities, expanding the Bangkok metro system to 14 lines and introduce light-rail networks to a further four cities. The Free-to-Attend Conference at RAIL Asia 2020 will feature the detailed development and project opportunities of Thailand’s Metro Cities as well as all the latest technology and project advancements in the region. Book your seat or to join the industry leaders in the supporting exhibition by contacting rail@aesexhibitions. com or visiting www.RailAsiaExpo.com. Email: rail@aesexhibitions.com Visit: www.RailAsiaExpo.com
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What the future of Asia Pacific holds for DB Engineering & Consulting DB Engineering & Consulting is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, the rail, mobility and logistics company that profitably operates Germany’s railway network
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eutsche Bahn is widely acknowledged as one of the leading transport and logistics providers across the globe. As a leading engineering and consulting company in the rail sector, DB Engineering & Consulting offers sustainable, made-to-measure mobility and transport solutions for its customers. More than 5,000 specialists and generalists from 84 nations invest their expertise to manage complex infrastructure projects and integrate all engineering disciplines and consulting services involved – in Germany as well as for example in Australia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, China, India or Brazil.
Establishment in the APAC market In Asia Pacific (APAC), public transport has always been the main mode of transport. Usually, cities are densely populated and rail based mass transit systems are being seen as an environmentally friendly and energy efficient mode of transportation to move people from one place to another. Some regions have had MRT for some decades now – such as Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong – and a huge number of metro rail projects are currently being implemented in China, India and other countries, driving investment in rail. DB Engineering & Consulting has already been well established in the APAC market
for several decades. The company´s priority is to bring its expertise to customers’ requirements – which need different strategies for different markets along the value chain. For a market like Australia, high-level systems engineering expertise and O&M experience are in strong demand. Here, the company provided its consulting services on the Canberra Metro Light Rail project and is currently involved in the Melbourne Metro project. In China, where a well-established high speed network already exists, one of the main product offerings is operations and maintenance and O&M planning and
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strategy. DB Engineering & Consulting is providing training and is in discussions with China Railways to work on a longterm maintenance strategy. In the past, the company has also provided construction supervision services for several of China’s long distance high-speed rail projects. In Southeast Asia, the company has been instrumental in depot designs for LTA in Singapore, and has provided work on the Kuala Lumpur–Singapore high-speed line as a specialist high-level consultant. It has been involved in projects in Taiwan for close to 50 years and was one of the primary consultants for the Taiwan High Speed Rail project, a landmark infrastructure development. Additionally, it has contributed to developing their rail network, the upgrading of the metro in Taoyuan and the construction of the new Tamsui LRT and Ankeng LRT tramlines. The company has also taken part in rail projects in Thailand and Vietnam in the past, and will re-enter these markets again as investments grow. The plan is to establish
strategic partnerships in order to bring product offerings and ensure strong delivery in different markets across APAC. Deep dive: projects in India Recently, there has been a slight shift of focus towards India, where rail investments are at an all-time high. DB Engineering & Consulting is engaged in general consultancy services for three major metro projects in Mumbai, Bhopal and Indore with an investment budget of over €3.5 billion ($4.1 billion). On these projects, the company provides services from tender design and bid management, project management, to supervision, operations planning as well as testing and commissioning. More than 150 experts Rail Professional
from various disciplines engaged in these projects alone, that are overseeing the implementation of CBTC in the signaling area, AFC for fare management, property development as well as underground stations and tunnels constructed using TBM’s and different construction methodologies. Indian metro project owners are using latest technologies on greenfield projects and DB Engineering & Consulting is able to leverage its experience to assist customers in these high expertise areas. It delivered the feasibility study of a High Speed Rail between Chennai and Mysore and is the project manager for a 175-kilometre heavy haul (32.5 ton axle load) freight corridor in India, for both civil and systems works. This freight corridor will use overhead 2 x 25 KV traction, operating freight trains at 100 kph, automatic block signaling, modern telecommunication, train radio and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) control systems. What the future holds: prospects and opportunities Keeping environmental considerations in mind, many countries in APAC are focusing on long distance rail in terms of upgrading their existing infrastructure or building new lines. There is also a push for electrification of railway lines and moving to higher speeds and away from fossil fuel based modes of transport, especially for shorter distances. Therefore, DB Engineering & Consulting sees a demand for highlevel railway expertise and technology. At the same time, the company is committed to providing a wide portfolio of products.
The products that are in demand in APAC are clearly dependent on the respective market, the level of technology deployment and the customer‘s budget. For design engineering, a higher reliance on automation and AI are expected in the future. Digital operations of railways, predictive maintenance and asset management will be significant products for transport infrastructure companies, who will look at operations that are more efficient. DB Engineering & Consulting also sees a requirement for improvement of signaling technologies, similar to ETCS Level 2 or higher, as well as driverless trains etc. It predicts that traditional engineering will merge with IT and IOT and the cost effective and efficient delivery of railway projects will increasingly rely on BIM, GIS, machine learning and similar tools. Furthermore, it is expected that APAC will see a mobility of staff across the region. The APAC region is generally known for its excellent education and qualified engineers. Countries with a significant number of English speaking engineers will see a large benefit in this area. There will be a high demand for staff in metro, railways and high-speed rail in the years to come especially in the areas of track work, systems engineering, rolling stock as well as operations and maintenance. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the industry, an upward trend is expected for APAC, which means a strong market for engineering and consulting services. Email: db-engineering-consulting@ deutschebahn.com Visit: www.db-engineering-consulting.com
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