Laying foundations for SA’s rail future
The State Government has held face-to-face discussions with some of the world’s biggest rail companies, discussing options to build the next generation of South Australia’s rail fleet using emerging and innovative technologies.
Infrastructure and Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis is in Berlin to attend InnoTrans 2024 – the world’s largest trade fair for transport technology.
Thousands of top Australian and international representatives from business, science and politics are attending this year’s event, including senior executives from major rail manufacturers and operators.
The minister attended as part of the Australasian Railway Association’s 160-strong delegation, along with Department for Infrastructure and Transport CEO Jon Whelan and South Australia’s Agent-General to London David Ridgway.
High-level meetings are being held with a range of rail companies, including Alstom, Siemens, Keolis, ABB, Talgo, Downer, Mott MacDonald and Hyundai Rotem.
A key part of discussions focussed on the Government’s priority to progress the rollout of battery electric trains more broadly in South Australia. Battery electric trains have the potential to allow us to expand our existing rail network without the need to install expensive new overhead gantries and additional infrastructure - and without the necessity of closing lines.
An exciting array of options to fast-track the replacement of the existing legacy fleet has been presented, which will complement the announced planning study examining options for extending outer metropolitan and regional routes including the Seaford and Gawler lines and Adelaide to Mount Barker.
Quotes
Quotes attributable to Tom Koutsantonis
We are impatient to roll out battery electric trains across the South Australian network – and to understand how this can be done without expensive infrastructure costs and line closures.
A series of positive, face-to-face meetings with senior executives from rail companies with whom SA has a fruitful track record has thrown up some exciting options to achieve this sooner rather than later.
As the existing diesel fleet reaches end of life in the coming years, these options are not merely abstract ideas but realistic blueprints for South Australia’s rail future.