CORE (Conference on Railway Excellence)
CORE IS THE RTSA’S BIENNIAL CONFERENCE ON RAILWAY EXCELLENCE.
CORE has grown to be one of the most respected railway technical conferences available, offering only peer reviewed technical papers of the highest standard. CORE is a non-commercial conference overseen by a voluntary organising committee of railway professionals as a service to the profession and the industry and offers high value for money to attend.
CORE offers complimentary Emerging Rail Professionals Scholarships to selected undergraduates and recent graduates to promote the rail industry as a unique place to build a career.
CORE2025
We warmly invite you to join us in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), Aotearoa (New Zealand), for the Conference on Railway Excellence 2025 (CORE 2025), themed Kaitiaki – Guarding the Future, from 12-14 August at the Pullman Hotel, Auckland.
CORE is Australasia’s premier railway engineering and technology conference, featuring over 80 peer-reviewed papers and international keynote speakers addressing critical issues in railway policy, operations, and engineering. Expect insightful presentations, dynamic discussions, networking opportunities, technical tours—and, of course, a bit of socialising.
CORE 2025 will deliver the high standard of content you’ve come to expect, with a distinct New Zealand touch. Our theme, Kaitiaki, embodies the concept of guardianship over the sky, sea, and land—just as we, as railway professionals, are the guardians of rail’s role in sustainable freight and passenger transport.
We’re also introducing a new option for presentations: a pathway for those unable to submit a full paper but still keen to share valuable insights. These extended abstracts, typically 2-4 pages, will be peer-reviewed to maintain the high standard of CORE while offering more flexibility.
Auckland, known as the “City of Sails,” is at the heart of New Zealand’s rail investment, including the City Rail Loop, which will be nearing completion during the conference. This project will be a highlight of our technical tours.
With convenient flight options from major Australian cities and the added opportunity to explore New Zealand’s natural beauty, CORE 2025 offers a perfect blend of professional development and adventure. For those concerned about overseas travel, keep in mind that the flight time is shorter than an east coast-to-Perth trip, we speak the same language, and we’re still part of the family—well, almost!
The RTSA New Zealand Chapter, the CORE 2025 organising committee, and the New Zealand rail industry look forward to welcoming you to Auckland for another exceptional CORE.
John Gardiner
Chair, CORE 2025
CORE2023 was recently held in Melbourne 19-21 June, 2023. Click here – ENCA_3689_Program Handbook – for the program.
Previous CORE conferences have been held in:
- CORE2023 – Melbourne (Theme – “Celebrating 25 Years in Motion”)
- CORE2021 – Perth (Theme – “Collaborating to Master Complexity”)
- CORE2018 – Sydney (Theme – “Rail: smart, automated, sustainable”)
- CORE2016 – Melbourne (Theme – “Maintaining the Momentum”)
- CORE2014 – Adelaide (Theme – “Rail Transport for a Vital Economy”)
- CORE2012 – Brisbane (Theme – “Global Perspectives”)
- CORE2010 – Wellington (Theme – “Rail – Rejuvenation & Renaissance”)
- CORE2008 – Perth (Theme – “Rail – The Core of Integrated Transport”)
- CORE2006 – Melbourne (Theme – “Rail Achieving Growth”)
- CORE2004 – Darwin (Theme – “New Horizons for Rail”)
- CORE2002 – Wollongong (Theme – “Cost-efficient railways through engineering”)
- CORE2000 – Adelaide (Theme – “Railway Technology for the 21st Century”)
- CORE1998 – Yeppoon (Theme – “Engineering Innovation for a Competitive Edge”)
- CORE1995 – Melbourne (Theme – “World Best Practice The What Why and How”)^
- CORE1993 – Newcastle (Theme – “Contracting Railways – Safety, Standards and the Surroundings”)^
- CORE1991 – Adelaide – Asset Maintenance^
- CORE1987 – Perth – Productivity – What can engineers contribute^
- CORE1985 – Brisbane – Electrification^
- CORE1983 – Melbourne – Upgrading Australia’s Railways^
- CORE1981 – Sydney – Track and Vehicle Dynamics^
^via RTSA’s precursor, the National Committee on Railway Engineering
In 2014, CORE changed it’s name from Conference on Railway Engineering to Conference on Railway Excellence.
RAIL KNOWLEDGE BANK
RTSA is a supporter of the Rail Knowledge Bank which houses papers from previous CORE conferences*.
*Proceedings from 2000, 2002 and 2004 are available in the Documents Folder in the members only section.