International Workshop on Railway Brake Research (On-line)
2023-09-19 - 2023-09-20 | Virtual / On-line
Brakes are indispensable and safety-critical systems for all types of railway trains including passenger (high-speed, metro, tram, etc.) and freight trains (heavy-haul, intermodal, etc.). Safe and efficient railway operations require a good understanding of brakes from various parties including drivers, maintenance crews, manufacturers, and design engineers. Brake research helps to expand and deepen the knowledge about railway train brakes.
Driven by the rapid development of Intelligent Transport Systems and the ever-increasing demands for faster and heavier trains, as well as energy savings and sustainability, railway brake research has seen a new wave of interests from the industry and academia. Under these situations, we propose an International Workshop on Railway Brake Research to boost brake research. The International Workshop on Railway Brake Research will be virtually hosted by CRE of Central Queensland University (Australia) and DIEF of University of Florence (Italy) from 19-20 September 2023. This virtual conference will bring together the latest research to achieve a better understanding of the behaviour and mechanisms of railway brake systems and associated phenomena.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Passenger and freight train brake systems Innovative brake system designs
Experimental study and field testing of train brake systems Fluid dynamics in brake systems
Real-time brake models including empirical models
Numerical methods for brake modelling
Parameterisation of brake systems
Friction and adhesion in brake systems
Condition monitoring for brake systems
Stochastic features in brake systems
Adaptive brake modelling for automated train driving

Register via the link below

AREMA 2023 Annual Conference with Railway Interchange
2023-10-01 - 2023-10-04
AREMA 2023 Annual Conference with Railway Interchange
When: 01/10/2023 – 04/10/2023
Where: Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States

NZ Event: Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2023
2023-11-06 - 2023-11-08
The New Zealand Tunnelling Society (NZTS) Invites RTSA members to the Australasian Tunnelling Conference in Auckland between 6 and 8 November 2023.
Click here to register on the Engineering New Zealand website.
About the conference
Convenor and Chair of the ATC23 Organising Committee Bill Newns is delighted to host the conference in Auckland as a repeat of the highly successful 2011 ATC conference, and can’t wait to welcome national and international colleagues to the event.
The ATC is now a biennial event and has played a significant role in the development of the tunnelling industry regionally for over 50 years. The conference, which is run ‘by practitioners for practitioners’ is an opportunity to reconnect with friends, colleagues, peers, practitioners and decision makers alike.
ATC23 What is it all about?
With an overarching focus on Trends and Transitions in Tunnelling, the Programme Organising Committee has been working hard developing an integrated programme that will cover many topics in line with the Conference themes.
We are pleased to announce that we have confirmed the following speakers:

Professor Susan Krumdieck from Heriot-Watt University; a Professor of mechanical engineering and co-founder of the Transition Engineering movement
International Tunnelling Association (ITA) President Arnold Dix; and
Professor Mike Mooney from the Colorado School of Mines.

We have also confirmed panel sessions involving City Rail Link, Melbourne Metro and Donald Lamont, along with case histories and lessons learned from all of the major tunnelling projects in the region (including the more from the Melbourne Metro, Sydney Metro, the Cross River Rail, West Gate Tunnel, Kidston Pumped Storage, City Rail Link and Central Interceptor). Alongside ITA President Arnold Dix, we look forward to hearing from one or more past ITA Presidents.
The Conference has a truly international flavour with papers from all over the globe; including Lyon-Turin high-speed rail link, Eglinton Crosstown West Extension, Seoul Subway Line 9, Lima Metro Line 2, Stockholm Blue Metro Line, and the USBRL in India. It’s a line up that you don’t want to miss!
For program details to date please see the Conference website.

AusRAIL PLUS 2023
2023-11-13 - 2023-11-16

IRSE ASPECT 2023
2023-11-21 - 2023-11-24 | Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
ASPECT is the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) international technical conference, held every two years at locations around the world.
ASPECT 2023 Programme
The conference will run over three days, delivering fifty one technical papers from global industry experts on the theme of Global Integration and will also feature several related workshop sessions.
ASPECT provides an unrivalled opportunity for learning and the exchange of knowledge in the fields of train control, railway communications, and related disciplines. The fourth day of the conference will provide a range of technical visits to complement the three technical days.
Thanks to ASPECT 2023 being held in one of the most liveable cities in the world, we have secured the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre to host the three days of technical sessions. This world-class facility is in the heart of the Melbourne CBD and close to transport, hotels, and restaurants. It will take place from 08:30 Tuesday 21 to 17:00 Friday 24 November 2023 (local times).
One of the highlights of the week is the conference dinner which will be held at one of Melbourne’s iconic venues. Finally, as it is a rail conference, we have arranged a chartered steam train ride on the Puffing Billy Railway, including site visits and evening dinner to top it off with.
The event has consistently attracted a wide of range of people in the industry with over 250 delegates from across the globe attending the last ASPECT conference.

NZ Young Rail Professionals Forum (hosted by RTSA NZ Chapter)
2023-11-29 17:30 - 20:30 (Pacific/Auckland) | Hilton Auckland, Princes Wharf, 147 Quay Street, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
The RTSA invites all young professionals to attend the NZ Young Rail Professionals Forum on Wednesday evening (Nov. 29). This event in run in conjunction with the NZ Rail Conference and will take place during the Exhibition Networking Drinks at the Hilton Auckland. The forum is open and free for all young rail professionals aged 35 years and under. Attendees are required to register in advance via this link.
Following the industry panel discussion focusing on diversity and pathways to rail careers, attendees will have the opportunity to join the Exhibition Networking Drinks function and exchange learnings and experiences with a diverse mix of industry representatives from across the Tasman.

With New Zealand’s rail industry embarking on an exciting period of growth, there has never been a better time to build a career in rail. The forum will discuss the role young professionals will play in shaping this transformative period to build a long-term future for the industry and the people that work within it.
For more information on Informa’s NZ Rail Conference, click here

NZ Chapter Event: Year end event
2023-12-12 17:30 - 19:30 (Pacific/Auckland)
Join the RTSA NZ Chapter for their end of year event – New Train Control Centre & KiwiRail Engineering Team at 5:30-7:30 pm Tuesday 12th December in person in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, or online.
Please join us for our end of year get together, including a presentation on the new Rail Operations Centre in Wallaceville as well as a presentation from KiwiRail’s Network Engineering team on their goals for the future.
The event will be broadcasted across parallel sites in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch with members and guests welcome to attend in any of these locations for networking with some drinks and nibbles before and after the presentations. The event will also be broadcast as a webinar for those not able to attend in person.
For those attending the Wellington venue please note that the dinks and nibbles after the presentation will be hosted at an additional venue, details for this to come.
Event Details
5:30 – 7:30pm
Tuesday 12th December
Auckland: Beca Offices, 21 Pitt Street, Auckland CBD
Wellington: Engineering New Zealand, Level 6, 40 Taranaki Street, Wellington ( Post Presentation Drinks & Nibbles Venue: TBC)
Christchurch: Beca Offices, ANZ Centre, Level 2, 267 High Street, CBD
Online: Via Zoom (6pm start)
About the Speakers
New Rail Operations Centre – KiwiRail’s National Train Control, which controls train movements across most of the country, moved into new premises in Wallaceville, Upper Hutt earlier this year. The new control centre in Upper Hutt watches over every railway track from Invercargill to Whangārei, bar the Auckland commuter network which has its own separate centre. The 2800m2 facility is staffed by more than 100 people and is located at the Blue Mountains Campus in Wallaceville. The facility tracks and monitors each line around the country in real time, giving the operational team the ability to direct traffic or negotiate track obstructions as quickly as possible. Carl Mills’ talk will cover both the performance aspects of the new facility as well as how it was designed and constructed and particularly how its operation was transferred over from the previous facility.
KiwiRail Network Engineering Team – The Engineering Team is a diverse team that delivers many different functions across all the disciplines that deliver rail infrastructure, including signals, telecommunications, traction, electrical, track, structures and civil. Included in its functions are developing and maintaining technical standards and policies, engineering technical advice and in-house design and design management services as well as a wide variety of other services. Christina Hawke’s presentation will cover off both aspects of these works but also the Network Engineering teams recent developments and its goals for the future.
Carl Mills – has worked in the rail industry since 1994 in the New Zealand in a variety of roles including Regulatory Relationship Manager and national Manager of Network Operations. Currently he is Project Director – Control Systems Integration responsible for upgrading KiwiRail’s control systems and facilities, including the construction and commissioning of the new Wallaceville centre.
Christina Hawk – is originally from Hawaii having also spent time working in California before moving to New Zealand in 2019. She joined KiwiRail in early 2022 as the Engineering Civil Sector Manager. In this role she is responsible for the line management of KiwiRail professional engineering team responsible for business as usual, renewals and improvements for civil, track and structures infrastructure.
Registration Information
Click here to register on the Engineering New Zealand website.

NZ Chapter Event: Hillside Workshops redevelopment site visit and BBQ
2024-02-22 17:00 - 18:30 (Pacific/Auckland) | 300 Hillside Road, 300 Hillside Road, Dunedin
Join the RTSA NZ Chapter as we kick off 2024’s events with a presentation on the redevelopment of the historic Hillside workshops followed by a tour of the site and a BBQ.
You are invited to come behind the fence on Hillside Rd and see for yourself what has been happening on the site for the last 2.5 years.

Click here to register on the Engineering New Zealand Website!

Come and hear about the heritage of Hillside Workshops and the importance of the facility to Dunedin, as well as the redevelopment project being undertaken from the KiwiRail and Calder Stewart perspectives.
You will also be treated to a tour of the site, which will take you through the new office building, wagon assembly workshop, new yard layout and more.
Following the site tour we will have a BBQ to finish up the event.

This event is capped at 50 registrants so get in quick to secure your place.
Entry to the site will be via the southern most driveway on Hillside Rd for the facility before Otago Tyres and opposite Wesley St. Look out for the Engineering New Zealand Banner and then follow the arrows to and through the office building.
PPE requirements (Hard Hat, Orange His Vis and Steel Capped Boots).

NZ Chapter Event: The PACE Project Overview
2024-05-09 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
The RTSA NZ Chapter invite you to join this webinar discussing ‘The PACE Project’ which involved a major upgrade of Plimmerton Station north of Wellington. Speakers, Peter Coles and Simon Cave, will be presenting the key project requirements, benefits and some of the challenges encountered.
When: Thursday 9 May
Time: 12 – 1pm
Where: Online
Register here on the Engineering New Zealand website.
Overview
The PACE Project involved a major upgrade of Plimmerton Station north of Wellington, to enable the enhanced RS1 timetable to be implemented on the Kapiti Line. It includes a new pedestrian underpass, platform and shelters, a new downmain with 7 new turnouts, five sets of pedestrian gates, as well as upgrades of the signalling interlocking between Porirua and Pukerua Bay.

Speakers
Peter Coles (Project Manager – KiwiRail) and Simon Cave (Lead Consultant Design Manager – Vitruvius) have worked together for almost 5 years on the design and delivery of the project, which was completed in March 2024. Please join them as they present the key project requirements and benefits, as well as run through some of the the challenges encountered during the design and delivery stages, and finally celebrate some of the project successes.

RTSA: The Future of Digital Railways - Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS)
2024-05-16 18:30 - 20:30 (Australia/Sydney) | Level 10, Allendale Square 77 St Georges Terrace, Perth Western Australia, 6000, Level 10, Allendale Square 77 St Georges Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000, Australia
The RTSA and EA are delighted to host a one-of-kind sneak peek into the future of communications in the railways. This hybrid event (in-person and online) will be presented by Mr Rory R. McDonnell from Nokia, who will discuss the technical systems underpinning automated train operation, smart rail maintenance, and 5G Rail.

The event will be free for EA and Technical Society members attending online. There is a small cost for those attending in person, with light refreshments provided, and the opportunity to network with the speaker and other guests following the presentation.

Please visit the link below for more information, or to register and secure your place.
Event details
Date: Thursday, 16 May 2024
Time: 5.30 pm AWST – 6.30pm / 7.30pm – 8.30 pm AEST
Registration: EA:The Future of Digital Railways – Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS)
Cost:
Online
EA and Technical Society members, Student members: Free
Non-members: $30.00

In-person
EA and Technical Society members, Student members: $10.00
Non-members: $40.00

Event Program
Webinar
5.30pm AWST/ 7:30pm AEST – Webinar starts
6.30pm AWST/ 8:30pm AEST – Webinar concludes

In-person
5:00pm AWST – Registrations open
5:30pm AWST – Event starts
6:05pm AWST – Q&A, followed by networking and light refreshments
6:45pm AWST – Event closes

NZ Chapter Event: Electric Shunt Vehicles Webinar
2024-05-21 12:30 - 13:30 (Pacific/Auckland)
Overview
Railway Technical Society of Australasia invite you to join this webinar presented by Chrissy Farago discussing ‘Electric Shunt Vehicles’. Chrissy will share the innovation, opportunities and challenges around procuring the Electric Shunt Vehicles and the cultural change that KiwiRail needs to accommodate innovation and technology.
Click here to register on the Engineering New Zealand website!
Learning outcomes
Chrissy will draw on her experience of multi-million-dollar procurements and how these procurements affect our workforce, communities and environment.
She will outline the problem statement that KiwiRail tried to solve with ESVs, the machine’s capability, benefits that these machines bring to the industry and especially to KiwiRail’s long term strategic goals.
The presentation will be wrapped up with some lessons learnt during these procurements and how the industry can support to help bring innovation to Aotearoa shores.
Event program

12:30-1:30 pm (NZDT)
Tuesday 21st May
Online

Speaker
Chrissy Farago
Programme Director for Rolling Stock Procurement within KiwiRail’s Capital Projects and Asset Development group.
Chrissy joined KiwiRail in 2018 after a successful career within the Australian Railway Industry. She is accountable for leading the procurement and project delivery of rolling stock for KiwiRail’s Operations group utilising the Government’s major investment in Rail to enable the replacement of aging fleet. She has a team of Procurement Managers and Project Managers who manage the new asset procurement projects and deliver the replacements into service.

RTSA QLD Chapter Event: How can Virtual Coupling Change the Future of Railways
2024-07-25 18:00 - 19:00 (Australia/Brisbane)
Join the RTSA QLD Chapter with Dr. Egidio Quaglietta for a webinar on his frontier insights on the topic “How can Virtual Coupling Change the Future of Railways.”
🔗 Click here to register now!
Event Program
🗓 Date: 25 July 2024
🕕 Time: 6.00 pm — 7.00 pm AEST
📍 Venue: Online Webinar
Event Overview
Recent developments in rail signalling technology have led to the advanced concept of Virtual Coupling.
Trains are envisaged to exchange real-time information with each other via a Vehicle-to-Vehicle radio communication layer to allow a much shorter separation and the formation of radio-linked train platoons.
Such a concept would unleash the full capacity potential of existing rail networks and meet the ever-growing need of a customer-oriented rail service potentially leading the railways to a tremendous boost in both service efficiency and market competitiveness.
Many are however the safety, technical and technological challenges which need to be addressed before Virtual Coupling could actually come to life.
How can those challenges be tackled? And how could Virtual Coupling change the future of railways in terms of market potentials and service performances?
Looking forward to meeting you at the seminar so that you can know more about the current progress in Europe of this cutting-edge and yet challenging innovation in the railway field.
Learning Outcomes

Operational principles to enable Virtual Coupling train operations.
Simulation-based evaluations comparing capacity benefits of Virtual Coupling to conventional systems.
Market analysis and impact assessment from the European Shift2Rail project MOVINGRAIL.

Learning outcomes

Operational principles defined to enable Virtual Coupling train operations.
A simulation-based evaluation of capacity benefits that Virtual Coupling could lead to versus conventional and moving block signalling systems.
A detailed market analysis and multi-criteria impact assessment carried out in the frame of the European Shift2Rail project MOVINGRAIL.

About the Speaker

Egidio Quaglietta
Assistant Professor, Delft University of Technology

🔗 Click here to register now!

NZ Chapter Event: RTSA NZ Chapter 2024 mid-year multi city hybrid event
2024-08-29 17:00 - 19:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
The Railway Technical Society of Australasia – New Zealand Chapter invites you to join them for their mid-year get together, in-person (Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington) and online. This year includes presentation on the Economics of Rail in New Zealand as well as a presentation from the Remutaka Tunnel Upgrade team.
Click here to register on the Engineering New Zealand website!
Overview
The Economics of Rail – The Economics of Rail was estimated in 2021 as $1.7b-$2.1b a year. Garry Whale will talk about KiwiRail’s contribution to the New Zealand economy from recent works done for the Ministry of Transport. A focus will be given to how that works has been used in analysis of the rail freight network and how it contributes to decisions to support future funding for the overall infrastructure needs to the New Zealand rail network.
Garry Whale is an economist by profession, and has 35 years of interacting at a Senior Executive and Board level on performance and strategy development. Garry has been at KiwiRail since its inception in 2008 and has a variety of roles in rail freight, long term financial modelling, strategic analysis, pricing and network economics.
Remutaka Tunnel Upgrade was holed through 70 years ago. Since then, the track has slowly degraded, and TSR’s have been placed upon the tunnel to stretch its lifespan. The objective of the Remutaka Tunnel Upgrade is to bring this aging asset in to the 21st century, returning the track to line speed, and improving the safety and overall reliability of this section of the Wairarapa Line.
Tim Marsland-Smith has a civil engineering background, joining the KiwiRail Long Tunnels programme as a Project Engineer on the Remutaka Project in August 2022.
David Sauvageon joined the KiwiRail Project team in 2021 and has been extensively involved with Wairarapa Line catch up renewals and assisted with the NIMT T1 and T2 Renewal works.
‘Titan Contracting Group Ltd is a New Zealand Pasifika owned specialist rail, survey and civils company delivering nationwide. They have the biggest resource of rail qualified and competent track and rail protection staff and rail specialist plant outside of KiwiRail.
Event program

5:00pm: Onsite Locations guests welcome to arrive – drinks and nibbles provided
5.30pm: Presentations & Online will begin
7:00pm: event concludes

In-person (Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington) and Online

Auckland: Beca Auckland – Level 1, 21 Pitt Street, Auckland
Christchurch: Beca Christchurch, ANZ Centre, Level 2, 267 High Street, Christchurch
Wellington: Engineering New Zealand, L6/40 Taranaki Street, Wellington

National Event: Learning and development is the mission webinar
2025-03-26 17:00 - 18:00, 2025-03-26 19:00 - 20:00 (Australia/Sydney)
Overview
Join the RTSA ACT/NSW Chapter online for an insightful lecture with the UK Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) Rail Division Chair on the critical role of Learning and Development, with a particular focus on empowering young professionals in the Rail industry. This event highlights the importance of nurturing the next generation of engineers, allowing them to shine and contribute their unique perspectives. The session will emphasise the value of Diversity of Thought and how supporting younger members fosters innovation and growth in the industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with key ideas that shape the future of Learning and Development in Rail. 🌏 Online ⏰ 7:00-8:00pm AEDT 📅 Wednesday 26th March 2025 📢 If you are a young professional in rail and want to participate in Iain’s challenge in the lead up to the event – please contact us at: RTSA@engineersaustralia.org.au 🎫 Register for the event on the Engineers Australia website: Learning and development is the mission | Engineers Australia 💰 This event is free for RTSA and Engineers Australia members, and $30AUD for non-members.
Learning outcomes
In this presentation, you will learn:

understand the significance of Learning and Development in fostering professional growth within the Rail industry
explore the value of Diversity of Thought brought by young professionals and how it impacts innovation
learn strategies for encouraging and supporting the development of young members in the engineering community
gain insights into the role of young professionals in driving progress and shaping the future of the Rail industry.

About the speaker

Iain Rae
Strategy & Sustainability Director, Brodie Engineering

Women in engineering and technical colleges: connecting for success
2025-04-10 17:30 - 19:00 (Australia/Melbourne) | The Emerald Peacock, 233 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000, Australia
Overview
This event will provide attendees with an informal networking opportunity. It is an avenue to create a community for Women in Engineering and Advocates across EA Technical Colleges, including Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Risk Engineering, Systems Engineering, Water Engineering, Railway Engineering, and Asset Management.
Learning outcomes
In this event, you will be able to:

network in a casual/informal environment,
create a community of Women in Engineering and advocates for Women in Engineering,
provide better industrial insights for early women professionals.

Homai Station Pedestrian Level Crossing Removal Webinar
2025-04-15 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Overview
Join the RTSA New Zealand Chapter online for a webinar on the successful delivery of the Homai Project and the innovative approaches undertaken around the design, planning and construction delivery.
🌏 Online via Webinar
📅 12:00-1:00pm NZST 15th April 2025
🎫 Register for the event below
About the speakers

Kris Gibson is the Delivery Manager-Level Crossings at Auckland Transport. Kris has over 25 years’ experience delivering rail infrastructure programmes in both client and contractor basis in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Kris joined Auckland Transport in 2022 and has managed the delivery of the level crossing removal business case, the completion of the stage 1 pedestrian crossing removals and now leads the delivery of the next phases of the programme.
Jack Donaghy leads and manages Infrastructure Projects in the road, rail, and land development sectors. He has worked on national rail projects in the United Kingdom and New Zealand such as level crossing removals and safety upgrades as well as telecommunication rollouts. He also leads the Digital and Innovation initiatives for Becas’ New Zealand transport and infrastructure business.
Danny Cox is the current rail director for DNZ, having worked on and successfully delivered recent rail projects such as WMUP6A, W2QP and Homai station. Danny has over 24 years in the rail industry across both the United Kingdom and New Zealand.

KiwiRail Hillside Development Webinar
2025-05-30 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Overview

The Railway Technical Society of Australasia, invite you to join them for a presentation on the historic redevelopment of the historic KiwiRail Hillside site in Dunedin. The presentation will focus on the state of the site pre-funding, planning, demolition, land remediation, construction of a new mechanical workshop, office and networks workshop, construction of a new rail yard, seismic upgrade of a heritage building and the Wagon Assembly Project.

📅 12 – 1pm NZST Friday 30 May🌏 Online via Webinar🎫 Register for the event below

About the speakers

Nathan Lewis is a Senior Project Manager for TSA Riley. He was previously the Senior Project Manager for KiwiRail over the three and a half year programme of work at Hillside. He has previous worked for an international NGO rebuilding schools after natural disasters in Mexico, Napal, the Philippines and Dominica.
Gesmar (Junior) is a Technical Director, Rail Specialist at Mott MacDonald and an RTSA Committee member. Junior was the Rail Project manager for Hillside responsible for overseeing quality.

Innovations in Railway Asset Management Technologies
2025-06-27 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
The Railway Technical Society of Australia – New Zealand Chapter (RTSA) invite you to join this webinar on Innovations in Railway Asset Management Technologies presented by Prof. Hannes Gräbe.

⏰ 12 – 1pm NZST📅 Friday 27th June🌏 Online via Webinar🎫 Register for the event below

Overview

The future of railway infrastructure depends on how effectively we manage, monitor, and maintain our track assets. This talk explores recent innovations in railway track asset management, underpinned by research and practical application in the South African context. Drawing on key principles of asset-centric management, the presentation demonstrates how integrated technologies are reshaping maintenance strategies across the track lifecycle.Central to this transformation is the concept of the digital railway—leveraging real-time monitoring, intelligent analytics, and smart components to shift from reactive to predictive maintenance. The talk covers innovations such as the Kli-pi smart sensor, smart rail pads, LiDAR-based tunnel moisture mapping, instrumented track vehicles, and fibre-optic sensing for stress monitoring. Emphasis is placed on condition analysis approaches, digital twins, and machine learning techniques for asset performance prediction and deterioration modeling.Through case studies involving field monitoring sites, derailment investigations, and infrastructure testing, the talk illustrates the value of novel methods in improving safety, efficiency, and reliability. The presentation also highlights the importance of skills development, engineering education, and the role of national facilities such as Engineering 4.0 in enabling on-track research, data collection, and qualification programmes. These innovations collectively form the foundation of a smarter, more resilient railway system where data-driven asset management is not a luxury, but a necessity.
Speaker
Prof. Hannes Gräbe heads the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment, and Information Technology (EBIT). He holds the Chairs in Railway Engineering and Railway Safety, funded by Transnet and the Railway Safety Regulator. His research focuses on innovative track condition monitoring systems and techniques, advanced geotechnical testing of track formation materials, data analytics in railway engineering and the numerical analysis of railway structures. Prof. Gräbe also develops and delivers railway engineering courses and programs tailored to the needs of the South African railway industry.

ETCS (European Train Control System) Lessons from Australia and New Zealand
2025-07-01 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
The RTSA New Zealand Chapter invite you to join this webinar presented by Doc Frank Heibel. Doc Frank will present several lessons gained from his own experience and market observations, providing attendees with a comprehensive perspective of the European Train Control System (ETCS) developments in our region.

⏰ 12 – 1pm NZST📅 Tuesday 1st July🌏 Online via Webinar🎫 Register for the event below

Overview

ETCS is an advanced train control system designed to improve safety, efficiency and capacity on railway network. The first ETCS-related activity in Australia took place almost 20 years ago. Various ETCS projects in Australia and New Zealand since then offer valuable lessons for anyone involved in current or future projects or generally interested in this popular train control technology. This presentation will provide several insights on market observations and will provide attendees with a comprehensive perspective of the ETCS developments in our region.

Doc Frank’ as he is widely known in the rail industry is one of Australia’s most renowned experts on High-Capacity Signalling including CBTC (Communication Based Train Control System) and enhanced varieties of ETCS. Frank worked on the strategies for Digital Signalling in Sydney and Perth, one leading to ETCS and one to CBTC recommendations. Other relevant roles included technical CBTC advisory for Sydney Metro Northwest and specialist peer reviews for the Metro Tunnel Project in Melbourne and Cross River Rail in Brisbane.For the last ten years Frank has been the only person in Australia offering training courses for CBTC, ETCS and High-Capacity Signalling that are famously suitable for rail professionals regardless of their level of signalling knowledge prior to the training. Frank single-handedly organised the first global virtual CBTC conference and hosted one hundred episodes of the popular podcast “Railway Conversations with Doc Frank” which can be found on YouTube, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

City Rail Link delivery using alternative motive power webinar
2025-07-15 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Overview

The Railway Technical Society of Australasia – New Zealand Chapter, invite you to join them for a presentation on the delivery of welded rail to from Quay Park (Auckland) into the CRL tunnel at Maungawhau (Mt Eden) using an alternative motive power for the work train.

📅 12 – 1pm NZST Tuesday 15th July🌏 Online via Webinar🎫 Register for the event below

Steve Crump and Greg Hackett will discuss a number of key aspects such as:

The problem: getting rail and unloading into the CRL tunnels
Challenges of the tunnel gradient
Compliance: challenges, testing of new rail equipment
Plant introduction of the Zephirs shunters and wagons
Rail license: stepping into the unknown and how it helped
The result: good, bad and lessons learnt.

About the speakers

Greg Hackett has had a long career with KiwiRail before starting Integrated Safety with Steve. Greg has a depth of experience working in the safety field on many of New Zealand’s large rail projects, including the Kaikoura Earthquake Main North Rail Line rebuild, Wellington Metro Upgrades, Auckland Electrification project, the Auckland DART project and most recently, the Northland Rail Upgrade project as well as Auckland Metro projects. Across these roles his focus has been leading the development of well-documented health and safety management systems and supporting projects with a pragmatic approach to rail safety.
Steve Crump: Steve has extensive knowledge and expertise of rail in New Zealand, gained from experience of working on some of New Zealand’s largest rail projects such as the Kaikoura Earthquake Main North Rail Line rebuild, Wellington Metro Upgrades, iReX, CRL and more recently supporting AT with their Level Crossing Removal projects Steve also started his career managing a protection provider through significant Auckland projects, he then completed a stint at KiwiRail before forming Integrated Safety with Greg. Steve is well-known for his expertise in understanding the complexities of the rail environment, providing guidance on how to navigate rail access, rail safety and finding practical solutions on complex projects.
Both Steve and Greg continue to pave a legacy within the NZ rail industry. Whether it be the development of track safety processes that we now take for granted every day or contractors holding their own rail license, Greg and Steve can be seen as pioneers in this industry

Conference on Railway Excellence (CORE) 2025
2025-08-12 - 2025-08-14
Kia Ora!
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

Drury and Paerātā Stations
2025-10-30 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Overview
Join the New Zealand Chapter of the Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA) online for this webinar on Drury and Paerātā Stations.
📆 Thursday 30 October
⏰ 12 – 1pm (NZDT)
🌏 Online
🎫 Register here
Event Description
KiwiRail are delivering a transformative expansion of Auckland’s southern rail corridor through the design and construction of three new stations located between Drury and Paerātā (Drury, Ngākōroa and Paerātā Station). This presentation will explore how Aurecon and KiwiRail worked collaboratively to meet the growing demand for sustainable and accessible transport in the region.
The session will delve into the integrated approach to planning, design, and delivery; balancing technical complexity with community needs, iwi engagement, and long-term network resilience. Attendees will gain insights into design innovation, programme, and construction challenges.
Speakers
Alpesh Patel is a Civil Engineer with over 12 years of experience in multidisciplinary design and site supervision of civil infrastructure. He possesses a thorough understanding of the project lifecycle, from design to construction, gained through his work in design and build environments.
Ross Kaufusi is a Chartered Civil Structural Engineer and currently the Engineering Design Lead – Civil at KiwiRail. He has extensive experience delivering complex multidisciplinary projects, including the Papakura to Pukekohe Electrification project. Ross brings a strong focus on collaboration and technical excellence to his work, ensuring robust and sustainable infrastructure outcomes.

RTSA NZ Chapter online event - Rail Network ReBuild
2025-11-26 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Join the RTSA NZ Chapter online for a presentation on the Rail Network ReBuild (RNR) project in Auckland Metro!
📆 Wednesday 26 November
⏰ 2 – 1pm
🌏 Online
🎫 Register on the Engineering New Zealand website
Presentation Overview
The Rail Network ReBuild (RNR) project in Auckland Metro commenced in early 2020 under the banner of the Rail Network Growth Impact Management (RNGIM) programme and is nearing completion. The project was initiated with the simple goal of ‘addressing historic formation, drainage and track issues to bring the network up to a modern metro standard’.
The $385m project has touched every part of the Auckland Metro Network and utilised all parts of the New Zealand rail industry from KiwiRail Engineering, Infrastructure and Operations teams, Auckland Transport/AoR to specialised Consultants and Contractors.
The presentation will outline the journey over the past 5 years from scope definition through engineering challenges, stakeholder engagement, process development, programme management, physical delivery and the benefits realisation so far.
Presenter Bio
Nathan Pinch is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 25 years in rail industry split between United Kingdom and New Zealand. Started life as a Graduate Engineer with GTRM; a rail maintenance contractor in the United Kingdom then 7 years with Network Rail as Track Maintenance Engineer for the West Coast Main Line and London Euston Station.
Since coming to New Zealand in 2010 (for the sunshine) and joining KiwiRail has predominantly worked in Auckland. Started as a Project Engineer on latter stages of DART/AEP and Wiri Depot, then a stint as Auckland Metro Production Manager. He transitioned to the project space in 2015 where he has worked on various infrastructure projects including Southdown CT Upgrade, Tranzcenic Westfield, Kaimai Tunnel, CRL C5/C8/C9 and AMR.
Nathan has been leading the Rail Network Rebuild project since 2021.

RTSA NZ Chapter End of Year Event
2025-12-04 17:00 - 19:30 (Pacific/Auckland)
Please join the RTSA NZ Chapter for our end of year get together, including a presentation on KiwiRail’s strategic direction and what it means for rail professionals in New Zealand. There will also be an update on the Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility Project and the first Battery Electric Multiple Units in the Southern Hemisphere.
When
In-person: 5.00 – 7.30pm NZDT Thursday 4 December
Online: 5.30 – 7.30pm NZDT Thursday 4 December
Locations and registration links

AUCKLAND: Aurecon – Te Tihi, Level 3/110 Carlton Gore Road (register here)
CHRISTCHURCH: Beca, Level 2, 267 High Street (register here)
WELLINGTON: Engineering New Zealand, Level 6/40 Taranaki Street (register here)
ONLINE: via Teams (register here)

Presentations
KiwiRail’s Strategic thinking for rail in New Zealand and the Professional Rail Industry
Peter Reidy will be talking about KiwiRail’s strategy for rail in New Zealand, it’s current focus areas and what it sees are key opportunities and challenges. He will also comment on what reflections KiwiRail has of the last few years of large-scale investment in rail in New Zealand, how the professional services industry in New Zealand has supported it and what he would like to see from this industry in the coming years.
Presenter Bio
Peter Reidy is Chief Executive of KiwiRail, the owner and operator of New Zealand’s rail network. Rejoining the organisation in mid-2022, Peter has led KiwiRail with his Executive team, through a $12b Capital Investment programme, the second largest across Australia and New Zealand.
Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility
Barry Fryer and Ben Leah will provide an overview of the Lower North Island Rail Integrated Mobility Programme, problems it will solve, what it will deliver, impact on the communities and the overall schedule.
They will also give an overview of the Tūhono fleet – the first Battery Electric Multiple Unit that will be delivered in the Southern Hemisphere.
Presenter Bios
Barry Fryer is the LNIRIM Programme Director for Metlink at Greater Wellington Regional Council. Barry has been involved in the development of the multiple successful business cases, and recent contract award for the design, build and whole of life maintenance contract with Alstom, for 18x 5-car Battery Electric Multiple Units.
Ben Leah joined the rail industry as a passenger operator on-board a TranzMetro service 14 years ago. Ben spent seven years at GWRC assisting in the management of rail contracts and aiding in the implementation of many key rail projects within the Wellington region. Recently Ben has taken up the role of Senior Transport Planner at Horizons Regional Council.
The event will be broadcast across parallel sites in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch with members and guests welcome to attend in any of these locations for networking with some drinks and nibbles before and after the presentations. The event will also be broadcast as a webinar for those not able to attend in person.
This event is sponsored by Vitruvius
Vitruvius is a New Zealand-based engineering design consultancy specialising in rail infrastructure and complex transport systems. With offices in Auckland, Wellington, and Tauranga, Vitruvius delivers end-to-end design solutions for private and public sector clients throughout the Motu. The firm’s multidisciplinary team provides expertise across track and civil design, yards, sidings and station upgrades, integrating digital design and BIM workflows to enhance efficiency, constructability, and asset performance. Vitruvius’ rail specialists combine deep technical knowledge with practical project delivery experience, supporting major programmes like Future Rail, WMUP, LNI Regional Rail, Riverlink, AKL Rail Network Rebuild, AKL LX Removals, Ferry Replacements and many more. For more information, please contact Simon Cave – Rail Sector Lead, at simon.cave@vitruvius.co.nz.

IRSE Presidential Visit 2026
2026-04-01 17:30 - 19:30 (Pacific/Auckland) | Engineering New Zealand, 40 Taranaki Street, Wellington, New Zealand
The Railway Technical Society of Australasia – New Zealand Chapter, in collaboration with Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE), invites you to their upcoming April event featuring a presentation by Vinoth Rajamani on his engineering journey, followed by President Bogdan Godziejewski’s insights into Europe’s ETCS challenges.
📆 Date: Wednesday 1 April
⏰ Time: 5.30 – 7.30pm
🌏 Where: In-person at Engineering New Zealand, Level 6/40 Taranaki Street, Wellington and Online
Event Details
Vinoth Rajamani “Connecting the Dots: My Journey Toward Becoming a Well Rounded Signalling Engineer”
Vinoth will open the session with a reflective presentation on his development as a well rounded signalling engineer, highlighting the value of full lifecycle exposure in rail projects. Vinoth explores how full lifecycle involvement supports the development of a well rounded signalling engineer. Drawing on his early experiences with strong mentorship and structured training, he reflects on how limited engagement in isolated project components initially restricted his broader systems understanding. His transition to KiwiRail enabled end to end participation across requirements development, design, procurement, installation, testing, commissioning, and maintenance support, deepening his systems thinking and collaboration capabilities. The session highlights how this integrated exposure strengthens professional maturity, technical depth, and holistic capability development for signalling engineers.
Bogdan Godziejewski “Successes and Challenges in the Implementation of ETCS in Europe”
As the main presenter, Bogdan Godziejewski will provide a strategic, high level analysis of ETCS deployment across Europe, drawing on more than 40 years of international signalling and train control experience. Bogdan Godziejewski examines more than three decades of ETCS development, beginning with his involvement in drafting the first technical specifications in 1992. While early adopters such as Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium have achieved full ETCS only operation, many European countries still face challenges. His analysis covers differing national starting points, strategic priorities, migration complexities, operational rule changes, financial stability, and organisational mindset. He highlights the need for ETCS to be approached as a long term, continuous improvement process amidst broader digital transformation. The presentation concludes with targeted questions to spark discussion on the future of signalling and train control.
Presenters

Vinoth Rajamani — Principal Signals Engineer, KiwiRail
Vinoth is a Principal Signals Engineer at KiwiRail with more than 15 years of international signalling experience, including six years working across New Zealand’s rail network. His expertise covers engineering management of signalling design and maintenance, where he serves as a technical leader and strategic adviser on complex rail projects. Vinoth is an active IRSE member and holds the IRSE Advanced Diploma in Railway Control Engineering.

Bogdan Godziejewski — President, Institution of Railway Signal Engineering (IRSE)
Bogdan Godziejewski is an internationally recognised signalling and train control expert with over 40 years of experience across Europe, North America, and Australia. His work spans strategic advisory, engineering, planning, innovation, and oversight of ETCS and CBTC development. He has advised national authorities, major transit organisations, and the European Commission on signalling strategies, safety, interoperability, migration, and operational concepts. Since April 2025, he has served as President of the IRSE.

Projected Climate Impacts on the Deterioration of Coastal Railway Bridges in New Zealand
2026-04-14 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
New Zealand’s coastal railway bridges are increasingly exposed to climate stressors due to climate change. This presentation links climate projections to material specific deterioration mechanisms and discuss how service life can reduce significantly, creating earlier and more frequent maintenance interventions and tougher planning decisions for network reliability.

📆 When: 14 April 2026
🕛 Time: 12 – 1pm (NZT)

💻 Online event
🔗 Register here: https://www.engineeringnz.org/courses-events/event-template/?eventtemplate=4941-projected-climate-impacts-on-the-deterioration-of-&region=IPENZT

Presenter: Adriano Mohr Bonatto
Cost: Free

New Zealand’s railway network includes over 1,400 operational bridges, many located in coastal or flood-prone regions. These structures are increasingly exposed to climate-related stressors such as rising temperatures, salt-laden winds, extreme rainfall, and sea-level rise. These conditions accelerate material degradation – particularly steel corrosion, concrete carbonation and chloride ingress, and timber decay – posing a direct threat to structural integrity, service life, and operational reliability. This presentation examines how projected climate changes will affect the durability of coastal railway bridges, drawing on material-specific degradation data, climate projections, and case studies.

Presenter Bio:
Adriano Mohr Bonatto is a Senior Bridge and Structures Engineer at KiwiRail. With 15 years of experience in railway infrastructure maintenance and renewal, he specialises in bridge and structural engineering.

Before moving to New Zealand, Adriano led Engineering, Planning, and Asset Management for Structures and Civil assets at Brazil’s largest railway operator, overseeing maintenance and projects across a 12,000 km network that includes more than 3,000 bridges. As he departed Brazil, a bridge was renamed in his honour in recognition of his contributions.

Mobile radio warning system: implementing a new era of track worker safety
2026-05-26 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Join the RTSA New Zealand Chapter online for a presentation on Mobile radio warning system: implementing a new era of track worker safety.
📅 10:00-11:00 (AEST) / 12:00-1:00pm (NZST) Tuesday 26th May
🌏 Online
🎟️ Register for free on the Engineering New Zealand website: Mobile Radio Warning System: Implementing a New Era of Track Worker Safety
Event Overview
New Zealand’s rail maintenance workforce has historically relied on full track closures to carry out work safely — but as Auckland’s metro network grows busier, the window for night shutdowns is shrinking.

This presentation introduces KiwiRail’s implementation of the Mobile Radio Warning System (MRWS), a German-designed SIL 4-rated rail traffic warning technology already widely used in the United Kingdom and Europe, which allows maintenance work to be conducted adjacent to live lines with real-time audible and visual warnings of approaching trains.
Brendon will explain how the system works — including its manual lookout and automatic sensor modes, the ZPW warning devices, strike-in and strike-out detection, and the fail-safe logic that ensures the system always defaults to alarm.
Beyond the technology itself, this presentation is about the human and organisational challenge of changing how rail maintenance gets done. Introducing MRWS has required careful engagement with the RMTU using a high engagement, high performance model — recognising that shifting from full-protection night work to MRWS-supported day works has real impacts on worker income, routine, and trust in the system. Brendon will share what the early trials have revealed: the system performs as designed, faults positively, but requires cultural and procedural shifts that take time to embed across BAU operations.
The session will draw on Brendon’s firsthand experience leading the MRWS rollout and offer candid reflections on what’s working, what the challenges are, and what the broader lessons might be for the New Zealand rail industry as it looks to adopt more sophisticated safety technologies across an increasingly active network.
Presenter Bio
Brendon Judd, MRWS Project Manager, KiwiRail
Brendon Judd brings over four decades of experience across the New Zealand and international rail industry, spanning locomotive operations, competency management, safety compliance, and standards development. Beginning his career in 1983 as a locomotive trainee, he progressed to hold a first-grade driving certificate before embarking on further study — completing a Master’s degree in history and publishing a book based on his research into the NZ Railway Group’s contribution to the North African Campaign of WWII.
Returning to the rail industry in 2001, Brendon held progressively senior roles at KiwiRail, including Occupational Competency Manager, Training Manager, Compliance Manager, and Senior Systems & Standards Advisor — giving him an unusually broad view of how operational rules, safety systems, and workforce capability intersect. He went on to serve as Operations Standards Manager at Transdev before rejoining KiwiRail in August 2025 to lead the implementation of the Mobile Radio Warning System (MRWS) on the Auckland metro network.

Interoperability: New Standards for New Zealand Rail Vehicles
2026-06-30 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Join us for this webinar to gain an overview of KiwiRail’s new standards for rail vehicle interoperability (M-ST-RS-8101, M-ST-RS-8102, and M-ST-RS-8103) that have been published in 2026 to replace NRSS/6.
📅 12:00-1:00pm (NZST) Tuesday 30th June
🌏 Online
🎟️ Register for free on the Engineering New Zealand website: Interoperability: New Standards for New Zealand Rail Vehicles
This presentation explain key changes and improvements these standards introduce, along with the reasoning behind changes, a comparison against international best practice, and the broader philosophy for rail vehicle interoperability requirements. Finally, the presentation will look at opportunities for further improvement in harmonising standards between rail vehicles and rail infrastructure for New Zealand.
This webinar is ideal for engineers, operators, asset managers, regulators, and anyone involved in rail system design, procurement, or compliance who wants to stay informed about the latest developments in New Zealand’s rail standards framework.
Presenter Bio
Alex Raue is KiwiRail Infrastructure Engineering’s Professional Head for Interoperability. Alex rejoined KiwiRail in October 2023, where he first began his career in rolling stock engineering in 2009. Alex spent 7 years in the United Kingdom working in passenger rolling stock, where he led the design of Hitachi Rail’s Class 803 intercity EMUs.

Digital Twins in Motion: Powering KiwiRail’s New Track Evaluation Car
2026-07-27 12:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
KiwiRail is harnessing the power of Digital Twin technology to revolutionise track monitoring, join the RTSA New Zealand chapter online for a webinar on Digital Twins in Motion: Powering KiwiRail’s New Track Evaluation Car.
📅 12:00-1:00pm NZST Monday 27th July
🌏 Online
🎟️ Register on the Engineering New Zealand website: Digital Twins in Motion: Powering KiwiRail’s New Track Evaluation Car
Join Chris Whyte (TEC Delivery Manager) and Aydin Partridge-Long (Product Owner – Digital Engineering) as they unveil how this cutting-edge model supports the new Track Evaluation Car, and extends far beyond it.
This session will cover the technical delivery of the digital twin survey, its integration with the TEC, and the strategic roadmap for rolling out this capability across the wider business to unlock new operational use cases.
Presenters
Christopher Whyte is the KiwiRail Delivery Manager for the Track Evaluation Car Project within the Rolling Stock Contracts – Rolling Stock Asset Integrity Team. Since contract award, he has led the delivery of the project, bringing over 19 years of railway experience gained across the United Kingdom, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand.
Starting his career as a Signalling Technician, Christopher has built extensive experience in the delivery of complex railway projects and the application of systems engineering principles, including requirements management, system integration, operational readiness, and assurance. His combination of technical, operational, and project leadership expertise supports the successful delivery of critical rail asset programmes.

Aydin Partridge-Long is a Product Owner at KiwiRail, where he leads digital product initiatives that improve asset management, safety, and operational performance across the infrastructure business. With a background in product management, digital transformation, and organisational change, Aydin has successfully delivered large-scale technology implementations and driven adoption of new ways of working across organisations.
At KiwiRail, Aydin led the implementation and adoption of the XERRA, a network visualisation platform, achieving more than regular active daily users and establishing it as a valuable tool for understanding asset relationships and supporting better decision-making across the rail network.
