SIEMENS has upgraded the rail capacity infrastructure of Queensland’s Goonyella coal system.
This upgrade came as production volumes forecasts for the next five years were increased, with the district’s coal industry experiencing continual and significant growth.
Siemens was contracted to provide a complete points operating solution at the Dalrymple Bay coal terminal, the primary coal port for the Queensland Rail Goonyella coal system.
Points operating equipment is used to change the lie of railway turnouts to allow trains to change tracks. Traditionally, they are located between railway sleepers, which results in long term maintenance and reliability problems.
Siemens worked with Queensland rail to introduce a new points operating system called the One Trough.
The new system used conventional claw locking systems, with an engineered surface finish to provide maintenance benefits. The system is installed into hollow sleepers as opposed to between normal sleepers. The troughs in the sleepers provide secure housing and integration for the points mechanisms.
This allowed high production tamping machines to be used and provided improved maintenance and stability benefits.

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