Individuals and organisations from across the Australasian rail industry have been awarded for outstanding achievements and innovations at the Australasian Rail Industry Awards Gala Dinner.
Close to 500 representatives from across the rail industry gathered at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium to acknowledge the contributions of thirteen category winners.
The winners include:
- Career Achievement Award – Peter Hands, Pacific National
- Customer Service Award – Sydney Trains, Customer Service Transformation
- Employee Engagement Award – Laing O’Rourke, Hunter Valley Operations, Next Gear Implementation and Tactics
- Freight Rail Excellence Award – TasRail, A Journey to Safety, Performance and Operational Excellence
- Innovation and Technology Award – Metro Trains Melbourne – Uninterruptible Power Supply for Melbourne Signalling Network
- IRSE Systems Engineering Award – Trevor Moore, Australian Rail Track Corporation
- Permanent Way Institution Young Achiever Award (PWI) – Abdul Karim Jamal, John Holland Group
- Rail Sustainability Award – Byron Bay Railroad Company, Modification of Diesel Multiple Unit Rail Cards to solar powered electric operation
- RTAA Frank Franklyn Young Rail Specialist Award – Andrew Kelly, CPB Contractors
- RTSA Young Rail Professional Award – Joint Winners: Ryan Holt, Australian Rail Track Corporation and Laura Edwards, Metro Trains Melbourne
- Safety Award – Australian Rail Track Corporation, Pathway to Zero Safety Program
- TrackSAFE Award – NSW TrainLink, Trauma Management Program
- Workforce Diversity Award – Level Crossing Removal Authority, Training for the Future and the Rail Academy Newport
Australasian Railway Association (ARA) Chief Executive Officer, Danny Broad, congratulated all of the winners for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the rail industry.
“It is fantastic to recognise hard-working individuals and companies for their achievements in the rail sector at tonight’s Australasian Rail Industry Awards,” Mr Broad said.
“The winner of the Career Achievement category, Peter Hands, has been working in the rail sector for 42 years and has been focused on the development and sustainability of the rail freight market in Australia – particularly through his mentorship of others, his commitment to diversity and his unwavering adherence to the highest ethical standards.
“This year we also welcomed a new category to the Awards, the Rail Sustainability Award which was an idea initiated by our 2017 ARA Future Leaders cohort. It is fantastic to see the Byron Bay Railroad Company receive this Award for converting a 1949 heritage diesel railcar into the world’s first solar powered conventional train.
“It is inspiring to see young rail professionals recognised for their work within our industry, including Ryan Holt for his commitment to driving ARTC towards a data driven culture where employees use data in their decision-making and Laura Edwards of Metro Trains Melbourne for transforming the experience of passengers with disability travelling by rail in Melbourne.”
Proceeds from the Australasian Rail Industry Awards will go towards the TrackSAFE Foundation, a registered harm prevention charity that endeavours to reduce near collision, injuries and fatalities on the rail network resulting from suicide and reckless behaviour.
