The rail industry today congratulated the Australasian Rail Industry (ARI) Awards finalists, recognised for their extraordinary contributions to the industry.

The 84 finalists are chosen from 16 categories, with winners to be announced on Wednesday 13 September at a Gala Dinner at Crown Towers in Melbourne.

Australasian Railway Association (ARA) CEO and ARI Awards judging chair Caroline Wilkie said the awards recognised outstanding achievements in a range of areas, including safety, diversity, customer service, innovation and sustainability.

“This year’s nominations were incredibly impressive. They showcased the extraordinary depth of talent and commitment that exists right across the rail sector, demonstrating what a rich and rewarding industry it is to work in,” Ms Wilkie said.

“I would like to congratulate every organisation and individual celebrated today for their exemplary skill and dedication, and also thank everyone in rail working hard to ensure a safe, productive and sustainable rail industry.”

The awards are hosted by the ARA, Rail Track Association Australia (RTAA), Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA), Permanent Way Institution (PWI NSW), Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE) and Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB).

Rail Track Association Australia President Jonathan Barnes said: “This is a great opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements, innovation and successes of those working in the rail industry.”

Railway Technical Society of Australasia National Executive Chair Roy Unny said: “Today’s finalists represent those at the forefront of the incredible innovation and project excellence in our industry that is helping to drive an efficient and productive future.”

Permanent Way Institution (NSW) President Mark Harris also congratulated the finalists. “It is wonderful to see what is being achieved by emerging leaders and technical experts in the rail sector.”

Institution of Railway Signal Engineers Chair John Aitken said: “We would like to join in acknowledging the people and organisations that are at the pinnacle of knowledge and expertise in our industry.  We particularly commend those who have shown great leadership and commitment to mentoring developing engineers.”

Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board Chief Executive Officer Damien White said: “The rail industry is undergoing unprecedented investment and today we celebrate those committed to maintaining the very highest standards of safety as projects are rolled out across the country.”

AUSTRALASIAN RAIL INDUSTRY AWARD – 2023 FINALISTS

 

Category  Finalists
Young Achiever Award –  supported by  Permanent Way Institution (PWI NSW)
  • Benson Wong – John Holland, Next Rail
  • James Dillon – ARTC
  • James Dowzard – John Holland Group
  • Tyler Martin – Laing O’Rourke
Emerging Rail Specialist Award – supported by Rail Track Association Australia (RTAA)
  • Kershan Pillai – Mott MacDonald
  • Michelle Doolan – John Holland
Young Rail Professional Award – supported by Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA)
  • Ellen Worthington, Aurecon
  • Jason Zhou, Downer
  • Maria Cristina Fabbricatore, Hitachi
  • Ryan Spooner, Arup
  • Salam Al-Mulla, Laing O’Rourke
  • Stephen Chambers, Metro Trains Melbourne
Safety Excellence Award – supported by the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board (RISSB)
  • Downer, Julian Popowicz for Emerging Leader
  • Downer Rail & Transit Systems, Shayne Carvolth for Industry Safety Professional of the Year
  • Metro Trains Melbourne “New Ways of Working” for the Safety Leadership/Initiative
  • Puffy Billy, Vikki Ducrow for Community Safety
  • Rio Tinto, Tristan Lynn for Industry Safety Professional of the Year
  • Sydney Trains, Chris Polias for Frontline Worker Safety Initiative
Signalling and Systems Engineering Excellence Award – supported by Institution of Railway Signal Engineers (IRSE)
  • Beau Wildie – Sydney Trains
  • Moemedi Goitsemang – WSP
  • Steven Grant – Sydney Trains
Customer Service Excellence Award – supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)

 
  • John Holland – METRONET Trade Training Centre
  • Keolis Downer Adelaide – Customer Service Excellence
  • Keolis Downer Yarra Trams – Winning Doubles: Yarra Trams/Travellers Aid Partnership
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – SPA MURL City Loop Closure
  • Sydney Trains – Simplified Customer Language
Career Achievement Award – sponsored by Frauscher

Supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)

 
  • Andrew Matthews, GHD
  • Kevin Reeves, Arc Infrastructure
  • Kylie Gallasch, Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC)
  • Phil Terry – Transport for NSW
  • Rick Sclater – John Holland, Next Rail
  • Victoria Snook – Siemens Mobility
Employee Engagement Excellence Award –  sponsored by Rio Tinto

Supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)

 

 
  • Downer – Preventing injury and improving efficiencies through employee engagement on the world’s largest tram refurbishment project
  • Keolis Downer Adelaide – Engaging with KDA Drivers – Training and Competence Management
  • Keolis Downer Yarra Trams – Keolis Signature Service Co-Design Project
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – APIP: Every Second Counts
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – My Metro My Say
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – Supporting our People during the Comeng Retirement
  • Queensland Rail – What’s Your Plan A
  • Sydney Trains – A Fair Decision Framework for our people
  • Sydney Trains – Accelerate Signalling Program
  • Sydney Trains – Seconds Count
Freight Rail Excellence Award – sponsored by Port of Melbourne

Supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)
  • Arc Infrastructure – Autonomous Rail Container Wagon
  • Arc Infrastructure – Digital Twin
  • Sydney Trains – Planning Response Team for 2022 Disasters
Supplier Excellence Award – sponsored by John Holland Group

Supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)
  • Agonics
  • Mott MacDonald
  • Pilbara Rail Maintenance
  • Sydney Trains
Rail Innovation of the Year Award – sponsored by Project i-TRACE, powered by GS1 Australia

Supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)

 

 
  • Arc Infrastructure – Digital Twin
  • Keolis Downer Yarra Trams – Kerbing vehicle vs tram collisions on Melbourne’s legacy light rail network
  • McConnell Dowell Constructors – Cranbourne Line Upgrade – Eumemmerring Creek Bridge
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – Bridge Strike Detection System
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – MetroGO – Improving Metro’s day of operations through digitisation
  • Nexefy – Immersive and Digital Rail Training Solutions
Sustainability & Environmental Excellence Award – sponsored by Acciona Rail

Supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)

 

 

 
  • GHD Aurecon Joint Venture and Laing O’Rourke – Central Station Main Works Project (CSM)
  • Link Alliance – Sustainability on the City Rail Link project
  • North Western Program Alliance – Low Carbon Paths & Pavements
  • Murray Basin Rail Project – Murray Basin Rail Project
  • Sydney Trains – Energy Efficiency Program
  • Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport:  Creating Australia’s first certified carbon neutral rail infrastructure project 
Diversity & Inclusion Excellence Award – sponsored by Training Ahead

Supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)

 

 
  • John Holland – Women in Trades
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – MTM Graduate Engineering Program
  • Sydney Trains – Breaking Barriers in Rail
  • Sydney Trains – Train Crewing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Program
  • Systra ANZ – Building Tomorrow’s Communities Today
  • Transdev Australasia – ‘Belong at Transdev’, – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Transdev Australasia
Passenger Operations Excellence Award – supported by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA)

 
  • Keolis Downer Adelaide – Ginny Hollands
  • Keolis Downer Yarra Trams – Christopher Carson
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – Adam Deverell
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – Gokul Rajamani
  • Transdev Australia & NZ – Transdev Sydney Light Rail
Infrastructure Excellence Project Award – supported by the Railway Technical Society of Australasia (RTSA)

 
  • McConnell Dowell Constructors – Eumemmering Creek Bridge
  • Metro Trains – Sunbury Corridor Substation Project (SCSP)
  • North Western Program Alliance – The Preston Level Removal Crossing Project
  • Queensland Rail – Auchenflower station
  • Public Transport Authority and Webuild-NRW Joint Venture – The Forrestfield-Airport Link
  • V/Line – Shepparton Line Upgrade Project (the Project)
Recognising R U OK? Conversations (TrackSAFE Foundation) – supported by TrackSAFE Foundation

 
  • McConnell Dowell Constructors – R U OK Day Conversations and Wellbeing
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – Rail RUOK? 2023
  • Metro Trains Melbourne – Train Services Peer Support Program
  • North Western Program Alliance – NWPA’s Wellbeing Strategy
  • Pacific National – Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy
  • V/Line – Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy

 

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