Reasons to be cheerful - SNC

Issue 1 | May 2016
Reasons
to be
cheerful
The sky's the limit for Rail &
Transit Engineering, says Group
MD Richard George – so smile!
Ride on time
The DLR 'Black Box' project that
makes real-time monitoring a reality
Easing the rush hour
SNC-Lavalin's Malaysia team keep
Kuala Lumpur on the move
InnoTrans 2016
Focus on Europe's biggest rail expo
Editorial
Cover photo Shutterstock / Lodimup
Issue 1 | May 2016
Reasons
to be
cheerful
The sky's the limit for Rail &
Transit Engineering, says Group
MD Richard George – so smile!
Ride on time
The DLR 'Black Box' project that
makes real-time monitoring a reality
Easing the rush hour
SNC-Lavalin's Malaysia team keep
Kuala Lumpur on the move
InnoTrans 2016
Focus on Europe's biggest rail expo
Contacts
Editorial, design and production
Editors:
Sherrie Rowlands
Tel: +44 (0)1332 223333
Email: sherrie.rowlands@
snclavalin.com
Andrew Bennett (CPL)
Email: [email protected]
Design:
Craig Wilsoncroft
Tel: +44 (0)1332 223149
Email: craig.wilsoncroft@
snclavalin.com
Martin Cook
Email: [email protected]
Contributors:
Ellie Cook
Tel: +44 (0)1332 223456
Email: [email protected]
Production:
CPL (Cambridge Publishers Ltd)
1 Cambridge Technopark,
Newmarket Road,
Cambridge CB5 8PB
Tel: +44 (0)1223 378000
Web: www.cpl.co.uk
Contents
Welcome to Viewpoint
The new view on Rail & Transit
Issue 1 May 2016
F
ollowing the rebrand of Interfleet to SNC-Lavalin
on 1 January 2016, and the global name change,
welcome to the first issue of Viewpoint, the brand
new magazine delivering news and views from the
world of Rail & Transit at SNC-Lavalin.
News
4 A global view
Since the launch of our magazine Interview in 2013, we
have been delighted to win a number of communications and
magazine awards for our efforts. We hope Viewpoint will
continue to deliver the same quality – but now with a wider
remit of news from across the business.
News stories from around
our global business.
Features
As a client-focused enterprise, I’m happy to report that our
name change has had little impact on day-to-day business.
We did have one or two people hang up the phone in
confusion when some of our former Interfleet staff answered
the phones ‘SNC-Lavalin, can I help you?’, so we’ll continue
to drive the message of the new name with even greater
levels of combined expertise. Take a look at what this means
for us going forward on page 10, in my article on ‘reasons to
be cheerful’.
7 Centre of attention
Why SNC-Lavalin's central
European office is the place to be.
10 Reasons to be cheerful
The sky's the limit for Rail
& Transit Engineering
at SNC-Lavalin. Richard
George explains why.
As a global business, no two days are the same and I
continue to be excited by the level of investment and focus
on rail wherever I go around the world. After nearly 40 years
in rail, it’s great to see that the industry is stronger and a
more interesting place to be than at any time I can
remember – I’m very happy to be part of that story.
12 Ride on time
The DLR 'Black Box' project
that makes real-time monitoring
a reality.
This issue features some of the very different areas that
we cover in our organisation. We have articles on our team in
Malaysia on page 16; meet one of our employees from
Sweden on the back page; and take a look at some of the
projects we have featured in the past, with an update on their
progress. There’s also the usual news updates from across
the business, an article on central Europe, and a preview of
InnoTrans, where we will be exhibiting later this year.
15 InnoTrans 2016
Focus on Europe's biggest
rail expo.
We hope you like our new-look magazine, and if you have
any queries, suggestions or comments, please email the
editorial team at [email protected].
16 Easing the rush hour
SNC-Lavalin's Malaysia team
keep Kuala Lumpur on the move.
18 Then and now
The latest news from projects
featured in previous issues.
Richard George
Group Managing Director,
Rail & Transit Engineering
SNC-Lavalin
20 60-second interview
Li Jubner tells us why she loves
working in the rail industry,
and how she can relate to
The Big Bang Theory.
[email protected]
THE
READITAL
DIG ION
EDIT E!!
ONLIN
2 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
Building what matters
10
Reasons to be cheerful
'This is a big arena and we need
more people everywhere'
07
Centre of attention
Share the central Europe team's
passion for working in rail
12
Ride on time
Making real-time monitoring
a reality on London's DLR
18
20
60-second interview
'Almost everyone has a
connection to the railways'
Then and now
Update on SNC-Lavalin projects
showcased in previous issues
snclavalin.com
snclavalin.com
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 3
News
News
SNC-Lavalin at core of CORE 2016
A global view
The Rail & Transit team
in Australasia exhibited at
the Conference on Railway
Excellence (CORE) in
Melbourne. SNC-Lavalin
was also a gold sponsor at
the event.
Insights, projects and people from across the world of Rail & Transit at SNC-Lavalin
The Railway Technical Society
of Australasia hosted CORE 2016
under the banner ‘Maintaining the
Momentum’. In Australia, the biennial
conference is the pre-eminent forum
for the advancement of the rail sector.
Diane Riley, State Manager
for Victoria, South Australia and
Tasmania, said: ‘There are few
engineering challenges in the world
more fascinating than the railway
system. It marries decades – and
sometimes centuries – of technology
into an interconnected system, which,
at times, struggles to be cohesive.
'The need for innovative thinking
to merge these elements into an
Auditing
made simple
with Audit
Companion
At SNC-Lavalin, the Rail & Transit
team is developing an innovative new
app, called Audit Companion, that will
revolutionise how future audits are
managed and conducted.
Graduate Challenge
'There are few
engineering
challenges in
the world more
fascinating than the
railway system'
effective network was at the heart of
CORE 2016.’
Representatives from the
Australasia Rail & Transit team also
spoke at the event. Senior Consultant
Shaun Robertson and Consultant Dr
Jademond Kiang presented papers at
the Expo.
Employees celebrated at Rail Business Awards
A team of six employees from
the graduate development
scheme were named winners of
The Times Graduate Challenge.
The prestigious competition is
delivered in association with
the UK daily newspaper and
is open to businesses across
the country. The aim of the
training course is to develop
leadership potential in recent
graduates at the start of
their professional careers.
News in North America
Kevin George will be joining
SNC-Lavalin's Rail & Transit
team as Vice-President Rail
& Transit Engineering, North
America. He joins us from
WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff
and will be based in Toronto.
Previously when assets were audited, findings
were recorded using pen and paper, plus a digital
camera for photographic evidence. Upon completion
of the inspection, the handwritten notes were
typed up and photos uploaded. If data analysis was
required as part of the project, further data entry,
coding and conversion was needed.
The days of pen and paper are
nearly gone, as we are able to
carry out more efficient and
consistent asset inspections
on tablet and mobile devices
NEWS IN BRIEF
The North American team
started the year in style with
numerous project kick-offs.
These included the Via Rail fleet
replacement, the Purple Line
light rail project in Baltimore,
and the Metropolitan Atlanta
Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)
general engineering contract.
New Technology
Tim Childs
Senior Engineer
UK Appointments
‘As you can imagine, this was a time-consuming
task,' said Software Solutions Team Leader Matt
Davies. ‘The time taken to complete inspections also
meant they were more costly. It seemed clear to me
that developing a mobile solution would solve many
of these issues.’
Tim Childs, a Senior Engineer in Asset
Management and Maintenance Services, also saw a
gap in the market. Together, the pair submitted their
idea for an auditing app to the company’s internal
'Ideas & Innovation Factory’.
Tim was asked to prepare a feasibility study,
with a view to launching a new product. The Senior
Management team was impressed by the initial
4 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
Two employees from SNC-Lavalin's Rail &
Transit team in the UK were finalists at the
2016 Rail Business Awards.
proposal and thought the project had potential. Tim
submitted a formal business case to request funding
and the idea was pitched successfully. Budget
approval was granted and a team was mobilised to
get it off the ground.
Shortly after the project kicked off, a competition
to name the app was held internally and ‘Audit
Companion’ was born. The app is currently in the
development phase and undergoing testing.
Tim commented: ‘The days of pen and paper
are nearly gone, as we are able to carry out more
efficient and consistent asset inspections on
tablet and mobile devices. As well as auditing
trains, Audit Companion can be used by our
customers to audit any asset on the go... the
possibilities are endless.’
UK Director of Transport Advisory, Marianne
Kilpatrick, was shortlisted in the Women in Rail category.
Dynamics, Gauging & Testing Team Leader, Stephen
Pell, was nominated for Rail Engineer of the Future and
Young Rail Professional of the Year.
Marianne was brought on board in 2011 to establish
the Transport Planning team. Previously, she held senior
roles at Booz & Company and the World Bank. Marianne
was promoted to her current role in August 2015.
Stephen joined the company's graduate scheme
in 2009. He started out as a Graduate Engineer and
worked within the Vehicle Structures team before being
appointed Dynamics, Gauging & Testing Team Leader in
July 2015.
Group Managing Director of Rail & Transit
Engineering, Richard George, also presented an
award at the ceremony. For the past 15 years, the
company has sponsored the coveted Rail Business of the
Year category.
Michael Grace, Regional Director, Rail & Transit UK,
said: ‘As long-standing supporters of the Rail Business
Awards, we were pleased to see the hard work and
dedication of our staff celebrated on the night. Marianne
and Stephen are highly regarded in their respective
fields, so this recognition is well deserved.’
There have been several senior
appointments within the UK
team. Former Head of Projects
& Strategy, Andy McDonald, has
been appointed Director, System
Consulting & Assurance. Deputy
Director of Infrastructure, James
Howles, has been promoted
to UK Director, Infrastructure.
James took over from Iain
Court, who took up the role of
Business Development Director
at the start of the year.
http://about.audit-companion.com
snclavalin.com
snclavalin.com
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 5
News
Regional focus
ETCS first for Scandinavia
SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit
Verification has issued
certificates for the installation
of the European Train Control
System (ETCS) in several
Swedish and Norwegian
vehicles.
SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit
Verification is the first notified body
to issue full certificates for ETCS
installations in Sweden and Norway.
In Sweden, the certificates were
issued in time to protect the Swedish
vehicle owners from repayment
obligations for EU contributions. The
repayments could have totalled tens
of millions of euros.
In Norway, the certificates were
issued in time to support the opening
of the first European Rail Traffic
Management System (ERTMS) route
in the country.
Several countries are poised
for major expansion in respect of
ERTMS. SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit
Verification is already involved in
discussions about several new
projects in the UK, as well as
new and ongoing projects in Sweden
and Norway.
AfricaRail 2016
The South African team are
exhibiting at AfricaRail in
Johannesburg. Now in its
19th year, AfricaRail is the
continent’s longest-running
rail-industry event.
The exhibition is growing year
on year, with the number of
attendees at the last show up
by 30%. The 2016 conference
is the third outing for the SNCLavalin team, after the company
exhibited in 2014 and 2015.
RECENT EVENTS
Jernbaneforum 2016
SNC-Lavalin exhibited at
Jernbaneforum 2016 in Norway,
which attracted delegates
from Oslo and the surrounding
area. The theme of the 2016
conference was ‘railway future’.
This was apt, as the Expo was
the first official outing for
the Norwegian Rail & Transit
team since the rebrand at
the beginning of the year.
CIPR Awards
Accreditation success at
Presentations Connected Business Awards
at APTA
2016 Rail
Conference
Representatives from the
Rail & Transit team in
the USA are presenting
at the American Public
Transportation Association
(APTA) 2016 Rail
Conference, in Phoenix,
Arizona.
6 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
Centre of
attention
PWI Seminar
SNC-Lavalin's Rail & Transit
team in the UK achieved Gold
Accreditation at the 2016
Connected Business Awards.
The annual event, held at
the Derby Roundhouse,
celebrates the efforts of
businesses to promote
sustainable travel.
The judging panel awarded the
highest level of accreditation to
SNC-Lavalin. This was in recognition
of the work done to provide healthy
and sustainable ways for employees
to commute.
The company was Highly
Commended in the Large
Employment Site of the Year
category. Bike sheds and shower
facilities have been enhanced at
the Rail & Transit Derby office, to
encourage staff to cycle to work.
Bike MOTs were also offered to staff
at multiple sites.
UK Health and Safety, Quality and
the Environment (HSQE) Manager,
Ian Phillips, was Highly Commended
in the Travel Champion of the
Year category. The judges were
impressed by the initiatives Ian has
led since he was promoted to his
current role in January 2014.
Michael Grace, Regional Director,
Rail & Transit UK, said: ‘We’re
committed to making our offices
great places to work, as well as
supporting local communities and
the environment. Ian and the HSQE
team play a key part in this; we’re
very proud of their achievements.’
Representatives from SNCLavalin’s Track Engineering
and Survey teams exhibited
at the Permanent Way
Institution North West Technical
Seminar in Manchester. With
unprecedented levels of rail
investment planned over the
coming years, the seminar
explored new techniques and
technologies for modernising the
railway network. The exhibition
stand attracted considerable
interest from delegates, and
Head of Track and Survey, Phil
Ransom, presented on the day.
SNC-Lavalin’s Rail & Transit central European team is based in
Germany, but it covers a much wider geographical area with its
strong railway engineering skills. Viewpoint finds out why all
the team members share a strong passion for working in rail
YRP AWARDS
Emma Taylor, from the UK
Rolling Stock Enhancements
team, was shortlisted for Young
Rail Professional of the Year at
the Young Rail Professionals
Annual Dinner 2016. The award
is designed to celebrate rising
talent within the industry.
Emma joined the graduate
development scheme in 2013,
after completing two summer
placements with the company.
snclavalin.com
Words Andrew Bennett
Photo Shutterstock / Eastimages
The event is a key date in
the industry calendar. It brings
together more than 2,000
senior figures from across
North America and spans all rail
modes: urban, commuter, highspeed and intercity.
Principal Consultant Paul
Jamieson will present an
‘Electronically Controlled
Pneumatic (ECP) Brake Standard
Development and Testing
Update’ during the Rolling Stock:
Mechanicals, Commuter Rail
Brakes and Diesel Multiple Units
(DMUs) session.
Principal Consultants
John Smatlak and John
Swanson are returning with
a co-authored session on the
‘State of the Art in Light Rail
Transit (LRT) Crashworthiness
Standards’. Last year, the pair
gave a joint presentation at
the 13th National Light Rail &
Streetcar Conference.
Interview, the transport industry
magazine from Interfleet,
was shortlisted for Best Print
Magazine at the Chartered
Institute of Public Relations
(CIPR) #insidestory awards 2016.
The ceremony celebrated the
achievements of professionals
in internal communications
and employee engagement.
Interview has been relaunched as
Viewpoint following the rebrand.
snclavalin.com
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 7
Regional focus
Regional focus
Looking ahead to
InnoTrans 2016
Speaking in mother tongues
Clients find other benefits in dealing with
the central Europe office, which covers
a wide portfolio of work. ‘All of us speak
fluent English at the very least,’ says Georg.
‘Some of us speak French too. Last year,
we had two French customers with asset
management and asset evaluation projects,
so the proximity to Paris was a benefit; we
can be there by 10am without flying.
‘Customers appreciate being able to
speak in their mother language too.’
The 25-strong team – ranging from
seasoned engineers with many years’
experience to bright young graduates
plucked from the town’s rail engineering
faculties – share another bond.
'All of our engineers, whether experienced
or new hires, have studied rail or come
8 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
Photo Shutterstock / Ivosar
O
ne glance at a map of Europe
clearly shows that the town
of Aachen, Germany, is at
a crossroads – right on the
border with Belgium and
the Netherlands. Paris is less than
three hours away by train too.
It’s no coincidence that SNC-Lavalin set
up its central Europe office in this Rhineland
location less than two years ago, as it is right
on the doorstep of three other European
countries, with good access via the wider rail
network – all the better to serve clients.
Other reasons for this strategic choice
include the ability to recruit graduates
from Aachen’s two universities, which
teach rail engineering, and being located
within the European rail-freight corridor,
nicknamed the ‘Blue Banana’ because of
the way it is displayed on EU rail maps.
Regional Director Georg Hauschild, who
has 22 years' experience in the rail industry
and joined the team in 2014, explains: ‘From
Aachen, Amsterdam is two hours away,
Brussels is just over an hour, Frankfurt is less
than two, Paris less than three by train – and
even our colleagues in the UK, can reach
Aachen from London by rail in four hours.’
Every other September, Berlin
is the place to be for all serious
players in the international rail
industry – and SNC-Lavalin will
be no exception this autumn.
InnoTrans, the biggest trade fair for
transport technology, will include
a stand from SNC-Lavalin. The
company intends to use the event
as a major platform to explain
the benefits of its global reach
and the rebranding of Interfleet.
The four-day industry event has
grown bigger, with a wider focus.
This September will be a great
opportunity for SNC-Lavalin,
including representatives from
the Aachen office, to talk about
the company’s wide-ranging
expertise. The German-based
team will also be pleased to
meet many of their customers
over a short period of time.
Since its inaugural staging in
1996, InnoTrans has always been
held in Berlin, but it is not strictly
a German event. Despite being
a strong showcase for European
firms, many of the exhibitors and
attendees now represent activity
in global markets. In 2014 there
were more than 2,500 exhibitors,
originating from 55 countries.
Visit SNC-Lavalin at Stand 412, Hall B.
For more information on InnoTrans 2016,
visit the website at:
www.innotrans.de/en/
Photos Courtesy of InnoTrans
Georg Hauschild (above,
left), Regional Director,
central Europe, and Lutz
Goeke (above, right),
Principal Consultant, from
SNC-Lavalin's Rail & Transit
business in central Europe
from the railway business,’ says Georg.
‘If we get somebody on board, even from
the university, we don’t need to explain
what a DMU [diesel multiple unit] or EMU
[electric multiple unit] is, or what a sixaxle versus a four-axle unit is, and so on.’
Principal Consultant Lutz Goeke, who
manages the office’s sales, marketing and
account management, and is also a trained
engineer, adds: ‘It is really practical expertise.
We are not glued to theory. We are talking about
having hands-on, rail-industry experience.’
Such expertise has resulted in the team
working on a multitude of challenging and
varied projects. These include conducting
regional commuter passenger traffic surveys
for Public Transport Authorities (PTAs) across
Germany, which have accounted for around
half of the team’s workload recently.
Across the various German federal
states – known as Bundesländer – income
from passenger fares does not cover the
full costs of regional rail services, so the
PTAs look for up-to-date figures on income
flows to make decisions about where
taxpayers’ money should be allocated.
Adding to the pressures
Last year, Baden-Württemberg required a
regional passenger traffic survey for the
snclavalin.com
Stuttgart region, with an immediate
start date. Despite the additional
pressures this put on team members,
SNC-Lavalin was able to deliver the
project for this substantial network
successfully. Alexander Kirfel, Team
Leader, Transport Advisory, says:
‘Passenger rail tariffs in Germany
are still somewhat complicated,
but our expert knowledge ensured
an instantaneous solution to
gather the requested information
at a top level of quality.’
The Aachen-based team also advises
German PTAs and ministries on
technical matters, such as reviewing
the specifications for new passenger
rolling stock they intend to buy. It
performs a similar service for rolling
stock asset managers, such as banks.
The engineers also prove their worth
on homologation projects and, in
recent months, have helped introduce
two vehicles that originated in the
United States to German railways.
Lutz, who worked in senior
commercial roles for Alpha Trains
Locomotives and Bombardier
Transportation before joining SNCLavalin in 2014, says: ‘We look at all the
snclavalin.com
I am really
enthusiastic about
seeing our young
engineers develop
Georg Hauschild
Regional Director, central Europe
documents – the implementations – and
confirm the technical standards that are
required and that the documentation
reflects the actual design, and can
be accepted by the homologation
authority. This includes the coordination of assessors, as well as very
practical things such as test rides.’
Germany has a substantial number
of tram operators and, over the years,
SNC-Lavalin’s expertise has contributed
substantially to the design of highly
specialised track building, and to
the maintenance of way vehicles.
Other client work has included
consultancy for the Belgian and Swiss
passenger rail operators, for a Poland-
based rolling stock manufacturer,
and – last but not least – for German
railway company, Deutsche Bahn.
SNC-Lavalin also provides a
workshop-auditing service to check
if rail companies are following
technical, state-of-the art processes
– including compliance to ISO
quality standards – correctly, and
assesses the maintenance of
passenger coaches. One such project
was described by Lutz as: ‘Very
interesting, complex and technical.’
Whatever the projects and their
particular demands, however, there
is one thing, above all else, that gives
Georg – whose previous roles have
included being on the infrastructure
(fastening systems) and vehicle (diesel
locomotives) sides at Vossloh and
Alpha Trains – enormous satisfaction.
‘I am really enthusiastic about seeing
our young engineers develop,’ he says.
‘These people are transferring lessons
learned and professional skills, and
adapting methods from our senior
engineers in a very fast manner. It
surprises me on a daily basis.’
[email protected]
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 9
Feature
Feature
O
ver the past
few months,
the combined
expertise of
around 1,000
Rail & Transit engineering
specialists and their
activities have been
brought together under
the SNC-Lavalin banner,
following the rebranding
of many of the company’s
previous acquisitions.
The new team – combining
former Interfleet staff at
its core with those in Kuala
Lumpur, Montreal and
Vancouver – offers clients
the same world-leading
skills as before, but it can
now take advantage of the
wider opportunities created
by being an integral part of
the SNC-Lavalin operation.
Before the integration,
SNC-Lavalin operated
under many different
brand names. These have
now been consigned to
the history books, and the
future has a very positive
– and aligned – outlook.
Group Managing Director
Richard George has some
messages for staff and
other audiences with an
interest. ‘Branding for
customers is important,
and this is much more
about providing coherence
in the marketplace – about
getting across the SNCLavalin name as a global
offering – than about internal
organisation,’ he explains.
Skills in the business are
in great demand around
the world, and this is only
likely to increase, so Richard
encourages people to
focus on the big picture.
‘I’m sometimes asked: are
we part of Rail & Transit,
or are we Rail & Transit
Engineering? The important
thing is, this is all being done
not for an organisational
desire, but because of
how we present ourselves
coherently to the market.
Words Andrew Bennett Photos Kevin Nixon
Reasons
to be
cheerful
How big are the opportunities
for the new global Rail & Transit
Engineering organisation within
SNC-Lavalin? The sky’s the limit,
according to Group Managing
Director Richard George.
Viewpoint caught up with him
at the company’s London office
10 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
snclavalin.com
snclavalin.com
‘We have always said that
engineering, operations
and maintenance, and the
construction are separate
business units. They
need different sorts of
management and remain
different business units.
‘So I don’t manage rail
and transit operations and
maintenance – I manage
the engineering teams.
Likewise, I don’t manage
the big construction teams;
the new VP for Rail &
Transit Construction, Rupert
Holloway, does that.’
misunderstood,’ he adds.
‘Our job is to provide rail and
transit engineering expertise
to these big schemes. But
they are never our schemes,
as they almost always
belong to joint ventures that
are separate companies.
‘With huge amounts
being invested in major rail
projects around the world,
the biggest challenge will be
to recruit enough engineers
with the world-class skills
required to keep pace.
‘This is a big arena and
we need more people
With huge amounts being
invested in major rail projects
around the world, the biggest
challenge will be recruiting
enough engineers with the worldclass skills required to keep pace
Richard George
Group Managing Director, Rail & Transit Engineering
SNC-Lavalin will be
pursuing consultancy
projects of all sizes, and big
design and build projects,
and the reach of the
company – across various
sectors and markets –
will open more doors.
Making the
relationship clear
‘Culturally, the company’s
different offices are much
more similar than they think
they are, but the message
here is: there is little we
don’t want to do in terms
of projects,’ says Richard.
‘There is no conflict in my
mind at all about doing both
consultancy and big projects.
‘The relationship we, as the
engineering team, have with
big projects is sometimes
everywhere. Do not think,
for one minute, there is not
enough room for our skills.
‘I can’t think of a region
where we are not actively
recruiting – for instance,
in Australia, Norway,
Sweden, the UK and Canada.
The latter is particularly
challenging to recruit in,
because there are a lot of
ongoing major projects and
they absorb a lot of people.’
Richard sees the SNCLavalin blue flag flying
in some places where
the company does not
yet have a presence.
However, he cautions:
‘There are some projects
we will turn down – and
there are some parts of
the world I am not happy
to send people to.
‘Some jobs, we won’t
do; there are some places
we won’t go, some risks
we won’t take; I’m very
happy with that. There
are also some places we
have to stop and think
about before we go.’
Emerging
opportunities
Aside from work in
countries such as Canada,
Malaysia, the UK, Sweden
and Germany, the
Middle East is emerging
as a huge opportunity
for Rail & Transit.
The company now has
a bigger presence there
following its acquisition,
in 2014, of the former
Kentz Group, which had
a reputation for expertise
on oil and gas projects.
Another country of
growing importance will
be the United States,
where Richard detects a
sea-change in attitudes.
‘A number of places in
the United States are just
beginning to realise that
some of their city regions
need railways, not just
motor cars,’ he says.
‘There are high-speed lines
being planned in Florida,
Texas and California that,
10 years ago, would have
seemed impossible.’
Whatever the challenges
ahead, the SNC-Lavalin Rail
& Transit engineers look
set for an exciting ride.
Richard contributes
another encouraging thought:
‘Some things are the same
wherever I go, including huge
technical competence and
confidence among our staff,
and a love of the railways.
‘Wherever you go, people
are deeply committed to
rail and transport – and
to its development and
growth, and to making rail
better. That is fantastic.’
[email protected]
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 11
Projects
Projects
Words Andrew Bennett
T
wo-hundred-andseventy channels
of information
available 24/7.
Ninety-four
vehicles running on a
network spanning 45
different stations.
There are a lot of numbers
– not to mention complexity
– involved in SNC-Lavalin’s
latest project to help improve
the Docklands Light Railway
(DLR) service in London.
This project has been a
true collaboration for Rail
& Transit, working with the
rolling stock engineering
and maintenance teams
of DLR and KeolisAmey
Docklands, along with
the lead contractor
Arrowvale Electronics
and communication
supplier Nomad Digital.
The combined team are
delivering a challenging
and innovative scheme that
will help improve reliability
and availability of the DLR
passenger services.
The DLR, which carried
around 117 million
passengers between April
2015 and March 2016,
asked the main contractor
to replace obsolete on-train
monitoring equipment on
two-thirds of its rolling stock
fleet. The client also wanted
to upgrade the equipment
on its B92K rolling stock
to enable remote, real-
Ride on time
With DLR ‘Black box’ project
Monitoring part of the train fleet on London’s Docklands Light Railway in
real time is becoming a reality, thanks to an innovative SNC-Lavalin project
that showcases both technical skills and close partnership working
12 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
snclavalin.com
snclavalin.com
time monitoring of this
fleet – a new capability.
At the time of writing,
about a third of the fleet
has been fitted with its
new rail-equivalent ‘black
box’ recorders (which are,
in fact, orange in colour)
and associated electronics,
with the whole upgrade
due for completion by
December this year.
Virtual monitoring
on board
Already, the trains carrying
this upgrade can be
monitored all the time they
are in service, wherever they
are on the DLR network.
Information is sent back to
monitoring screens in no
more than three seconds.
SNC-Lavalin Project
Manager Mark Zawisza,
who has been co-ordinating
the project work, says
the immediate real-time
availability of information
and 'status changes' of
different on-board factors
is a real bonus for the
DLR’s operators and other
interested parties.
‘The control centre
knowing where a problem is
occurring on a vehicle – for
example, an imperceptible
passenger door fault –
immediately reduces
dwell times at stations,
improves availability
and therefore, from an
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 13
Projects
Infographics
InnoTrans
Photo Shutterstock / Bikeworldtravel
With a large number of reference projects and more than 220 transport
technology firms, Berlin is the main focus of Germany's transport engineering
industry and an ideal venue for InnoTrans, an international platform for
buyers and sellers of passenger and freight transport technology. InnoTrans
has become established as the international industry showplace focusing on
railway technology.
operational point of view, the service
is much enhanced,’ says Mark.
‘It is the first real outing for our
Diagnostyx product, so that is a big
win for us,’ he adds. ‘It has been quite a
challenging and complex project; trying
to monitor 270 different channels of
information in itself is quite difficult.
‘The volume of data we are getting
off the trains is quite high. We have had
to overcome quite a lot of challenges.
The fact that we (SNC-Lavalin) can
see the train, in the virtual sense,
where it is and what it is doing in real
time, for me, is very rewarding.’
Skills are ‘second to none’
Richard George, SNC-Lavalin’s
Group Managing Director for Rail
14 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
200,000sqm
OVERALL IMPRESSION
& OUTLOOK
Net area halls /
outdoor area
146
countries
represented
95.3%
Exhibitors’ survey
Overall positive impression
95.8
%
96.2%
trade visitors
(133,595)
2014
138,872 VISITORS
All data courtesy of InnoTrans.
[email protected]
snclavalin.com
snclavalin.com
(1,426) foreign
exhibitors
55 countries
49 countries
FOCAL POINTS OF THE EXHIBITION
50.7%
RAILWAY
TECHNOLOGY
3,252m
Including track area
NEXT EVENT
20-23
SEPTEMBER 2016
PUBLIC DAYS
2.4%
TUNNEL
CONSTRUCTION
16.4% 15.6%
INTERIORS
PUBLIC
TRANSPORT
Europe 78.1%
North
America
2.0%
Asia
14.8%
96.0%
trade visitors
(121,066)
2012
126,110 VISITORS
25.2%
RAILWAY
INFRASTRUCTURE
24-25
TRADE VISITORS
56.7%
(1,669) foreign
exhibitors
SEPTEMBER 2016
Overall positive impression
providing installation teams, assurance
and software – work that involves
many teams at the company.
‘The DLR’s new virtual ‘eyes’ are
helping people in its control room
monitor factors including: trains’ brake
pressures; whether doors are open
and shut; and the performance of the
traction control system. The Diagnostyx
package used on the DLR’s automated
train may – in future – benefit other
train operators running services in
the UK, or other parts of the world.'
2012
2,761 EXHIBITORS 2,515 EXHIBITORS
(outdoor display only)
Trade visitors’ survey
& Transit Engineering, has been
impressed by the results of the
project and his teams’ work.
‘The DLR work is a superb project
that demonstrates our technical
skills are second to none when it
comes to technical development
and innovation on an existing
railway operation,’ he says.
‘Arrowvale is supplying most of the
electronics, communications control
units are being supplied by Nomad
Digital and SNC-Lavalin is helping in
several ways, including providing the
installation design of the equipment,
2014
60.4%
103,409sqm
Total area halls /
outdoor area
year
frequency
Mark Zawisza
Project Manager
EXHIBITORS
FACTS & FIGURES
2
It has been quite
a challenging and
complex project;
trying to monitor 270
different channels of
information in itself is
quite difficult
in a
nutshell
South
America
1.4%
Africa
1.5%
Middle East
1.7%
Australia/
Oceania 0.5%
ORIGIN (Basis: full visitor registration)
GERMANY: 46% ABROAD: 54%
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 15
Profiles
Profiles
This is a very
important project
for Malaysia...
the scheme has
developed at a very
fast rate
Dan Baicoianu
Project Manager, Rail & Transit Engineering
Easing the
rush hour
Words Andrew Bennett
firms – Corporation Berhad and
Gamuda Berhad – selected a number
of local construction companies, and
13 systems firms from Malaysia and
countries including Germany, Canada,
China, Japan, Singapore and Korea.
Engineering expertise
SNC-Lavalin’s rail and transit engineering expertise is proving in demand
to assist with some challenging projects around the world.
Viewpoint looks at how the team in Malaysia are adding value to the
country’s most significant public transport scheme
K
uala Lumpur is a city on
the move with construction
work in full swing on a
state-of-the art integrated
urban mass rapid transit
(MRT) network. We spoke to the
SNC-Lavalin engineering team
whose technical expertise will
help on the project that aims to
cut traffic congestion in the heavily
populated Malaysian capital.
Carrying up to 400,000 passengers
a day along a 51-kilometre route,
the Klang Valley MRT (KVMRT)
Corporation’s Line One (The
MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line)
will be among the most modern
MRT systems in the world.
Initially, the project spans two lines
in total, with a third in prospect. Line
One has been designed to handle up
to 20,000 passengers an hour, in each
direction, along a rail corridor served
by seven underground stations, 24
elevated stations and 58 trains.
16 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
It’s a substantial civil engineering
project for the Malaysian government,
and running their expert eye over many
of the project’s technical aspects is
a team of around 15 staff from SNCLavalin working in joint venture (JV)
with HSS Integrated, a Malaysian
engineering company specialising
in rail infrastructure development.
The JV is named the Independent
Consultant Engineer, ICE for short.
Experienced team
The SNC-Lavalin staff on the ICE
team are a mix of engineers drawn
from various parts of SNC-Lavalin
and new hires from the rail industry
– all experienced in rail and transit.
Veteran engineer, Project Manager
Dan Baicoianu, says the scale
of the project is impressive.
‘This is a very important project for
Malaysia; the largest capital project
currently being undertaken,’ says Dan,
who has many years of experience
on rail projects in several countries.
‘KL’s rail transit scheme has
developed at a very fast rate. I
have worked on rail projects in Los
Angeles on and off since 1986, and
KL has caught up with LA since
then, and overtaken it in terms of
kilometres and technology.’
As one of the flagship mass transit
projects in Asia, delivery of the Klang
Valley MRT project has been running
for more than four years and will
form part of a new, fully integrated,
rail transportation system.
The project draws on the expertise
SNC-Lavalin has acquired in many
years of work on modern transit
system projects, including Vancouver’s
SkyTrain and Canada Line systems.
As expected for a project of this
size and complexity, a large number
of local and foreign companies are
working on the project. KVMRT’s
Project Delivery Partner, made up of
two major Malaysian construction
snclavalin.com
According to Dan, this project
draws on SNC-Lavalin’s engineering
expertise, concerning all aspects of
programme and overall system design,
and specific technical knowledge of:
underground works; rolling stock;
trackwork; communications; signalling;
power; fare collection; building
management; radio, from design
to testing; and commissioning and
readiness for revenue operation.
The team reviews a host of technical
information from the international
and local partner companies relating
to the various engineering aspects of
the project, acting as independent
consultants for the owner.
Following the design stage,
the engineers took part
in factory visits for equipment testing
and are now busy monitoring site
installation, testing and commissioning.
Plans and procedures
Now the line has reached its testing
and commissioning phase, work has
taken on another dimension, with
the SNC-Lavalin team involved in
reviewing and commenting on plans
and procedures for commissioning
activities, and attending site tests.
Passenger operations should start in
December this year, with the new line
becoming fully operational by July 2017.
Dan explains that
MRT Line One will
offer ‘rapid
transit,
which is
totally “grade separated” – there
is no street-running anywhere;
the line is mostly elevated but
there are sections of underground
running in the downtown area’.
Beyond the first line, MRT Line Two
in Kuala Lumpur is planned as a second
intersecting route (SNC-Lavalin is not
involved in the Line Two project). A
third line is also at the planning stage,
intended to enable easy connection
of more peripheral parts of the city to
the overall mass transport system.
[email protected]
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 17
Projects
Then and now
It’s more than
name changing
...it’s game changing.
We revisit projects featured in previous issues of our magazine,
and update you with the latest news and developments
Gold Coast Rapid Transit System
The SNC-Lavalin team in Australia
worked on the Gold Coast Rapid Transit
(GCRT) system – a key element of the
wider plan to address traffic congestion
on the Gold Coast by providing a wholly
integrated public transport network. The
13km line services 16 stations connecting
Gold Coast University Hospital, north
of Southport, with Pacific Fair shopping
centre in Broadbeach.
Richard George joins
HS2 design panel
HS2 is a major UK infrastructure project
that will link London to Birmingham. In
June 2015, we announced that SNCLavalin’s rail consultancy had been
appointed as rolling stock and depots
design and technical adviser for the HS2
Project, working in partnership with Arup.
Update
Richard George, Group Managing Director at
SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit Engineering, has been
appointed to the independent design panel for
the UK’s High Speed 2 (HS2) project – the nation’s
second high-speed passenger rail link that will
connect England’s two biggest cities.
The panel will act as the project’s independent
advisor and help it deliver on its key design
principals. Chaired by Sadie Morgan, panel
members bring expertise in a number of
areas including engineering – Richard had
previously given his input into the design of the
HS1 rail project.
Depending on the passage of the HS2
Parliamentary Bill, which passed its third reading in
the House of Commons on 23 March, construction
could start as soon as 2017.
Richard will be one of a panel including
internationally renowned architects, experts on
urban, landscape and inclusion, along with brand,
digital, product and sustainability gurus. He will not
provide comment on rolling stock matters.
18 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
The Queensland Government appointed the
SNC-Lavalin team in 2009 to provide Operations
Advisory Services to its Stage 1 project team during
both the planning and procurement phases for the
light rail system. SNC-Lavalin was retained as Light Rail Advisor,
providing technical support during the delivery
phase of the GCRT. SNC-Lavalin developed the
operational requirements for the GCRT and were
involved from Expression of Interest (EOI), to
financial close, design, commissioning, mobilisation
and commencement of operations.
At the end of February 2016, TransLink's go
card touch-on-touch-off figures recorded a total of
11,400,000 tram journeys since operations began
in July 2014. For 2015/16 year G:link trams are
averaging around 21,000 journeys per day. Public
transport travel on the Gold Coast is up by more
than 25% on last year.
SNC-Lavalin Rail & Transit has united over 1,500 Rail experts across
the globe, including the former Interfleet team. Our expanded expertise
is backed up by the same outstanding service you’ve come to expect.
is now
Update
On 6 August 2015, the Queensland Government
announced it was progressing with plans for the
second stage of the Gold Coast Light Rail (Stage 2).
This will connect the existing light rail system at
Southport to heavy rail at the Helensvale station.
The 7.3km route runs from Helensvale heavy
rail station adjacent to the Gold Coast Line, then
adjacent to the Smith Street motorway to connect
with Stage 1 at the Gold Coast University Hospital
light rail station.
SNC-Lavalin is the Operations Advisor for Stage
2 and has supported the procurement phase of the
project, including developing both an operational
cost model and operation and maintenance
requirements for the extended system.
City of Gold Coast has begun studies on
future southerly and western extensions of the
light rail system.
Crossrail 2 project seeking guidance
In January 2015 we announced that SNCLavalin’s team, working with Arcadis Hyder
and other partners, had been appointed to
assist in the design and development of the
Crossrail 2 project, a multi-billion pound
project in the UK.
Crossrail 2 is being developed jointly by TfL and
Network Rail. The service will link key growth areas
in south-west and north-east London and serve
destinations in Surrey and Hertfordshire using the
existing national rail network. The project should add
10% to the capital’s rail capacity, transporting up to
90,000 people in the morning peak period.
Update
SNC-Lavalin continues to provide operations and
depot consultancy advice on this UK rail project.
Chancellor George Osborne gave London’s Crossrail
2 scheme – a new rail line linking the north and
south of the capital city – the go-ahead in his most
recent budget in March.
Proposals for this major rail route, and
infrastructure investment, are still being worked on.
Completion is due in 2023.
snclavalin.com
snclavalin.com
May 2016 | VIEWPOINT | 19
60-second interview
A quick chat with...
Li Jubner
Words Andrew Bennett Photo Lena Hammar
Li Jubner is Product Director for
Rolling Stock based in Sweden. She
joined the business 13 years ago
after graduating, has a background
in mechanical engineering, and
currently leads eight different teams
of technical specialists. Li put time
aside to talk about inspiration at
work, family life – and why she feels
her home is the best place to be.
Who or what inspires you?
Happy people and those who give you energy.
Those that don’t see obstacles, but solutions.
People who see the possibilities in situations.
How do you relax?
As I have three children (aged three, six
and almost nine) and a job that takes
lots of time, sitting down to read a nice
magazine. That’s about the only time I
get! Previously, when my husband, Johan,
and I bought our house, we did a lot of
restoration work on it. As a family, we
also enjoy outdoor activities like skiing.
What’s the best thing about
working in the rail industry?
It is environmentally friendly. I don’t ever
have to defend rail, as it is good for everyone.
Almost everyone enjoys riding on trains
and has a connection to the railways.
Do you have a favourite film?
I watch TV series rather than films, and
I like The Big Bang Theory. I studied
mechanical engineering at the Royal
Institute of Technology in Stockholm, and
I recognise the people in the programme,
even if the depiction is extreme! The show
reminds me of those kinds of people.
Tell us something about you that
your colleagues don’t know?
I’m a good singer and I used to act
in amateur dramatics before I had
children, including musical theatre
performances during my university days.
20 | VIEWPOINT | May 2016
snclavalin.com