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Guidelines for the assessment of noise from rail infrastructure
Rail operations can cause noise and vibration effects which may result in nuisance and annoyance for occupants of nearby residential and other sensitive land uses. The Guidelines (555.9 KB PDF) outline approaches for the assessment of noise and vibration from new or upgraded railways as well as for new noise sensitive developments near railway lines.
What causes rail noise?
Noise sources associated with the operation of trains include wheel squeal, flanging and idling.
Wheel squeal is a high-pitched piercing noise that can occur as trains travel on a curved track due to the friction between the steel wheel and the top of the steel rail. Wheel squeal occurs from wheels sticking and slipping laterally on the rail head causing vibration and is usually louder than other types of train noise.
Flanging occurs when the flange of the wheel rubs against the face of the rail head. The noise that can be heard is often intermittent and can range across a broad frequency and vary in intensity.
Noise from idling is mainly associated with the exhaust of diesel locomotives.
The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is working to ensure that noise from wheel squeal does not reach unacceptable levels. While effort is being made to reduce excessive noise, all rail operations – in fact, all forms of transportation – will produce some level of noise. Noise is a global issue for the rail industry and significant amounts of time and money is being invested into finding solutions.
What is the EPA’s role in relation to rail noise?
It is the EPA’s role to ensure noise from the operations of trains, in particular wheel squeal, is kept as low as possible without adversely impacting on rail activities in the State. The EPA will exercise its powers under the Environment Protection Act (1993) to ensure operators take all reasonable and practicable measures to minimise noise.
What is being done to manage rail noise?
The EPA licenses railway operations, meaning that the operators must comply with licence conditions set down by the EPA.
All rail operators using the Adelaide to Melbourne line must comply with a standard licence condition which states that the licensee must prepare an Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) to the satisfaction of the Authority. The EIP sets out a course of action for a noise reduction program that will take all reasonable and practicable measures to reduce the level and incidence of rail wheel squeal in order to minimise environmental harm. The licensee must then implement the EIP.
The track owner and train operators also work together to identify the main causes of wheel squeal and determine what can be done to reduce it. Rail operators carry out rolling stock inspections and trialling rolling stock modifications with the aim of reducing wheel squeal noise.
A noise monitoring system (known as RailSQAD) is located at Heathfield, on the Adelaide to Melbourne rail corridor. As one of the main freight trains routes in and out of Adelaide, every freight train that travels along this line is recorded by RailSQAD. The information collected is used to identify repeat incidents of wheel noise and will assist in determining long term trends and their associated causes.
Each rolling stock operator also has a general environmental duty to ensure that all reasonable and practicable measures are taken into consideration to prevent excessive noise.
Is noise associated with wheel squeal reducing?
Noise monitoring in the Adelaide Hills indicates that the frequency and severity of rail wheel noise has reduced over the long term. This is based upon the information recorded and obtained from the RailSQAD wayside noise monitoring system at Heathfield.
The EPA and licensees both recognise that wheel squeal is a concern for the community and make every effort to ensure licensees are in compliance with their licence conditions.
What can be done about diesel/ engine emissions? (ie smoke, oil and grease)
The EPA recognises that trains, like cars and trucks, have the potential to emit airborne pollutants. Whilst diesel or engine emissions are not specific components of the train operators EIP licence condition; each train operator has a general environmental duty to ensure that all reasonable and practicable measures are taken to prevent or minimise diesel and engine emissions.
What can be done about construction/ rail maintenance noise?
Night time works are sometimes necessary due to essential maintenance works required on the railway line that can only be achieved when train/ tram services are not operating. Employees undertaking the works are instructed to by their employer to ensure that all reasonable and practicable measures are taken to minimise noise.
If night time works are expected in close proximity to you, then you should receive a notification letter from the individual operator and/ or contractor carrying out the works to advise you of dates/ times and potential known noises associated with the works (please note that no notification is required for works undertaken during the day). An EPA Licence is required to undertake new construction works and not for general maintenance. Prior to undertaking new railway works, Licensees must submit an Environmental Management Plan to the EPA demonstrating commitment to minimising impacts to the receiving environment.
Who is responsible for residential zoning/ planning?
If you are a resident wanting to discuss planning requirements for approved residential development then you need to contact your local council.
If you are a potential developer wishing to discuss the development approval process located near existing railway tracks you will also need to contact the relevant local council.
What can be done about train horns and pedestrian crossing bells?
Train horns and pedestrian crossing bells are a mandatory requirement for Occupational Health Safety & Welfare (OHS&W) purposes. Due to the importance of horns and bells for public safety their use is not restricted by law.
Who is responsible for fire prevention?
The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC), owner of the train track, has advised that through its track maintenance provider, it is responsible for ensuring that fire management plans are in place. These plans aim to control flammable vegetation on the fire corridor including: granular application for pest plant control (selected areas only); annual boom spraying; follow up spot spraying; grass slashing; fire break maintenance; and overhanging tree trimming as required.
ARTC has advised the EPA that local residents can contact ARTC’s property department on (08) 8217 4366 in respect to tree issues along the Adelaide to Melbourne corridor and the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure for metropolitan corridors.
What is a crossing loop?
A crossing loop is a place on a single line railway where trains in opposing directions can pass each other and is connected to the main track at both ends.
One train enters the crossing loop through one of the turnouts and idles at the other end, while the other train continues to move along the mainline track to pass the now stationary train.
The EPA is aware of the proposal to develop a crossing loop at Verdun. For a development of this type the applicant applies to the Development Assessment Commission (DAC) for development approval under the Development Act 1993. The EPA is then given the opportunity to review the application and provide advice to DAC about whether the proposal should be approved or not and if so, what conditions should be placed on any approval (eg in relation to issues such as air quality, noise, water quality, contamination, waste management).
How many trains currently use the Adelaide-Melbourne corridor each day?
The number of trains varies on a day to day basis but typically between 12 and 20 trains per day currently travel along this corridor.
What departments/companies are responsible for managing train issues?
Train traffic - volume, frequency, speed, weight and length
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
ph 1300 360 067, www.dtei.sa.gov.au (rail safety issues), www.adelaidemetro.com.au
Residential - planning and development
Local Council
List of Council contact details www.lga.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=210
Noise - train horn
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
ph 1300 360 067, www.dtei.sa.gov.au (rail safety issues), www.adelaidemetro.com.au
Noise - pedestrian crossings (bells)
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
ph 1300 360 067, www.dtei.sa.gov.au (rail safety issues), www.adelaidemetro.com.au
Noise - construction
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
ph 1300 360 067, www.dtei.sa.gov.au (rail safety issues), www.adelaidemetro.com.au
Noise - engine/ idling
Noise - wheel squeal
Excessive squeal - Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
ph (08) 8204 2004, www.epa.sa.gov.au
Fire prevention (vegetation management)
Australian Rail Track Corporation LTD (ARTC)
ph (08) 8217 4366, email: enquiries@artc.com.au, www.artc.com.au
Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure
ph 1300 360 067, www.dtei.sa.gov.au (rail safety issues), www.adelaidemetro.com.au
Crossing loop at Verdun
Local Council
List of Council contact details www.lga.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=210
Australian Rail Track Corporation LTD (ARTC)
ph (08) 8217 4366, email: enquiries@artc.com.au, www.artc.com.au
Emissions - diesel/ engine
Excessive emissions - Environment Protection Authority (EPA)
ph (08) 8204 2004, www.epa.sa.gov.au
What are the contact details for railway operators?
Asciano Services Pty Ltd
ph (03) 9284 4000, www.asciano.com
EL Zorro Pty Ltd
ph (03) 9397 8288
Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA) Pty Ltd
ph (08) 8343 5455, www.gwrr.com
Great Southern Rail - Indian Pacific, The Overland, & The Ghan
ph (08) 8213 4444, www.gsr.com.au
Interail Australia Pty Ltd
ph (03) 8378 1801, www.qrnational.com.au
Pacific National
ph (08) 8348 3113, www.pacificnational.com.au
Pota Holdings Pty Ltd t/a P&O Trans Australia
ph (08) 8242 4144, www.pota.com.au
QR Limited
ph 13 2332, ph 1300 130 676, www.qr.com.au
South Spur Rail Services Pty Ltd
ph (08) 8161 3600, www.southspurrail.tripod.com
Specialised Bulk Rail
ph (03) 9931 5356, www.specialisedbulkrail.com.au
Specialised Container Transport
ph (08) 8169 2100
Twentieth Super Pace Nominees Pty Ltd
ph (02) 6862 5466
Last modified: 12/04/2013 02:38 pm
