Train Noise
1-11-2011: "New Era in Transport from today" | |
| A new era in transport planning and customer service starts today with the formal establishment of the new integrated transport agency - Transport for NSW. NSW Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Roads and Ports Duncan Gay said the occasion was a turning point for transport delivery in NSW. "Many months of hard work have gone into this process and now, for the first time, NSW has an integrated transport authority," Ms Berejiklian said. "All planning and policy functions have been consolidated into the one authority, signalling the end of silos and the removal of duplication. The customer will be at the centre of everything we do." Mr Gay said today was also day one for the new Roads and Maritime Services agency, replacing the RTA and NSW Maritime. "Roads and Maritime Services will focus on service delivery, concentrating on delivering the key tasks of building and maintaining road infrastructure and the day-to-day compliance and safety for roads and waterways," Mr Gay said. "Whether you use buses, trains or ferries, if you are a motorist or a long-distance truck driver, everyone in NSW is going to benefit from the establishment of Transport for NSW and the changes to how our agencies do business," he said. "Plans will be more cohesive and integrated, the single transport budget will be better focused and projects will be aligned to the needs of our communities." Transport for NSW comprises six divisions: The Customer Experience division will ensure transport planning, policy, investment and services are driven by customer needs. It will work closely with the other divisions to ensure the customers’ voices and needs are considered in all decision making and planning for transport. Deputy Director General Tony Braxton-Smith brings a wealth of service experience to the role, having worked as CEO of Great Southern Rail for the past seven years. The Planning and Programs division brings together planning for all modes of transport, and establishes close links between the planning and development of transport investment programs. Deputy Director General Carolyn McNally will lead the team. Ms McNally oversaw $36 billion in road and rail funding and managed major infrastructure policy in her role at the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport. The Policy and Regulations division will drive strategic policy and regulation for the transport portfolio and shape the NSW contribution to the national agenda. The division will be led by Deputy Director General Tim Reardon who has extensive Government and private sector experience in NSW, Queensland and overseas. The Transport Services division will plan and procure the best possible transport services for NSW. Transport Services will develop and manage performance contracts with the operating agencies to deliver a seamless transport system. It will also be responsible for ticketing services, including the electronic ticketing system. The division will be led by Deputy Director General Fergus Gammie, former Chief Operating Officer of Auckland Transport. The Freight and Regional Development division will integrate freight strategies and programs to meet the needs of the NSW economy, and particularly regional economies. Deputy Director General Rachel Johnson leads the division and brings a broad knowledge base and a strong understanding of the Australian logistics and infrastructure sector. The Transport Projects division will be responsible for delivering transport infrastructure projects that meet time, cost and quality objectives. Deputy Director General Chris Lock has led the Transport Construction Authority as Chief Executive and has extensive private sector project management and contract management experience. "As we all work together in partnership, Transport for NSW will become a true leader in delivering outcomes that improve customers’ lives," Ms Berejiklian said. Legislation to establish Transport for NSW was passed by Parliament in September. For information about transport services, timetables and for trip planning, customers should continue to use www.131500.com.au. | |
11-10-2011: Email from Cowan Residents Group to Beecroft Civic Trust | |
| Peter, Thank you for your reply to my email. The present situation regarding the "Formation of a Community Group " is: Koolewong and Point Clare Tascott Progress Assoc "willingness to align" with other NSW Associations re train noise. Pennant Hills- agree to provide representative(s) to a meeting on this matter. Brooklyn Community Assoc - subject to the matter being discussed at their forthcoming meeting to be held on Oct 15th. Mooney Mooney - although not greatly affected by rail noise, will present the offer to join the proposed Community Group after discussion with members, at the next progress meeting - date unknown. Epping Civic Trust - Matter discussed with the Committee. "Not having a problem with rail noise." Given that 2 groups are yet to discuss this matter within their communities, I propose that the meeting I had suggested for Oct be deferred until further advice is received. Maybe we can meet in early November. I will contact you and all others involved as further news comes to hand. Regards, John Hay for Cowan Rail Noise Steering Committee | |
10-10-2011: Email from Beecroft Civic Trust to Cowan Residents Group | |
| On 10/10/2011 10:02 AM Beecroft Cheltenham Civic Trust
wrote: John, Thank you for your email . The Beecroft
Cheltenham Civic Trust is extremely concerned about rail noise, and recently
had a meeting with Greg Smith, local MP and State Attorney General at which
this was a major agenda item. For information I have put your letter on the BCCT blog,
http://bcct2119.blogspot.com/. | |
9-10-2011: Email to KPCTPA from Cowan Residents Group (Rail noise steering Committee) | |
| Thank you for your reply to my email of 28 Sept 2011 "Rail Noise - Control on Operators". I was very interested in your comments about rail noise and acknowledge your Association's agreement to join with us and possibly other community groups in a combined approach to the Government, to have rail noise properly controlled. I found the letter from the Minister for Transport to Mr. Beringer (ML11/04676 -19 Sep), very informative, especially the statement that "The Freight and Regional Development Division (F.&.R.D.D.) of the new Transport for New South Wales will lead the development of strategic plans for freight and will be responsible for freight regulation management including emissions, noise and compliance standards." The Minister is to be congratulated for taking this step. For residents affected by "wheel squeal" and other noises from freight train operations this is good news. It is the first step away from RailCorp and its involvement with rail noise and freight management. As mentioned in my earlier email, Cowan residents have been complaining to RailCorp about rail noise since early 2009, and in July 2010 were told about the Beecroft monitoring system. I noticed the Minister also raised this in her letter to Mr. Beringer. Of note is the fact that Beecroft monitoring commenced nearly 4 years ago and still wheel noise is a problem. In the Minister's letter reference is also made "to a device that applies lubricant to rails at curves in the track." From information on RailCorp's website this technology is known as a "friction modifier device". Even after 15 years of use and various stages of improvement, RailCorp is still unable to combat wheel noise. On 22 August 2011 Mr. Matt Kean M.P. Member for Hornsby, advised a meeting of Cowan residents of a proposal by RailCorp to trial two Top Of Rail Friction Modifier Applicators (TORFMA) to the rails at Cowan. These units place a small amount of a lubricant type solution to the top of the rail rather than on the inside edge. The substance of the proposal by RailCorp was for the trial to be conducted over 12 months and to provide quarterly updates to the community on the progress of the trial. The residents accepted the proposal with the proviso that the trial lasts no more than 6 months and should it not be successful that the noise improvement program be outsourced to a third party. This conclusion highlights the point of frustration that Cowan residents have now reached from their dealings with RailCorp. Residents look forward to a positive response from the Minister regarding their conditional acceptance of the TORFMA trial. As Cowan residents have exhausted all trust in RailCorp, it is the reason why we want to move to the E.P.A. for rail noise management or, as now mentioned in the Minister's letter to Mr Beringer, possibly to the new F&RDD for a more positive outcome. As the new F&RDD appears to be in its infancy it might be an ideal opportunity for a combined community approach to be made to the Minister for Transport, requesting that the community at large have some input into the level of rail noise it is prepared to accept and how it should be regulated. I propose to again contact other interested groups shortly. In closing, I hope the above comments are of some assistance to you and members of your Association. I trust that we may keep in touch particularly on the progress of a combined community group for dealing with rail noise issues. John Hay for Cowan Rail Noise Steering Committee | |
4-10-2011: Email to Cowan Residents Group from KPCTPA | |
| Dear John, The Progress Association members have voiced their concern over the increase of Rail Noise over many years with Rail Corp and the NSW State Government. Living in the area of Beecroft in the 70's and 80' the noise at that time was the gradient of the climb from West Ryde to Beecroft - this did not include wheel squeal - at Koolewong the problem is in the curves of the rail track that are involved. In the attached letter from the NSW Government it mentions that monitoring will be installed at Beecroft where the problem is the gradient, not the curves. As our next General Meeting is not being held until November, the Progress Association wish to advise that we would be very willing to align ourselves with other NSW Association's that are being affected by the problematic cause of squealing noise from the Coastal Railway Line between Brisbane and Sydney. The Management Committee | |
15-8-2011: Letter to Hon. Gladys Berejiklian Minister for transport from Fred Beringer | |
| The Honorary Minister for Transport of NSW Ms. Gladys Berejiklian. Dear Madame, I am writing to you to report excessive freight train noise on the main Northern railway line in the Koolewong and Tascott area on the Central Coast of NSW where I do live. Ever since the Government of NSW sold the Rail freight business to a private enterprise the noise level of freight trains has become excessive. Myself and other residents of the local community have been complaining about excessive Rail freight train noise for many years to Marie Andrews former member for Gosford, the DECCW, Rail Corp and the Ombudsman of NSW but to no avail. The excessive noise of freight trains is ever present. With this letter I want to bring this problem to your attention and hopefully a solution will be found. Yours sincerely Lothar E. ( Fred ) Beringer | |
August 2011: Wheel Squeal | |
| August 2011 Newsletter This is an issue that never seems to go away, especially for those who live close to the track. We do like to keep you informed. Fred Beringer keeps us up to date on the matters of rail squeak and flanging. RailCorp has sent Fred a report on rail noise measurements taken in May and June 2010 when the monitoring devices were logged by equipment on Fred’s verandah, overlooking the railway at Koolewong. The wheel squeak is described as a ‘high pitched tonal noise’, while flanging is a ‘broad band screeching noise’. Freight trains passing through during the measurement period exhibited moderate to high levels of wheel squeal and flanging. Averages fluctuated around 60dBA, deemed as acceptable, while the maxima on several occasions were over 90dBA. Take a look at Google and see what is said about health, hearing and dangerous decibel levels. You will see what stress some of our residents endure from freight train noise. We will table a copy of the report at our next general meeting and place the relevant graph on the internal notice board. In the report are several RailCorp initiatives now in place to tackle the overpowering noise from the goods trains. Fred advises that residents should remain vigilant and contact Greenline Department on 1300 656 999 to lodge their concerns. You may also like to contact your local member, Chris Holstein on 4342 4122. | |
16-12-2010: Letter to Marie Andrews from John Robertson Minister for Transport and the Central Coast | |
| Dear Marie Andrews thank you for your correspondence on behalf of ******* and Mr. Fred Beringer of 59 Glenrock Parade Koolewong, concerning rail noise. I noticed that ******** and Mr. Beringer have also written directly to me on this matter and I trust they will accept this as a response to all approaches. I apologize for the delay in responding. Rail Corp. has advised that following it's meeting with you and local residents in your office in April 2010, a temporary speed restriction was trialled together with noise monitoring at a number of local residences. Rail Corp. further revised that it has installed Top of Rail Friction Modifier Applicators (TORFMA) into curves previously not being treated near Koolewong station. TORFMA apply a substance to the top of the rail to produce and maintain a specific level of friction between the rail and train wheels. These devices minimize wheels squeal caused by friction but do not eliminate all wheel squeal because they do not address axle misalignments. Rail Corp. plans to update the TORFMA at Koolewong to computer-controlled models that report their performance by mobile network, allowing rail Corp. to monitor them at any time. Rail Corp. takes all practical measures to reduce noise emissions from its trains, the track and other structures, both as a rail corridor owner and as a passenger train operator. Private rail freight operators are responsible for maintaining their own rolling stock and are required to comply with safety, engineering and environmental standards. Rail Corp. will liaise with individual private freight operators whose services are identified as producing levels of noise in excess of the requirements of their environmental license. Residents can report individual training was observed to be making excessive noise all wheel squeal by calling the Rail Greenline on 1300656999 or via Transport Info on 131500 alternatively feedback about rail noise can be lodged online at www.cityrail.info. I trust this information is of assistance, yours sincerely, John Robinson MLC Minister for transport, minister for the Central Coast. 16/12/2010 | |
2010: Letter to Fred Beringer from Railcorp Customer Relations | |
| Dear Mr. Beringer.
Thank you for permitting us to use your property to take attended rail noise
measurements on 4th May 2010; and unattended rail noise measurements between 22nd June
and 29 June 2010.
The monitoring was part of a study commissioned by rail Corp. and carried out by
Wilkinson- Murray; an acoustical consulting firm. For your information, this letter
gives a summary of the data as recorded by the noise logger on your property.
There are a number of different metrics that can be used to describe noise. The first
is the (LAeq) noise level. This can be considered as an average noise level over a
particular time. For example during the daytime, night-time, or over 24 hours. If the
number of trains increase, or the length of a freight train increases, the result would
translate into an increase in the (LAeq) noise level.
(LAmax) indicates the maximum (instantaneous) Noise level occurring during an event.
(La90) is the value of the noise level exceeded for 90% of the sample period, sometimes
referred to as the background noise level.
(La10) is the noise level exceeded for 10% of the sample. Sometimes referred to as the
intrusive noise level.
Attended monitoring
The most notable characteristics of noise at your property were confirmed to be the
high pitch tonal noise, wheel squeal, and the broadband screeching noise, flanging.
Most trains exhibited at least a mild to moderate characteristics of wheel squeal and
flanging during the survey. The freight movements observed exhibited moderate to high
levels of wheel squeal and flanging during train pass-by.
Unattended monitoring
the logger effectively collected data for a 48 hour period. Table 1 below summarizes the results obtained from the unattended monitoring at your residence.  The table shows total and rail only noise values for LAeq during the daytime and night-time; taken as averages over 15 hour and nine hour periods respectively. It is evident rail noise makes up the majority of total noise at your residence. The figure 1 below is an example of the data collected at your property for a single day of logging. 
By examining figure 1. it can be seen that noise levels reached a maximum of about 97 dBA, with an average noise level fluctuating around 60 dBA from 7 AM onwards. The noise logger recorded noise level trace information and raw audio. Discussion Attended and unattended monitoring of environmental noise was carried out at your residence. Results for daytime monitoring showed little variation, while the night-time monitoring showed variation of up to 4 dBA, this variation was consistent with variations in measurements taken at other locations during the monitoring period. The maximum noise level was measured on the night of 23 June with a value of (LAeq) equal to 62.4 dBA. Audible review of the unattended recordings concluded that the night-time noise levels are likely to be dominated by moderate to high levels of wheel squeal and some flanging from freight movements. Conclusion Rail Corp has implemented an Angle of Attack (AoA) monitoring system at Beecroft to identify train axle misalignments and provide feedback to freight operators so they can better maintain their rolling stock; hence, reducing the impacts of wheel squeal. Top of Rail Friction Modifier Applicators (TORFMA's) have also been employed at Koolewong in an effort to eliminate wheel squeal. Rail Corp is engaged in collaborative research projects to better understand the fundamental causes of wheel squeal and trialling noise abatement techniques with the aim of identifying methods that are more effective than those currently used. Automated grease applicators have also been installed on the Koolewong track curve transitions in order to reduce the incidence of flanging noise. The grease applicators are currently operating and regularly maintained. I trust this information is of assistance. Yours sincerely, Mohamad Hamad (rail Corp. customer relations) | |
27-5-2010: Letter to Hon. John Robertson Minister for transport from KPCTPA | |
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Dear Sir, I have been requested by members of our Koolewong and Point Clare – Tascott Progress Association Inc Including West Gosford south of the Pacific Highway. To write to your department to complain about Railway noise and Vibration annoyance in our residential area. This area incorporating Koolewong-Tascott and Point Clare has had this problem magnify over the past 6 years due to the increase of rail freight between the Port of Brisbane and the Port of Sydney. One of the members of our Association, a Mr Fred Beringer of 59 Glenrock Parade, Koolewong. has had various interviews and discussions with your department and testing has taken place on his balcony, with noise levels exceeding the NSW EPA rail noise criteria by around 10 to 15 db causing residents great discomfort. As the NSW State Government has had put before it, many coal mining applications into the future for the area between Wyong and Newcastle, before any applications are granted, the problem of maintenance on rail infrastructure and rolling stock, Should be of priority, for the benefit of all residents in the area. Assuming that The Australian Rail Track Corporation, Transport Infrastructure Development Corporation and Rail Corp are still operational Your contact with these bodies with regard to our association’s concerns is appreciated. |