RAIL ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES

1
RAIL ENVIRONMENTAL CASE STUDIES

• Neil Hammer
• New Metro Rail, Perth

2
Issue 1 Contaminated sites

• Yard and depot areas
• Workshops
• Leased premises
• Likely soil and/or contamination from asbestos
  products, petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals,
  chlorinated hydrocarbons and pesticides.

3
Issue 1 Case Studies

• 1. A large railway workshop on 40 hectares of
  land closed down and the land rezoned for mixed
  use. An environmental investigation found massive
  contamination.
• 2. A locomotive maintenance facility was
  constructed on land reclaimed from a former marsh
  area. Underground pipes from reticulated fuel
  systems corroded with heavy loss of diesel fuel
  into soil and waterways.

4
Issue 1 Response Action

• The preparation of an inventory of contaminated
  sites from a systematic environmental
  investigation on a site-by-site basis.
• This inventory can then be used to develop
  strategies and plans to manage and remediate
  those sites posing risks to the environment.

5
Issue 2 Ground-borne vibrations from passing
trains

• The principal issues are those of residential
  annoyance and objection to rattling windows and
  crockery from train movements.
• However vibration-sensitive occupations such as
  optometry, cinemas and laboratories are more
  seriously affected.

6
Issue 2 Case Studies

• 1. In a housing estate adjacent to a freight
  railway, a residence some 45 metres from the
  track experienced sufficient ground borne
  vibration to smash touching wine glasses in a
  living room cabinet.
• 2. A passenger railway track near to a theatre
  complex was constructed using resilient rail
  fasteners to dampen train-induced vibration.
• 3. A new freight by-pass railway line into a
  coastal city was to be constructed in a corridor
  passing close to a technical college, school and
  a residential area.

7
Issue 2 Response Action

• Predictive modelling of vibration impacts from
  passing trains on sensitive premises is not
  completely reliable.
• The most useful indicator is the horizontal
  distance between the vibration source and the
  receiving premises.

8
Issue 3 Transport of dangerous goods and
emergency response

• Freight railways transport large quantities of
  dangerous goods (hazardous substances) every day
  over long distances.
• Many of these substances, if spilled in sensitive
  areas, would result in significant environmental
  damage.

9
Issue 3 Case Studies

• 1. A branch line train derailment on a hot and
  dry day spilled 20 tonnes of bulk ammonium
  nitrate and 10,000 litres of diesel fuel into a
  common drain.
• 2. A night time railway yard derailment caused
  diesel fuel to spill from an overturned tank car
  into the stormwater drainage system.
• 3. A derailment on the Nullabor Plain just inside
  the Western Australian border resulted in a
  significant spill of tolylene diisocyanate liquid
  from an overturned tank container.

10
Issue 3 Response Action

• The Agency or Company transporting of dangerous
  goods should have in place an effective emergency
  response plan and resources that integrates with
  State emergency management schemes.

11
Issue 4 Managing preserving environmental
values of rail corridors in rural areas

• In many rural areas the only examples of the
  original bushland lies in the remnant vegetation
  of rail and road corridors.

12
Issue 4 Case Studies

• 1. In an effort to minimise track maintenance
  costs, the use of a persistent herbicide was
  promoted in rural areas.
• 2. The newly proposed Perth to Mandurah railway
  was primarily located in rail reserves
  established in 1994. These reserves are now
  recognised to pass through environmentally
  sensitive areas.

13
Issue 4 Response Action

• Where there are environmentally sensitive areas
  in the vicinity of existing and proposed
  railways, thoroughly review all credible options
  to provide as much protection as possible to the
  environment.

14
Issue 5 Sustainable environmental development

• The Perth to Mandurah passenger rail project was
  asked to prepare an environmental Sustainable
  Strategy to integrate with the economic and
  social evaluations to form a "triple bottom line"
  outcome.

15
Issue 5 Response action

• The preparation of a Sustainable Strategy
  document for transport organisations, together
  with sustainability plans can result in economic
  and environmental benefits.
• The strategies may involve waste management,
  recycling, energy efficiency, transit oriented
  development and also a balanced outcome from the
  integration of environmental protection, social
  advancement and economic prosperity (GWA 2003).