MEDIA ALERT

RAIL CRC AND CQU RAIL BRAKE INVENTION SECURES QLD GOVT SUPPORT

WHAT                         Announcement by Qld State Development Minister Hon John Mickel MLA

WHEN:                        10am Wednesday, September 12

WHERE:                     Building 70 lawns, adjacent to railway carriage  

                                    Central Queensland University, Bruce Highway, North Rockhampton

Central Queensland University and Rail Innovation Australia, the spin-off company created by the Rail Cooperative Research Centre, will receive a significant boost this Wednesday when the Honourable John Mickel MLA, Minister for State Development, Employment and Industrial Relations visits to make an announcement in relation to the innovative OZ-ECP brake technology developed by Rail CRC.

Expected to increase rail network capacity, the new brake technology is also expected to increase safety, decrease stopping distances and provide a cheaper capital upgrade cost for rail operators than existing technologies on the international market.

Created through funding for the Rail Cooperative Research Centre, the OZ-ECP brake technology has been developed by personnel at Central Queensland University, Monash University and Queensland Rail, with additional support from other industry partners including Pacific National, RailCorp and Australian Rail Track Corporation. 

According to Professor Jennelle Kyd, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at CQU, Central Queensland University's electronics and software expertise has assisted Rail CRC to develop a brake product which had attracted strong industry interest, and commercialisation negotiations with international brake supplier Faiveley Transport (France).

"Central Queensland University is proud that the expertise of our personnel may assist the Australian, and particularly, Queensland rail industry to meet the ongoing demands of the coal freight task and help ease some of the network bottlenecks currently being experienced," Professor Kyd said.

"This is a wonderful example of the benefits that are derived from the research conducted by the Rail CRC and our Rail Research centre."

While the OZ-ECP brake product, which incorporates an electronically controlled pneumatic brake retrofitted to existing conventional air brakes on a train wagon, is not expected to be ready for commercial operation until approximately 2010, QR and the Australian rail industry have already expressed their keen interest in the final product. 

Rail CRC, the Cooperative Research Centre for Railway Engineering and Technologies concludes its 6-year operation in 2007.  All Intellectual Property developed throughout the life of the Centre has been licensed to the spin-off company, Rail Innovation Australia, which will commercialise and further develop those technologies.  Central Queensland University and its Centre for Railway Engineering continue to be involved with Rail Innovation Australia in Rail CRC-developed technologies and other rail research projects.

MEDIA CONTACTS:    Marc Barnbaum, Central Queensland University on 07 4923 2724, 0409 196 039