In this extraordinary episode, Doc Frank reports from ETCS presentations recently given at the Urban Rail conference. Expect to hear what could well be the two most exciting ETCS projects on the planet, why Australian city railways got to choose between ETCS and CBTC, how ETCS Hybrid Level 3 gets ETCS closer to CBTC, and much more.

Show notes:

1)      The European Train Control System (ETCS) is hands down the most popular train control technology for mainline railways worldwide. One of the perhaps best training courses available for ETCS has been the “ETCS Kickstarter” training which has already helped more than 200 professionals in Australia and New Zealand to boost their understanding of the European Train Control System regardless of their prior knowledge of signalling.
 The online version of this training called Understanding ETCS Fundamentals is currently being developed, and subscribers of this podcast can get a 25% discount if they sign up before 30 September 2024 at https://docfranktraining.podia.com/etcs and use the code ETCS-RC25 at checkout.

Interoperability of digital signalling systems is an acute challenge not just for the Australian railway market, but also other places where interoperability between different systems is required. The best and most specific training on the market is aptly called Digital Signalling Interoperability. Check it out here: https://docfranktraining.podia.com/interoperability. 

In this second part of their conversation, Doc Frank and Sean Connolly discuss the correlation between top speed and construction costs for High Speed Rail. 

Show notes: 

1)      Sean’s report that is discussed in this episode is highly informative reading for anyone interested in High Speed Rail, not just in Australia. Here is a link to the Executive Summary chapter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NQ1nIjIUmRhnoM3vlRqa6BTrOAPWlIY3/view?usp=sharing 

2)      And here is the link to the full report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hwnmwgDwszIWHWLlpwTmGqQUSZTQe7Ap/view?usp=sharing 

3)      The best support you can give to this show is checking out the most comprehensive training portal for advanced digital signalling and everything high capacity railways in the world: https://docfranktraining.podia.com. 
Many of the course offers on that portal are leading-edge and globally unique, and I would love if they could help boosting the understanding and confidence for those modern technologies of you or a coworker who may benefit from such training. Thank you. 

4)      The European Train Control System (ETCS) is hands down the most popular train control technology for mainline railways worldwide. One of the perhaps best training courses available for ETCS has been the “ETCS Kickstarter” training which has already helped more than 200 professionals in Australia and New Zealand to boost their understanding of the European Train Control System regardless of their prior knowledge of signalling.
 The online version of this training called Understanding ETCS Fundamentals is currently being developed, and subscribers of this podcast can get a 25% discount if they sign up before 30 September 2024 at https://docfranktraining.podia.com/etcs and use the code ETCS-RC25 at checkout. 

Doc Frank got Sean Connolly back on the show to talk about Sean’s massive 66-page report giving recommendations for High Speed Rail, and High Speed Rail Freight, in Australia.

Show notes:

1)      Sean’s report that is discussed in this episode is highly informative reading for anyone interested in High Speed Rail, not just in Australia. Here is a link to the Executive Summary chapter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NQ1nIjIUmRhnoM3vlRqa6BTrOAPWlIY3/view?usp=sharing 

2)      And here is the link to the full report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hwnmwgDwszIWHWLlpwTmGqQUSZTQe7Ap/view?usp=sharing

3)      The best support you can give to this show is checking out the most comprehensive training portal for advanced digital signalling and everything high capacity railways in the world: https://docfranktraining.podia.com. 
Many of the course offers on that portal are leading-edge and globally unique, and I would love if they could help boosting the understanding and confidence for those modern technologies of you or a coworker who may benefit from such training. Thank you.

The European Train Control System (ETCS) is hands down the most popular train control technology for mainline railways worldwide. One of the perhaps best training courses available for ETCS has been the “ETCS Kickstarter” training which has already helped more than 200 professionals in Australia and New Zealand to boost their understanding of the European Train Control System regardless of their prior knowledge of signalling.
 The online version of this training called Understanding ETCS Fundamentals is currently being developed, and subscribers of this podcast can get a 25% discount if they sign up before 30 September 2024 at https://docfranktraining.podia.com/etcs and use the code ETCS-RC25 at checkout. 

Doc Frank chats with Cara Cohen from England. She is an organisational psychologist currently working as Business Change Manager supporting the introduction of the European Train Control System (ETCS) to British rail freight operator Freightliner. An insightful episode for anyone not knowing what a Change Manager does and why it makes sense to have one when introducing advanced digital signalling to a railway organisation.

Show notes:

1)      ECDP is the East Coast Digital Programme which will introduce ETCS Level 2 on parts of the busy East Coast Mainline, one of the main north-south rail arteries in Britain.

2)      The well-proven “ETCS Kickstarter” course is arguably one of the best ETCS trainings there is and has already helped more than 200 professionals in Australia and New Zealand to boost their understanding of the European Train Control System, regardless of their prior knowledge of signalling. The online version of this iconic training is being created as we speak and will allow railway professionals from anywhere in the world to watch the training lessons on demand. Subscribers of the show can now get a special 25% discount by signing up on https://docfranktraining.podia.com/etcs and applying the coupon code ETCS-RC25 at checkout.

The online training program “High Capacity Railway Mindset” is based on cutting-edge research and presents weekly training modules over twelve weeks. Every module includes a “Transformation Guide” lesson with coaching how to facilitate change and learning, and also five examples of an outdated legacy mindset with an associated new mindset more conducive for a high-capacity railway and tips how to get there.
This online training course is the only one of its kind worldwide, so use this opportunity to get an edge and join the program at https://docfranktraining.podia.com/mindset. 

Doc Frank chats with Ralph Heredia from Sydney in Australia. Ralph recently made the jump from a government-owned suburban rail operator to a private international operator of the future metro line to the new Western Sydney Airport.

We talk about various aspects of cultural change, the future outlook for Sydney Metro, the benefits of having more than one operator for a metro network, international best practice of operating a metro, and much more.

Show notes:

1)      “Understanding CBTC Fundamentals” is a more explanatory title for the brand-new 2024 update of the legendary CBTC Kickstarter online training. Get the latest version of the arguably most comprehensive and longest-running CBTC training worldwide here: https://docfranktraining.podia.com/cbtc

The official recording of what attendees called the best global CBTC conference in history, the CBTC World Summit with 18 long-form presentations from around the globe, is still available for lifelong on-demand viewing Right now my podcast listeners get a special discount until the end of August. Simply go to
 https://docfranktraining.podia.com/cbtcworldsummit2023
and apply the discount code SUMMIT20 at checkout. 

Doc Frank chats with a repeat guest on the show, Andy Harrison from London in England. Inevitably the discussion starts with a question about Andy’s views on the controversial High Speed 2 project, and all of a sudden this topic filled almost the entire episode. A little bit on the High Speed Rail planning in Australia had to be added to the mix as well, making it another jam-packed episode with insights on how to do High Speed Rail, and how not to.

Show notes:

1)      CBTC and enhanced varieties of ETCS promise an increase of signalling capacity, but fulfillment falls short if not applied properly. The “High Capacity Signalling Blueprint” training teaches how it is done properly. More information here:
https://docfranktraining.podia.com/hcsblueprint

2)      Interoperability of digital signalling systems is an acute challenge not just for the Australian railway market, but also other places where interoperability between different systems is required. The best and most specific training on the market is aptly called Digital Signalling Interoperability, and as listener of this show you get a special 10% discount until 30 June by going to https://docfranktraining.podia.com/interoperability and applying the code DSIPODCAST at checkout.

This is the second part of Doc Frank’s chat with Joe Langley, Director of the Australian High Speed Rail Association. Of course there will be the technology question regarding achievable top speed to really keep up with air travel. But this episodes also tackles a maybe surprising angle, and it has to do with taxes believe it or not.

Show notes:

1)      Joe’s Australian High Speed Rail Association is most worthwhile checking out. Here is the link: https://www.auhsr.org. 

2)      Here is the link to the upcoming High Speed Rail conference on 25 June in Sydney that Joe mentioned during our conversation: https://events.humanitix.com/sydney-high-speed-rail-mini-conference. If you are into high speed rail and happen to be in Sydney that day you definitely want to be there.

3)      The best support you can give to this show is checking out the arguably most comprehensive training portal for advanced digital signalling and everything high capacity railways: https://docfranktraining.podia.com. 
Many of the course offers on that portal are leading-edge and globally unique, and I would love if they could help boosting the understanding and confidence for those modern technologies of you or a coworker who may benefit from such training. Thank you.

Interoperability of digital signalling systems is an acute challenge not just for the Australian railway market, but also other places where interoperability between different systems is required. The best and most specific training on the market is aptly called Digital Signalling Interoperability, and as listener of this show you get a special 10% discount until 30 June by going to https://docfranktraining.podia.com/interoperability and applying the code DSIPODCAST at checkout. 

Doc Frank chats with Joe Langley from somewhere between Sydney and Canberra in Australia. Joe is a director of the not-for-profit Australian High Speed Rail Association, and although he is of course an avid promoter of creating a high speed rail network along the Australia east coast, he was open to sensible arguments and enabled a profound discussion on the dos and don’ts of introducing high speed rail to Australia.

Show notes:

1)      Joe’s Australian High Speed Rail Association is most worthwhile checking out. Here is the link: https://www.auhsr.org. 

2)      Here is the link to the upcoming High Speed Rail conference on 25 June in Sydney that Joe mentioned during our conversation: https://events.humanitix.com/sydney-high-speed-rail-mini-conference. If you are into high speed rail and happen to be in Sydney that day you definitely want to be there.

3)      Interoperability of digital signalling systems is an acute challenge not just for the Australian railway market, but also other places where interoperability between different systems is required. The best and most specific training on the market is aptly called Digital Signalling Interoperability, and as listener of this show you get a special 10% discount until 30 June by going to https://docfranktraining.podia.com/interoperability and applying the code DSIPODCAST at checkout.

Please support this show by sharing it with friends and coworkers, but specifically for CBTC fans also by checking the possibly best CBTC online training on the planet (mentioned in the podcast – https://docfranktraining.podia.com/cbtc) and the best-ever global virtual CBTC conference (https://docfranktraining.podia.com/cbtcworldsummit2023). 

The podcast returns to the popular topic of high speed rail by Doc Frank chatting with Michael Byng from England. Michael is a quantity surveyor, is other words cost estimator, who came to fame by producing the cost estimate for the notorious High Speed 2 project in England during the Oakervee project review. Of course we talk about that project, what went wrong and how things could improve, but also about sensible suggestions for the high speed rail aspirations in Australia.

Show notes:

1)      Information about the Oakervee review of the High Speed 2 project can be found here:
 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oakervee-review-of-hs2.

2)      CBTC and enhanced varieties of ETCS promise an increase of signalling capacity, but fulfillment falls short if not applied properly. The “High Capacity Signalling Blueprint” training teaches how it is done properly. More information here:
https://docfranktraining.podia.com/hcsblueprint

As you hear in the podcast, interoperability of digital signalling systems is an acute challenge for the Australian railway market, but also other places where interoperability between different systems is required. The best and most specific training on the market is aptly called Digital Signalling Interoperability, and as listener of this show you get a special 10% discount until 30 June by going to https://docfranktraining.podia.com/interoperability and applying the code DSIPODCAST at checkout. 

Doc Frank chats with Carina O'Brien from Melbourne in Australia. She is not only the Head of Strategy of a large multinational railway systems supplier, but has also initiated the Working Mumma project which includes a podcast and various other resources to support working parents.

Expect to learn important insights on how to balance career, family and passion projects, where to find support as a working parent, how diversity can help tackling the resource shortage in the railway industry, ways for attracting young women to railways, the importance of workforce flexibility, trends facing the Australian rail industry, the Australian interoperability challenge, and much more.

You would support this show, and make me very happy, by subscribing and sharing it with friends and coworkers. You may also find great value in checking out the arguably world-leading platform for online training on digital signalling systems – https://docfranktraining.podia.com.

Show notes:

1)      Carina’s Working Mumma project is an outstanding resource supporting women (and men) who want to combine parenting with a thriving professional career. Check out the website https://workingmumma.com.au/ where you also find links to the Working Mumma podcast.

2)      Become part of what may well be the ETCS event of the year, the creation of the online training version of the well-proven ETCS Kickstarter training. Having helped more than 200 professionals in Australia and New Zealand to boost their understanding of the European Train Control System regardless of their prior knowledge of signalling, the online version of this iconic training will allow railway professionals from anywhere in the world to watch the training lessons on demand. Get on board before 31 May at a discounted early mover special on https://docfranktraining.podia.com/etcs.

As you hear in the podcast, interoperability of digital signalling systems is an acute challenge for the Australian railway market, but also other places where interoperability between different systems is required. The best and most specific training on the market is aptly called Digital Signalling Interoperability, and as listener of this show you get a special 10% discount until 30 June by going to https://docfranktraining.podia.com/interoperability and applying the code DSIPODCAST at checkout.