An innovative approach to rail options analysis using GIS

The Australian Government commissioned a study to determine the economic benefits and likely success of an inland railway between Melbourne and Brisbane. This study involved assessing 140 potential route sections comprising over 6,000km of potential track. Geographic Information System (GIS), economic, engineering, and environmental data were used to assist to evaluate the potential rail corridors. This paper demonstrates how an innovative approach, aided by a GIS was utilised to analyse the multiple route options to determine a preferred corridor. Spatial data and GIS technology formed an essential part of the option assessment process for the study. Constraints and quantities were identified, summed and evaluated for each section of potential track and these sections were allocated to a route. The results of the quantity analysis were extracted, formatted and distributed to the study team and used by cost estimators to determine the preliminary capital and operating costs. These results were used to determine the preferred corridor along with other criteria, such as land use, engineering, environment, topography, ground condition and existing infrastructure. To perform these analyses, a GIS database was established containing spatial information including design, infrastructure, environmental, topographic and economic data. Modelling and analysis tools were developed to enable systematic processing of quantities on revised route options. These tools were automated to allow repeated processing of vast amounts of spatial data. The combination of a GIS database, customised analysis, modelling tools and the ability to assess multiple routes in GIS provided the Inland Rail project team with a powerful means of visualisation and constraints assessment of routes over the study’s vast extent. This innovative application of GIS technology provided an integrated platform for analysis at higher levels of detail, at reduced cost and within a shorter timeframe than alternative methods.

• Record URL:
  http://railknowledgebank.com/Presto/content/Detail.aspx?ctID=MTk4MTRjNDUtNWQ0My00OTBmLTllYWUtZWFjM2U2OTE0ZDY3&rID=MTA5&sID=MQ==&qrs=VHJ1ZQ==&ph=RmFsc2U=
• Authors:
  • O'Dell C
  • Reid I
  • Trinder A
• Conference:
  • CORE 2010, Conference on Railway Engineering, Wellington, New Zealand, 12-15 September, 2010
• Publication Date: 2010

Media Info

• Pagination: 10p.
• Monograph Title: Rejuvenation and renaissance: CORE 2010: conference on railway engineering, 12-15 September 2010, Wellington, New Zealand

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benefit cost analysis; Infrastructure; Railroad transportation; Transportation planning
• ATRI Terms: Cost benefit analysis; Infrastructure; Rail transport; Transport planning
• Subject Areas: Finance; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01517126
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 4 2014 8:09PM