The International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) has commissioned a study to provide a global strategic view of Heavy Haul 4.0, and attempt to visualise the heavy haul railway of the future.

The ‘Development of the Heavy Haul Vision in the Fourth Industrial Revolution’ study, which will be conducted by IHHA member organisations, will attempt to unpack what the future will look like in terms of the skills of the future.

The skills of the future include customer experience, operations, rolling stock, infrastructure, energy and environment, information and human capital skills.

The outcome of the study will be shared and discussed at the next IHHA conference to be held in Narvik, Norway, in June 2019.

Speaking at the 100-year celebration of the Russian Railway Research Institute, Transnet Freight Rail Capital Planning GM and IHHA chairperson Brian Monakali on Wednesday said the study provides the industry with a unique opportunity “to up its game” and set out on a new path of sustainable growth.

It is for this reason, he noted, that the theme of the June 2019 IHHA Conference is “Heavy Haul 4.0 – Achieving Breakthrough Performance Levels”.

The IHHA is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in heavy haul railway operations, engineering, maintenance and technology. This is done through hosting technical conferences and specialist technical sessions, training workshops, and the publishing of text books on railway best practice.

Monakali lamented that difficult economic conditions have forced heavy haul operators around the world to concentrate on a drive to lower operating costs, boost productivity and drive efficiency through a range of innovations.

Many of these innovations are of a technical nature, he said, which is perhaps only to be expected for organisations such as IHHA, with a long record in engineering and technology.

“In a nutshell, IHHA heavy haul member countries have been successful in the past through interventions such as the deployment of technologies that enabled the ability to run longer and heavier trains; the use of high-grade, hardened rail and wheel steels; better management of wheel-rail interface; alternating current locomotive traction with increased power; rolling stock and track inspections using wayside detection; and sophisticated train planning and control tools, besides others.”

Meanwhile, Monakali also noted during his speech that, during the 2017 iteration of the IHHA conference, held this week, it became clear that the Fourth Industrial Revolution will disrupt the railway industry and transform the way the service is provided.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution is characterised by artificial intelligence, automation, three-dimensional printing, real-time monitoring, and big data analytics and digital solutions.

Monakali further warned that past actions and processes may not guarantee the industry’s sustainability.

“There is a general scarcity of capital for new expansion projects and upgrade of the existing networks. Investments have already been made on deployed technologies and systems need to be fully integrated, optimised and have an ability to communicate to each other about aspects such as condition of assets and control of operations,” he explained.

“It is, therefore, critical that the heavy haul railway industry embrace the future, leverage on its solid record of technical excellence and develop a new roadmap towards achievement of a digital heavy haul railway.”