In 2007, Queensland Rail (QR) began the Jilalan Rail Yard Upgrade, with the goal of increasing Jilalan’s rail capacity from 29 to 42 coal trains per day, and coal throughput from 92 Mtpa to 130 Mtpa. Jilalan is a key part of the Goonyella Rail System, which supports trains carrying coal from the Bowen Basin to the Dalrymple Bay and Hay Point coal terminals.

The Coal Stream Alliance Jilalan (CSAJ) — comprising QR, Macmahon Holdings Limited, MVM Rail, Aurecon Hatch, and PB — was appointed to carry out the civil engineering and infrastructure works for the upgrade. The project covers approximately 10 km² and includes design and construction for:

• a new bypass, provisioning and wagon maintenance formation
• a station building to house the yard's administration requirements
• a locomotive provisioning facility
• a wagon maintenance facility
• nine bridges
• internal access roads and level crossings
• mast foundations and enabling works for power, communication and signalling
• removal of a redundant road bridge.

PB played an integral part in the design of the new rail yard and also provided the majority of marketing and communication services for the project.

As an alliance member, PB actively participated in and supported CSAJ’s safety culture, which has seen more than 1.3 million person hours worked over the last 18 months, with no lost time injuries. The alliance’s exceptional safety performance recently received public acclaim when CSAJ won the Project Safety Excellence Award from the Queensland Major Contractors Association.

This result is particularly pleasing, given that the upgrade, scheduled for completion in December 2009, is meeting its stretch targets. Major works to facilitate the capacity increase were handed over to QR in August — two months ahead of schedule.

Awards

2009: Project Safety Excellence Award, from Queensland Major Contractors Association