Northstar

PEOPLE www.travelweeklyweb.com Colin Stewart Director, Global Rail Leader, Arup A chat with… From the front cover, explore the possibilities and challenges of building a rail network between Singapore and the capital of neighbouring Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. Colin Stewart, Arup's director and global rail leader, has over 33 years of experience at the highest levels of engineering design and advice across infrastructure projects, incorporating rail projects from light rail to high speed in the UK, Hong Kong, China, Portugal and America. Some of his HSR projects include High Speed 1 and High Speed 2 in UK, Express Rail Link (China to Hong Kong) and Beijing South High Speed Rail Station. Stewart shares with us on the opportunities that the region can gain from this venture. Q. There may be an international open tender for the High Speed Rail between Singapore and KL end of this year. How confident are you on winning the project and what's Arup's competitive edge? A: High speed rail is a very global technology, but it isn't a case of one size fits all. The design of the system needs to be customized to fit the particular needs of the country, the distance between cities, the layout of the cities, and above all the needs of the users and what appeals to their requirements. The solution is therefore both an international one and a local one. Arup has been involved in high speed rail in 10 countries, so it brings with it this wealth of international experience. However the model for our company is to evolve local offices which embrace local culture. We have over 90 offices world-wide including Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, so we are able to fuse both local and international expertise to bring the best of both. We are renowned for our creativity and innovation, and we see this as a key factor in delivering a value for money high speed railway which fits with the needs of a Singapore to Kula Lumpur direct link. Q. Ninety minutes between two cities – that's like watching a full movie! Is this the fastest a HSR can go given the distance between KL and Singapore? A: The first modern high speed train (the Bullet Train) opened in 1964 for the Tokyo Summer Olympics, in Japan, travelling at speeds of approximately 200 kph (kilometres per hour). By today's standards, this is not particularly fast, as the speed of HSR both in test and operation has increased considerably. In tests, high speed trains have run at over 570 kph, but of course this was very much under controlled testing conditions. 8 | ■ TRAVELWEEKLY ASIA | SEPTEMBER 2013 Most modern HSR systems in operation or design, travel between 300 to 400kph, so while a journey time of less than 90 minutes is possible over distances such as KL-Singapore, the viability of shortening the journey time becomes a question of value for money. Depending on the terrain, construction costs, energy costs, and maintenance costs all need to be taken into account. Q. What's the most important thing that serves as foundation and needs to be set up first when it comes to building a HSR? A: Planning is the foundation for any major project. High speed rail is a complex system involving many disciplines and high technology, which need to be planned and integrated to achieve the desired outcome. All of this can be achieved, but in order to do it you need to be absolutely clear on what the project is intended to achieve. How many types of travellers will there be, what are their particular needs, what will encourage them to use high speed rail, and what will they be willing to pay to use it. Q. Thoughts on Hyperloop? A: In August 2013, entrepreneur Elon Musk unveiled his idea for a 'fifth mode' of transport, called the Hyperloop, which is based on the concept of pneumatic tubes. People and cars would be transported between cities inside aluminium pods travelling at speeds of up to 1300km/h (807 mph) inside elevated tubes. The concept is one of several over the years which seek to reduce the effects of friction and air pressure on moving vehicles. However in my view it serves a slightly different market than a high speed train, it is suggested each pod would carry approximately 28 passengers, compared to a high speed train which can carry upwards of 1,000. Q. Do you think that by 2020, Hyperloop will take off and that with better technology, the HSR project can be better executed? Or will Hyperloop remain as a pipe dream? A: At this stage Hyperloop is a concept, and there would be much to be done before a prototype could be created, tested and the concept confirmed. If it is to progress, it is unlikely to be available by 2020. Q. Let's talk about safety. We've seen one of the most catastrophic crashes in the recent HSR in Spain. What do you think went wrong and how can we avoid such situations? Will there be measures or devices that are key features to the HSR for the Singapore-KL train? A: Safety is the number one priority for any rail project, and HSR has a very good safety record. High Speed trains have been operating in France and Germany for over 30 years without fatality which is an astonishing safety record, and a testament to the engineering and maintenance systems employed. The Spanish network combines high speed with conventional track, and my understanding is that the accident occurred when a high speed train was traversing off the high speed network and onto the slower track. By contrast, I envisage the KL-Singapore HSR being a totally separate system from the existing network, fitted with advanced safety control systems and utilising high quality maintenance systems, which would provide the highest level of safety. www.travelweeklyweb.com

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