A design and roadmap for autonomous container wagons

The challenge

Arc Infrastructure manages and operates 5,500 kilometres of rail network across the South West of Western Australia, the only freight rail network in the southern half of the state.

Arc wanted to pursue a concept that uses autonomous vehicles on rail: self-propelled container wagons to improve the intermodal transport of containers. The aim was to substantially improve the efficiency, effectiveness and safety of one of Western Australia's biggest supply chains, so its capacity can grow with the state's demand for imported products, with a lower carbon footprint.

Arc needed to test whether the idea was feasible, and to get the information it needed to evolve it into a proof-of-concept prototype for the WA Government to consider in the design and operation of Westport and the proposed new outer harbour at Kwinana. Interfuze was engaged to run this feasibility stage.

Our approach

We met stakeholders to understand and document current operations, then worked with them to capture and refine the operational concept and its value proposition. Throughout, we kept the concept aligned with Arc's strategic objectives and kept watch on the viability of the business case.

We analysed and designed how the concept could operate in future and assessed the change impact of moving to it, keeping the needs of customers, supply chain participants and clients aligned. A literature and desktop review brought in global innovations, leading practices and applicable technologies, and we talked to organisations working on similar projects to learn from them.

We delivered a conceptual technical design covering every system needed to run the concept safely, efficiently and effectively across sites, interfacing with proposed and existing track infrastructure, stakeholders and information systems. Alongside it came a co-designed work plan and roadmap, mobilising cross-disciplinary streams for feasibility and business case development, mechanical, technical and operational design, stakeholder management and, above all, safety.

The outcome

Arc is using the design and roadmap to engage the WA Government, socialising the concept as input to the design and operation of Westport and the proposed new outer harbour.

The work is also driving the proof-of-concept project to build an autonomous rail wagon and explore the concept further.