Composite Recycled Plastic Railway Sleepers
Demonstrating Circular Design
“If you want to go quickly go alone. If you want to go far go together”
In 2016 Sustainability Victoria gave a research grant to Monash University which enabled an analysis of flexible plastics in a railway sleeper environment. Sustainability Victoria are an invaluable partner and this grant was critical to the development of the Duratrack® sleeper. Duratrack® is a game changer and it’s our goal to create a new industry in Australia. This video tells our story …the journey continues.
Australian Mainline In-Track Trials
In 2018/19 Duratrack® sleepers gained type approval for mainline use
Metro Trains Melbourne
Richmond Station: “This is one of the busiest stations on MTM’s network. So it will be good test to see how these sleepers stand up.” Jerome Weimar CEO Public Transport Victoria. “For every kilometre of track laid, 64 tonnes of plastic waste is recycled and saved from landfill.” Lily D’Ambrosio Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change.
Wyndham Vale Train Stabling Facility: In a first for the V/Line network, 120 Duratrack® sleepers were installed as a trial during the construction of a new stabling yard entry track at Wyndham Vale. Western Metropolitan Region MP Cesar Melhem said that the Duratrack® railway sleepers were a “fantastic alternative” to traditional concrete sleepers and had social, environmental and economic benefits.
“This project is a great example of how government, industry, universities and rail authorities can work together to create a circular economy.”
Queensland Rail Mainline Trial #1
Helidon to Gatton: Queensland Rail has installed 150 sleepers at two different mainline locations. The first 75 sleepers were installed between Helidon and Gatton in the Lockyer Valley, near Toowoomba in October 2019. Existing tooling and training were used for installing Duratrack®. The trial will be conducted and monitored in accordance with the QR test plan and will run for approximately 12-18 months.
Queensland Rail Mainline Trial #2
Chinchilla to Miles: The second QR Mainline trial for Duratrack® is between Chinchilla and Miles in the Western Downes region about 200kms west of Toowoomba.
The trial will be conducted and monitored in accordance with the QR test plan and will run for approximately 12-18 months.
A regional solution for a nationwide problem
“A company in Mildura (Integrated Recycling) is well on track to finding commercial uses for old plastics.”
“Integrated Recycling’s Mildura factory is producing picnic tables, bollards and gardening products but it’s the recycled plastic railway sleepers that has caught the attention of governments around Australia.” – ABC News
Santa’s train always delivers!
Mornington Railway’s Santa’s train runs four times a day every Sunday in December. It is often booked out and for many families is the highlight of the Christmas period.
Over five years ago the first Duratrack® railway sleeper was installed on the Mornington Railway. Motivated by a costly replacement program of rotted and split timber sleepers, Mornington Railway looked for a more durable alternative.
Tested by the Institute of Railway Technology
Monash University
Rigorously tested by the Institute of Railway Technology, Monash University and in the field for over several years, Duratrack® sleepers are type approved and undergoing in-track trails for mainline operators Queensland Rail and MTM and are undergoing in-track trials with V/Line. Duratrack® sleepers are also deemed fit for purpose within the Tourist & Heritage railways operating parameters and are installed in several railways in Victoria and Western Australia.
Being a similar weight and characteristics to timber sleepers, Duratrack® sleepers handle like timber sleepers, utilise existing railway equipment and fasteners and can be drilled to adapt to different track gauges.
Material Properties of the Duratrack® Sleeper
→ Termite resistant
→ Fire tolerant
→ Rot resistant
→ Low water absorption
→ UV resistant
→ Resistant to fungal decay
→ Splinter free
→ Maintenance reduction
→ Fully recyclable after 50 years use
→ Easy to drill & fasten – same as timber
→ Tooling & transporting – same as timber
→ Less energy to produce than concrete or steel sleepers
Tough. Durable. Fit for Purpose.
The Duratrack® sleeper is a sustainable innovation that out performs traditional timber sleepers, uses waste plastic that would otherwise go to landfill and saves our natural timber resources from being felled. The Duratrack® sleeper project is a great example of how government, industry, universities and rail authorities can work together to create a circular economy >> Duratrack® brochure
Sustainability
Circular Economy: Duratrack® sleepers are manufactured in Mildura and made from a specific mix of rigid and flexible plastics and polystyrene products that have served their primary uses as pipes and drums, agricultural films and produce boxes.
Many of these agricultural films are made by fellow members of the Pro-Pac Packaging Group (ASX:PPG) which are recovered and repurposed by Integrated Recycling to produce railway sleepers, bollards, outdoor furniture and landscaping products >> Duratrack® sustainability brochure
Lifecycle cost comparison
A lifecycle cost comparison is dependant on the life of the sleepers. The clear advantage of a Duratrack® sleeper is its 50 year design life, but its serviceable life may be longer depending on the maintenance of the track. The average life of an A grade timber sleeper is around 14-15 years.
The purchase price of a sleeper will vary according to its material type, the operating parameters of the railroad and the volume purchased. The price of a Duratrack® sleeper should be compared with an A grade timber sleeper and not a B or a C grade serviceable sleeper that are gang nailed across the ends to delay splitting and whose lifespan will be considerably shorter, more like 8 years.
To compare favourably with the price of a Duratrack® sleeper, an A grade timber sleeper will need to be approximately 1/3 of the price of a Duratrack® sleeper, without taking account of the cost of two or three extra sleeper installations or inflation.
Duratrack® Environmental Benefits
Duratrack® composite plastic sleepers are manufactured from plastic waste sourced in Australia. Recycling waste plastic reduces landfill or the use of other harmful disposal methods.
Every kilometre of (standard gauge) Duratrack sleepers installed will recycle approximately 90 tonnes of waste plastic.
Compared to concrete or steel sleepers, Duratrack® sleepers require less energy to manufacture and thereby produce significantly less greenhouse gases.
Over logging and/or preservation of remaining forests have reduced the availability of quality timber. Using Duratrack® sleepers relieves the unsustainable pressure on scarce timber resources.
Duratrack® sleepers are recyclable at the end of their lifespan.
VIDEO: Duratrack® Railway Sleepers
The Maths: 30 Duratrack® railway sleepers will save about 300 trees and use about 1 tonne of plastic waste.
In the next decade millions of railway sleepers across Australia will need replacing. Duratrack® railway sleepers is an intelligent approach to using waste plastic as a resource.