09 Apr 2025

Next phase of the National Rolling Stock Register engagement underway

The National Rolling Stock Register (NRSR) is a system being developed in partnership with Commonwealth, state and territory governments that will provide a single data source on rolling stock across Australia and a central platform for managing the rolling stock registration process. A national register will mean that rolling stock owners will be able to discontinue using their current, disparate systems.

It will enable inputting of rolling stock identification information and provides the key stakeholders – rail infrastructure managers, rolling stock operators and asset owners the functionality to update and access shared data. A key consideration in the development has been to ensure that appropriate and robust data security provisions are in place.

In order to be successful, it is important that the needs, concerns and challenges faced by all of the stakeholders are properly understood so that they can be fully addressed as RISSB delivers this important project. RISSB’s NRSR Project Manager, Paul Draper has embarked on a programme of face-to-face meetings and site visits better understand concerns of our key stakeholders.

Earlier this month Paul visited SCT’s facility at Altona where he met Phani Kolli SCT’s Rolling Stock Maintenance Manager to learn more about the challenges facing Rolling Stock Operators in certifying and registering rail vehicles in Australia.

The following week Paul met with Carolyne Southern, Operations Standards Manager of ARTC. It was extremely interesting to learn more about ARTC’s VREG Registration system and the processes that ARTC currently employ to accept rail vehicles into their network.

Paul also visited Pacific National in late March at their Melbourne Freight Terminal and met Michael Brown, Principal Rolling Stock Compliance Specialist. Pacific National operates one of the largest and most diverse rail fleet in Australia and is certainly very interested in the proposed move to streamline the certification and registration of rolling stock in Australia.

A single National Rolling Stock Register, and ultimately a National Registration System will improve the transparency of requirements and facilitate the streamlining of approvals. RISSB is working with the industry to deploy the National Rolling Stock Register which will provide one source of the truth about all rolling stock operating on the national rail network.