Creating the Digital Strategy for Sydney Metro Western Airport Line O&M with Hitachi

FMT played a pivotal role in developing the digital strategy for the Bradfield Metro Consortium (BMC) bid for the Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport (SMWSA) project/tender. This comprehensive digital strategy formed the bedrock of BMC's tender response, aiming to integrate various components of the railway system to deliver a world-class railway to the Western Parklands City and its community.

Under the guidance of FMT personnel, the digital strategy comprised four distinct information layers:

1. Maintenance Layer: This layer focused on predictive maintenance for rail infrastructure, rolling stock, and stations. By transforming asset-generated data into actionable information, the Maintenance layer aimed to drive maintenance excellence and achieve optimal predictive maintenance outcomes. The Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) served as the central hub for coordinating this digital maintenance solution.
2. Operations Layer: Responsible for delivering timely and reliable services across the rail network, the Operations layer aimed to proactively manage disruptions and emergencies. It transformed operational data into real-time information to drive operational excellence. Once again, the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) played a crucial role in coordinating this digital operations and maintenance (O&M) solution.
3. Rail Customer Layer: With a focus on passenger experience, the Maintenance and Operations layers of the digital ecosystem prioritised safety, operational excellence, and lifecycle cost optimization. The Rail Customer layer aimed to provide passengers with a safe and reliable journey, emphasizing a sense of connectedness throughout their travel. BMC's Social Innovation platform offered innovative and integrated solutions to enhance the overall passenger experience, encouraging repeat usage.
4. Smart City Layer: This layer aimed to integrate passengers into the broader concept of a smart city in Sydney. It introduced four innovative components to enhance the passenger experience, including sustainability initiatives such as renewable energy adoption and sustainable travel modes. The Mobility as a Service (MaaS) approach which integrates modality seamlessly as well as a fully integrated, multi-mode, first-mile and last-mile planning approach. Dynamic network capacity and geospatial visualisation as part of the digital strategy component further contributed to passenger convenience, along with online services component which highlights parcel delivery and and tailored advertisements.

FMT faced various challenges during the project, primarily stemming from the diverse systems, policies, and processes of the multiple companies within the BMC consortium. However, through careful analysis and leveraging best practices, FMT was able to incorporate the most effective strategies into the overall digital strategy.

FMT's unique approach drew upon its expert knowledge and experience in technology, maintenance, and operations specific to modern railways. By merging expertise in robotics, automation, condition monitoring, comprehensive asset information, systems, innovation, and forward thinking, FMT ensured that the proposed digital strategy for BMC served as a key enabler for improving customer outcomes, optimising asset management, and increasing transport capacity and connectivity for Sydney Metro.

The implementation of this digital strategy would allow BMC to expertly manage a growing mass transit network, meeting the evolving expectations of the public. Moreover, it will ensure the aerotropolis is a thriving and vibrant hub in the digital Sydney metropolis.

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