Sandwell provides railway planning and design services for projects ranging from small single-commodity facilities to major multi-modal terminals and multi-commodity ports.
Our subsidiary, International Rail Consultants, provides operations, planning and design services for railway systems worldwide. Established in 1985, IRC offers both engineering and operational experience, and has carried out projects in North and South America, Africa, Asia and Australia.
IRC's services include:
- conceptual design and planning studies
- feasibility studies and bankable documents
- operations, capacity and network analyses
- marketing and traffic assessments
- capital and operating cost estimates
- economic, financial and tariff analyses
- operations planning and train control.
Owned and operated by Sandwell, IRC supplies an essential link in Sandwell's transportation solutions.
Asia Pacific Potash Corporation, Udon Thani, Thailand
Potash transport and transhipment study
APPC plans to develop a potash mine in northeastern Thailand, with a production capacity of 2 to 6 million tonnes/year. Sandwell and IRC undertook a feasibility study and operating/capital cost estimates for a transport system including rail facilities, equipment and a marine transshipment terminal.
P.T. Tanjungenim Lestari, Sumatra, Indonesia
Hardwood kraft pulp transportation system
For a greenfield pulp mill, Sandwell studied the economics and logistics of transporting 450,000 to 900,000 tonnes per year of pulp from mill site to tidewater. The work included evaluating road, rail and port alternatives to determine the most efficient and reliable system. IRC subsequently provided design and procurement assistance for the track, locomotives, pulp railcars, spur line construction and export terminal.
Canadian International Development Agency, Manila, Philippines
Main Line North rehabilitation
IRC evaluated the potential to rehabilitate, expand and privatize rail operations north of Manila. The project encompassed physical and operational reviews, an analysis of the social and environmental impacts of reopening the lines, traffic forecasts and economic analysis.
