Action for Public Transport (N.S.W.) Inc.

A footnote by Prof. Laird states:

I am often asked how a mathematician became involved in transport research. There are plenty of precedents in Australia and overseas However, in my case a major motivating factor was the excessive number of coal trucks clogging Wollongong's roads. Surely there could be a more efficient and safer way to move coal from the mines to the coal loader at Port Kembla.

Another factor was moving between Canada and Australia on a series of study leaves going back to the 1970s. It was very obvious that rail freight in Canada was highly efficient while in NSW it was inefficient.

Since then NSW rail freight has improved, but track upgrades are needed for further efficiency and productivity gains.

In extending my research from pure mathematics to land freight transport research in the early 1980s, I was fortunate in having the support of many heads of department and Deans starting with Professor John Blake in 1981. I was also fortunate in gaining financial support for three major projects (the former Energy R and D Corporation, ARC/NSW Railways and Rail CRC) and receiving research assistance from many people.

Two longer term transport research colleagues were Gabriella Adorni-Braccesi (M Sc UOW) on campus and Max Michell off campus. Gabriella's numerous contributions included specification of track parameters (gradients and curvature) of existing track, past track, and potential rail deviations, while Max's included computer simulation to find the transit time and fuel use for a train to traverse a section of track. Other contributors included Moya Collett (BA Hons UOW) on campus (initially to help with a 2001 joint authored book Back on Track - rethinking transport policy in Australia and New Zealand) and Alex Stoney.