Permanent Way Institution - Queensland

Formed in England, in 1884 a group of dedicated railway people, who were responsible for development of railway track across the British Isles, and who felt the need for an avenue for exchange of track design, construction and maintenance. They realised the educational and social value of communications between all levels of rail personnel engaged on the railway infrastructure and associated structures. The safety of rail travel has been brought to the present standards, because of a better understanding of the behaviour of the tracks under load; the Institution has played a vital part in gaining this understanding. Realising this, the Queensland Section was formed in 1986, not only to benefit from those who had gone before, but also to add to the development of still more efficient rail transportation in the years ahead. Each branch or section arrange regular meetings for the presentation of discussion papers with the exchanging of views together with field and social trips several times each year. In Britain there are about 29 sections with sections also in Central and South Africa, Nigeria, Hong Kong, Malaysia, South Australia and New South Wales.