Moddex’s proprietary KlipTread™ clip-on walkway and handrail system is entering the Australian market through its first project with Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM), following several years of proven use across New Zealand rail infrastructure.
Originally developed over two years in partnership with KiwiRail and the University of Canterbury, KlipTread™ was created to solve access safety and compliance challenges on ageing rail bridge infrastructure.
The cantilevered clip-on system is designed to retrofit to existing I-beam rail bridges without scaffolding, drilling or hot works – and can be installed from above the structure – offering a faster and less disruptive alternative to traditional custom engineered walkway systems.
“With trains (freight and passengers) delays are very costly for the Rail body. Instead of locking down a bridge for days to install a walkway, ours can be done on a single shift at night, or in the weekend,” Moddex New Zealand Managing Director Jeremy Raikes said.
KlipTread™ is a globally patented product that has held KiwiRail type approval since 2021, with early installations including Bridge 22 south of Rangiora and Bridge 12 in Springfield to support safer maintenance ahead of re-sleepering works.
Following approximately 10 months of design, modelling and approval work for Australian rail requirements, KlipTread™ has now been type approved by MTM as a tested product.
The first Australian project will see approximately 160 lineal metres of KlipTread™ installed across Kororoit Creek Bridge and Skeleton Creek Bridge on the Altona Loop, between the Werribee Line junction and Altona.
Moddex Victoria Sales Manager Rick Parbery said MTM was interested in the product because it offered a practical retrofit solution that could improve bridge access without requiring full bridge replacement.
“Metro Trains came to Moddex because we already had a working product in New Zealand that eliminated the need for a full bridge replacement, while still providing a modular, compliant solution that could be used across multiple bridge assets,” Rick said.
The system is expected to be around 20 per cent faster to install than onsite fabrication, with the greater benefit being its suitability for installation during rail occupation windows.
“The bigger saving is having a product that can be installed onsite during an occupation, without the same level of custom fabrication, hot works or site disruption that traditional systems can require,” Rick added.
Early project modelling has also demonstrated significant cost-saving potential, with previous estimates indicating savings of at least $100,000 in labour and track closure costs for every 50 metres of walkway, compared to traditional installation methods.
With fabrication completed offsite, no onsite welding required and a 100-year design life, KlipTread™ also supports long-term maintenance and reduced disruption around live rail assets.
For Moddex, the project represents both a pilot installation under Australian conditions and the beginning of a broader rollout opportunity, with additional opportunities already being explored in Queensland.
The upcoming Victorian project is expected to commence installation in mid-June.
