Systems thinking approach for rail freight noise mitigation

Several interesting papers have been well written by academics and acoustic practitioners in the area of rail freight noises in NSW Australia for the special issue of Acoustics Australia. Noteworthy, such the findings show that rail freight noises can be observed almost everywhere and every type of track structures. The most pronounced issue appears at sharply curved tracks where excessive lateral wheel/rail dynamics resonate with falling friction states, generating a tonal noise problem so-call ‘squeal’. This letter to the editor promotes systems thinking approach and collaborative effort in resolving railway noise problems. It further enhances discussions on the systems-based lessons learnt in railway noise monitoring and management.