Professor Colin Cole is the Director of the Centre for Railway Engineering (CRE), CQUniversity a role he has had since 2008. After beginning his railway career in 1984 with Queensland Railways, he has worked in railway research for 32 years and published over 300 technical papers and numerous reports working mainly in train dynamics and condition monitoring. His PhD was on Longitudinal Train Dynamics, and he has continued to develop this modelling and software with focus on traction, vehicle stability, unit train unloading systems and energy consumption. Projects have included both research and consulting with work both in Australia and internationally in Africa, China, India, Mongolia, Canada and USA. Projects also include innovations progressing to commercialisation phase involving patents, proof of concept and first product roll out. His more recent interest has focused on the investigation of options for the replacement of diesel-powered freight locomotives.