AI and railways
News about the use of AI and machine learning in the rail, metro and tram industries, from Railway Gazette International.
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In depthItaly: RFI deploys AI, drones and robots as part of monitoring suite expansion
Italian infrastructure manager RFI is expanding its ability to inspect and intervene on its network through autonomous and data-driven technology. Toma Bačić reports.
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Rail Business UKInfrastructure: Creating a 'living replica' of the Severn Tunnel
Network Rail and Bentley Systems have worked together to create a digital twin of the 7 km Severn Tunnel, filling in a gap in the infrastructure manager’s asset data on its Great Western Main Line.
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NewsAI drives development of Huawei rolling stock inspection tool
CHINA: Technology company Huawei is seeking to expand the scope of its TFDS rolling stock condition monitoring technology, as AI algorithms reduce the work needed to verify automated inspection imagery.
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In depthAsset Maintenance: Cracking the nut of rising costs
An international benchmarking exercise by management consultancy Arthur D Little has found that railways across Europe are facing a maintenance cost crunch, with strong leadership needed to address the problem.
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In depthIndia: Start-up develops advanced simulation tool to augment safety
Indian start-up SimDaaS Autonomy is using advanced simulation tools to develop hazard perception and scenario planning that could further improve safety on the country’s railways. Founder Dr Bharat Lohani explains its technology to Bharti Jain.
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In depthData: AI can help railways ‘do boring better’
4AI Systems founder Derel Wust explains to Nick Kingsley how AI holds the key to determining train location, offering potential for a data-led approach to minimising the risk of overspeed and signal passed at danger incidents.
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In depthAutomation: Futurail sees autonomous trains within six years
Co-founders Alex Haag and Maximilian Schöffer tell Andrew Grantham how Franco-German start-up Futurail is aiming to bring automation technology from the road sector to rail, where they see a great opportunity to build a Europe-based global champion.
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In depthJapan: Autonomous Operation offers flexibility with fewer staff
Trials on the RTRI test track near Tokyo have verified the performance of onboard detection and decision-making systems that could form the basis for autonomous train operations.
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In depthFreight: A fresh approach to wagon bearing health
Flats on wagon wheelsets continue to pose a derailment risk to railways around the world. Technology company Trilogical believes its novel approach to monitoring vibration could offer more reliable insights into wheelset condition.
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NewsRobot dog checks freight trains for defects
LITHUANIA: The national railway’s freight business LTG Cargo is testing the use of a robot dog which autonomously walks around a train and uses artificial intelligence to search for wagon faults.
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NewsDB InfraGO embraces artificial intelligence to support train dispatchers
GERMANY: Infrastructure manager DB InfraGO is rolling out an AI assistance tool for its dispatchers, with the aim of developing a fully digitalised decision-making workflow to improve regulation of trains on busy routes by 2027.
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In depthInfrastructure: Scour monitoring helps to bridge the gap
Field trials are currently under way with an AI-assisted real-time monitoring system able to detect the emergence of scour that could undermine the safety of railway bridges over flowing water.
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Rail Business UKInnovation Accelerator to support High Speed 2 project reset
UK: Applications have opened for the latest round of the High Speed 2 Innovation Accelerator, which is intended to address three specific challenges as part of the government’s ‘reset’ of the HS2 project.
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Rail Business UKAdvisory council begins work on AI Action Plan for Rail
UK: Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy opened the inaugural meeting of the AI Advisory Council which has been established by strategic rail innovation body GBRX.
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NewsIndian Railways plans artificial intelligence centre of excellence
INDIA: Indian Railways intends to establish a Railway AI Centre of Excellence.
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NewsPTC Asset Connect launched to automate rail asset location surveys
USA: Transport asset data capture and analysis company Cordel Group has launched PTC Asset Connect, which uses LiDAR and artificial intelligence to automatically detect and accurately locate trackside infrastructure assets.
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Rail Business UKGBRX to develop rail sector artificial intelligence strategy
UK: Innovation body GBRX has begun work to develop a strategic approach and understand the practical conditions required to use artifical intelligence across the rail industry.
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NewsAI optimises rail freight staff schedules
GERMANY: Zedas says the addition of AI-powered staff scheduling to its Zedas Cargo logistics software had ‘drastically’ reduced planning effort and ‘significantly’ improved resource utilisation.
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Metro Report InternationalAI project aims to boost tram crossing safety
UK: Cameras are to be installed at foot crossings on several tram networks and the footage analysed by AI tools to identify opportunities for safety improvements.
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Rail Business UKAI project aims to prevent level crossing safety incidents
UK: Purple Transform has been awarded Innovate UK funding to develop and trial the use of artificial intelligence to alert staff to potential safety incidents at level crossings. The Levelling Up Crossings project will use Purple Transform’s proprietary SiYtE machine vision and learning platform to scan ...