All Analysis articles
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In depthComment: Security concerns reflect rail’s reliance on its people
Deutsche Bahn has unveiled fresh measures to protect staff following a fatal assault in February. Our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley argues that this incident has shone a light on an under-recognised aspect of railway safety, while highlighting the importance of railway people amid a growing clamour for automation.
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In depthRegulation: How an interventionist infrastructure manager spurred high speed rail demand in Spain
Acting as a guiding mind in terms of redesigning and reallocating capacity, ADIF Alta Velocidad helped to stimulate demand for high speed rail travel in Spain, challenging the belief that infrastructure managers should remain passive or only reactive.
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In depthData: Standards hold key to modal integration
The development of an open data exchange toolkit is the latest sign that progress is being made on the thorny question of multimodal ticketing and journey information across rail, air and urban transport, as UIC’s Bertrand Minary explains to Nick Kingsley.
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In depthMiddle East: Early planning is critical to rail project success
As ambitious railway programmes take shape across the Middle East, there is a growing need to appreciate the importance of strategic planning, which shapes performance, ensure resilience and delivers long-term value.
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News‘If it takes 45 days, we will lose the war’: CER warns faster train planning needed to support military mobility
EUROPE: The difficulty in arranging short term paths for cross-border rail traffic is putting rail’s role in military mobility at risk, CER Executive Director Alberto Mazzola has warned.
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In depthComment: Time for a shorter wishlist
European rail advocates remain staunchly committed to a raft of ambitious and complex policy priorities ranging from ticketing reform to 5G telecoms, but the current political reality means accepting that not all can be delivered, argues our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley.
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In depthTechnology: Asset maintenance takes to the skies
SNCF Réseau subsidiary Altametris has developed a suite of aerial technologies to enhance the efficiency of infrastructure monitoring. Strategy Director Alexis Meneses spoke to Toma Bačić at ProMedia’s Intelligent Rail Summit in Bled, Slovenia.
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In depthInfrastructure: Using data to make better decisions
Fouled ballast results in track geometry defects and reduces the effectiveness of tamping. Modern analysis methods such as ground penetrating radar enable ballast cleaning machines to be deployed in a targeted manner.
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In depthIreland: Next steps emerge in all-island rail vision
A strategy document has been issued setting out the next steps in delivering the recommendations of Ireland’s All-Island Rail Review.
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In depthMetro Maintenance: Investigating degradation in tight curves
Urban rail systems frequently have tight curvature, leading to accelerated wear of the rail head and long-term challenges in maintaining the track gauge. An investigation of wear on Monterrey Metro Line 1 emphasised the importance of considering asset life cycle in rail profile design and maintenance strategies.
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NewsRail defects come under scrutiny as Spanish high speed crash investigations continue
SPAIN: Ongoing investigations into the high speed derailment and crash at Adamuz on January 18 have found further evidence pointing towards a rail break as being the primary cause of the tragedy. Chris Jackson reports.
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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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Rail Business UKInvestment: Belfast summit reflects all-island rail momentum
The Railway Industry Association’s inaugural All Island Rail Summit in Belfast on February 18 is focusing on opportunities for the rail supply chain across the island of Ireland, says Neil Walker, Director for Northern Ireland & Exports at the trade organisation.
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In depthUSA: Learning lessons from the California high speed rail programme
Having served as Northern California Regional Director for the California High Speed Rail Authority, Boris Lipkin offers a personal reflection on the lessons that planners of future rail megaprojects could learn from the scheme.
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In depthGermany: Deutschlandtakt vision shapes capacity planning
Development of a medium-term capacity utilisation strategy is a key building block that meets European requirements whilst supporting the roll-out of Germany’s planned national regular-interval timetable over the coming decades.
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In depthComment: A shot across the bows
The controversy over Austrian open access operator Westbahn’s deployment of Chinese-built EMUs should give the European rail supply industry reason to reflect on its own competitiveness, argues our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley.
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In depthJapan: Shinkansen extensions under scrutiny amid cost and population pressures
Given its declining and less economically active population and the escalating costs of construction, Japan is investigating alternatives to continued expansion of its high speed network. Mike Bent considers the challenges and options.
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In depthJapan: Shinkansen alternatives sought to enhance connectivity along the Honshu coast
Analysis carried out by the Niigata Prefecture for the connection of the Joetsu district into the Shinkansen network found mini-Shinkansen proposals as a favourable option, with either dual-gauging or regauging part of the existing network. Mike Bent investigates.
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In depthJapan: Hokuriku Shinkansen extension to Osaka comes at a cost
The Japanese government has published details of three route options for extending the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tsuruga to Osaka through Kyoto, but questions endure over whether upgrading existing routes would offer better value. Mike Bent reports.
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In depthComment: Demography is destiny
The demographic challenges facing many countries around the world mean that rail’s ability to cost-effectively deliver benefits in low-density regions such as rural Japan or much of France is in the spotlight, our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley warns.