The German Federal Ministry for Economics & Technology has approved funding for a 42-month research project into the use of composite materials to reduce noise caused by wagon brakes. TMD Friction and four other suppliers are to investigate the cost-effectiveness of retrofitting existing wagons with composite blocks, which can reduce noise emissions by up to 10 dB compared to cast iron.
Unveiled in Dubai on April 10, the Nextcity data processing platform has been developed by Cubic Transportation Systems to allow easier integration of multi-modal fare, ticketing and journey planning data. Cubic says the software builds upon its existing Nextfare and Nextaccount products to allow transport authorities to model demand and usage across all modes without replacing existing retail and distribution systems.
Sogema Engineering has introduced W3M, a portable wheel lathe that can rapidly reprofile tyres on wagon wheelsets that have been damaged during a journey without removing the wagon from the train. The lathe can be assembled on site from a kit of parts, none weighing more than 20 kg. Developed as part of Nord Pas-de-Calais Railway Cluster’s I-Trans research programme, W3M has been tested in live conditions by SNCF, B-Cargo and GHH-Valdunes.
Interparlo is the latest addition to Kontron’s range of onboard servers specifically designed for rail applications. Interparlo is a 3U CompactPCi platform in a 19 in rack format with EN50155 compliance; it supports both Linux and Windows operating systems. Separate controllers and disks are provided for streaming applications, data storage supports CCTV and an Ethernet switch allows interface with the vehicle’s onboard networks.
Swedish supplier Safetrack has developed SafeCable, which uses a mix of soft annealed steel wire bonded with copper to give 55% of the electrical conductivity of conventional copper cable. The manufacturer claims it has no residual value to thieves, making it attractive for use in locations prone to cable theft.
