Features & Analysis – Page 16
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In depthTraction: Road trials showcase battery loco potential
A three month trial of a Wabtec battery-electric loco hauling freight trains over a 585 km route in California has highlighted the potential for battery traction to reduce emissions from US rail freight, as project leader Alan Hamilton explains to Dave Lustig.
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In depthElectrification: Brandenburg study proposes wiring islands
Hybrid battery-electric trains could be running on the Berlin – Neuruppin – Wittenberge route by 2028, according to a study undertaken for the District of Ostprignitz-Ruppin by the Innoverse transport consultancy. Marketed as Prignitz Express, the 180 km route is now the only remaining diesel-operated Regional Express service in Brandenburg. ...
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In depthElectrification: ‘Frugal’ approach pares down wiring costs
SNCF Réseau’s Aix-en-Provence – Marseille line will be partly electrified in 2022-24 to allow the operation of local services by battery-electric multiple-units. Murray Hughes investigates.
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In depthTraction: On course to Mission 100%
India’s ambitious national railway electrification programme is moving forward rapidly as IR seeks to complete the wiring of its broad gauge network by the end of 2023 and reach net zero carbon emissions within the next decade.
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In depthItaly: ERSAT moves into the roll-out phase
Having amassed nearly 10 years of cumulative experience of satellite technologies for use with ERTMS, including virtual balises and radio frequency interference, RFI has gained sufficient confidence to start work on its first operational application.
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In depthAustralia: Ore trains return to Whyalla
After a five-year gap, trains carrying export iron ore have resumed running to Whyalla in South Australia as strong market demand drives spot prices to a record level. John Kirk reports.
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In depthTurkey: Canal plan puts brakes on rail projects
Turkey’s plans to build a ship canal connecting the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara are being carefully monitored by the European Commission in case the scheme interferes with the project to upgrade Turkey’s main line link to Bulgaria and the rest of Europe. David O’Byrne reports.
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In depthPassenger Rolling Stock: Getting ready for Wi-Fi 6E
Measures to expand the available spectrum for free-to-air wi-fi present an opportunity for railways to improve onboard connectivity, but will require the adoption of forward-compatible components.
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In depthPassenger Rolling Stock: Avril moves from vision to reality
More than a decade after the company unveiled its concept for a wide-bodied articulated trainset, Talgo’s first production Avril high speed trains are now on test in northern Spain before entering service with national operator RENFE.
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In depthThailand: Grand opening in prospect
Passengers are expected to start using Bangkok’s Bang Sue Grand station in July as the first phase of the emerging passenger hub begins to serve two elevated suburban routes, reports Peter Janssen.
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In depthEurope: Reviving the overnight network
An array of revived and new overnight services is planned across western and central Europe. Murray Hughes provides an overview of the latest developments.
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In depthFrance: Report presages night train renaissance
A detailed report on the revival of domestic and international overnight passenger services on the French network indicates a potential market of 5∙7 million trips a year.
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In depthPhilippines: Commuter corridor leads rail revival
Civil works are getting underway on the Malolos – Clark section of Manila’s North-South Commuter Railway, a flagship scheme for the government’s Build, Build, Build initiative that is expected to herald a wider programme of rail investment across the archipelago.
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In depthAustria: Weststrecke modernisation heads west
This year sees the start of upgrading work on the Linz – Wels section of Austria’s principal east-west main line, under a decades-long programme now expected to be completed around 2032. Toma Bačić reviews the state of progress.
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In depthComment: Balancing survival and ambition
Rail and metro operators face a delicate task of managing short term financial imperatives relating to the pandemic while also positioning themselves to capitalise on longer term megatrends favouring the sector, argues Managing Editor Nick Kingsley.
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In depthTrack Maintenance: Eyes in the sky keep railways clear
Developed through a project with DB Netz, automated assessment of satellite data is providing an increasingly effective means to detect threats to track and structures from lineside vegetation, hazardous trees and earth movements.
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In depthTrack Maintenance: Sinara banks on a full-service model
Having built up its track maintenance division through a series of acquisitions in recent years and started developing a new range of high-performance machines for Russian Railways, Sinara Transport Machines is now targeting the export market, reports Vladmir Waldin.
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In depthUK: Bringing home internet speeds onto the train
Evo-Rail has developed 5G-based telecoms technology capable of data transmission speeds above 1Gb/sec between the lineside and a moving train. Its first large-scale deployment is on the South Western Railway network this year, as Managing Director Simon Holmes explains to Tony Miles.
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In depthUK: Cleaning up diesel exhausts
A first-of-a-kind trial has demonstrated the benefits of retrofitting exhaust after-treatment to existing diesel multiple-units, reducing emissions and improving air quality.
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In depthUK: Transforming Transport for Wales
Transport for Wales is pushing ahead with its ambitious strategy to refresh the country’s rail services, despite the ending of a long-term operating contract as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Tony Miles investigates.