Features & Analysis – Page 22
-
In depthComment: Railways in lockdown
San Francisco’s BART metro network reported on March 12 that ridership for the previous day was 268 192, a 35% drop compared to an average Wednesday in February this year.
-
In depthMyanmar: International backers spur network renewal
Work is well in hand to rehabilitate the main line between Myanmar’s most important cities, as international backers queue to support investment in one of southeast Asia’s largest networks. Peter Janssen reports from Naypyitaw.
-
In depthThailand: Metre-gauge enhancements spearhead spending drive
The Thai government has committed to spending no less than 7% of GDP on improving its rail network. While double-tracking several main lines is the priority, construction of new lines is still on the agenda. However, the influence of China is a complicating factor. Peter Janssen reports.
-
In depthPassenger information: Is my train on time?
The availability of train running data for the UK rail network through a variety of open feeds has facilitated the development of applications to provide passengers with accurate real time information.
-
In depthIndonesia: Making progress at high speed
After a delayed start, construction of the Jakarta – Bandung high speed line is finally moving ahead, with opening now expected in 2021. Toma Bačić investigates.
-
In depthComment: Stop talking, start acting
‘There is no European Green Deal without rail’. That was the emphatic message from Siemens Mobility CEO and UNIFE Chair Sabrina Soussan, addressing a round-table discussion at the annual European Rail Award in Brussels on February 18, hosted jointly by CER and UNIFE.
-
In depthIndia: IR firms up private train strategy
The government is pressing ahead with plans for private operators to fund much-needed extra passenger capacity on the Indian Railways network. Raghu Dayal investigates.
-
In depthZimbabwe: The long wait goes on
An agreement for Russia’s United Wagon Company to supply 100 wagons offers fresh hope for investment in National Railways of Zimbabwe. However, a proposed US$1bn recapitalisation programme collapsed in October, further delaying much-needed enhancements. Daisy Jeremani reports from Bulawayo.
-
In depthPutting Chile back on the rails
In contrast to the fluctuating political support that has long hampered railway development in Latin America, President Sebastián Piñera has launched a wide-ranging investment programme to boost rail’s market share. Toma Bačić investigates.
-
In depthMajor Projects: Software challenge blows Crossrail off course
For a decade, construction of London’s east-west cross-city tunnel seemed set for completion on time in late 2018. But this deadline has slipped as project promoter Crossrail Ltd grapples with the emerging complexity of delivering a new railway centred on digital technology. Alan Hannaford* reflects on the challenges faced.
-
Digital archiveAustria: Brenner Base Tunnel passes the halfway mark
Dott-Ing Gilberto Cardola and Dipl-Ing Martin Gradnitzer, joint CEOs of the Brenner Base Tunnel company, briefed Toma Bačić in Innsbruck on progress with construction.
-
In depthInfrastructure: Making maintenance smarter
Digital asset management and innovative rail treatment techniques lie at the heart of Vossloh Rail Services’ integrated approach to track maintenance. Managing Director Marcel Taubert explains the company’s strategy to Chris Jackson in Hamburg.
-
In depthIndustry focus: Mergers in vogue as transport market draws interest
Expansion of the global rail and public transport markets is attracting interest from a range of businesses and investors.
-
In depthAustria: Night vision
Austrian Federal Railways has made headlines in recent months by announcing a major expansion of its Nightjet network of overnight trains, tapping into the pan-European trend for ‘flight shaming’. But as CEO Andreas Matthä explains to Toma Bačić, this is just one strand in a strategy to deliver sustainable growth and modal shift.
-
In depth‘A brilliant future as the backbone of mobility’
As it approaches its centenary, the International Union of Railways is reasserting itself as the technical platform for the sector. Murray Hughes talks to UIC Director General François Davenne in Paris.
-
In depthHungary: Fight of the giants
Stadler and Transmashholding have been vying to take over Dunakeszi Járműjavító, to support local assembly deals. Benjámin Zelki investigates.
-
In depthIndia: Time to let go
Indian Railways’ in-house production units are at a crossroads, with the government floating plans to spin them off. Raghu Dayal explains.
-
In depthJapan: Fukuoka edges towards expansion
The largest city in Kyushu is one of the fastest growing in Japan, and one of the few to be actively expanding its urban rail provision. Benjámin Zelki investigates.
-
In depthJapan: All eyes on the track stars
The world’s busiest urban rail network is preparing to handle more than 650 000 extra users per day during the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, with the government encouraging regular commuters to work from home. Benjámin Zelki reports from Tokyo.
-
In depthNorway: Digital campus supports ERTMS roll-out
Complete replacement of existing signalling with ETCS forms a key element in Norway’s digital railway initiative, as part of a massive investment in rail to reduce the country’s carbon footprint. Chris Jackson reports from Oslo.