In depth
Taking you behind the news to understand the deeper trends that are shaping the rail industry, and giving you the essential insight to inform your business decisions.
Telemetry: Automated point heaters show IoT potential
`The roll-out of automated point heaters in Switzerland offers a case study showing how industrial IoT technology can help rail operators improve efficiency and reduce costs even as traffic increases.
Africa: Dakar – Bamako trade artery awaits revival
Rehabilitating the moribund railway linking Senegal with landlocked Mali is seen as a ‘vector of growth’ in plans to stimulate the economy of the two countries. Murray Hughes investigates.
Level Crossings: Getting the message across
As part of a programme to improve level crossing safety using intelligent transport systems, SNCF has been investigating the influence of dashboard messages on driver behaviour.
Digital Stations: Managing an intelligent hub
A suite of digital control and management tools intended to improve the operation of stations is proving particularly valuable in managing capacity during the coronavirus pandemic, while paving the way for further process automation.
Netherlands: Cultural change leads to optimal infrastructure use
Over the past two decades, the Dutch network has seen strong growth in train frequency, punctuality and user satisfaction. While infrastructure enhancements have played a part, Jan Swier argues that the potential of the network has been unlocked by structural and cultural change in the rail sector.
Comment: Rebalancing public and private
‘We believe that the travel market will look completely different after the pandemic’, predicted Snälltåget’s Head of Sales Marco Andersson, when he confirmed that the Transdev subsidiary was focusing on 2021, rather than trying to run its overnight train between Berlin and Stockholm this summer.
