All In depth articles
View all stories of the same content type.
-
In depthRegulation: Putting customers at heart of DB InfraGO
In its biennial report published on July 1, Germany’s Monopolies Commission calls for measures governing DB InfraGO to be geared more directly to the needs of rail customers.
-
In depthFreight: Semi-trailers key to driving modal shift
With semi-trailers accounting for a majority of Europe’s road freight transport, policymakers must provide the right incentives to ensure that they can be used for intermodal applications if long-standing modal shift targets are to be achieved.
-
In depthFreight: Turnaround needed at DB Cargo
As Deutsche Bahn’s more flexible competitors eat into the rail freight market, drastic action is required to turn DB Cargo into a viable concern. Murray Hughes reports.
-
In depthGermany: Makeover promises long-term stability
‘Too busy, too old and too kaputt’ was how Baden-Württemburg Transport Minister Winfried Hermann described the heavily used main line between Frankfurt and Mannheim. The 70 km route was closed on July 15 for a massive all-in-one rebuild, with reopening set for December 14.
-
In depthInterview: Record funding is flowing – but Germany’s railway must deliver
The building blocks to turn round performance on Germany’s national network are being put in place thanks to an unprecedented investment programme, but Deutsche Bahn and infrastructure arm DB InfraGO must deliver on their promises, warns Federal Minister for Digital & Transport Dr Volker Wissing. Murray Hughes put the questions.
-
In depthComment: Contrasting approaches to fixing things
The transport ministers of Britain and Germany are taking contrasting approaches to addressing the problems facing their railways. Dr Volker Wissing believes management reorganisation cannot solve DB’s problems, but his counterpart Louise Haigh is taking the opposite view with Labour’s rail reforms. Nick Kingsley suggests they could learn much from each other.
-
In depthInfrastructure: Understanding the performance of under sleeper pads
Under sleeper pads have been used for ballast protection and improved track geometry over more than 20 years, but a new contact pressure measurement technique has revealed significant differences in their ballast protection properties.
-
In depthUK: Delivering a high-capacity rail artery across northern England
A major upgrading programme is in progress to enhance resilience, raise capacity and cut journey times on Network Rail’s busy east-west route through the Pennines between Manchester and Leeds. Murray Hughes investigates.
-
In depthMaintenance: Electric drives offer energy-efficient tamping
Real operating data recorded over a long period have demonstrated the energy-saving potential of Plasser & Theurer’s electric drive technology, as well as reducing exhaust emissions.
-
In depthEurope: Better planning can keep trains running
Long-term thinking and better planning could help alleviate disruption when infrastructure work is in progress. With a European Regulation on railway capacity due shortly, Forum Train Europe offers a blueprint for the future.
-
In depthSouth Korea: Suburban networks take shape
Under pressure to reduce commuting time across the country, policymakers are developing suburban rail services around key conurbations, many making use of spare capacity on existing main lines. Benjámin Zelki reports.
-
In depthSouth Korea: Seoul embraces the ‘GTX era’
This year has seen the opening of the first phase of Seoul’s Great Train Express commuter rail Line A, and the start of construction on lines B and C. Plans have also been announced for extensions of all three and three more lines, as the Executive Director of Korea National Railway’s GTX Department Song Hye-chun explains to Benjámin Zelki.
-
In depthInfrastructure: Developing a rail resilience framework
Arup has developed a policy document aimed at helping the rail sector to reframe its approach to climate resilience by embracing ‘whole-system’ thinking. Co-author Juliet Mian explains to Nick Kingsley.
-
In depthComment: ‘Not cheaper, just easier’
With cross-border rail ticketing being cited as a priority for the next European Commission, Andrew Grantham discusses the complexities of achieving seamless bookings and the industry’s struggle to meet growing demand for sustainable mobility options.
-
In depthRail Logistics: Freight trains are getting smarter
While the complex migration to operation using digital automatic couplers lies ahead, Europe’s freight trains are already being digitalised. Reinhard Christeller presents a snapshot of the benefits in safety, productivity and cost effectiveness.
-
In depthEurope: Rail Baltica makes progress despite cost increase
Construction of the long-planned 1 435 mm gauge north-south rail corridor through the Baltic States is ramping up rapidly, despite a near-trebling of the forecast cost and continuing uncertainty over some sections of the route. Toma Bačić reports from Tallinn.
-
In depthKazakhstan: Transit freight drives KTZ expansion
New line construction and fleet renewals have cemented Kazakhstan’s position as a key node in the Eurasian transit market. Further expansion is now in hand, with more investment planned by 2030, reports Vladimir Waldin.
-
In depthRail Logistics: Kazakhstan eyes transit corridor growth
Sitting astride several Eurasian landbridge corridors, Kazakhstan has been well placed to develop rail freight flows between China and Europe, as well as north-south connections to India and South Asia. Vladimir Waldin investigates.
-
In depthRomania: New rolling stock to support rail market reforms
Romania’s Railway Reform Authority is procuring new multiple-units to operate regional and inter-regional services under competitively tendered PSO contracts, but this is only part of a wider market opening strategy, ARF President Ștefan Roșeanu explains to Benjámin Zelki.
-
In depthInterview: Arenaways rides again
More than a decade after an abortive attempt to enter the Italian inter-city passenger market, private operator Arenaways is back, with approval to launch seven open access services and PSO contracts to revive operations on two local railways in Piemonte. Chief Executive Matteo Arena explains the company’s renaissance to Benjámin Zelki.