All In depth articles – Page 9
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In depthBelgium: Double-deck power cars enter service
SNCB has put into operation the first of 90 double-deck power cars ordered to operate with its M7 push-pull coaches. Dr Harry Hondius reports.
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In depthEastern Europe: Adding capacity in Poland’s capital
Modernisation of the busy east-west cross-city route and construction of a second cross-city tunnel in the Polish capital during 2023-27 will generate much-needed capacity. Elsewhere in the Mazowieckie voivodship surrounding Warszawa, there are plans to build new lines and reopen old ones. Benjámin Zelki reports.
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In depthEastern Europe: War and supply chain turmoil put rail growth at risk
A deal which closed in January to create a joint venture with Slovenia’s state railway to run the SŽ-Tovorni Promet freight business is the latest in a series of expansionist moves by Czech private operator EP Logistics International. But future growth is under threat as the market outlook worsens, Executive Director Zbigniew Klepacki explains to Nick Kingsley.
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In depthViewpoint: California’s high speed programme is back on track
After years of twists and turns, the most ambitious and controversial high speed rail project in America is moving purposefully towards fruition. Andy Kunz, President & CEO of the US High Speed Rail Association, and Ezra Silk, Co-Founder of the US High Speed Rail Coalition, explain how the programme has reached this point.
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In depthGlobal Trends: World market will return to growth
Following a slight decline in 2019-21 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the global railway supply market is projected to grow strongly in the next six years, according to the latest edition of UNIFE’s World Rail Market Study.
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In depthViewpoint: We cannot afford another failure
The European rail sector risks sleepwalking into an existential crisis if it cannot accelerate the funding and deployment of the Digital Automatic Coupler, argues Dr Jürgen Wilder of Knorr-Bremse.
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In depthSmart Stations: Modular approach reshapes fit-out process
London’s Elizabeth Line and Brisbane’s Cross-River Rail Link are two major schemes where station design and fit-out is being influenced by trends towards modularity, repeatability and off-site production, as Julian Maynard of Maynard Design Group explains to Nick Kingsley.
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In depthViewpoint: Institutional fragmentation has undermined Rail Baltica
On paper Rail Baltica is a perfect match for the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility programme. But three issues need to be addressed, argues Kaspars Briškens, who recently stepped down as Head of Strategy & Development at the standard gauge railway project.
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In depthTechnology: Unlocking the next level of MaaS
Advanced technical functionalities are already available to support a One-Stop-Shop for Mobility as a Service, offering a viable multi-modal alternative to private car use, but greater collaboration and regulatory reform are needed to harness the opportunities.
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In depthComment: Energy efficiency at all costs
As an energy crisis looms for many of the world’s railways, our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley asks whether lessons can be learnt from the 1970s oil crisis, and urges the industry to redouble its efforts in maximising its energy efficiency.
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In depthEurope: Overcoming the language barrier
Developed by UIC and RailNetEurope with funding from the Shift2Rail joint undertaking, the Translate4Rail tool offers hope that the thorny problem of drivers and dispatchers speaking different languages on cross-border routes in Europe can finally be resolved. Toma Bačić explains.
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In depthGermany: Farm shop concept spurs freight tram revival
Initially developed as a student project, a mobile ‘farm shop’ retail and freight service using a converted tram-train is being proposed for use on the regional rail network around Karlsruhe. This in turn could offer a more viable business model for other cargo tram initiatives.
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In depthGermany: Wendlingen - Ulm poised to open as Stuttgart21 costs rise again
Deutsche Bahn will open the Wendlingen – Ulm high speed line in December with the controversial Stuttgart 21 project following in stages from 2025 onwards. Toma Bačić reports.
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In depthTechnology: Keeping track of tram-trains
Enhanced control and supervision tools have been deployed to improve the operation of tram-trains around Karlsruhe, where portion working is a common but complicated process.
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In depthViewpoint: Legacy railways need cybersecurity too
Rail professionals are increasingly aware of the risks posed by cyberattacks and how to mitigate them, but much of this attention focuses on new assets and infrastructure, rather than legacy equipment. The industry cannot let this become a major oversight, believes Nicolas Goupil of Cylus.
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In depthFreight: Pulling the right levers to boost modal share
Governments around the world are keen to improve rail’s share of the freight market, although there are stark contrasts in start points and end goals between regions. Nevertheless, consultancy Roland Berger believes a comprehensive set of levers can be pulled to boost rail freight globally.
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In depthFreight: Act now to align the stars
UIP President Dr Heiko Fischer takes us on a journey to the 2030s, when the goals for the development of European rail freight have been met, and sets out the change in mentality required across the sector to make this a reality.
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In depthGermany: Two-stage tender to choose DB’s next high speed fleet
After updating its current high speed fleet, Deutsche Bahn is planning a fifth generation InterCity Express design for the 2030s and beyond. Murray Hughes reports.
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In depthGermany: Government tightens control over national operator
This summer’s eye-catching €9 ticket deal in Germany focused the spotlight on rail travel, but it also served to highlight the national railway’s failings. Plummeting performance levels are one reason the government is intervening in an attempt to restore punctuality and reliability. Murray Hughes reports.
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In depthFreight: Rebuilding market share in Spain
The Spanish government’s Mercancías 30 strategy aims to more than double the share of goods moved by rail to at least 10% by 2030. Mike Bent reports.