Research, training & skills news
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Rail Business UKSME innovators aim to improve station weather resilience and the passenger experience
UK: Eight technology companies have been selected to receive funding to develop concepts to improve the passenger experience and improve weather resilience at stations.
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Rail Business UKRail industry needs to create graduate opportunities, says PBH
UK: ‘As an industry, we need to create opportunities to introduce graduates to the rail industry, including specific training courses’, says Mark Bonner, Managing Director of York-based PBH Rail Group.
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Rail Business UK‘Five firsts’ celebrated at Tuxford as UK rail sector seeks role in hydrogen economy
UK: Network Rail and industry partners held an event at Tuxford in Nottinghamshire on December 3 marking the first use of rail to transport hydrogen on the main line network.
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In depthFreight: Rolling laboratory supports innovation
Portugal’s Rail CoLab association is developing its Freight Laboratory Train to act as a platform for both monitoring systems and the testing of new concepts, as Andre Pires explains.
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Rail Business UKGreater Anglia opens applications for First Step into Rail employability scheme
UK: Greater Anglia is offering a three-week First Step into Rail employability scheme designed to help young people build workplace skills and gain hands-on experience.
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NewsAir and rail policymakers seek action on travel multimodality
EUROPE: Rail and aviation policymakers have highlighted five urgent policy needs to support efforts to develop a multimodal approach to ticketing and journey planning.
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NewsSingapore public transport sector upskilling initiative launched
SINGAPORE: Metro operator SMRT Corp, the National Trades Union Congress and National Transport Workers’ Union have signed a memorandum of understanding to help contractors’ employees develop their skills in the public transport sector.
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Rail Business UKLNER’s ERTMS driver training app enhanced
UK: LNER and Velociti Solutions have updated their ERTMS driver-machine interface training app to provide train drivers with more realistic simulations, more accurate screen layouts and additional scenarios.
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In depthResearch: AŽD Praha's autonomous train is on track
Following successful passenger carrying trials with its prototype autonomous train on the Kopidlnka line, AŽD Praha is looking to optimise the technology for commercial operations to start in 2029. Chris Jackson reports from Dětenice.
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NewsPandrol targets Chinese railway sector with i+weld
CHINA: Pandrol China and the Metal & Chemistry Research Institute have signed a framework agreement outlining a collaborative approach to promoting Pandrol’s i+weld aluminothermic welding system and supporting China Railway’s automated thermit welding requirements.
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NewsRailway systems and urban transport training for young Egyptian engineers
EGYPT: The Egyptian National Institute for Transport and engineering consultancy Egis have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and deliver railway systems and urban transport training programmes for young engineers.
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NewsEuropean Commission brings people together to discuss how to make transport careers more attractive
EUROPE: The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility & Transport hosted the Young People & Transport Jobs: Making Transport Careers More Attractive conference which explored how to make transport jobs more appealing.
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NewsArctic Test Arena offers the right kind of snow for railway technology research
EUROPE: The 473 km railway from Narvik in Norway to Kiruna and Luleå in Sweden has been designated as an Arctic Test Arena which will be used to test technology in challenging weather conditions.
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Rail Business UKTranslink hosts international level crossing safety and technology discussions
UK: Translink has hosted the 34th Global Level Crossing Network Meeting, with delegates from countries including the UK, Ireland, Croatia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Portugal and France discussing best practices and advances in technology.
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NewsAutomated freight train trial begins on the Betuwe Route
NETHERLANDS: A one-year trial of automatic train operation has started on the Betuwe Route freight corridor.
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Rail Business UKGreat Western Railway’s Learning & Development Centre officially opened
UK: A Learning & Development Centre at Great Western Railway’s head office in Swindon has been officially opened by Secretary of State for Transport and local MP Heidi Alexander.
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NewsSignalling institution and supplier associations to co-operate
UK: The Railway Industry Association and the Institution of Railway Signal Engineers have agreed to work together ‘as appropriate’ on rail policy matters, to provide mutual support on external affairs and to cross-promote their initiatives.
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In depthRolling Stock: Insulation delivers energy savings
Advances in the design of materials used for insulation and HVAC systems on trains can help rail operators to reduce their energy use by up to 20% in real-world conditions. Tom Merton, Technical Manager at Armacell, explains how the company’s range is evolving to cater to the specialist needs of the rail sector.
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NewsGATX opens wagon training academy to keep its expertise on track
GERMANY: Wagon leasing company GATX Rail Europe says the opening of its technical and safety training centre at Lehrte marks ‘the start of a new chapter in how we transfer expertise across the company’.
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NewsTram driver assistance system on test
BELGIUM: De Lijn has been testing a driver assistance system on Antwerpen tram Route 1.