Research, training & skills news – Page 2
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Rail Business UK
RSSB reviews the deployment of hydrogen traction
UK: The Rail Safety & Standards Board has published an interim report as part of its investigation into the deployment of hydrogen fuel cells in rail applications.
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Metro Report International
Apprentices needed to keep largest tram network moving
AUSTRALIA: Applications have opened for a four-year apprenticeship programme which Melbourne operator Yarra Trams uses to train people to manage and maintain the 500 km of overhead electrification on the world’s largest tram network. During the first two years, apprentices will work on de-energised infrastructure alongside ...
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Rail Business UK
Bristol Temple Meads to host Station Innovation Zone
UK: Bristol Temple Meads station has been selected as a Station Innovation Zone which will host trials of technology to improve the passenger experience. The five-year partnership between Network Rail and the Connected Places Catapult innovation accelerator will select start-ups to test ideas such as smarter ...
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News
Long-term strategy to address rail sector skills shortages
EUROPE: Rail, education and policy stakeholders met in Brussels to discuss a long-term action plan to address the sector’s growing skills shortage, including the need for reskilling and upskilling to support the green and digital transition. The event on October 13 marked the half way point ...
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Rail Business UK
Supporting military leavers in the rail industry
UK: Govia Thameslink Railway has signed the Armed Forces Covenant, aiming to help ex-military personnel move into the rail industry and ensure fair treatment in the workplace. GTR said veterans and reservists bring a variety of transferable skills to the civilian workplace. The company has ex-Forces ...
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News
Agreement to address staffing issues in operating tenders
GERMANY: An agreement to tackle staff shortages and address employee concerns when operating contracts change hands has been signed by Rhein-Ruhr transport authority VRR, the Eisenbahn- und Verkehrswerkschaft trade union and Mobifair, an industry group which aims to promote fair competition in the transport sector. VRR ...
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News
Grant backs Railroading 101 pre-employment training programme
USA: The US Department of Labor has awarded Delaware Department of Transportation a $11m grant to fund a ‘Railroading 101’ pre-employment training programme to be delivered with Amtrak. This aims to improve job opportunities in the state, build a more diverse rail workforce and provide participants ...
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News
Hydrogen-diesel dual-fuel locomotive initiative targets African market
NAMIBIA: The HyRail Namibia project has been launched to produce what the promoters say will be Africa’s first dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel locomotive. This is intended as a pilot for possible conversion of national railway TransNamib’s entire fleet of around 40 locos, and other fleets across Sub-Saharan Africa. ...
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Rail Business UK
Scottish hydrogen train testing completed
UK: Testing of an electric multiple-unit retrofitted with hydrogen fuel cells has been completed under a project bringing together the University of St Andrews, Transport Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Ballard Motive Solutions, Abbott Risk Consulting, ARUP, Aegis and Angel Trains. The former Class 314 EMU has been ...
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News
Container wagon handling robot under development
GERMANY: An autonomous mobile robot with a gripper arm for the automated handling of folding pins on container wagons is being developed by Hamburger Hafen & Logistik and the Fraunhofer Centre for Maritime Logistics & Services. The pins are installed at various positions on container wagons ...
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In depth
Europe: 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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News
South Korean and UK bodies sign rail research MoU
INTERNATIONAL: The Korea Railroad Research Institute and the UK’s Rail Safety & Standards Board signed a memorandum of understanding covering collaboration in railway safety research and development during InnoTrans. KRRI and RSSB intend to co-operate on: research and development of technology such as data-based safety ...
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Rail Business UK
Rail innovation cluster launched by the University of Birmingham
UK: A BCRRE Rail Innovation Cluster to support businesses looking to deliver to deliver greater value and innovation into the rail supply sector has been announced by the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research & Education during InnoTrans. Building on BCRRE’s many years of experience ...
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News
Europe’s Rail awards first research grants
EUROPE: The Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking has awarded €232·8m of co-funding for six research and innovation projects with a total value of €568·4m following its first call for proposals. The Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking has succeeded the previous Shift2Rail programme. A second call for proposals covering ...
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News
First students complete Inland Rail Skills Academy Foundation Course
AUSTRALIA: The first students has successfully completed the Inland Rail Skills Academy Foundation Course in Boggabilla, New South Wales. This covered construction skills, literacy, numeracy, financial and digital literacy and career preparation skills. The students can now apply for positions with contractors such as Freight Connect, ...
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Metro Report International
Suspended maglev on test in Jiangxi
CHINA: Test running has started on an experimental suspended maglev in southern China, following the formal completion of an 800 m test track on August 9.
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News
Train-to-train data transmission over 4 km
SOUTH KOREA: Korea Railroad Research Institute has successfully tested train-to-train data communications over distances of 2 km in the open air and 4 km in tunnels. The communications use a directional antenna developed by KRRI, which said it was the first successful test over such distances. ...
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Rail Business UK
Collaboration looks at modal shift to decarbonise freight
UK: The University of Birmingham and multi-modal freight company Pass Logistics have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore ways of switching containerised goods from road to rail to support decarbonisation. Researchers at the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research & Education’s Centre of Excellence in Rail ...
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Rail Business UK
Rail staff trained to intervene with vulnerable passengers
UK: The Railway Children charity is training Northern’s conductors, customer service and station staff to spot vulnerable people on the railway and to have the confidence to intervene with help. The work focuses on identifying individuals at risk of to abuse, addiction and intimidation, and helping ...
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News
Alstom and Azerbaijan Technical University launch rail training centre
AZERBAIJAN: Alstom and Azerbaijan Technical University are developing a training centre in Baku, with the first intake of 20 engineering students expected in October. The centre will provide access to over 140 h of unique courses developed and owned by Alstom University, the company’s in-house training ...