Technology news – Page 118
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NewsLithium loco battery
BATTERY: StartPac’s Li64RR lithium ion 64 V battery for use on locomotives is a 150 kg unit based on aviation industry technology. It is designed to replace two 32 V lead acid batteries weighing 1000 kg. ‘The Li64RR is based on the newest technology, and is extremely safe, lightweight and ...
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NewsInfotech extends partnership with Alstom
INDIA: Rolling stock and signalling engineering consultancy Infotech Enterprises has extended its partnership with Alstom Transport in the Asian market by opening an engineering centre in Bangalore. The facility will be focused on the development primarily of mechanical components for rolling stock to support Alstom’s business in India and other ...
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NewsSiemens to supply mobile reactive power compensation systems
SWITZERLAND: In what Siemens says is a world first, Swiss Federal Railways has awarded Siemens’ Smart Grid Division a SFr9·3m contract to design and supply mobile 15 MVAr reactive power compensation systems which can be deployed by rail. These will be used to stabilise the traction voltage and improve ...
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NewsMaglev testing extended
JAPAN: Trials resumed on August 29 at the magnetic levitation test facility in Yamanashi prefecture following completion of work to extend the guideway. Transport Minister Akihiro Ota and JR Central Chairman Yoshiyuki Kasai were on board a demonstration run that day which attained a speed of 505 km/h. Tests on ...
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NewsBlast and paint shop built
USA: The Airblast AFC joint venture of UK-based blast booth supplier Airblast Ltd and US spray booth and painting equipment company AFC Finishing Systems has recently supplied a US$1·4m wagon painting facility to a customer in Ohio. This includes blast, paint and drying booths 27 m long and 9 m ...
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NewsLargest lathe order
INDIA: HYT Engineering has won its largest ever order for wheel lathes, a US$45m contract to supply Indian Railways with 36 CNC surface/above floor lathes for use with locomotive, coach and wagon wheels. Delivery is scheduled to be completed within two years, with a two-year warranty and five years of ...
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NewsTrain inspection portals to be installed
ITALY: Infrastructure manager RFI plans to install train inspection portals at around 100 key locations on its network, including border crossings and tunnel entrances. Each portal will subject passing trains to a thermal scan using photovoltaic sensors as well as a clearance check. During a clearance check the portal ...
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NewsIndependently Powered EMU to be tested
UK: A Bombardier Electrostar electric multiple-unit leased by Greater Anglia is to be fitted with two types of battery to study the feasibility of operating electric trains on non-electrified lines. Infrastructure manager Network Rail envisages that Independently Powered Electric Multiple-Units could be used to bridge gaps on otherwise electrified routes, ...
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NewsThe tines they are a-changin’
TAMPING: Plasser & Theurer has developed a new design of tamping tine which can be fitted to existing machines, where it will give a longer service life and thus be more cost-effective than existing designs. It features a slimmer shaft to reduce penetration resistance, and the underside of the tine ...
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NewsKuala Lumpur airport rail link expands ticketing options
MALAYSIA: Kuala Lumpur International Airport rail link operator Express Rail Link has put a modernised fare collection system into service. New ticket gates accept contactless smart cards, Touch 'n Go and Visa payWave instead of the former magnetic stripe tickets, while QR barcodes can be used for online purchases and ...
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NewsRift Valley Railways train control upgrade
AFRICA: Rift Valley Railways has begun a US$9·3m roll-out of automated train warrants and GPS-based train location on its network in Kenya and Uganda, employing technology supplied to rail operators in Brazil, Argentina and South Africa. The Translogic integrated logistics management platform will provide detailed information on train positions and ...
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NewsRemote control console
SHUNTING: Höft & Wessel has developed a hand-held control unit for remote control of shunting locomotives and associated equipment. Enclosed in a ruggedised plastic casing with a fold-out data terminal, the almex.cargo unit weighs 600 g including batteries, and can operate for up to 10 h on a full charge. ...
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NewsTalking technology for UKlight locomotives
UK: The Class 68 UKlight locomotives Vossloh is building for British freight operator Direct Rail Services are to incorporate cab audio warning systems developed by Lütze. Designed to be used in place of piezo buzzer modules, the Lütze Audio Signal Transducer can record and play spoken alerts as well as ...
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NewsProducts & Technology in Brief
Wagon leasing company VTG has developed an anti-climb system which can be retrofitted to tank wagons, protecting the tank floor and the tank itself from damage in the event of a collision. East Japan Railway and Hitachi are to sell anonymised statistical data on users of Suica smart ticketing to ...
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NewsAxle corrosion protection
SEALANT: Henkel has launched the Loctite Axle Corrosion Protection System, a suite of sealants for application to axles to prevent corrosion. The base coat of Loctite 7515 has been adapted from use in the automotive industry to rail vehicles. The conversion coating inhibits corrosion for up to three days ...
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NewsLocomotive traverser at the Port of Felixstowe
UK: What manufacturer Mechan says is the largest-capacity rail traverser in the UK forms part of the recently-opened North Rail Terminal at the Port of Felixstowe. The 30 m traverser is used to move locomotives between tracks when running round their trains. It weighs 90 tonnes, and has a capacity ...
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NewsVariable Train Wash Control software installed
GERMANY: Factory control system specialist AIS Automation Dresden has won a contract to supply its Variable Train Wash Control software to upgrade a train washing plant in Leipzig. VarTWC operates both the washing and waste water system. It can be retrofitted to different types of washing plant, and the latest ...
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NewsOpen-system train control study
RUSSIA: RZD, its signalling and telecoms research institute Niias and Italian signalling equipment supplier ECM intend to study jointly the prospects for development of an open-architecture based train control system for Russian Railways and the wider 1520 region. The three parties signed a memorandum of understanding at the Russian Railways ...
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NewsWorld rail market July 2013
Germany: Scheidt & Bachmann is to supply 40 FareGo Sales OT|40 touch-screen ticket machines for installation on Chemnitz trams. Poland: KZ Bydgoszcz is to supply a real-time passenger information system for Grudziadz’s trams and stops. The city of Poznan has awarded Siemens an 83m złoty contract to supply ...
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NewsToshiba motors to upgrade Singapore metro cars
SINGAPORE: Toshiba Corp has announced a 'major order' to supply its high-efficiency Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors for the refurbishment of drive systems on 66 six-car C151 metro trainsets which SMRT Corp operates on Singapore's East-West and North-South lines. There are four motored cars in each trainset. Toshiba said this would ...