Technology news – Page 78
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NewsGE to develop additive manufacturing of locomotive components
INNOTRANS: Additive manufacturing could be used in the production of up to 250 locomotive components by 2025 if GE Transportation’s early trials of the technique prove successful. The company is looking to build on the experience of GE’s aviation business over the past six years to develop additive manufacturing — ...
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Metro Report InternationalFacial recognition ticket gates to be introduced this year
CHINA: Later this year passengers in Beijing will be able to use ticket gates incorporating facial recognition which have been developed by BII Railway Transportation Technology. The gates offer two operating modes. In the first, a passenger’s photo is stored on a physical ticket, and when the passenger touches ...
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NewsIdeenzug moves from concept to reality
GERMANY: Some of the concepts being developed under the Ideenzug (Ideas Train) project will be implemented on a train running in commercial service by 2020. DB Regio has chosen the Muehlendorf – Muenchen route in Bayern for its pilot scheme under which two or three modules taken from the development ...
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Rail Business UKUK hydrogen train demonstrator to be tested in 2019
UK: A memorandum of understanding for the development of a hydrogen fuel cell demonstrator train was signed by leasing company Porterbrook and the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Railway Research & Education at InnoTrans on September 19. Porterbrook is to provide an ex-Thameslink Class 319 25 kV 50 Hz/750 V ...
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NewsHybrid DMU projects announced
EUROPE: At InnoTrans 2018, Rolls-Royce’s MTU business and leasing company Porterbook signed a letter of intent for the pre-series installation of a hybrid PowerPack on a Bombardier Transportation Turbostar DMU. The PowerPack will incorporate an EU Stage V compliant diesel engine and an electrical unit which ...
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NewsAugmented reality could help address changing employment pattern
INNOTRANS: Cideon Engineering is developing augmented reality technology which could be used to assist staff such as train crew with identifying train faults. Someone faced with a technical problem on a train while away from the depot could use a consumer-grade headset to obtain help from specialist staff, who would ...
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Metro Report InternationalAutomated tram demonstrated in Potsdam
GERMANY: Fully-automated driving of a conventional tram was successfully demonstrated by Potsdam transport operator ViP and Siemens Mobility on September 18 with a special test run for delegates to the InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin. Demonstrations are due to continue until September 21. Under the joint research and development project, ...
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NewsBattery powered mobile train washer launched
INNOTRANS: Italian company Bitimec has launched a battery-powered version of its SEP1000 train washing machine. The use of a 200 Ah lithium battery rather than a diesel engine makes the machine cleaner and quieter, and the absence of exhaust emissions means the SEP1000LH can be used inside depots. The machine ...
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NewsRecords fall as InnoTrans grows again
INNOTRANS: The 12th InnoTrans trade fair opening in Berlin on September 18 will be ‘more concentrated, more innovative and more informative’ than ever, according to Chief Executive of Messe Berlin Dr Christian Göke. Speaking at the pre-opening International Press Circle, he said this year’s show had attracted a 3 062 ...
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NewsHydrogen multiple-units enter service
GERMANY: The two prototype Coradia iLint fuel-cell powered multiple-units began operating in revenue service on September 17, following a formal launch the previous day with a ceremony at Bremervörde attended by representatives from the federal and Land governments, regional transport authority LNVG and operator Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser. ...
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NewsErmewa to install Amsted telematics
EUROPE: International wagon and tank container leasing group Ermewa has started installing the Amsted Digital Solutions telematics platform across much of its fleet, the two companies announced ahead of the InnoTrans 2018 trade fair in Berlin. With more than 40 000 assets, Ermewa was looking for comprehensive, end-to-end ...
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NewsIntegrated defect alert system deployed in Slovenia
SLOVENIA: An Incident-Response Management system which Iskratel has implemented for Slovenian Railways detected four cases of overheated wheels resulting from locked brakes in its first month of operation. Developed from a proof-of-concept exhibited at InnoTrans 2016 and due to be on show as a commercial product at InnoTrans 2018, the ...
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NewsUnderfloor lathe commissioned
CZECH REPUBLIC: A Hegenscheidt underfloor wheel lathe has been installed by Strabag at national operator ČD’s main coach and multiple-unit maintenance depot in Praha. Semi-permanently coupled trainsets can be worked on out without uncoupling the vehicles, which will simplify maintenance of Alstom Pendolino, Siemens Railjet and Škoda Transportation InterPanter, ...
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NewsInnoTrans 2018: the rail industry meets in Berlin
The world’s largest rail trade fair returns to Berlin on September 18-21
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NewsSNCF targets autonomous trains in five years
FRANCE: SNCF expects to see ‘semi-autonomous’ trains running on the French rail network by 2020 and fully automatic trains within five years, following the establishment of two consortia of suppliers and research institutes to develop and implement the technology. Providing an update on progress with the Train Autonome research programme ...
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Metro Report InternationalSan Francisco fare collection to be modernised
USA: San Francisco Metropolitan Transportation Commission has selected Cubic Transportation Systems as preferred bidder to modernise its Clipper fare collection system. Cubic currently operates the regional fare collection system, which covers 22 transport agencies. The modernisation includes the introduction of mobile ticketing as part of an app that will ...
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Metro Report InternationalUsing technology to empower passengers with disabilities
WAYFINDING: Cubic Transportation Systems is developing augmented reality technology for mobile devices with the aim of enhancing the public transport user experience for passengers with disabilities. While transport operators are meeting the letter of accessibility laws, ‘we believe we can take it ...
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NewsLights show the way
TSL-ESCHA: Internal lights for trams and LRVs will be the focus of the TSL-Escha stand at InnoTrans 2018, where the company will be showing the VL55 lighting assembly. Intended to be fitted at ceiling level above the doors, it combines the internal lighting function and visual warning of door closure, ...
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NewsRhein-Ruhr Express EMU maintenance depot opens
GERMANY: The Rail Service Centre where Siemens Mobility will maintain for 32 years the 82 Desiro HC electric multiple-units which it is supplying for Rhein-Ruhr Express services was officially inaugurated on September 6. The depot on the site of the former Dortmund-Eving marshalling yard has 5·5 km of track, a ...
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NewsHigh-performance digital interface
HARTING: Data communications and connector specialist Harting has launched its first modular connector designed for the Category 7A transmission standard, adopted as the future standard for rail vehicle applications. Wi-fi and smarter passenger information systems, video surveillance and monitoring sensors are driving a rapid increase in the amount of data ...