Technology news – Page 92
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NewsVirgin Trains launches Seatfrog first class upgrade auction app
UK: In what the inter-city operator claims is a ‘a world first for rail passengers’, Virgin Trains East Coast has worked with travel technology company Seatfrog to launch an iOS and Android app which enables passengers to upgrade standard class tickets to first class by placing bids in an auction ...
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NewsAluminium alloy components increase wagon capacity
RUSSIA: United Wagon Co has obtained certification for its Type 19-9549-02 grain hopper wagon, which uses a high-strength aluminium alloy roof to reduce weight by more than 1 tonne compared to equivalent steel designs while also offering corrosion resistance. This enables to the capacity of the 25 tonne axleload wagon ...
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NewsProgress Rail and Seeing Machines sign driver monitoring partnership
SEEING MACHINES: Vision technology company Seeing Machines has signed an extended partnership agreement providing Progress Rail Services with an exclusive worldwide licence covering rail applications. Following an agreement announced at InnoTrans 2014, the two companies have co-operated to undertaken trials using a dashboard-mounted infra-red camera and artificial intelligence to monitor ...
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NewsTikhvin begins delivering bogie castings to North America
NORTH AMERICA: United Wagon Co’s Tikhvin plant in Russia has begun shipping Barber S-2-HD bogie side frames and bolsters for the North American market, after obtaining Association of American Railroads approval for their use on wagons for unrestricted interchange in Canada, Mexico and the USA. UWC plans to supply ...
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Metro Report InternationalTfL launches mobile ticketing app
UK: Transport for London launched the TfL Mobile Ticketing App on September 7 for Android and Apple smart phones and tablets. The app allows Oyster card users to top up their cards, manage their accounts and view journey histories. Pay-as-you-go balance top-ups and season tickets can be purchased through ...
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NewsUK railway news round-up
Digital ticket retailer Trainline launched its Price Predictor tool on September 6. Intended to predict movements in the price of quota-controlled Advance tickets in the weeks before a chosen travel date, the tool uses historical data patterns to anticipate price changes. ‘Our data scientists have used historical pricing trends from ...
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NewsVollert develops VLEX road-rail shunting robot
SHUNTING: Vollert has developed a compact battery-powered road-rail machine for light shunting of up to 300 tonnes at industrial sites, ports and freight terminals. ‘As a specialist supplier of economical shunting and transport systems, we were often asked for a small road-rail machine’, explained Jürgen Schiemer, Vice-President Shunting Systems. As ...
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NewsSinara to supply track machines to Iran
IRAN: At the Expo 1520 trade show in Moscow on August 31, Sinara Transport Machines signed a contract with Iranian contractor Ferrotek Steel worth €24m for the supply of 36 track machines.These will be used for maintenance and renewals across the main line network in Iran. The vehicles are to ...
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Metro Report InternationalLondon trams could become cashless
UK: Transport for London has started a public consultation on proposals to remove ticket machines from tram stops, thereby making tram travel cashless. The consultation is open until October 29. As ticket machines at tram stops have reached the end of their useful life, TfL says that it is ...
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NewsABB India to install solar inverters at 750 Indian stations
INDIA: ABB India is to supply solar inverters for 750 stations in north India as part of an Indian Railways project to reduce dependence on electricity generated using coal, lower energy costs and meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Forming part of rooftop solar installations being set up by Azure ...
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NewsBearings meet tough specification and tight deadlines
MOROCCO: National operator ONCF has awarded SKF a contract to supply 15 000 passenger and freight rolling stock wheelset bearings over three years. Announcing the win on August 28, SKF said it was the only supplier which could meet ONCF’s strict technical specifications and begin delivering ready-certified bearings with a ...
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Metro Report InternationalGAZ develops electric bus prototypes for the Russian market
RUSSIA: GAZ Group is developing an upgraded prototype electric bus, which it expects to deliver to Moscow for testing in December. This follows new requirements for electric buses put together by city operator Mosgortrans following tests of various vehicles. Mosgortrans tested a prototype GAZ electric bus between January and ...
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NewsTank wagon telematics contract
EUROPE: Asto Telematics has been awarded a contract to equip Sasol Germany’s fleet of ethylene oxide tank wagons and tank-containers with its new aJour ATEX Compact+Sensor telematics technology. This is intended to allow Sasol to monitor wagon movements, temperature and impact forces. In the event of potential danger, an automated ...
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NewsEvraz NTMK supplies colour-changing wheels to DB
GERMANY: Russian steelmaker Evraz NTMK has delivered a batch of 240 BA220 coach wheels to Deutsche Bahn for the first time, with a further 1 440 to follow this year. The 920 mm diameter BA220 is a new product, manufactured with ER7 steel with a rim hardness of >235 HB. ...
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Metro Report InternationalBombardier to repower London Underground Central Line trainsets
UK: London Underground has awarded Bombardier Transportation a contract to replace the DC traction motors on the 85 eight-car 1992 Stock trainsets used on the Central Line with its Mitrac AC traction and control equipment. This is expected to reduce energy consumption while improving reliability and performance. The contract running ...
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NewsAlstom awarded €135m EMU maintenance contract
SWEDEN: Arriva has awarded Alstom a €135m contract to maintain 99 Coradia Nordic EMUs owned by the Skånetrafiken regional transport authority. The contract runs for eight years from December 2018, aligning with the next Pågatåg operating contract which Skånetrafiken has awarded to incumbent Arriva. The next operating contract is designed ...
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NewsDB Netz orders RailRoadRunner ultrasonic rail inspection systems
GERMANY: Infrastructure manager DB Netz has awarded Vossloh Rail Services subsidiary Gleistechnik Süd a framework contract for the supply of RailRoadRunner manually-guided ultrasonic rail inspection systems. The inspection components and a weatherproof tablet computer are integrated into a lightweight but sturdy trolley suitable for inspecting rail over short distances, such ...
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Metro Report InternationalBeijing metro launches mobile ticketing
CHINA: Mobile ticketing was introduced to the Beijing metro on August 14. Passengers can use NFC-enabled smart phones to pass through ticket gates at all 274 stations on the network, and can also use the app to top up online. Mobile payment is initially available on 160 phone models ...
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NewsHIMA signs Indonesia signalling technology contract
INDONESIA: HIMA has signed a €1·74m contract to provide signalling equipment supplier PT Len with SIL4-certified commercial-off-the-shelf HiMatrix and HiMax safety controllers. HIMA said a major factor in winning the contract was its use of an open architecture which would enable PT Len to integrate HIMA’s technology with its legacy ...
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Metro Report InternationalTRL to test safety technology for London buses
UK: Transport for London has appointed TRL to lead trials of new safety technology on its buses. Technologies to be tested at the Transport Research Laboratory include: autonomous emergency braking that relies on the bus detecting its surroundings; features to alert other road users of the presence of buses; ...