Technology news – Page 98
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NewsDrug and alcohol compliance software for short lines
USA: Browz has launched a software-as-a-service package to assist short line railways and their contractors in complying with Federal Railroad Administration drug and alcohol testing requirements coming into force in June. Browz ShortLine will enable operators to check the compliance of their contractors and employees, and to source new contractors ...
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NewsLNG locomotive agreement
LITHUANIA: An agreement to co-operate to develop a liquefied natural gas-fuelled shunting locomotive was signed on March 30 by Lithuania Railways, stevedoring company Bega, oil and gas terminal operator Klaipėdos Nafta, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University and Klaipeda University. The partner aim to produce a prototype shunting locomotive for use at ...
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NewsDigital freight train partnership formed
FRANCE: SNCF Logistics and maritime freight technology company Traxens have announced a partnership to develop technology for monitoring and real-time tracking of freight trains. This follows a year of research and testing of digital equipment for use in the rail environment. The project is to be launched at the Transport ...
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Metro Report InternationalArlington to trial driverless shuttles
USA: The city council of Arlington, Texas, approved a one-year leasing agreement with EasyMile on March 28 for the use of two EZ10 driverless shuttles. These will be used in a pilot project in the city’s Entertainment District, which could start as early as June. ‘The city ...
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NewsHalf-price tickets to encourage PayPal payment
RUSSIA: Airport shuttle service operator Aeroexpress and online payment company PayPal have launched a promotional campaign offering a 50% discount on return tickets bought through the operator’s www.aeroexpress.ru website and paid for using PayPal. ‘Every year we see the increasing popularity of electronic sales channels, so we try to offer ...
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Metro Report InternationalRhein-Ruhr ticketing contract awarded
GERMANY: Following a European tender, Rhein-Ruhr transport authority VRR has awarded Transdev a contract to manage its ticket distribution systems for 11 years from December 1 2019, when the current contract held by Deutsche Bahn ends. The public transport services covered carry around 4 million passengers on ...
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NewsVivarail battery-powered demonstrator on test
UK: Vivarail has begun testing a former London Underground D78 car which it has converted into a demonstrator vehicle for the use of onboard batteries. Testing of the vehicle’s range and performance are being undertaken at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre, to help inform plans for the future development of ...
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NewsCables designed to increase fire safety
CABLES: Industrial cabling supplier Nexans has launched the Flamex SI-FR range of fire-resistant cables for onboard power and control systems. These are designed to withstand harsh operating conditions including variations in temperature, snow, rain, sunlight and heavy vibration, and can also operate at up to 170°C with a maximum operating ...
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NewsRFI approves WEGH under-sleeper pads
ITALY: Infrastructure manager RFI has approved the use of WEGH Group’s concrete sleepers with under-sleeper pads on the national network. The USP has two surfaces, one attached to the underside of the sleeper using a machine built by WEGH’s Olmi division to ensure consistency, and a resilient portion which is ...
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Metro Report InternationalFreiburg offers electric cargo bike hire
GERMANY: Freiburg public transport operator VAG and the Südbaden branch of motoring association ADAC have added two electric cargo bikes to the city’s existing cargo bike hire offering. The city’s free LastenVelo Freiburg cargo bike hire service already has three three-wheel and two two-wheel conventional cargo cycles. ...
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NewsFleet monitoring by app
SPAIN: Maintenance systems specialist NEM Solutions has developed an app-based fleet management system which enables rail operators to check the condition of rolling stock from a smart phone or hand-held device. This allows users to monitor their vehicles from any location. The AURA Rail App works with trains that are ...
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Metro Report InternationalTaking a regional approach to journey planning
FRANCE: The Syndicat Mixte Intermodal Régional de Transports grouping of transport authorities in northern France has become the first organisation to deploy Conduent’s Mobility Companion Platform. The journey planner aims to simplify and encourage the use of public transport across the region. The passpass.fr website enables door-to-door ...
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NewsAlstom’s iLint fuel cell trainset starts dynamic testing
EUROPE: Alstom has completed the first dynamic tests of its Coradia iLint fuel cell multiple-unit. In trials undertaken on the test track at Alstom’s Salzgitter factory in Germany where it was built, the Coradia iLint has achieved running speeds of up to 80 km/h, the company reports. Alstom has ...
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NewsAirline-inspired train seat launched
SEATS: Transcal has launched its Aerolite train seat, which is intended to be ‘lighter, slimmer and more comfortable’ than other options. The manufacturer says the Aerolite seat is one of the lightest on the market at 22 kg per passenger-place, with a slim profile which can be used to provide ...
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Metro Report InternationalBART analyses results of crowd-reduction trial
USA: BART and the San Francisco County Transportation Authority have released preliminary results of the BART Perks pilot, which rewarded passengers who travel outside the morning peak with cash rewards. The six-month trial ran from August 30 to February 28. Inspired by a similar project launched in ...
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NewsTranswaggon gets Savvy telematics
EUROPE: Leasing company Transwaggon and ScandFibre Logistics have awarded Swiss firm Savvy Telematic Systems a five-year contract to supply and support Cargo Trac-I digital tracking equipment for 3 000 wagons. Installation began in February, following the completion of trials with an initial 50 vehicles which confirmed that the batteries could ...
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Metro Report InternationalAlstom and NTL launch Aptis electric bus prototype
FRANCE: Alstom and NTL presented a prototype of the Aptis electric bus at NTL’s factory in Duppigheim in eastern France on March 9. Alstom says that the vehicle is based on a tram design, with roof-mounted equipment and a mostly low floor. The vehicle is 12 m long, 2 ...
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Metro Report InternationalFoshan hydrogen fuel cell tram contract signed
CHINA: CRRC Qingdao Sifang is to supply eight hydrogen fuel cell trams for a route being developed in Foshan, the supplier announced on March 9. Each tram will have capacity for 285 passengers and a maximum speed of 70 km/h. They will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells developed ...
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Metro Report InternationalLondon creates its first low-emission bus zone
UK: The first of 12 low-emission bus zones planned for London’s most polluted streets started operating on March 9. The zone in the southwestern district of Putney will only permit buses achieving strict Euro-6 emissions standards to operate across the seven routes that pass through it. This ...
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NewsLED signs reduce bridge bashes
UK: The number of lorries hitting the Thurlow Park Road railway bridge at Tulse Hill in south London has dropped from 11 in six months to seven in the six months since Swarco Traffic supplied six full-colour full matrix LED electronic warning signs. At one point the bridge was ...