Our transportation systems shape and are shaped by attitudes, norms, and biases. Understanding how to shift these in positive directions can help address the pernicious public health challenges of traffic crashes, urban sprawl, inequities in …
Continue readingAuthor: Long Branch Mike
Tokyo Metro raises $2.3Bn in Japan’s biggest IPO in 6 years (Reuters)
TOKYO, Oct 15 (Reuters) – Tokyo Metro (9023.T) raised 348.6 billion yen ($2.3 billion) in Japan’s largest initial public offering in six years after pricing its IPO at the top of its range, a regulatory filing …
Continue readingWhy is Rail Electrification so Slow in the UK? (NewCivilEng)
Benefits of electrified railways are numerous and they will be vital in achieving net zero, but the electrification rate is worryingly low and an overhaul of the approach is required. An electrified railway is a …
Continue readingStudy finds online shopping worsens air quality in minority & low-income communities (Nature)
Regulators, environmental advocates, and community groups in the United States are concerned about air pollution associated with the proliferating e-commerce and warehousing industries. Nationwide datasets of warehouse locations, traffic, and satellite observations of the traffic-related …
Continue reading35 cities to introduce zero-emission freight zones (CitiesToday)
Clean transport group Clean Cities, has identified 35 cities which have committed to phase-in zero-emission zones for freight ahead of the introduction of the very first zero-emission zones in Europe in 2025. The majority of the cities are …
Continue readingPublic Transport Issues in Converting Retail Barns to Housing (TransportForNewHomes)
One trend we are happy to see is the conversion of large obsolete car dependent out-of-town retail barns to new uses. Although the policy looks good on paper, we have identified some issues from a …
Continue readingThe Risks of Self-Fulfilling Traffic Forecasts (Planetizen)
Transportation agencies continue to apply predict-and-provide planning which simply extrapolates past trends to predict future needs. It’s time to apply decide-and-provide planning to better achieve community goals. The U.S. Department of Transportation just released its …
Continue readingHS2 trial to replace cement with baked clay (ConstructionEnquirer)
The HS2 Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture has secured extra funding to trial repurposed London Clay as a low carbon alternative to cement. The JV is working with Arup, Tarmac, the University of Leeds and …
Continue readingTrojan cars: Why the US fears Chinese cyberattacks on electric vehicles (France24)
The White House announced a plan this week to ban the sale or import of connected vehicles containing “specific pieces of hardware and software” that could be made in China or Russia, citing national security fears. While the …
Continue readingBattery electric and battery hybrid trains: An engineering overview (RailEngineer)
There has been much publicity over the last few months about the use of batteries as a propulsion energy source on trains. For example, in the UK, the first modern battery powered passenger train entered …
Continue readingDiscontinuous Third-Rail Idea for West of England Line (RailMagazine)
‘Islands’ of third-rail electric power are being assessed for the West of England line between Basingstoke and Exeter. Network Rail and South Western Railway have been working for two years on plans to remove diesel …
Continue readingTram-Train from Joint Procurement Unveiled at InnoTrans (MetroReport)
Stadler and Saarbahn have unveiled the first of the Citylink tram-trains to be completed as a part of a huge joint order placed by six German and Austrian transport agencies which have teamed up to …
Continue readingStandardizing Stations & Rolling Stock the Right Way in the US (PedObservations)
Picking consistent standards in order to make use of economies of scale is an important part of good planning. In our construction costs report, we attribute a high cost premium on systems and finishes in New …
Continue readingNight Trains: Massive Orders for 6 Projects in Europe (MediaRail)
Six countries – or rather six operators – in Europe are investing in new night trains by purchasing new rolling stock. Most of the projects are located in the eastern and northern half of Europe. …
Continue readingThe Meaning, & Analysis, of Construction Costs Per Rider (PedestrianObservations)
I’ve written a lot about urban rail construction costs per kilometer, but from time to time, my colleagues and I have been asked about what happens if we compare costs, not per kilometer, but per rider. …
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