The French railway operator SNCF has commenced six months of performance testing of a new prototype that generates energy from PV panels placed on non-operational railway tracks. SNCF possesses vast land reserves in France – …
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Visit to the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (RailAdvent)
We were recently invited by BCIMO [Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation] to the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley, West Midlands, to see a couple of the projects that are taking place there. …
Continue readingWorld’s first electric hydrofoil ferry begins service in Stockholm (Cruise&Ferry)
The world’s first electric hydrofoil ferry, Nova, has entered service in Stockholm, Sweden. Nova departed from its dock in the suburb of Tappström and completed the 15-kilometre route to Stockholm’s City Hall in just over …
Continue readingVehicle Speed-Limiting Technology Gets State Law Foothold (Governing)
A new Virginia law will allow judges to require intelligent speed assistance devices for people with repeat reckless driving offenses. Advocates are pushing for similar policies in other states. In Brief: Last month, a driver …
Continue readingFaster US Passenger Rail: A Future of Rapid Service Study (Archyde)
New Study Proposes Rail Modernization Plan to Cut Commute Times Across America A groundbreaking study, Momentum, from NYU’s Marron Institute, unveils a pragmatic plan to revitalize U.S. passenger rail by focusing on strategic upgrades to …
Continue readingAn e-bike that charges off USB-C (TheVerge)
Ampler made one of the first modern e-bikes I ever tested, and now it’s selling the first commercial electric bikes — the Nova and Nova Pro — I’m aware of that can be charged over a USB-C port …
Continue readingThe rise of the heavy-lift cargo drone (TheEngineer)
Unmanned heavy-lift cargo drones could reshape the world of air freight. Jon Excell talks to Dronamics, one of the firms at the forefront of this aviation frontier. Disruptive innovations often have the most unlikely origin stories. In the case …
Continue readingSpecial test event for Great Western Railway’s fast-charge battery trial (RailUK)
A special test event saw 250 volunteers board Great Western Railway’s battery train to help provide valuable insight for its industry-leading trial. The ‘High Passenger Load’ operation tested energy consumption and will form part of …
Continue readingTranspennine Route Upgrade Work & Electrification Ramps Up: Video (RailFocus)
This video looks at the progress that has been made in and around Huddersfield station, and looks at the upcoming closure of the route through Huddersfield. Transpennine Route Upgrade Work & Electrification progress video
Continue readingNew Flyer have cracked the electric bus market. How did they do it? (ElectricAutonomy)
Many companies are having mixed experiences in Canada’s EV ecosystem lately, but (at least from the outside) Winnipeg-based New Flyer Industries doesn’t seem to be one of them. To industry spectators, New Flyer — a …
Continue readingSwitzerland, where the Post still takes the train (Mediarail)
Swiss Post has long relied on rail transport for the delivery of letters and parcels. Switzerland has become a virtual exception, while in other European countries, “small parcels” and mail no longer travel by train …
Continue readingScotRail Begins Trials of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil – HVO – fuel (Railway-News)
ScotRail has begun trialling Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) as an alternative to diesel in one of its Class 156 train units. The trial was initiated on 19 February, and is set to run for 12 …
Continue readingPlans Submitted for the Future Modernised Cardiff Central Railway Station (TfW)
The full business case for the proposed improvements at Cardiff Central station was submitted at the end of last year and planning documents will be submitted soon. The delivery of the scheme is subject to …
Continue readingWest London Orbital: Progress & Feasibility (Permanent Way Institute – PWI)
We [DEM Overground] have been working with Network Rail who have undertaken timetable assessment, traction power modelling, and internal sponsorship activities for the scheme. To read the Technical Presentation To watch the West London Orbital …
Continue readingRenewable Energy-On-Rails Scheme To Cure Transmission Line Blues (CleanTechnica)
Renewable energy developers in the US are facing a bottleneck of epic proportions as they jockey for limited space on the nation’s aging network of long distance transmission lines. Building new transmission infrastructure would help, …
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