• Riding the rails: a visual guide to the latest stretch of the Sydney Metro (The Guardian) • Thousands to be refunded after rail fare evasion convictions declared void (LBC) • New developer funding found …
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And then there was AI: Deutsche Bahn’s experience (RailEngineer)
Rail Engineer Issue 136 described many operators using Remote Condition Monitoring (RCM) and a few pioneers making baby steps in Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM). Roll forward to 2023, and there was a consensus that RCM has …
Continue readingItaly tests new high speed 200 km/h self-driving inspection pod (RailTech)
Italy has successfully tested its prototype for a fully autonomous Unmanned Railway Vehicle (URV) that can map critical safety and efficiency issues along the nation’s high-speed rail network. Running at up to 200 km/h, the …
Continue readingMonday’s Friday Reads – 29 July 2024
• French rail network hit by arson attacks before Olympics opening ceremony (Guardian) • 400% increase in GPS Spoofing; Workgroup established (OpsGroup) • Germany, autobahn: Will there finally be speed limits? (Slate) • Reflections of …
Continue readingChinese carbon fibre metro trainset to enter service (MetroReport)
CRRC Qingdao Sifang has unveiled its six-car Cetrovo 1.0 Carbon Star Express metro trainset, which features carbon fibre composite bodyshells, bogies and other load-bearing structures. The manufacturer says the material is five times stronger than …
Continue readingElephant detection system to be deployed on Indian Railways (RailwayGazette)
Indian Railways has commissioned Sensonic to deploy an elephant detection system, with the aim of reducing the risk of collisions which can dangerous for trains and fatal for the animals. The distributed acoustic sensing network …
Continue readingJapanese railway introduces giant infrastructure robot (RailwayTechnology)
West Japan Railways (West JR), one of six companies that make up Japan Railways Group, has unveiled a giant “humanoid robot” to work on heavy machinery on its lines. The as yet unnamed tool is described …
Continue readingNew virtual Greater Anglia station tour to aid accessibility (RailTechnology)
Witham Station has become the 18th Greater Anglia station to be given the virtual treatment, along with the operator’s entire new fleet, in a campaign to reduce the anxiety of passengers before they travel. The …
Continue readingComposites can accelerate rail’s decarbonisation journey (TheEngineer)
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), trains are one of the least emissions-intensive modes of passenger transport[1]. However, it’s important to note that these calculations predominantly focus on ‘direct emissions’ – the physical burning …
Continue readingHyperTunnel (not HyperLoop!) Wins Government Backing for Revolutionary Tech (RailTechnology)
Pioneering tunnel builders hyperTunnel have scored a major coup, securing UK government funding to showcase their revolutionary swarm construction technique at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales. Their underpass project is one of …
Continue readingHow AI & Sensors are Transforming Depot Operations (RailTechnology)
A groundbreaking British project is using artificial intelligence to give locomotives the once-over. The aptly named DepotMATE (Multi-sensor Automated Train Examination) project, which has been backed by the Department for Transport, is developing a system …
Continue readingSodium-ion batteries in the USA – Beating China at their own game: Video (JustHaveAThink)
China has cornered the market in green energy transition technologies in recent years, and very effectively gained control of raw material supply chains so any other country has to go through them to get things …
Continue readingQuantum train location testing on London Underground (Metro Report)
Researchers are using a London Underground train to test whether quantum inertial navigation systems could be used to provide accurate location information for condition-based monitoring, train control and signalling applications without needing satellites or lineside equipment. This …
Continue readingApplying drone tech to rail to develop autonomous rail cars (RailwayTechnology)
US-based startup Intramotev is on a mission to take rail freight into a new era. The Missouri-based company is focusing on developing a battery electric autonomous rail car, enabling freight to move with the flexibility …
Continue readingTech to tackle train surfers & cycle thieves (RailBusinessUK)
The Docklands Light Railway is to be equipped with technology which can detect ‘train surfers’ illegally clinging to the back of its automated trains or between vehicles. The system is being deployed by Telent, which has extensive …
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