Technology news – Page 8
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Rail Business UKMaternity, medical and hijab options in Network Rail PPE contract
UK: An inclusive range of PPE products is to be offered by Direct Corporate Clothing, which has announced a ‘breakthrough’ contract to supply Network Rail. The renewable four-year contract, secured after an extensive tendering and trialling process, includes waterproof foul-weather garments, flame-retardant and arc-protection clothing, high-visibility ...
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NewsOn-train connectivity rolls out
EUROPE: Following successful trials on the UK’s Island Line, FirstGroup’s railway telecoms company Evo-rail has worked with Comsa to install its Rail-5G on-train connectivity technology on the Figueres - Perpignan high speed line between Spain and France. Evo-rail said the mmWave technology which uses trackside antenna ...
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NewsTrain noise reduction collaboration
SPAIN: Wheelset supplier CAF MiiRA is to work with Basque region train operator Euskotren to test technology designed to reduce significantly the noise generated by train wheels. Used mainly in monobloc wheels, the constrained layer damper system is tuned to damp the most relevant modes of ...
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Rail Business UKPlastic waste 3D printing project wins LNER Futurelabs accelerator competition
UK: London North Eastern Railway has announced the winners of its fourth annual Futurelabs accelerator programme for start-ups and SMEs. The themes were to encourage passengers to choose rail, to strengthen the sustainability of the network, to create a frictionless journey, and to explore emerging technology. ...
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Rail Business UKVirtual station tours to help passengers plan ahead
UK: East Midlands Railway has worked with Virtual Tour Experts Ltd to create online navigation guidance to help passengers with journeys through Derby, Sheffield, Nottingham, Lincoln and Kettering stations. Users can access information about all of the public areas in each station, including toilets, customer service ...
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NewsNSW TrainLink booking system contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: Transport for New South Wales has commissioned Estonian company Turnit and its local partner Spiketech to supply a replacement booking system for NSW TrainLink long-distance services. This will provide an end-to-end digital platform to plan, book and pay for regional train and coach services used ...
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NewsAutonomous battery-powered wagons to be tested in Georgia
USA: Genesee & Wyoming is to pilot the use of autonomous battery-powered wagons on two short lines in Georgia, saying the technology from Parallel Systems could be used to transport containers to and from the Port of Savannah, reinvigorate rural railways, revive inland ports and remove ...
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Rail Business UKSignalbox develops Transport for Wales live train map
UK: Transport for Wales Rail has worked with technology company Signalbox to develop a live digital map showing the location of all its trains, enabling passengers to view their journey in real time and see expected arrival times at each station. Signalbox currently uses live data ...
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NewsTaking the halogens out of flame retardants
UK: Textile manufacturer Camira has developed a non-halogenated flame-retardant treatment for wool fabrics used in rolling stock and other public transport applications. The company says that in comparison to conventional flammability treatments, NitroPhlam365 reduces CO2 emissions, energy and water usage by 15%. It also avoids the ...
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Rail Business UKAir-purifying totems trial at Birmingham New Street station
UK: The use of air-purifying totems to reduce the impact of diesel train exhaust fumes on air quality is to be tested at Birmingham New Street station. The Pluvo Column devices take in air at the bottom of the totem and pass it through a series ...
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Rail Business UKTunnel drilling rig increases output and safety
UK: AmcoGiffen has developed a drill rig to assist Transport for Wales and principal contractor Amey Infrastructure Wales with the installation of two high voltage 60 mm² cable routes in the crown of the Caerphilly tunnel. The rig can be operated remotely from a trailer to ...
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NewsAutomated train positioning trials
GERMANY: Fully automated operation of regional passenger trains has moved a step closer with the launch this month of the AutomatedTrain project by Deutsche Bahn and partners from industry and research. Forming part of the Digital Schiene Deutschland (Digital Rail Germany) initiative, the project aims to ...
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NewsActive Audio amplifies announcements in Leuven
BELGIUM: The quality and audibility of acoustic announcements at Leuven station has been enhanced through the installation of a set of advanced loudspeakers to a novel design. French supplier Active Audio says the installation is the largest deployment to date of its steerable StepArray SA180S column ...
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NewsHamburg S-Bahn to trial digital energy saving controls
GERMANY: As part of the Digitale S-Bahn Hamburg programme, the city of Hamburg, Deutsche Bahn and Siemens Mobility are to trial an intelligent operations control system aimed at making operations more energy efficient. Signing a co-operation accord on July 18, the three partners agreed to invest ...
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NewsEurostar check-in biometric verification goes live
The SmartCheck biometric check-in and UK border exit system has gone live at Eurostar’s London St Pancras station; Railway Gazette International tries it out and speaks to the high speed train operator and supplier iProov.
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Rail Business UKAvanti West Coast launches real-time interactive train map
UK: Technology company Signalbox has developed a customised interactive live map for Avanti West Coast’s website which enables passengers to track their train in real-time. This builds on Signalbox’s technology which tracks and maps National Rail trains. Users can follow the service on which they are ...
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In depthSpace Technology: European aerospace bodies see rail opportunities
European aerospace organisations ESA and EUSPA are developing dedicated initiatives aimed at facilitating the use of satellite technology in rail applications, with ERTMS a particular focus. Nick Kingsley reports.
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Rail Business UKViaduct design automation software saves time and carbon
UK: In what HS2 Ltd says is a first for the construction industry, it has used Altair’s OptiStruct aerospace and automotive design software to develop an automated civil engineering design process which it says can reduce embedded carbon in viaducts by up to 10% and shrink ...
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News‘Over and back’ speeds Brisbane ETCS testing
AUSTRALIA: Hitachi Rail has adopted ‘over and back’ switching principles to speed up the testing of digital train control systems being installed on the southeast Queensland rail network. ETCS Level 2 operation is being introduced in conjunction with Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project, which will see ...
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Metro Report InternationalEasy to use app for more inclusive route planning
GERMANY: Berlin-Brandenburg transport authority VBB has launched VBB Easy, a route planning app designed for ease of use by people with cognitive impairments or mobility limitations, or anyone who prefers a particularly simple app. Developed by Siemens Mobility company Hacon, VBB Easy is designed to have ...