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 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 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 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 readingNetwork Rail trials helicopter surveys to spot failures before they happen (IMechE)
The unique perspective provided by a bird’s eye view can often reveal issues that go unnoticed on the ground, giving engineers an opportunity to spot potential failures before they happen. Network Rail took advantage of …
Continue readingMidlands Connect rail link could save over 13 million minutes a year (RailBusinessDaily)
Leicester’s City Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby joined Midlands Connect and business leaders to pledge their support for the proposed rail link between Coventry, Leicester and Nottingham. At the meeting, at the station, attendees were told that 13.5 …
Continue readingTokyo Subway Construction Costs Deconstructed (PedestrianObservations)
Here is a list of Japanese subways and their construction costs, courtesy of Borners, who has been working on this as well as on a deep dive about London construction costs. I’d been looking for this …
Continue readingHaving to Go on the Go: How US Transit Agencies Are Tackling the Public Bathroom Crisis (Streetsblog)
Lack of public restrooms can be a barrier to using transit — and a devastating problem for those who have no choice but to ride. This company is trying to solve the problem. For decades, …
Continue readingNew York Subway testing system using smartphones to find track defects (AndroidAuthority/Trains)
Your smartphone is utterly packed to the brim with sensor of all kinds. Some of those are out in the open, like the cameras our phones use to image their surroundings, while others are hidden …
Continue readingComparing the 1 & 2 Dimensional Rail Networks of US NorthEast & Germany (PedestrianObservations)
As people on social media compare the German and American rail networks, I’m going to share two graphics from the upcoming Northeast Corridor report, made by Kara Fischer. They are schematic so it’s not possible to …
Continue readingUnderground climate change damaging city foundations (E+T)
Climate change could be having significant effects below the Earth’s surface that are only just starting to receive the attention they warrant. Warnings about the possible consequences of climate change tend to focus on the …
Continue readingProject to utilise muons to assess integrity of aging transport infrastructure (TheEngineer)
Glasgow University’s Dr David Mahon has received £459,000 from UKRI’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to support the project, which aims to reduce the cost and environmental impact of repairs to road and rail bridges by enabling …
Continue readingFoundations Complete for HS2’s Old Oak Common Station (RailUK)
The foundations for Britain’s newest high-speed railway station have been completed at Old Oak Common in London, marking a significant step forward for the HS2 project. The 850-metre-long underground station base, which will house six …
Continue readingChaos down the tracks for Manchester Oxford Road & other stations (RailTech)
Manchester closures could cause chaos for years. Two city centre stations could be closed at the same time, and the outcome could well be no better than it is today. Both stations feed into the …
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