A hydrogen bus fleet rolls out in France. The new service will see eight 18-metre long Van Hool buses operate on a 6km dedicated line in the centre of Pau. The world’s first hydrogen-powered bus …
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UBir reopens aerodynamic train facility (UKRRIN)
The University of Birmingham’s Transient Aerodynamic Investigation (TRAIN) facility, based in Derby’s Rail Technology Centre (RTC) business park, has reopened following a £1.5 million renovation and upgrade. The TRAIN rig is a unique facility which …
Continue readingMonday’s Friday Reads – 16 March 2020
• Curzon Street Station’s 1st roundhouse found in HS2 dig (Nodrog) • Whence went the flying boat – the Saunders-Roe Princess Story (Mustard) • Germany’s intercity cycle superhighway (InterestingEngineering) • Meet Montréal’s REM – Sydney …
Continue readingGov’t to Councils: build over railway stations (Construct’nIndex)
Housing secretary Robert Jenrick has published proposals for more changes to the planning system to encourage more house-building in town centres and above railway stations. Next month the government will launch a register of brownfield …
Continue readingMTR deploys robots to disinfect trains (Int’lRailJ)
HONG Kong’s Mass Transit Railway (MTR) is deploying 20 Vaporised Hydrogen Peroxide (VHP) robots to deep clean trains at depots as well as stations to improve protection against the spread of coronavirus. The VHP Robot …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 13 March 2020
• Plans for Hackney Central station 2nd entrance move ahead (HackneyCitizen) • The Parisian ‘taxi robot’ people mover experiment, Aramis (FabricOfParis) • The LA sports team named after a transit mode (CityLab) • Public transport …
Continue readingUK’s 5 rail crunch points (PoliticsHome)
If the new Chancellor wants to ‘level up’ UK rail, he needs to overcome five crunch points, writes Darren Caplan, Chief Executive of the Railway Industry Association. In the Spring Budget, we have the chance …
Continue readingSick of tech disrupters, LA becomes one (CityLab)
In spring 2018, Seleta Reynolds, the general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, issued a grave warning about the new generation of urban transportation companies such as Uber. “A lot of these private …
Continue readingNew Network Rail Innovation programme (GlobalRailway)
Network Rail and Connected Places Catapult (CPC) have launched a new programme, aiming to find innovative solutions to key challenges facing British railway stations today. The programme forms part of Network Rail’s Research, Development & …
Continue readingUsing AI to improve rail maintenance (FutureRail)
The Palo Alto Research Centre (PARC) uses the industrial internet of things and artificial intelligence to develop new predictive rail maintenance and performance management technologies. From the opening of the first line from Tokyo to …
Continue readingMonday’s Friday Reads – 9 March 2020
• Flying Scotswoman service celebrates Int’l Women’s Day (BelfastTelegraph) • New ‘rail to refuge’ free travel to women fleeing domestic abuse (RailBusinessDaily) • Network Rail’s new focus on architecture & design – Part 1 (BeautyOfTransport) …
Continue readingFriday Reads – 6 March 2020
• Tube dust: Union demands tests into ‘toxic’ particles (BBC) • Nancy converting guided bus into a modern tramway (UrbanTransport) • Stockholm’s stunning subterranean subway stations (DavidAltrath) • Ceneri Alps Base Tunnel to open in …
Continue readingMore German operators running hybrid trains (RailTech)
The German railway market is shifting towards the hybrid trains and locomotives. In a few weeks after DB Cargo had purchased 50 hybrid shunters, another German operator embarked on the same path. Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen (VMS), …
Continue readingCities are figuring out e-Scooter regulation (Slate)
The frenzied era of e-scooters is over – The devices became a surprise hit before cities knew how to handle them. They’re finally figuring it out. When they first appeared on the sidewalks of American …
Continue readingEmbedded rail cost reduction project (UKTram)
Engineers from across the light rail sector are joining forces on a project with the potential to save tramway owners and operators hundreds of thousands of pounds in maintenance costs while improving network reliability. Led …
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