Transportation agencies continue to apply predict-and-provide planning which simply extrapolates past trends to predict future needs. It’s time to apply decide-and-provide planning to better achieve community goals. The U.S. Department of Transportation just released its …
Continue readingAuthor: Long Branch Mike
HS2 trial to replace cement with baked clay (ConstructionEnquirer)
The HS2 Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture has secured extra funding to trial repurposed London Clay as a low carbon alternative to cement. The JV is working with Arup, Tarmac, the University of Leeds and …
Continue readingTrojan cars: Why the US fears Chinese cyberattacks on electric vehicles (France24)
The White House announced a plan this week to ban the sale or import of connected vehicles containing “specific pieces of hardware and software” that could be made in China or Russia, citing national security fears. While the …
Continue readingBattery electric and battery hybrid trains: An engineering overview (RailEngineer)
There has been much publicity over the last few months about the use of batteries as a propulsion energy source on trains. For example, in the UK, the first modern battery powered passenger train entered …
Continue readingDiscontinuous Third-Rail Idea for West of England Line (RailMagazine)
‘Islands’ of third-rail electric power are being assessed for the West of England line between Basingstoke and Exeter. Network Rail and South Western Railway have been working for two years on plans to remove diesel …
Continue readingTram-Train from Joint Procurement Unveiled at InnoTrans (MetroReport)
Stadler and Saarbahn have unveiled the first of the Citylink tram-trains to be completed as a part of a huge joint order placed by six German and Austrian transport agencies which have teamed up to …
Continue readingStandardizing Stations & Rolling Stock the Right Way in the US (PedObservations)
Picking consistent standards in order to make use of economies of scale is an important part of good planning. In our construction costs report, we attribute a high cost premium on systems and finishes in New …
Continue readingNight Trains: Massive Orders for 6 Projects in Europe (MediaRail)
Six countries – or rather six operators – in Europe are investing in new night trains by purchasing new rolling stock. Most of the projects are located in the eastern and northern half of Europe. …
Continue readingThe Meaning, & Analysis, of Construction Costs Per Rider (PedestrianObservations)
I’ve written a lot about urban rail construction costs per kilometer, but from time to time, my colleagues and I have been asked about what happens if we compare costs, not per kilometer, but per rider. …
Continue readingResults from the 2023 National Travel Survey analysed (Mobility Matters)
A few weeks back, the latest results from the National Travel Survey for 2023 were released by the Department for Transport. Being the closest thing that transport statistics in the UK has to a bible, it caused …
Continue readingHow sustainable are aviation biofuels really? (Anthropocene)
Jet biofuels are not necessarily less carbon intensive than fossil fuels, say researchers. In a side-by-side comparison of emissions, they found some grasses performed best. Two types of perennial grasses offer the greatest global potential …
Continue readingE-bikes now outsell pedal-only ones across several European countries: Lessons for US Cities (CityLab)
If you think electric bicycles are a hit in the US, check out what’s happening across the Atlantic. Battery-boosted models now comprise a majority of bike sales in several European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, and they’re …
Continue readingUK’s first Intercity battery train hits the tracks (RailMag)
Main line tests have started on the nation’s first intercity battery train. The class 802 bi-mode unit has seen one of its engines replaced and retrofitted with batteries, a first for the UK rail network. …
Continue readingSiemens to build US high-speed rail factory in New York State (RailwayTechnology)
The company said the investment marked the beginning of a brand-new industry in the US with production set to begin in 2026. Siemens Mobility is set to build its first high-speed rail factory in the …
Continue readingTunnel widening system enables railway lines to be electrified (ConstructionIndex)
German railways are using a new system that allows tunnels to be widened while keeping the trains running through. Herrenknecht, better know for its tunnel boring machines, has developed a tunnel widening system (TES) to …
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