Copper cannot be mined quickly enough to keep up with current policies requiring the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), according to a University of Michigan study. Copper is fundamental to electricity generation, distribution and storage. …
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MultiModX Workshop: A Milestone in Seamless Air-Rail Integration (UIC)
On 20 February 2024, the first MultiModX EU project workshop, arranged with the support of the SESAR Joint Undertaking, took place at UIC HQ in Paris, bringing together approximately 50 experts representing the airline, airport, …
Continue readingMuch ado, or not to do, about Level Boarding on Network Rails: Part 2
We just looked at TfL’s efforts to expand step-free access on its network. Level access is definitively patchy on TfL’s network, and the same goes for the Network Rail. Whilst the London Underground is famous …
Continue readingWhat are Hearing Loops, & how do they help the hard of hearing in rail stations? (AccessibleLink)
Hearing loops are vital technology designed to enhance the listening experience for people who use hearing aids. By transmitting sound directly into hearing aids or cochlear implants, hearing loops eliminate background noise, allowing users to …
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 readingPassenger Rights in Multimodal Journeys: Position Paper (UITP)
In its new position paper, UITP presents the views of EU public transport sector on the proposed regulation on passenger rights in multimodal journeys. The proposed regulation, by defining new rules to protect passengers using …
Continue readingDrawing passengers from planes to sleeper trains (RailTech)
The relaunch of the Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) NightJet service between Paris and Berlin at the end of last year is one of the many developments demonstrating a revival in the European night-train market. Reflecting …
Continue readingSan Jose’s Single Bore Tunnel & Station Costs rise billions (PedObservations)
The BART to San Jose extension always had problems, but somehow things are getting worse. A month and a half ago, it was revealed that the projected cost of the 9.6-kilometer line had risen to $12.2 …
Continue readingChina’s CRRC Train Manufacturer: Poor Quality, Late Deliveries, Cancelled Order (RailwayAge)
Almost 10 years ago, CRRC (China Railway Rolling Stock Company), the world’s largest rail rolling stock and railcar components company, a Chinese Communist Party SOE (State-Owned Enterprise), set forth a grand strategy to dominate the …
Continue readingThe History, & Future, of Trolleybuses in Germany (polisMOBILITY)
Until a few years ago, electric buses were a rarity in German mass transit. At the beginning of the millennium, they still existed in three cities: Eberswalde, Esslingen and Solingen. Since the end of the …
Continue readingTfL investing £150m for tech capable of enforcing pay-per-mile road charging (CarWow)
TfL) is investing £150 million into a new platform for existing road user charging schemes, such as ULEZ, and it’ll have the capability to enforce pay-per-mile road charging in the future. A new platform for …
Continue readingOptimism about New York Subway Construction Costs? (PedObservations)
This year, there have been some positive signs about things changing in New York on subway construction – and yet, I’m uncertain about them. There are some signs that construction costs for Second Avenue Subway …
Continue readingWho owns the trains? ROSCOs & their repatriated profits (RailwayTechnology)
All three rolling stock companies, or ROSCOs, have parent companies in low-tax jurisdictions. In the realm of British rail transportation, a curious financial arrangement defines the landscape of locomotives hurtling across England, Scotland, and Wales. …
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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