‘It’s Going to End Up Like Boeing’: How Freight Rail Is Courting Catastrophe – Workers are sounding the alarm that drastic cuts in employees and maintenance in order to increase profits are tempting fate. Just …
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Mini-TBMs could dig future tunnels more efficiently (Wired)
FOR DECADES, ENGINEERS seeking to build tunnels underground have relied on huge tube-like machines armed with a frightening array of cutting wheels at one end—blades that eat dirt for breakfast. These behemoths, called tunnel-boring machines, or TBMs, are …
Continue readingStudy finds London Underground air contains ultrafine metallic pollution (IanVisits)
A study into pollution levels on the London Underground has found ultrafine metallic particles small enough to end up in the human bloodstream, although the study also notes that it’s not clear whether these particles pose a …
Continue readingEvolution of European freight trams (EuroGunzel)
Trams are usually used to carry passengers, but across Europe there are a handful of tramway networks that also carry freight. Pure freight The best known in the English speaking world is the ‘CarGoTram‘ of …
Continue readingRSSB research demonstrates more freight can go by rail (RailUK)
A research project by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) means freight train operators in Great Britain can safely haul more goods wagons per train than current practices allow, improving their environmental impact and …
Continue readingHolistic design concepts rethink train interiors for sustainability (RailwayGazette)
PriestmanGoode has unveiled Green Carriage, a collection of train interior design concepts developed to ’push boundaries for greener systems and processes across the entire interior, rethinking what a future interior can be’. Continue reading
Continue readingHeathrow deploys robotic dog for cargo tunnel refurb (AirportIndustryNews)
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and construction company, Mace have employed a ‘robotic dog’ to help improve efficiency and safety during the refurbishment of the airport’s cargo tunnel. ‘Spot the Dog’ was developed by Boston Dynamics …
Continue readingInside the search for a better electric vehicle battery (Axios)
Battery technologies in development could open the door to widespread adoption of electric vehicles by cramming more energy into a cheaper, smaller package. Why it matters: Consumers won’t embrace electric vehicles until they cost about the …
Continue readingHow the Berlin Mobility Act will transform the city (Autonomy)
In 2018, the Berlin Mobility Act, a groundbreaking piece of legislation was passed. It provides the basis for a realignment of the city and mobility strategy by prioritizing environmentally-friendly modes of mobility over motorized individual …
Continue readingThe Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Standard & global rankings (ITDP)
The BRT Standard is an evaluation tool for world-class bus rapid transit (BRT) based on international best practices. It is also the centerpiece of a global effort by leaders in bus rapid transit design to establish a …
Continue readingSan Jose BART extension single bore tunnel green lit by APTA peer review (RT&S)
In 2017, engineers from several firms performed a study for a proposed joint venture between the Valley Transportation Authority and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system to determine if a single-bore or dual-bore tunneling …
Continue readingROMIS Mobile Maintenance System for track: overview (RailwayNews)
The ROBEL ROMIS Mobile Maintenance System 69.70 is a self-sufficient track maintenance “workshop on wheels” which reduces the outlay in logistics and labour. Its unique design allows access to the track and allows quality maintenance …
Continue readingHow US railroad workers reached breaking point – fewer workers (Slate)
What the average American knows about freight railroads is likely limited to what he sees through his windshield while waiting for a train to pass—and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Grade crossings are a fixture …
Continue reading1m sqft of LA roads & lots being covered w/ solar-reflective paint (FastCompany)
The initiative covers roads, playgrounds, and parking lots, and it has already cooled the surface by 10 to 12 degrees. It’s no secret by now that cities run hotter than the countryside: Fewer trees mean …
Continue reading$16B Hudson tunnel project to begin construction in late 2024 (SmartCitiesDive)
The long-delayed, $16 billion project to repair the existing Amtrak tunnels under the Hudson River and build a new two-track tunnel is about to move forward under the control of the Gateway Development Commission, which became the project …
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