West Japan Railways (West JR), one of six companies that make up Japan Railways Group, has unveiled a giant “humanoid robot” to work on heavy machinery on its lines. The as yet unnamed tool is described …
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New virtual Greater Anglia station tour to aid accessibility (RailTechnology)
Witham Station has become the 18th Greater Anglia station to be given the virtual treatment, along with the operator’s entire new fleet, in a campaign to reduce the anxiety of passengers before they travel. The …
Continue readingComposites can accelerate rail’s decarbonisation journey (TheEngineer)
According to the Department for Transport (DfT), trains are one of the least emissions-intensive modes of passenger transport[1]. However, it’s important to note that these calculations predominantly focus on ‘direct emissions’ – the physical burning …
Continue readingHyperTunnel (not HyperLoop!) Wins Government Backing for Revolutionary Tech (RailTechnology)
Pioneering tunnel builders hyperTunnel have scored a major coup, securing UK government funding to showcase their revolutionary swarm construction technique at the Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) in South Wales. Their underpass project is one of …
Continue readingHow AI & Sensors are Transforming Depot Operations (RailTechnology)
A groundbreaking British project is using artificial intelligence to give locomotives the once-over. The aptly named DepotMATE (Multi-sensor Automated Train Examination) project, which has been backed by the Department for Transport, is developing a system …
Continue readingSodium-ion batteries in the USA – Beating China at their own game: Video (JustHaveAThink)
China has cornered the market in green energy transition technologies in recent years, and very effectively gained control of raw material supply chains so any other country has to go through them to get things …
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 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 …
Continue readingNetwork Rail steps back from geofencing over safety fears (The Register)
Network Rail has become the latest company to flag the risks of smart technology implementations despite receiving a safety award for geofencing applications. Network Rail and Connected Places Catapult were given the award at an industry event …
Continue reading$16bn New York City tunnel learning from London tunnel projects (NewCivilEng)
A key member of the newly formed project team set to build the $16bn (£13bn) Hudson Tunnel Project has said how early designs and plans for the scheme are taking learnings from similar tunnelling projects …
Continue readingBringing school bus operations into the 21st century (FastCompany)
As transportation director at Kimberly School District in Kimberly, Idaho, Shonia Gaston knows a lot about work-arounds… “I started as a driver in 1984,” says Gaston. “We had hand-drawn maps.” In the past 40 years …
Continue readingOrder in Very Light Rail – VLR – development (UKTram)
A recent deal that will lead to trials of new lightweight passenger trains has been welcomed by a recently established very light rail (VLR) working party. Late last year, one of the country’s leading rolling …
Continue readingWhere is everybody on the subway going? Modeling riders’ travel patterns at scale (MTA)
What subway station has the most passengers getting on the train? What subway line has the most riders? What subway station has the most passengers getting off the train? These should be easy questions for the MTA …
Continue readingMonday’s Friday Reads – 12 February 2024
• Former District line train to start GWR battery-train trials (IanVisits) • Vienna plans orbital S-Bahn lines (Rail Journal) • Construction to start in March on next phase of Second Avenue Subway (amNewYork) • How …
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