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PINNED
In-Depth Focus: Rail Asset Management
As rail networks modernise and expand, the role of intelligent, resilient asset management has become more vital than ever.
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Rail Articles
Development of ERTMS in Europe and the Rest of the World
10 December 2010 | By Patrick Clipperton, Chairman of the UNIFE ERTMS Marketing Group
The first thoughts for the implementation of a unified train control system to facilitate the plan of freight and passenger trains in Europe working in an interoperable and cross border manner arose in the early 1990s as the map for a unified European transport system emerged from the initial stages…
The role of the European Railway Agency for ERTMS – answering the challenge
10 December 2010 | By Pio Guido, Head of the ERTMS Unit, European Railway Agency (ERA)
Railways epitomise the triumph of engineering. From the early exploits of technological progress in the Victorian age, to the most recent speed records, from the age of steam power to the age of power semiconductors, engineering prowess has always been closely associated with the railway world. Engineers have been successful…
Innovation and experience
10 December 2010 | By AF Group
The ÅF Group is a leader in technical consulting, with expertise founded on more than a century of experience. The ÅF Group offers highly qualified services and solutions for industrial processes, infrastructure projects and the development of products and IT systems. Today, the ÅF Group has approximately 4,000 employees. The…
Three new connections in the Portuguese network
10 December 2010 | By Romeu Costa Reis, Member of the Board, REFER EPE
In 2010, REFER EPE – the Portuguese rail infrastructure manager – opens three new connections of great importance for the rail network in Portugal. Three investments in the Main Network, considered as priorities in the Strategic Guidelines for the Railway Sector established by the Portuguese Government in 2006, include the…
Deploying Neopul’s know-how in Dublin
10 December 2010 | By Paulo Jorge Ribeiro Corte Real de Oliveira, Project Manager, Neopul
This report describes Neopul’s work on the Luas b1-400 extension of the Green Line from the Sandyford depot to Cherrywood industrial estate, which was opened to the public on 16 October 2010. The green line was the existing connection from Dublin city centre (St. Stephen’s Green Station) and the recent…
Adapting rail infrastructure to climate change: cooperation pays off
10 December 2010 | By Hendrik Abma, Executive Director, EIM (European Rail Infrastructure Managers)
The unexpected heavy snow falls and low temperatures of the last winter have shown how vulnerable transport infrastructure is to extreme or unusual weather conditions. More severe winters are just one of the consequences of climate change that affect Europe and its transport system. Heat waves, megafires and floods appear…
The Spanish rail industry – pioneer in technological advances
20 September 2010 | By Pedro Fortea, Director at MAFEX (the Spanish Association of Manufacturers and Exporters of Equipment and Services for the Railway Industry)
Spanish rail companies represent a pioneering industry that has become one of the main reference points in many transport projects worldwide due to their expertise and highly developed technological advances. The Spanish rail industry has experienced significant growth during recent years as a result of the technological advances developed by…
Winter delays and disruption – combating the cold
20 September 2010 | By Gunnar Malm, Director General, Trafikverket – the Swedish Transport Administration
The hard winter of 2009/2010 led to major disruptions to train services in Sweden. In April 2010, the Swedish Transport Administration initiated an inquiry intended to show how great the delays were that affected passenger and goods services, how great a cost to society they entailed, what caused the delays,…
Strengthening Sweden’s development through investments in very high-speed rail
20 September 2010 | By Sören Belin, Coordinator, Future Rail Sweden
Sweden is one of the European countries where railway has played an important role during the last two decades. Increasing railway traffic, more passengers and more freight transport is the result of improved quality and general awareness of the benefits of the railway. With more people commuting and more freight…
SJ – from Public Authority to Limited Liability Company
20 September 2010 | By Elisabeth Lindgren, Vice President Corporate Communications, SJ AB
It is difficult to pinpoint the event that was the most important in SJ’s 150-year history. Was it when the government took over all of the country’s private railways in 1939? Was it when the infrastructure maintenance division was spun off in 1988? Was it the introduction of the X2000…
Successful renovation of Arlanda Express
17 September 2010 | By Per Thorstenson, President, Arlanda Express & CEO, A-Train AB
Arlanda Express, the Swedish airport train between Arlanda Airport and central Stockholm, is rebuilding its trains to meet future requirements for environmentally friendly travel. It has been possible to increase the number of seats onboard by 20%, while at the same time providing even greater comfort than previously using modern…
ASTOC continues to help shape Sweden’s future transport policy
17 September 2010 | By Gunnar Alexandersson, Senior Policy Adviser, The Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC)
The Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies (ASTOC) acts on behalf of Sweden’s train operators. It seeks to represent the interests of commercial rail traffic in its dealing with the Government and Parliament, authorities, business principals, the media and other bodies. ASTOC also assists in increasing the rail industry’s know-how…
Measuring and modelling safety risk on GB’s mainline railways
17 September 2010 | By Ben Gilmartin, Senior Safety Risk Analyst, Safety Knowledge and Planning, Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB)
The mainline railway in Great Britain has a responsibility to understand and measure safety risk to be able to manage safety of its operations properly. However, the task of quantifying levels of safety meaningfully can be difficult, especially for those rare accidents with potential for serious consequences. RSSB’s Safety Risk…
The technology behind the mobile ticketing structure of thetrainline.com
17 September 2010 | By Richard Rowson, Product Development Director, thetrainline.com
It’s not an obvious association, but since their conception, train tickets have been a source of innovation and engineering triumph.
SMART – the future for Northern California rail
17 September 2010 | By Lillian Hames, General Manager, SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) and Chris Coursey, Public Information Officer, SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit)
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) is a commuter rail and parallel bicycle-pedestrian pathway project located in San Francisco’s North Bay area. SMART will provide a rail service along 70 miles of the historic Northwestern Pacific Railroad alignment. Utilising the publicly owned railroad right of way, the project will serve 14…
