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Rail Articles

Velaro E conquers high-speed in Spain

1 August 2008 | By Jürgen Model, General Manager for High-Speed Trains in Spain and Portugal and Angel Pérez-Cerezo, Member of Project Management for Velaro E, Siemens AG

How the Velaro E has met the challenging requirements of the high-speed service in Spain, with a focus on reliability, safety and passenger appeal.

Crime reduction commitment from First Capital Connect

1 August 2008 | By Tony Holland, Crime Prevention Manager, First Capital Connect

With First Capital Connect’s new CCTV control centre now in operation, Tony Holland, Crime Prevention Manager, outlines how it will help them further increase security and reduce crime on the Network.

Rail safety initiatives on the right track

1 August 2008 | By Mr. Julian Lindfield, Director of Safety & Compliance, Network Rail

As Network Rail carries out its ambitious plans for Britain’s growing railway, keeping the railway safe remains one of the top priorities. Indeed, there is no other form of transport safer than rail and Network Rail is determined to maintain this record – not only for passengers, but for the…

Achieving a successful GSM-R radio plan

1 August 2008 | By Robert Sarfati, Chairman of the UIC ERTMS/GSM-R Operators Group and Director Consultant in charge of ERTMS Systems, SYSTRA and Lovan Pushparatnam, Senior Telecommunications Engineer, SYSTRA

Railways across Europe and in other parts of the world are replacing their analogue operational radio communications networks by a digital system called GSM-R. This is an enhanced version of the hugely successful public cellular radio standard, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) which has additional features to meet the…

Setting rolling stock technical and safety standards

1 August 2008 | By Craig Waters, Commissioning Editor, Global Railway Review

Fire safety and risk assessment of rolling stock is an important aspect of our industry. To gauge an understanding of what requirements are involved and to assess what the future holds, we put four questions to the train operating company First Capital Connect, and to the notified body and railway…

Continuous Nordic rail development

1 August 2008 | By Craig Waters, Commissioning Editor, Global Railway Review

A round-up of the Nordic Rail Infrastructure conference, organised by Global Railway Review, which took place at the Marriot Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark on 16 and 17 June 2008.

Recognising the importance of high-speed rail in Norway

28 May 2008 | By Lars Erik Nybø, Project Manager for High-Speed Study, Jernbaneverket

Studies commissioned by Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian National Rail Administration, show potential for developing a high-speed network designed for Norwegian conditions.

Strategies aiming to double Norwegian freight traffic

28 May 2008 | By Anita Skauge, Executive Director of Strategic Planning, Jernbaneverket

Freight traffic on Norwegian railways is enjoying strong growth. All the operators on the network are reporting increased demand – signalling the need to run additional and longer freight trains. A few sections are already operating beyond their capacity. Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian National Rail Administration, is responding to this trend…

Finland’s longest railway tunnel is under construction

28 May 2008 | By Erkki Mäkelä, Chief Inspector of Investment Department, Finnish Railway Administration (RHK) and Timo Cronvall, Head of Geotechnics and Rock Engineering, VR-Track Ltd / Railway Consulting

A new harbour is presently being built in Finland’s capital and will be ready by the end of 2008. The harbour is located in Vuosaari, approximately 15km from the centre of Helsinki (see Figure 1). The Vuosaari Harbour project includes the construction of a cargo harbour as well as traffic…

The search for the train of the future

28 May 2008 | By Emil Eike, Project Manager for New EMUs, Stein Nilsen, Group Director and Director of Passenger Trains Division and Torod Gjermundsen, Director of Technical Services, NSB AS

There is no doubt that trains are the future of transport – and for NSB, the future starts now, as the groundwork is being laid to make the train the number one means of transport in Norway. Emil Eike, together with Stein Nilsen and Torod Gjermundsen, explain to readers of…

The study of level crossing safety in Finland

28 May 2008 | By Esko Värttiö, Chief Railway Accident Investigator, Accident Investigation Board of Finland (AIBF)

In Finland, railway undertaker VR and Finnish Rail Administration (RHK) became concerned in 2005 about the high number of level crossing accidents. VR sent a letter to the Accident Investigation Board of Finland (AIBF) and asked for it to take action to prevent level crossing accidents. They had noticed that…

Strong developments for rebuilding the Danish railway

28 May 2008 | By Claus Rehfeld, Director of Construction & Renewals, Banedanmark

In 2005, the Danish railway experienced a major crisis, suffering massive delays due to poor track standards and failing signalling systems. Two issues were behind the problems; the railway had been, and was, under-funded and there was a significant lack of technical and managerial control of the infrastructure. Lack of…

The PKP family is working in harmony

28 May 2008 | By Mr. Robert Kuczynski, Head of Social Communication and Marketing Department, PKP Group

The PKP Group was established in 2001, as a result of a restructuring programme of the State-Owned Enterprise, Polish State Railways. The reform was aimed at the separation of railway operating activity and the management of railway lines as well as to set up independent commercial entries. The PKP Group…

Essential steps of CD Cargo for improved performance

28 May 2008 | By Josef Bazala, CEO, CD Cargo

The newly-founded, independent organisation, CD Cargo, intends to concentrate on renewing its rolling-stock, supporting the construction of logistics centres and improving the quality of the services it provides to its customers. In an interview for Global Railway Review, Josef Bazala, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of…