List view / Grid view
26 November 2007 | By Harald Loy, System Engineer, Getzner Werkstoffe GmbH
Geometrical discontinuities along turnouts can lead to strong localised variations of superstructure loads. By using Under Sleeper Pads (USP) with varying stiffness, the bedding conditions can be optimised and as a result the turnout area can be smoothed out. Modern railway tracks need to be able to bear the loads…
26 November 2007 | By Jean-Daniel Nast, Technical Director of Bogies, Alstom Transport
Alstom’s high-speed bogies are the result of a joint collaboration with SNCF which started some 30 years ago in the frame of the TGV development...
26 November 2007 | By Goran Mandic, Chief Engineer ATC/ERTMS and GSM-R, Passenger Traffic, NSB
NSB enters the fourth quarter of 2007 with historical results. The Norwegian media is reporting an approximate revenue increase of 10% for the first half of 2007 and an equivalent increase in passenger traffic. If this trend continues, the total number of passengers for this year is estimated to reach…
26 November 2007 | By Dipl.-Ing. Felix Amberg, President of COSUF and Chairman of Amberg Engineering Ltd/Hagerbach Test Gallery Ltd and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Alfred Haack, Past-Chairman, STUVA e.V.,
COSUF – the ITA-Committee on Operational Safety of Underground Facilities, was set-up in May 2005 at the ITA World Tunnel Congress in Istanbul, Turkey. This important step followed a joint initiative of eight European research projects which all aimed at improved tunnel safety after the disastrous fire accidents in various…
26 November 2007 | By Dr. Konstantin von Diest, Head of Development, Stahlberg Roensch
A railway track represents a large investment that is not only meant to enable safe, fast and comfortable passenger and freight traffic, but is also expected to be permanently available. The track should allow decades of intense utilisation with no major interruptions. Track possessions for maintenance work or premature failure…
26 November 2007 | By Jens Kleeberg, General Manager for Track Design, RAIL.ONE International GmbH
The international increase in transportation volume throughout the world over recent years has led to a revival in railway traffic. This has in turn resulted in an appreciable number of technical innovations and an enhancement in railway technology in the areas of rolling stock, train control and track engineering.
27 September 2007 | By Kjell-Åke Averstad, Project Manager, Banverket
For more than 20 years, there has been a political discussion about more rail lines running through Stockholm. For the same length of time, hundreds of thousands of travellers have endured heavy trafficked rolling stock. At both mornings and evenings, the long-distance, high-speed, commuter and even freight trains have waited…
26 September 2007 | By Per-Olof Granbom, Director General, Banverket
Since last February, Banverket has taken on a new identity. The organisation is now totally focused on the customer: providing a higher level of reliability and punctuality and stopping the increasing costs for major investment projects. “If rail transport is to have a future, we must ensure the quality of…
26 September 2007 | By Katarina Norén, Director of Strategy and Marketing, Banverket
Railway infrastructure investments in Sweden are presently substantially higher compared with preceding planning periods. Reversing climate change while maintaining continued economic growth are political priorities and an expanded railway system can help fulfil both these objectives.
26 September 2007 | By Claes Broström, Vice President of Fleet Management, SJ
From the threat of bankruptcy to the position of a profitable travel company in just a few years, SJ is now crowning themselves as the most efficient and profitable train company in Europe. But with Sweden’s old rail infrastructure still in use means that SJ is struggling to keep up…
26 September 2007 | By José Alves Monteiro, General Director of Strategic Planning & Control, REFER
In our last article (published in ERR 4/06) concerning the plans, projects and priorities of REFER, we presented a general perspective of the public infrastructure investment in the conventional network corresponding to the most urgent ones and it also gave some information about the development of the high-speed project. Approximately…
26 September 2007 | By Carlos Alberto João Fernandes, Member of the Board, RAVE
RAVE is a company that develops and co-ordinates the projects and studies that are necessary to facilitate decision-making in the context of planning, constructing, financing and operating a high-speed rail network that is to be established in continental Portugal along with its planned connections to the high-speed railway network in…
26 September 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review and Joaquin Jiménez Otero, International Affairs Direction, ADIF
Heavy investments will be made in the Spanish railway network in forthcoming years. The Spanish railway network has been split into separate companies managing the railway infrastructure (ADIF) and train operations (Renfe). There is strong political impetus to invest in the railways, with the 15-year Strategic Plan for Transport Infrastructure…
26 September 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review
Completion of the first high-speed line in Spain 15 years ago gave Renfe a new confidence and investment in the network is continuing at a sustained pace. Spain has one of the fastest–growing railway networks in Europe. Renfe (Spanish National Railways) gained a new confidence with the opening of the…
26 September 2007 | By Steffen Knape, Director, Eurailscout
Corrugation on rails causes severe damage to the railway infrastructure. Corrugation causes noise, additional stress in the rails and high frequency vibration which damages the subsoil; squats can also occur if rail head corrugation is not controlled.
