List view / Grid view
14 February 2006 | By Markku Pesonen, Director of Rolling Stock Maintenance Department, VR
The Finnish rail network measures 5,800km consisting of approximately 50% electrified lines and over 90% single-track lines. Both passenger and freight trains, featuring different operating speeds, run on the same network. Roughly 40% of the network is over 30 years old, and due to insufficient financing, the development needs have…
14 February 2006 | By Magnus Jonasson, Vice President Fleet Management Division, SJ
The X 2000 is one of SJ’s leading trains. Compared with other means of transportation it offers its passengers the possibility to use their travel time to work or be entertained. To extend this advantage, SJ have started to develop a system for seamless communication. It has two purposes: the…
14 February 2006 | By Oliver Bratschi, Manager of Railway Engineering, AlpTransit Gotthard AG
AlpTransit Gotthard is creating a flat rail link for future travel through the Alps. At the heart of the new transalpine rail route is the world’s longest tunnel – the 57km Gotthard Base Tunnel. This pioneering achievement of the 21st Century will bring major improvements to travel and transportation systems…
14 February 2006 | By Hans Vogt, Head of Safety and Susanne Stierli, Project Manager of Safety, SBB
Network safety is an issue for both railway undertakings and infrastructure managers, not only with regard to ensuring railway safety but also with regard to establishing a manage-ment system that will guarantee safety remains affordable.
14 February 2006 | By Dr. Dietrich G. Möller, Head of Trains Division, Siemens Transportation Systems
The German railway industry has long been considered a world leader with its innovative products. This also underscores the economic success in a generally difficult market. During the first half of 2005, the German rolling stock industry delivered more than half of its vehicles to foreign customers.
14 February 2006 | By Paul Jenkins, Programme Director, GSM-R Project, Network Rail
Global Railway Review has previously featured articles which have dealt with the in-depth technical nature of GSM-R1. In this report, Paul Jenkins summarises the progress made by Network Rail, the national owner and operator of the railway in the UK, and outline the next steps being taken to implement the…
14 February 2006 | By Helmut Zanzinger, SKZ-TeConA GmbH, Würzburg, Germany
The bearing performance of railway embankments on soft ground can be improved by high strength geosynthetic reinforcement products. Under operating conditions, the reinforcement is submitted to static and dynamic forces. The geosynthetic reinforcement products are made out of polymer materials, which show visco-elastic behaviour. Their long term deformation and strength…
3 November 2005 | By Andrew McNaughton, Chief Engineer, Network Rail & Member of Global Railway Review Editorial Board
These are exciting times for the UK rail network and for its infrastructure manager, Network Rail and the next five years will lay the foundation for the next 50.
3 November 2005 | By George Muir, Director General, Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC)
During the last few years, Britain’s railways have seen a massive investment in new rolling stock to replace around 40% of the national fleet.
3 November 2005 | By Dick Fearn, Acting Chief Executive, IE
Fast, frequent Intercity services operated by modern rolling stock. A commuter network which maximises capacity and plays the fullest role possible in meeting the transport needs of the Greater Dublin area. Enhanced local services. These are the three strands of development in what is the most exciting era for Ireland’s…
3 November 2005 | By Paul Wiseman, Head of Investment Efficiency, Network Rail
Network Rail faces a challenging set of targets in delivering its £2 billion per annum investment programme. These challenges are particularly daunting in respect of its track renewals programme, where it needs to drive 30% efficiency out of its cost base by the end of the current Regulatory control period…
3 November 2005 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor
The post-privatisation train building gold rush in the UK is over. Rolling stock manufacturers face a lean time over the next few years. Privatisation of the British railway industry has not eased the boom-and-bust nature of the rolling stock supply sector. If anything, it has made it worse. A boom…
3 November 2005 | By Jean-Marie Larose, Deputy Strategy and Development Manager, Réseau Ferré de France (RFF)
Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), the owner and manager of the railway infrastructure in France, is a publicly-owned entity, responsible for the management and development of the rail network and prime contractor for new lines, especially new high-speed rail links.
3 November 2005 | By Mauro Moretti, Managing Director, RFI (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana)
The Euro is not sufficient to unite Europe: an international railways system is needed to sweep away the borders between the different States by overcoming technological barriers and to compete with air, inland-water and road transport.
3 November 2005 | By Klaus Konrad, Project Manager, UIC Project ERTMS/GSM-R Member of Global Railway Review Editorial Board
My last report in Global Railway Review was in Issue 2 2004, when my focus was on the progress of the development and the implementation of GSM-R in Europe. At that stage, GSM-R implementation had started or was ongoing in several countries. In some of the early implementing railways, GSM-R…
