Noise & Vibrations In-Depth Focus 2018

• Project DESTINATE results: Decision-support tools for implementing cost-efficient railway noise abatement measures
  Environmental noise is one of the major public health issues in Europe, and in view of climate change, a shift from road to rail traffic is targeted. This will lead to an increase in rail noise if no further mitigation is applied. Jenny Böhm, Coordinator of Shift2Rail research and innovation project DESTINATE, and Research Assistant at the Chair of Rail Vehicles within the Technical University of Berlin, explores how the project focused on activities to support informed decisions on rail noise mitigation to reduce costs and annoyance and increase acoustic comfort.
• Improving the acoustic noise prediction of future train design
  The Shift2Rail initiative, created between the European Union and several European rail sector players, is working towards the creation of ‘SERA’ – a Single European Railway Area. It contributes by researching the reduction by one half of the life-cycle cost of railway transport, the doubling of railway capacity, plus the doubling of reliability and punctuality. PINTA, a sub-project of Shift2Rail focused on traction systems, is divided into 10 Work Packages (WP). WP3 is focused on the reduction of acoustic noise through simulation and predictions, aiming to achieve a considerable cost reduction for rolling stock projects. In this article, PINTA colleagues share the advances of this ambitious work, which will improve the acoustic noise prediction of future train design.
• Reducing the pass-by noise of existing freight wagons
  Reducing noise generated by older, noisy freight wagons is one of the major challenges faced by the railway sector in Europe. As a result of popular protests, the subject has been high on the political agenda in several countries. Even though the technical solution to the problem is relatively simple, the costs related to its implementation divide opinion at international level. Bas Leermakers of OTIF provides an insight into the technical and legal background to the discussions.