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Rail Articles

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…

Keeping up-to-date with ETCS implementation plans in Spain

28 May 2008 | By Antonio Domínguez Chala, Network Planning and Development Director, ADIF

This article presents the main aspects concerning the experience that the development of the ERTMS system in Spain has produced, and the established criteria for the migration to this new system.

Fuelling the debate on diesel engine emissions

28 May 2008 | By Hans Paukert, Senior Advisor of Braking Systems & Diesel Emissions, UIC

The International Union of Railways (UIC) was founded in 1922 to create standards to facilitate the operation of international railway traffic. These standards are contained within UIC-Leaflets which define technical specifications for interoperability for rolling stock, infrastructure, signalling systems and catenary. Other Leaflets cover agreements on operational and commercial rules.…

Simulations of running dynamics in bogie design and development

28 May 2008 | By Oldrich Polach, Chief Engineer Dynamics, Business Unit Bogies, Bombardier Transportation and Global Railway Review Editorial Board Member

Bombardier Transportation develops and produces bogies for a complete range of modern railway vehicles. The calculations and analyses of running dynamics play an indispensable part in the development of these products. This article outlines the usage of computer techniques to investigate vehicle dynamics during the individual product development phases of…

New rail freight traffic for 2015

28 May 2008 | By Jürgen Siegmann, Head, and Helge Stuhr, Research Associate, of the Chair of Track & Railway Operations, Technische Universität Berlin (Berlin Institute of Technology)

This article discusses new technologies, dimensions and production systems for rail freight traffic – based on genuine situations in Germany.