At 2016 Innotrans, automatic train operation (ATO) or even unmanned train operation (UTO) was one of the hot topics of discussion. What currently is done in the automotive industry can be done as well in the railway world: vehicles run from the origin to the destination without a human person steering. This means that sensors … Continue reading A first push towards UTO

Last week, Alstom announced that they will create an innovation partnership with SNCF to develop the next TGV generation. The project's goals are to develop a train that: Reduction of acquisition costs of 20% Increase of recyclability of material to > 90% Reduction of energy consumption > 25% Increase passenger capacity > 20% So what … Continue reading SNCF and Alstom develop the 5th TGV generation

Today, the Bundesamt für Statistik published the traffic data for public transport in Switzerland in 2015 (you can find it under this link). Despite the fact that we would not be surprised if we reached a certain saturation point soon, the traffic on rails continues to grow (this time it was 3.4%). One has to … Continue reading Passenger traffic in Switzerland still growing…

I recently realized that more and more cities and metropolitan areas are exploring the creation of pedestrian zones. Besides the environmental factors (unclean air, noise) and the philosophical (in what kind of society do we want to live?), the simple economical aspects are for me quite large enough to go for it. Still, many cities hesitate … Continue reading Why cities should invest in pedestrian zones

Last week, the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has made the 4th issue of Key Train Requirements available for download. The 77 pages strong document can be downloaded here. I have not gone through the whole document yet, but a few take-aways with my opinion: A key requirement is to be found in 5.2.1 … Continue reading RSSB issues 4th issue of “Key Train Requirements” for the UK

While we seek to expand electrified rail travel as an environmentally friendly way of transportation, we often face significant costs when developing a project: When it comes to infrastructure construction, an electrification of a line can make up to a 30% of the costs. Looking at maintenance, a similar picture emerges. On the other hand, … Continue reading Re-thinkelectric power supply on railways

Earlier in June, Hitachi has explained their strategy in the strategy paper they present to their investors. It is as always a good opportunity to have a non-European perspective on the global railways market. This particular year, it also shines a light at Hitachi's reasons for acquiring Ansaldo. The consolidated order backlog has risen significantly, mostly due … Continue reading Hitachi Rail Strategy 2016

Last week, the first PESA DMU successfully entered service in Lithuania. After successful homologations in Germany, Italy and Belarus besides the trains in Poland, PESA is gaining more and more traction across Europe. While the largest rolling stock manufacturers have shown on many occasions their difficulties to homologate a train for a specific country, respectively for multiple countries, PESA … Continue reading PESA is gaining traction across Europe