Vibration analysis aims to reduce train door failures 24 Jan 2018 EUROPE: A Vibration Analysis for Remote Condition Monitoring project funded from the EU’s H2020 Fast Track to Innovation programme aims to use remote monitoring to detect potential failures of train doors and predict their remaining lifetime. The vibration analysis algorithms will be combined with…
Posts published in “Current railroad news”
Machine learning to customise journey planning 27 Dec 2017 UK: The University of Surrey has been awarded £230 000 from the Department for Transport through Innovate UK to create an onward journey planning assistant which would learn a user’s needs to enable it to offer tailored real-time alternative routes in the event of a delay to…
Amtrak launches New York Penn navigation app 27 Dec 2017 USA: Amtrak has launched FindYourWay, an iOS and Android app based on the Zyter platform which uses more than 400 beacons inside New York Penn station to provide real-time gate, train and boarding information as well as directions to gates, exits, cash machines and restaurants.…
Lighter and safer seats 28 Dec 2017 SEATS: Commuters at opposite sides of the USA are now sitting on BASF’s Basotect open cell melamine foam, which Rogers Corp is using in BART and Long Island Rail Road seat cushions. According to BASF, the foam’s density of less than 9 kg/m3 helps reduce the overall weight of…
Rail-specification ball valves developed 28 Dec 2017 VALVES: IMI Precision Engineering has developed a range of robust ball valves specially designed to meet rolling stock standards and to offer consistency across a temperature range between -40°C and +85°C. The range includes lever, latching or locking handles for on-board applications including door and step systems and…
Passenger LNG trial starts 10 Jan 2018 SPAIN: Development Minister Íñigo de la Serna joined Energy Minister Álvaro Nadal on January 8 to mark the start of what is claimed to be the first trial of liquefied natural gas as a fuel for passenger rail traction, being undertaken by national operator RENFE in conjunction with…
Shift2Rail issues 2018 call for proposals 18 Jan 2018 EUROPE: The Shift2Rail joint undertaking formed to promote strategic research and innovation in the European rail sector has published its 2018 call for proposals, based on its amended Annual Work Plan 2018. The call for proposals covers 18 topics, of which seven are open to Shift2Rail…
Optimising sensor data to support predictive maintenance 19 Jan 2018 BELGIUM: An imec.icon research project has been launched to investigate ways of collecting and presenting the increasing amount of data which is being produced by on-train sensors, with the aim of helping operators undertake predictive maintenance of rolling stock. Televic Rail is leading the project,…
Locomotive control system certified 20 Jan 2018 RUSSIA: Diesel locomotives produced by Bryansk Engineering Plant are now being fitted with an electronic control system which the Transmashholding subsidiary has developed in-house. This follows certification for use of the technology across the Eurasian Economic Union countries. A central computer monitors the state of the onboard systems…