5 RAILWAY TECHNOLOGIES Changing THE WORLD Ideal NOW

If you’re staying static within the world of rail technologies then, frankly, you’re going to miss the train and get left way behind. Technological advances wait for no one, and the market is being shaped by new innovations as you study this. Get a lot more info about Railway Technology



Eurasia Rail is right here to show you five railway technologies which can be assisting change the way we operate, manufacturer and travel on trains. Let’s take a look.

 

5 thrilling railway technologies to watch



Hydrogen trains

Although diesel engines are going the way with the dinosaur, and electric the international regular, some producers and rail operators are exploring extra exotic fuel options.

 

Hydrocarbons much less attractive inside a world exactly where worldwide warming is fairly literally heating up, so what about hydrogen? Fuel cells in vehicles are one option inside the automation world, and could soon see wide-scale adoption in rail. Alstom is seeking to modify the game with its Coradia iLint hydrogen-powered multiple-units.

 

In September 2018, two units began operating the world’s 1st hydrogen-fuelled revenue service in Germany. Eisenbahen is running the pair of trains on the 100km Elbe-Wesser network, connecting the towns of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervörde and Buxtehude.

 

Each unit includes a roof-mounted hydrogen tank, providing a array of 1,000km - sufficient for any full day’s operation. At the moment, mobile fuelling is getting deployed to help keep the trains operating, but a permanent facility is being constructed at Bremervörde, and can be totally completed by 2021. That’s a powerful endorsement for the future of hydrogen rail.

 

So why hydrogen? The same logic which has been applied to automobiles and automobiles applies here: fewer emissions, higher fuel efficiency. Hydrogen would be the most abundant element within the universe, and its by-product is not greenhouse gas - it’s just pure water. From that water, further hydrogen may be extracted to make more fuel.

 

Away from Germany, further nations are hunting into hydrogen. The UK will probably be trialling a hydrogen-fuelled unit in 2019, whilst there is considerable interest from freight operators in North America.

 

Facial recognition software at train stations

The days of paper train tickets are coming to an end. Contactless payment at turnstiles is in operation across the world, but a new revolution is coming: facial recognition.

 

China is pioneering this technologies. At Wuhan train station in the Central HuBei Province, passengers can spend with “face swapping”. They basically walk up, and if their face is scanned appropriately, barriers are opened for boarding. Over 30 machines have been installed at Wuhan considering that 2017, leaving just 10 manned ticketing stations.

 

There's one key caveat to the Chinese experience. The software draws data from the state ID database. Not all nations have such a system, so the technology may have to be adapted to local marketplace specifications and practices to truly take off globally.

 

Having said that, the system does enable for seamless passenger flow from station concourses to platforms. Convenience is king within the modern world, as well as the good results of tap-in-tap-out systems in the UK and Singapore, alongside the enhanced passenger atmosphere at Wuhan, only reinforces that.

 

Facial recognition has other applications too. Take security. If we head back to Germany, at Suedkreuz station, Berlin, automatic face capturing CCTV systems have been installed. Just after a 6-month trial run, featuring 200 volunteers, authorities noted a high-success rate, that will now let them track problem people and aid security forces do their jobs. Russian have also installed equivalent systems in terminals in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other significant cities within the run up the 2018 World Cup.

 

Artificial Intelligence

Machines are having smarter, and with their improved intelligence comes improved maintenance and efficiency for rail operators.

 

Condition primarily based maintenance (CBM) and predictive upkeep (PM) are two significant benefits when using smart, adaptive digital systems. As an illustration, diagnostic software can predict when wheels, axles, and components will want replacing. The identical idea applies to non-rolling stock infrastructure, like signalling, or sensible problems like route planning and scheduling.

 

Japan’s Fujitsu has teamed up with SRI International and Jourdan Co. to create a prediction engine aimed at cutting down delays. Their system performs by analysing preceding delay information, following this up with real-time updates to operator Jourdan to prevent future delays.

 

Elsewhere, remote monitoring of signalling systems is coming to India. Based on systems at present in use inside the UK, Indian Railways plans to set up sensors along key routes to retain signal health and machinery status, and alert authorities prior to problems take place. In 2016, India suffered 106 accidents, 60% of which had been derailments, from signalling errors so it hopes to prevent such problems in the future.

 

Elsewhere, in Hong Kong, the MTR Corporation of uses an automated AI system to schedule quarterly and weekly engineering performs. This allows for one of the most efficient use of sources, at the same time ensuring all safety and maintenance regulations are followed for the letter. MTR reports 50% expense and time saving using such a system.

 

With digital support, railways around the world are seeing their operational efficiency bloom.

 

Automated trains

From urban metro to full on freight trains, self-driving units are enjoying a global rise in reputation.

 

There are varying degrees of automation at present employed, though this largely applies to metro trains. The grading systems are:

 

• Grade 4 - Totally automated, capable of running devoid of a physical employees member, featuring smart obstacle detection, emergency systems, and door closing. No human is required for train operation.

• Grade 3 - Trains run automatically amongst stations, a employees member is on each train in case of emergencies. Grade 3 trains can not operate without the need of a human presence.

• Grade 2 - A driver is inside the cab, accountable for key operations, like door opening, obstacle detection and emergency system handling.

 

More than 20 nations across the globe run grade 4 urban rail and metro operations. Singapore has the world’s oldest, which entered operation in 2003.

 

Having said that, such technologies is getting implemented in remote places to assist ferry freight from mining and mineral extraction sites. Rio Tinto, one of your world’s biggest miners, launched the biggest, longest robotic train in the Australian outback in July 2018.

 

Automated rolling stock lets the miner carry more than 28,000 tons per load along 170-mile stretch to processing plants from over 1,000 miles away at a control centre in Perth, Western Australia. For context, salaries had been as higher as $230,000 Australian dollars, providing insight into why Rio Tinto is developing self-driving freight trains.

 

Aside from the apparent expense savings, though Rio Tinto spent an estimated $390m on its robot train, remote monitoring and automation suggests large health and safety benefits. Australia’s desert includes a harsh climate, so drivers are at danger of thirst or mental strain in the large, barren distances. Eliminate the driver, you eliminate those troubles.

 

Rail passenger-focussed apps

Comfort and convenience inside the railway world is finding a big enhance by a wide array of passenger-centric mobile apps. Enabling users to check occasions, buy tickets, and even give in-transit entertainment, everything is being made much easier in the comfort of one's smartphone.

 

In the UK, Transreport makes it possible for customers to report challenges affecting their journey for the relevant authorities, including issues like broken toilets, poor carriage atmosphere, graffiti or litter. It also features a passenger assistance function for disabled people to request any assistance they could need.

 

But how about dining? Travelkhana, an Indian app covering 300 cities and 6,000 train services, is producing a mid-journey dining revolution. Passengers basically enter their train number and select a dish from a huge selection of Travelkhana’s restaurant partners. The app tracks trains, right after the user places their order and confirms their carriage before food is delivered straight to the passenger’s seat.