Issue 6, 2011

Noise & Vibrations supplement (free to view)

13 December 2011
High Speed Two: Application of good noise control design (Professor Andrew McNaughton, Chief Engineer, High Speed Two Ltd and European Railway Review Editorial Board Member)
Being a good neighbour – reducing vibrations near railway lines (Bernd Asmussen, RIVAS Project Coordinator, UIC and Enno Wiebe, Manager Research Programmes and Projects, UIC)

ERTMS supplement (free to view)

13 December 2011
Challenges across the borders with ERTMS (Justus Stern, Rolling Stock Division, Engineering & Projects, SJ AB)
Europe’s leading signalling experts raise opinions and debate – conference review of Rail Network Solutions 2011 (Craig Waters, Editor, European Railway Review)

Creating a fair and open rail market to compete with road and aviation is key

6 December 2011
Over the coming weeks and months, EU policy-makers will lock horns in earnest over new rules to ensure fair and open competition in the European rail market, both freight and passenger. On economic grounds alone it is critical that the right rules are in place but it is equally important from an environmental standpoint. The EU is pursuing ambitious reductions in CO2 and the right conditions for growth in international rail travel could encourage many more people to choose the train over less carbon efficient options such as the car or plane. Transport accounts for almost a quarter of total EU greenhouse gas emissions, yet it is the only sector where emissions continue to rise – an increase of 36% since 1990. If Europe is serious about reversing this trend and meeting its global environmental commitments, it needs to get its transport pricing and infrastructure investment policy right.

Partnership key to London Overground transformation

6 December 2011
In the four years since the launch of London Overground the team behind the unique operator-client partnership has transformed the network into a modern, reliable metro railway that London can be proud of as it prepares to host the 2012 Olympics. Significant investment by Transport for London (TfL), the transport authority responsible for commissioning all public transport for England’s capital, combined with excellent operational delivery by London Overground Rail Operations Ltd (LOROL) has been the key to making it the UK’s highest performing rail network for the past seven consecutive months. The seven-year London Overground concession, which LOROL started operating in 2007 on behalf of TfL, links 20 of the capital’s 33 boroughs. It operates 938 trains each weekday, which is more than double the number at the start of the concession, and has quadrupled the number of passengers it carries each day to provide some 100 million passenger journeys a year.

The vital need for the rail industry to get it right

6 December 2011
A recently published figure by the Association of Train Operating Companies provides, I think, one of the best and most revealing snapshots of the railways today. Between 26 June and 17 September 2011, 314.3 million passenger journeys took place on Great Britain’s railways – up 5.3% from the same period in 2010. It is a huge number which highlights not only the importance, and necessity, of train travel to millions of people, but also emphasises how vital it is for the rail industry to get it right, and to meet all of the challenges ahead to ensure future success. Since joining the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) as Chief Executive in May 2011, I have frequently spoken about the many challenges, yet great opportunities, ahead for the rail sector. As the rail industry is a long-term business, the decisions taken now, and the aims and objectives set, will affect the capacity and structures of the railways for decades to come. With the demand for train travel rising in a sustained way for the first time in generations, the whole rail industry, together, must make crucial decisions which will inform the direction of travel for the railways now and in the future. It is vital that the industry demonstrates that it is capable of meeting the challenges ahead to ensure that our railways remain one of the top performing in the world.

FML’s continuous expansion to achieve positive results

6 December 2011
Freightliner Maintenance Ltd (FML) is Freightliner Group’s dedicated in-house maintenance operation. As it continues on its course of expansion, FML has reinstated an out-of-use and run-down engineering facility in York. Maintenance of locomotives and rolling stock is a core necessity to any successful rail operator. A high level of availability of locomotives through efficient maintenance can increase an operator’s performance that customers see and experience. In an interview for European Railway Review, Dave Curtis, General Manager at FML gives an overview of the work carried out at the site in York and explains the benefits that this new site will bring. In 2006, Freightliner Group recognised an opportunity to enhance its business offering of operating award winning trains and diversify to the maintenance of its fleet with cost control and rolling stock performance as key success criteria. “We believed that we could further improve reliability and reduce both downtime and costs by incorporating the maintenance function into the Freightliner business,” explained Dave. “Freightliner Heavy Haul’s business success relied on dependable main - tainers with a swift turnaround time and was a key decision to ensure the security and service delivery.”

London 2012 – Will better public transport lure people out of their cars?

6 December 2011
In July 2005, London was confirmed as the host city for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The bid promised “the most sustainable Games ever”. Cynics may say that a global event such as the Olympics is an inherently unsustainable thing to do; others believe it is a unique opportunity to push the sustainability agenda. As Chair of the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012 (the independent sustainability watchdog for the London 2012 Olympics) I am responsible for advising senior politicians and informing the public about the sustainability credentials of the London 2012 Games and legacy. Let’s face it; not having an Olympics at all is the most sustainable thing to do. Call the whole thing off, pack it in. How can you possibly justify tens of thousands of tonnes of concrete and steel, millions of logistics and people movements, disruption to biodiversity, noise, dust and disruption to people’s lives in the name of sport? At the Commission we believe this is possible only if the net sustainability gains from the influence of London 2012 are greater than the sum of the losses. Transport and logistics are at the heart of a sustainable London 2012. Without transport, the Games would not be possible, and transport provides a unique opportunity to deliver social, economic and environmental sustainability in ways previously unheard of. We may even get people talking to each other on the Tube!

Enhancing investments for a quality network

6 December 2011
The Railway Infrastructure Administration, state organisation (SŽDC) is the infrastructure manager in the Czech Republic and, in addition to other duties is responsible for the modernisation and development of the railway network. It launched its operations on 1 January 2003 as one of two successors of the former Czech Railways state organisation (the other successor is the Czech Railways, joint-stock company). The separation of the infrastructure manager from the biggest railway carrier (Czech Railways) launched the transformation of the railway system in the Czech Republic, a process which went on to implement another change on 1 September 2011. The transformation of the railway system in the Czech Republic continues SŽDC’s primary task is to carry out the function of the owner and the operator of the national and regional rail. The principal operations include operating the railway infrastructure, en - suring its operability and, last but not least, ensuring the modernisation and development of the railway network in the Czech Republic. SŽDC manages state assets represented by the railway infrastructure in the Czech Republic. The railway network of the Czech Republic is one of the densest in Europe; we have 0.12km of lines per square kilometre.

Rhine-Rhône HSL: sustainable development in a rail sector environment

6 December 2011
On 8 September 2011, Réseau Ferré de France (RFF) inaugurated the first part of the eastern branch of the Rhine-Rhône high-speed line. Included in the design and construction of this line, with its major socio-economic challenges, was a series of innovative environmental measures to ensure its long-term sustainability. Rhine-Rhône HSL: the project A European dimension The Rhine-Rhône HSL will further strengthen France’s position in a Europe that is gradually expanding towards the East. Financial support from Switzerland and EU ‘priority link’ status, under the Trans-European Transport Network programme, both underline its recognised importance at community level. Looking at the map of the present and future European network of high-speed lines, the strategic position of the Rhine-Rhône line is immediately apparent, as a major feeder at the core of mainland Europe and as a link between the different European territories.

The FIF at the heart of discussions on the future of French railways

6 December 2011
Since 2010, there has been no end to the discussions and questions about the future of the French rail system and about the future of the French rail industry in particular. The collapse in rail cargo, the constant increase in the system’s debt, the ageing of the railway network, the difficulties in securing funding for rolling stock investment and infrastructure investment: there are so many issues that, in spite of the context of the launch of the national election campaign, appear foremost in the concerns of political decision-makers, unions and also the sector’s socio-professional stakeholders whether they are railway operators, managers or manufacturers. This situation might seem even more paradoxical given that France has not prioritised railway transport and projects since post-war times.

SAFERAIL – improving inspection to keep rolling stock on track

6 December 2011
Today’s European rail networks are getting busier with trains travelling at higher speeds, and carrying more passengers and heavier axle loads, than ever before. This combination of factors is putting considerable pressure on the existing infrastructure, leading to increased demands in inspection and maintenance of rail assets. To maximise safety efficiency in rail travel the rail industry has applied a pro-active maintenance policy for wheelsets. This policy combines on-line monitoring and manual inspections during production and maintenance. Minimising wheel set failures not only improves safety but also helps reduce maintenance costs, and is a consideration for both train and light-rail vehicle operators. A European collaborative research project called SAFERAIL, jointly led by TWI and the University of Birmingham, has spent the last three years developing new inspection technology. This technology is intended to extend on the current state-of-the-art for both trackside monitoring and manual inspection of rolling stock wheelsets in a bid to minimise wheelset failures and improve safety and reduce maintenance costs.

CETEST: Test services for commuter, long distance and high-speed railway vehicles

6 December 2011
CETEST Test and Analysis Centre is an independent accredited laboratory focusing on the testing of railway vehicles. With headquarters in the North of Spain, we are a global company serving a diversity of customers ranging from railway undertakings (operators), system integrators (vehicle manufacturers) to equipment sub suppliers. The tests we perform cover the full spectrum of rail vehicles including urban transport (tramways and light-rail vehicles), commuter rail (both electrical and diesel multiple units), long distance and high-speed as well as locomotives and freight wagons. These tests are performed in specialised test benches at our facilities as well as while running on track depending on the nature of the need. Our growth in recent years has followed the tendency on the railway sector for more testing in all projects worldwide. The increase in complexity and quantity of testing required grows as service level demands increase: more reliable systems and vehicles, higher speeds, better comfort, improved energy efficiency, increased safety levels etc. Also, testing needs grow as we move into the implementation of the common European regulations and all projects are required to undergo tests to check for compliance with common norms and limits.