Latest News

September 20, 2018

To find out what is inside a wagon today when it enters a freight terminal, operators need to manually record its reference number and other information such as the presence of hazardous goods.  This requires a lot of time and dedicated staff. A new Intelligent Video Gate will scan and transfer information on the wagons automatically as they enter the freight warehouse. Shift2Rail-funded researchers are developing an ‘Intelligent Video Gate’, able to recognise and transfer…

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September 20, 2018

Did you know that – as striking as it may seem – brake tests in European freight trains are still conducted today as they were 100 years ago. This implies that a long and fastidious foot check of each and every wagon is still necessary to verify the proper functioning of brakes. Things are about to change with the development of automatic brake tests allowing drivers to  operate the test themselves thanks to connected sensors, which…

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September 20, 2018

How can we make railway networks more energy-efficient? Currently, energy measurements are only conducted on board of trains and not used to make networks more energy-efficient. There is no technology that assesses the energy efficiency and the energy flow of the whole system. A synchronised energy measurement tool, however, would be highly beneficial in order to make strategic energy management decisions, improve energy efficiency and the life cycle costs of railway systems.   That is…

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September 20, 2018

To tackle the pressing issue of noise pollution, Shift2Rail research teams have devised new computer simulations to assess different strategies to reduce noise and vibration levels. These programmes make it possible to gauge the effectiveness of noise mitigation methods demonstrating the extent of noise reduction achieved under various conditions. The Shift2Rail demonstration ‘Auralisation and visualisation technology’ offers visitors a virtual reality experience in which they can discover what the next generation of trains will sound…

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September 20, 2018

The ‘moving block’ is a concept of rail traffic management and control systems that allows trains to run much closer to each other, improving line capacity and performance. This system will upgrade the European Train Control System (ETCS) to level 3, which means the implementation of full radio-based train spacing without the need for physical train detection devices. Shift2Rail members will present three demonstrators at InnoTrans showing how the ‘moving block’ system works in urban, suburban, high…

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September 20, 2018

After two successful days, we have reached half-time at InnoTrans but there is still plenty to see and discover. The train of the future will stop on Thursday at: 10 am-12 pm: UNIFE Dialog Forum: Executive director Carlo Borghini and other high-level speakers will discuss ERTMS as the backbone of digital railways. Speakers include Chris Jackson, Editor-in-Chief of Railway Gazette International and Keir Fitch, Head of Rail Safety & Interoperability at DG Move. Where: Palais…

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