The opportunities and challenges in keeping over-rail developments on track

On curved tracks, high-pitch noise pollution can often be a considerable concern of rail asset owners, commuters, and people living or working along the rail corridor. Inevitably, wheel/rail interface can cause a traveling source of sound and vibration, which spread over a long distance of rail network. The sound and vibration can be in various forms and spectra. The undesirable sound and vibration on curves is often called ‘noise,’ includes flanging and squealing noises. This paper focuses on the squeal noise phenomena on curved tracks located in urban environments. It highlights the effect of curve radii on lateral track dynamics. It is important to note that rail freight curve noises, especially for curve squeals, can be observed almost everywhere and every type of track structures. The most pressing noise appears at sharper curved tracks where excessive lateral wheel/rail dynamics resonate with falling friction states, generating a tonal noise problem, so-call ‘squeal’. Many researchers have carried out measurements and simulations to understand the actual root causes of the squeal noise. Most researchers believe that wheel resonance over falling friction is the main cause, whilst a few others think that dynamic mode coupling of wheel and rail may also cause the squeal. Therefore, this paper is devoted to systems thinking the approach and dynamic assessment in resolving railway curve noise problems. The simulations of railway tracks with different curve radii will be carried out to develop state-of-the-art understanding into lateral track dynamics, including rail dynamics, cant dynamics, gauge dynamics and overall track responses.

This paper discusses the lessons learned from transforming upstream operational requirements from a document environment into a requirements management tool (database). Operations requirements from upstream practices, procedures, specifications, and guides were migrated from a document centric environment into a requirements management system (data centric). Here, requirements were assigned attributes denoting the organization and accountable operational role that requirement. Many organizations, operating complex offshore procedures, especially where operations are highly regulated, are looking to move their operational requirements from a document centric environment to a data centric environment. This paper highlights some potential pitfalls and mitigation strategies for ensuring a successful migration.

The article is devoted to the analysis of transport provision of exclave territories using the example of the Kaliningrad region in the context of the transformation of the geo-economic environment and the strengthening of sanctions restrictions. The aim of the study is to identify the factors determining the sustainability of the region’s transport and logistics system and to develop a model of interregional connectivity aimed at ensuring transport security and increasing freight flows. The methodological basis of the study is freight transportation optimization models, a multimodal approach, and an analysis of the functioning of key elements of the transport infrastructure. The object of the study is the transport and logistics system of the Kaliningrad Region as a critical element connecting the exclave with the mainland of the Russian Federation. The study provides a comprehensive analysis of the region’s maritime, rail, road, and air infrastructure, assesses the current state of transit routes, and identifies systemic limitations associated with the closure of land borders and the imposition of transport quotas. It is shown that, under current conditions, maritime transport and ferry services play a key role in supporting the region’s vital functions, while the potential of rail and road corridors is underutilized. A model of interregional connectivity for the exclave territory has been developed, enabling the structuring of transport flows and the identification of priority development areas. A set of scientific and practical solutions is proposed, including the modernization of port infrastructure, the expansion of multimodal transportation, the creation of logistics hubs, the digitalization of logistics processes, and the integration of the region into promising international transport corridors. The obtained results have practical significance and can be used in the formation of regional transport policy aimed at strengthening the transport sovereignty of the Kaliningrad region and turning it into a sustainable logistics hub for the Baltic region.

The railway tracks and locomotives are an essential part of a large steel plant like Jindal Steel and Power Raigarh, where different operating units require various materials (such as raw material, hot metals, and finished goods) to be transported from one point to another for their operational requirements. Through switch points, two distinct railway lines are connected. Switch point areas have a higher risk of derailments that hampers the production. Derailments are frequently caused by faults in the switch point area. The majority of switch point changing boxes (SPCB) are now operated manually which need to be replaced by new automated SPCB. However, due to the significant expense, all of them cannot be replaced all at once. As a result, we must determine which SPCB should be replaced first. This is a critical decision. Manually determining the priority may be inaccurate, so we need a scientific way. This study provides a model for determining SPCB priority ranking using a decision-making framework. The proposed model is based on the MADM approach (Multi Attribute Decision Making).

Railway transportation is playing a key role in the development of many new shale oil and gas reserves in North America. In the rush to develop new shale oil and gas plays, sites for railway transload terminals are often selected on the basis of land availability and environmental constraints before full consideration is given to rail design and operating requirements. The result can be terminals that poorly utilize the available space or operate inefficiently and face long-term capacity constraints. Additionally, preliminary concepts may omit or underestimate the need for staging tracks, switching leads and other rail infrastructure required to support train operations, potentially altering the economics of a terminal. To facilitate more informed decisions regarding railway terminal sites and better track layout concepts, this paper presents design requirements for bulk railway terminals to support shale oil and gas development. Guidelines for sizing facilities and layout of different track arrangements - including stub-end, inline and loop facilities - are presented. Considerations for mainline access and multi-train operation to ensure terminal capacity to support current and future demand are also discussed. Developers following these guidelines will likely obtain greater returns from their real estate and facility investments through faster railway approval of design concepts and more efficient rail operations.

Identifying heavy metal levels in historical flood water deposits using sediment cores

ABSTRACTThe current moving block systems still depend on wayside interlocking systems and zone controllers, resulting in complex control flow and limited control efficiency. While recent train‐centric solutions have simplified the system and enhanced line capacity, they still require explicit resource requests from the wayside infrastructure controller and necessitate storing all routes in onboard equipment. These limitations constrain system performance and maintainability. This study introduces an autonomous train control principle for fully train‐centric route generation and track resource management, eliminating reliance on wayside controllers. The proposed system models track layouts as directed graphs and generates routes through route factorisation and composition, ensuring compliance with railway safety and operational requirements. By utilising train‐to‐train coordinate transformations, ATCS enables direct management of track resources between trains without intermediaries, significantly improving the system's performance. Furthermore, a novel braking model is introduced, optimising headway distances and improving track utilisation. The proposed principle is evaluated on an actual railway track layout in Korea, and the results demonstrate its feasibility, achieving shorter headways, improved track capacity, and enhanced system maintainability and flexibility when compared to conventional CBTC and train‐centric CBTC systems.

In this paper, we study the curfew planning problem (CPP) encountered by railroads for the maintenance of their railway tracks. The CPP is to design an optimal annual timetable to complete a given set of repairs and replacement jobs (rail work and tie work) on the railway tracks for a set of crews specialized in rail work (rail crew) or tie work (tie crew). We develop the work schedule for each crew such that the disruptions in train routes because of subdivision curfews are minimized. A subdivision is said to be under curfew if any crew is working in it. The solution to the problem must also satisfy several operational and regulatory requirements such as the crew continuity, time windows, the maximum interproject distance travelled by crews, etc. Our paper presents four solution approaches for the CPP: (i) time-space network model (TSNM), (ii) duty-generation model (DGM), (iii) column-generation model (CGM), and (iv) decomposition-based heuristics. We solve each model using CPLEX and present the computational results based on real-life instances.

Connecticut Department of Transportation, with the support of the Transportation Strategy Board, is preparing an environmental assessment for commuter rail service between New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The study area corridor is 62 mi of existing rail line, which is owned and operated by Amtrak. This rail corridor line is commonly referred to as the Springfield Line. Besides a regional passenger service, four freight carriers use the line: Connecticut Southern, Pan Am Railways, CSX Corporation, and Providence and Worcester Railroad. A limited section of double track and long freight dwellings along the main line both demanded multiple alternatives to be analyzed according to capacity improvements and operational changes. Analysis was conducted by means of the Rail Traffic Controller software. The commuter plan was analyzed under two main scenarios: a start-up near-term service (Year 2015) and a future service (Year 2030). The outer year testing also included an iteration of improvements given implementation of high-speed rail on the line. The purpose of this discussion is to identify the track capacity and operational requirements for an efficient integration of freight, Amtrak, commuter, and high-speed rail service.

The United States Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Research and Innovative Technology Administration’s John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (Volpe Center), under the direction of the USDOT Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Office of Research and Development (R&D), is conducting a Trespass Prevention Research Study (TPRS) in the city of West Palm Beach, Florida. The main objective of this research is to demonstrate potential benefits, including documenting best practices and lessons learned, of implementation and evaluation of trespass prevention strategies on the rail network in West Palm Beach, Florida and all of its rights-of-way. This paper will detail the development and implementation of a risk based data analysis to determine the locations of highest trespass risk along the TriRail commuter rail corridor through the City of West Palm Beach, FL. This feeds into the overall study objective by providing a methodology for prioritizing safety improvement programs for high-risk trespass locations. The research team used a hazard analysis process based on the U.S. Department of Defense’s MIL-STD-882 and the APTA hazard identification/resolution processes. The adaptation of this methodology facilitated the systematic identification, analysis, and resolution/mitigation of hazards for this study. The research team also developed a risk-based prioritization algorithm for analyzing the trespass issue on the corridor. The hazard analysis and risk-based prioritization algorithm were used to identify several trespass high-risk areas along the TriRail corridor. The results of the analysis have been used by the study’s stakeholder group, composed of railroads, state and local agencies, and their safety partners, to develop a set of mitigation strategies for those higher-risk locations as identified though this analysis.

The constant passage of trains on the railways tracks causes, in the course of time, deviations that must be corrected periodically by means of a track calibration process. It consists of designing a new layout, called recreated horizontal alignment (RHA), as close as possible to the deformed center track fulfilling also the technical constraints according to the operational requirements of the railway. In recent years, different models have been proposed to address this task. This paper proposes, first, a new geometrical model that works with continuous variables for the definition of horizontal alignments (HAs) to deal with nonsymmetric transition curves at both sides of a circular curve and second, an optimization algorithm to compute the recreated alignment suitable in sinuous railway sections. This new mathematical model frees the optimization process from the need to previously identify the geometric elements (tangents, circular curves, and transition curves) of the HA. The usefulness of this model is tested with two academic examples showing its good behavior and in a real case study, where this algorithm is compared with the solution adopted by the engineers in a section of the railway line Ourense–Monforte in the NW of Spain.

This article explores the strategic financial planning of eV-Station Voltwave Network, a startup focused on developing Electric Vehicle Charging Station (SPKLU) infrastructure in Indonesia. The financial model is built upon five core pillars: financial objectives, planning elements, revenue projection, investment feasibility and financial performance analysis. Over a five-year horizon, total projected revenue reaches approximately IDR 48.49 billion, sourced from ultra- fast charging services, event space rentals, robotic carwash operations and tenant leasing for commercial zones such as food courts and ATM galleries. Cost planning covers marketing, operations, human resources and risk management incorporating a straight-line depreciation model to stabilize financial reporting. The company’s targets include a minimum Return on Investment (ROI) of 10% annually and a cost-to-income ratio below 60%. The financial viability is affirmed by positive Net Present Value (NPV) an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) exceeding the borrowing rate, and a payback period of 4.8 years. Risk mitigation strategies are aligned with the ISO 31000 framework, ensuring operational and financial resilience. This financial planning approach offers a scalable and sustainable model for emerging startups in Indonesia’s electric mobility ecosystem.

The Northeast Corridor (NEC) is a regional asset that is planned, funded, and operated by a national institution—the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak). This asymmetry may prevent the NEC from realizing its potential. Despite completion of the Northeast High-Speed Rail Improvement Project, the NEC will require massive investments in coming years. The historical funding pattern—via annual appropriations from the U.S. Congress—is unlikely to meet these needs. Regional funding sources may be able to provide sustained funding; this approach is closer to the state or local funding plus federal match regime that prevails in other modes and is expected to be used for new passenger rail corridors. A regional partnership might allow better planning for the Northeast’s long-term rail infrastructure needs and for NEC services; it might also provide a channel through which the region could assist Amtrak in funding additional frequency or lowering fares. Amtrak’s successful state partnerships, particularly with California, provide models for a regional partnership. The key problem is that in the Northeast no single government can address transportation at a regional level. As a result, an integrated partnership for Amtrak would likely require the creation of a regional entity for the corridor. Through its funding abilities, this entity could resolve the dilemma that exists today: Amtrak must preserve its national constituency and support, and the states fear losing access to federal funding. Significantly, resolving this dilemma does not necessitate any change in Amtrak’s current largely unified operation of the railroad.

Lateral resistance, principally dictated by the interaction between sleepers (ties) and ballast, is a fundamental property of ballasted railway track which is critical to overall track stability and safety. This study investigates the influence of sleeper spacing on lateral resistance to support overall track system design and track safety management. A novel multi-sleeper push test (MSPT) methodology, utilising both a kinematic restraint to better replicate track conditions and a state-of-the-art digital image correlation (DIC) system to measure surface ballast movement, has been used to evaluate the lateral resistance behaviour of two different sleeper types (concrete and steel) under seven different sleeper spacing conditions (550–850 mm). This is the first direct comparison of modern concrete and steel sleeper variants under these conditions. It is found that both sleeper types exhibit similar lateral resistance behaviour at small displacements (less than 3 mm) but, regardless of the spacing used, steel sleepers have significantly greater lateral resistance beyond this point. Although it depends on the assessment method used, concrete sleepers demonstrated an optimum spacing of approximately 675 mm, whilst steel sleepers showed highest resistance at approximately 706 mm. However, concrete sleepers showed less sensitivity to changes in spacing compared to steel sleepers, which retained high resistance over a narrower range of spacings. These findings contribute to track safety management by improving buckling mitigation strategies and component selection, whilst unlocking the ability to assess system-level impacts to aid the pursuit of more sustainable railway infrastructure design.

With the rapid expansion of railway networks globally, ensuring rail infrastructure safety through efficient detection methods has become critical. Traditional inspection systems face limitations in flexibility, adaptability to adverse weather, and multifunctional integration. This study proposes a ground-air collaborative multi-source detection system that integrates 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR)-based point cloud imaging and deep learning-driven intrusion detection. The system employs a lightweight rail inspection vehicle equipped with dual LiDARs and an Astro camera, synchronized with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying industrial-grade LiDAR. We propose an improved LiDAR odometry and mapping with sliding window (LOAM-SLAM) algorithm enables real-time dynamic mapping, while an optimized iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm achieves high-precision point cloud registration and colorization. For intrusion detection, a You Only Look Once version 3 (YOLOv3)-ResNet fusion model achieves a recall rate of 0.97 and precision of 0.99. The system's innovative design and technical implementation offer significant improvements in railway track inspection efficiency and safety. This work establishes a new paradigm for adaptive railway maintenance in complex environments.