Indian Railways to start double-decker services in Mumbai

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Two new air-conditioned double-decker services are to be launched on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Delhi-Jaipur routes.

Indian Railways has announced the additional services on the back of the success of the Howrah-Dhanbad express – the country’s first double-decker train, which connects West Bengal with Jharkand.

The train, which will have an operational speed of 110 kmph, with a maximum speed limit of 160 kmph, will feature 10 coaches, including eight double-deckers and two generator cars.

The service will be able to accommodate 120 seats, compared to the normal 78.

A railways official said: “We have got the safety certification from the Commissioner Railway Safety (CRS) after meeting all requirements in the due process and soon the services will start.”

The new services were scheduled for 2011-12, but the project was delayed because of problems acquiring safety clearance and manufacturing of the double-decker coaches.

“The operations date is not fixed, yet, but very soon we will start the service,” a Western Railway (WR) official told Rail.co.

WR will be operating Mumbai-Ahmedabad AC train and Northern Railway will be operating Delhi-Jaipur service.

The coaches run on Eurofima design FIAT bogie and have stainless steel body to minimise corrosion, and are equipped with fully automatic doors, fire extinguishers and eight emergency escape windows.

The new coaches have been developed and built by the Rail Coach Factory (RCF) of Kapurthala, in association with the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO), of Lucknow, an R&D body under Indian Railway Ministry.

Predicting the future of level crossings

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Much has been written, not least in these pages, about safety at level crossings. Any interface between people and moving trains is inherently risky, with both pedestrians and vehicle drivers sometimes prepared to take a chance, occasionally with disastrous results.

Naturally, there have been many meetings devoted to the topic. Back in 2002, there were extensive discussions involving Invensys, Network Rail and the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) to identify the main causes of level crossing accidents and to develop improvements to the infrastructure. One of the main causes of accidents was identified as the varying time between barriers closing and the train arriving – in particular it seemed that, at Automatic Half Barrier (AHB) and User Worked Crossing (UWC) sites, users were much more prepared to take risks.

As a result of these talks, Invensys focused on the Level Crossing Predictor solution that was in use elsewhere within the Invensys Rail group, particularly the WESTeX GCP3000 system which can be overlaid onto existing infrastructure and which provides consistent warning times.

Well established principle

While new to the UK, the Invensys Rail WESTeX Level Crossing Predictor (LCP) system had been in operation in the United States since the mid-1960s, with tens of thousands of the system in successful use across the USA, Australia and New Zealand.

The basic principle of the predictor is that, once an approaching train has travelled over a shunt, the system calculates the speed of the train and therefore the point at which it will arrive at the level crossing. By calculating the speed of the train, the GCP3000 is able to provide a consistent, pre-determined warning time for each train regardless of its approaching speed, minimising disruption to road users and significantly reducing the risk of crossing abuse.

Once the train has passed over the level crossing, the sequence to re-open the crossing to users is initiated – the train is monitored until it has passed over the termination shunt, ensuring that the same level of bi-directional functionality is provided as with a conventional system. The predictor typically requires just a single unit at the crossing itself, together with passive termination shunts between the rails at the strike-in point.

Both Network Rail and the ORR saw this as a potential solution. The GCP3000 system successfully passed through the product acceptance process in 2009 for all types of level crossing on non-electrified infrastructure, covering both AHB and UWC installations.

Initial trials

A number of UWC trial sites were installed in England and Northern Ireland, covering a range of configurations, including those featuring stations on the approach. In 2011 a further eight UWC sites were installed across the UK, each of which is now in full operational service.

In March 2012, the first GCP3000 AHB application was commissioned at Cherry Holt by a third-party provider. The system was interfaced with standard 24v Dorman road traffic lights and conventional type BR843 barrier machines. During the trial, an incident occurred due to poor rail shunting with a light locomotive on rusty rails. The level crossing predictor system, however, behaved exactly as expected by providing a warning that, although shorter than normally expected, still brought the barriers to the lowered position despite the intermittent rail shunting. During the investigation, the system remained in full operational service as the inspection report was very positive about predictor technology.

More recently, a GCP3000 system has been installed at West Bank Hall on the Drax line, and a further five AHB systems will be delivered as part of the third tranche of the level crossing programme.

Effectively now offered as an”off-the-shelf” solution, the GCP3000 is suitable for use on Miniature Stop Light (MSL), AHB and Automatic Barrier Crossing, Locally-monitored (ABCL) applications. For example, at sites such as Tinsley EUWC, which has a standard up and down line with no track circuits and a 70mph maximum speed limit, it offers a good solution with all the equipment fitting in a standard location case.

Diagnostics

The GCP3000 also provides operators with a full diagnostics capability. It monitors the condition of the railway throughout the area covered by the crossing strike-in and advises the maintainer if there is a problem with the infrastructure, and where that problem is on the track.

The Invensys Rail technical support team recently worked with a Network Rail maintenance team which had reported a problem during the re-linearising of a level crossing following a re-rail exercise. Using remote diagnostics, the Invensys team identified an area of poor rail condition which coincided with the re-rail. The site team subsequently discovered that a small area of the new rail was slightly corroded. Once cleaned, the new rail and the level crossing were successfully brought into service.

When a level crossing is equipped with a modem, the Invensys team and the maintainer both have dial-in diagnostic capability for any issue within the strike area. Now that the GCP3000 system has been certified, technical support for all first line technical issues is passing from the company’s York office (where the WESTeX development team is based) to its central aftermarket support team in Chippenham. As part of this process, new technical manuals are also currently being developed, in conjunction with Network Rail, to ensure they are complete from a maintainer’s, designer’s and installer’s perspective.

Lightweight barriers

In addition to the predictor systems, the WESTeX range also includes the lightweight S60 barrier machine, which in June 2012 received a certificate of acceptance from Network Rail for use at MCB and AHB level crossings. Examples of the S60 will be installed in the UK as part of the Crewe – Shrewsbury modular signalling project, with sixteen machines being installed at Manually Controlled Barrier (MCB) crossings which are being converted to MCB with Object Detection (OD) – consequently, the barriers are being supplied fully fitted with skirts. In line with Network Rail’s modular ethos, the S60 machines are being built and tested off-site at Invensys Rail’s facility at Chippenham prior to being delivered for installation and commissioning.

The S60 barrier machine is an electro-mechanical product rather than a traditional hydraulic system, making it far simpler to operate and to maintain. Available in a range of configurations, the machine uses less power and requires a smaller equipment housing and footprint than conventional systems. The post on which the S60 is fixed is also able to mount the road traffic lights. With a balanced weight distribution, it can use a screw-pile foundation, offering the potential for both installation time and cost savings.

Future developments

The next generation GCP4000 Level Crossing Predictor system has recently been introduced to the UK. An advanced predictor and solid state crossing control system, the GCP4000 delivers all the capability of the GCP3000 system but with the addition of a level crossing controller enabling direct control of 12 volt road traffic lights and the Invensys S60 barrier machines. It also incorporates additional functionality enabling it to control more complex infrastructure, while reducing the number of external timers and relays and therefore the REB requirement and the cost of civils work.

Trials of the GCP4000 have been completed at High Scampston on the York to Scarborough line in shadow mode, successfully demonstrating that the barrier-down time is reduced through the use of the predictor. In line with Invensys Rail’s modular solution, standard GCP4000 designs have now been templated, meaning that site-specific data needs only to be added for each new application. Consequently, the unit may be tested off-site, reducing cost.

Two other current projects address issues with UWCs. The first covers the lack of a suitable (110V) power supply in remote locations, with the company working to develop solar and wind-powered options. The team is currently seeking product acceptance for a number of systems. The second project is addressing the issue of the misuse of UWCs, particularly gates being left open.

Invensys has implemented a level crossing in Scotland where security key fobs have been assigned to the principle user, with a push-button system for infrequent users. This trial has led to a 95% reduction in misuse.

Introducing this technology forms part of Network Rail’s ongoing initiative to make crossings safer – which is already showing positive results.

Celebrity support helps Virgin petition hit 50,000

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Celebrities including Jamie Oliver and Lord Sugar have come out in support of Virgin Trains, urging the Government to reconsider Virgin Trains bid for the West Coast franchise.

The e-petition is now 30,000 signatures away from being considered for debate in the House of Common

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson said: “This is a great boost for everyone at Virgin Trains to see the level of support for us and the frustration at the Government’s decision.

“It is clear customers want the decision reconsidered and Parliament should have the opportunity to debate this before any contract is signed, which is planned for August 28.”

Last week, Virgin Trains was stripped of its only franchise after the Government accepted a £5.5 billion bid from the UK’s largest rail operator FirstGroup.

Other celebrity supporters have included footballer Joey Barton, singer Ronan Keeting and comedian Eddie Issard.

BNSF announces $61 million Iowa investment

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BNSF has announced plans to invest around $61 million on maintenance and rail capacity improvement projects in Iowa this year.

BNSF will continue its work on the Burlington Bridge by replacing existing through-truss spans and also begin work to replace BNSF’s bridge over the Missouri River between Plattsmouth and Pacific Jct.

Additionally, BNSF will continue its maintenance program in Iowa, which will include 315 miles of track surfacing and undercutting work and the replacement of 27 miles of rail and about 183,000 ties.

Matthew Rose, chairman and chief executive, said: “Investment in BNSF’s network in Iowa is an investment in Iowa jobs and competitiveness, and will ensure our infrastructure remains strong and efficient to better serve Iowa shippers and the state’s economy.”

BNSF also plans to spend approximately $1.1 billion on locomotive, freight car and other equipment acquisitions, many of which will serve Iowa.

IMechE goes Loco

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Developing young engineers is a key role of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). Since 1999, its Automobile Division has being doing so through the Formula Student Challenge in which teams design, construct and drive a racing car to specified criteria.

Not to be outdone, this year the Institution’s Railway Division held its first Railway Challenge which replaces the racing car with a 10 and a quarter gauge miniature locomotive. While not as outwardly sexy as a racing car, the competing teams used much ingenuity, worked hard and took great pride in their creations. These included the first locomotive built at Derby Locomotive Works for 45 years, a hydrogen powered locomotive and one with a mechanical spring drive.


Setting the Standard


The main aim of the IMechE Railway Challenge is to allow teams of engineering students studying at a UK university or apprentices working in industry to compete against each other to design and manufacture a miniature railway locomotive in accordance with a set of rules. Teams would be judged on a technical presentation and on a series of performance trials.

The Institution’s Simon Iwnicki, otherwise professor of railway engineering at Manchester Metropolitan University, first thought of the idea in 2010. Since then he has been developing the challenge’s concept and its supporting rules and technical specifications. Points are scored in five categories. Three of these are performance based: Energy Storage (250 points), Traction (150) and Ride Comfort (150). Points are also awarded for design philosophy (100) and business case (100) after the team’s presentation. The energy storage challenge requires energy stored during retardation to be available for traction power, and Simon gave this the highest weighting to drive innovation.

Tim Poole, who normally works on the sub-surface upgrade project for London Underground, produced the technical specification. This included systems assurance, performance requirements, locomotive structure and vehicle suspension. Specific requirements include refuelling in 90 seconds, 95% of materials being recyclable, remote operation from the trailing load, and the preparation of detailed drawings and maintenance manuals. Tim was impressed by the range of technologies used which he felt demonstrated that the specification has met its aim of being performance driven without constraining the team’s imagination.

In this first year, the competition would be limited to four teams. Two were from universities – Birmingham and Manchester Metropolitan, one from industry – Interfleet, and an Independent team from Derby.

The Stapleford trials

In a miniature recreation of the Rainhill trials, the competition was held on 1st July at the Stapleford Miniature Railway near Melton Mowbray. Unlike Rainhill, no one was killed although the railway did have Emma Peel tied to its tracks in a 1965 episode of The Avengers.

Stapleford was chosen because it has a 1 in 80 gradient, a central location and is not usually being open to the public. It was opened in 1958 when the Second Lord Gretton was looking for an attraction for his stately house and grounds. It proved popular and was steadily extended to its current 2 mile track layout. By the 1960s there were even 45ft long scale model liners on the adjacent lake.

After the death of its founder in 1982, the railway was mothballed. In 1992 Lady Gretton agreed to the formation of Friends of the Stapleford Miniature Railway (FSMR) to restore and operate the railway. In 1995 FSMR was able to hold its first open day, and has done so every year since then.


Innovation in miniature


Each team’s presentation of its design concept and business case provided an insight into its thinking and demonstrated how the specification had driven design. For energy storage, both Interfleet and Manchester had used supercapacitors with their rapid charge and discharge. The Manchester team had also used a coil spring which wound up at low speed when electrical regeneration is less effective. In addition, they had also designed their locomotive around the ride specification by incorporating an adjustable radial arm suspension into its frame.

All locomotives were powered by standard petrol generator sets except for one. This was Birmingham’s innovative use of a fuel cell powered by hydrogen stored in a metal hydride tank, an expensive component that stores 6,000 litres at low pressure. Although the fuel cell’s output was only 1.1 kW (compared with Interfleet’s 5kVa generator) it continually charged batteries that could deliver 4kW. Birmingham also developed a bespoke software control system with a wireless link for remote control by tablet. In a reflection of a certain real world project, it was difficult to see the screen in bright sunlight.

It was not all innovation, however, as the locomotives incorporated much conventional railway engineering with the design packs containing calculations for body frames, suspension and braking systems. To meet the business case requirement, production costs need to be minimised and in this the Independent team was successful with its entry costing £2,000, a fraction of the others.

And the winner is…

After a day of much running on the Stapleford track with a travelling judge in tow, together with presentations given to the judges. Interfleet’s graduates won the competition with a locomotive manufactured at the Roundhouse in Derby. Second, third and fourth places went respectively to Manchester Metropolitan University, Birmingham University and the Independents.

A key factor in Interfleet’s win was their locomotive being the only one tested on a miniature railway beforehand, so it was the only one that “worked out of the box” during the previous day’s testing. Other locomotives had problems with electronics and chain drives, one even required rescue by Stapleford’s “Thunderbird” locomotive.

Stephen Head, Interfleet’s team leader, felt this team had the right mix between simplicity and innovation, that energy storage was the most difficult part of the challenge and the best part was seeing the locomotive move for the first time. This comment was echoed by the Birmingham and Manchester teams, although they had different views about the most difficult aspect. For Birmingham’s Stephen Kent this was managing suppliers, deciding when to fix design and the chain tension system.

Manchester’s David Crosbee considered the hardest part to be the control system and filtering out the petrol generator spikes. This was a real issue for the independent team whose Michael Heaton wanted to show that the challenge could be met at minimal cost. His small team of four had produced the locomotive in his garage but had not tested it. Unfortunately, its diodes burnt out during the testing, following which the team spent hours installing heavier current circuitry, a job that was only just complete before their test. Sadly, after the locomotive started to haul its load, the electronics burnt out again.

Challenges for the future

Although this year’s challenge was very much a pilot, all concerned felt it was a great event. Its success was evident from the enthusiasm of everyone concerned. The general view was that everything had gone well, in no small part thanks to the Friends of the Stapleford Miniature Railway. The pilot competition did provide some lessons, one of which was the need for testing before the competition. Another concerned mass and rolling resistance not scaling down equally, so Stapleford’s 1 in 80 gradient is not as formidable as one on a full sized railway. As a result, when applied the regenerative braking stopped the miniature train instead of just retarding it.

Bridget Eickhoff, IMechE Railway Division Chairman, expects there to be a larger number of entries next year and is confident that the challenge will cope with this. She was extremely impressed by the efforts of all of the teams, with their different and innovative designs from the same specification. She wondered how long it will be before innovations in this and future challenges appear on the real railway.

In designing and building their own locomotives, the young engineers faced many real world operational, design and project management problems which provided a great learning experience. As Bridget commented, this also encouraged innovative thinking. For these reasons, future UK railways will no doubt benefit greatly from the Institution’s Railway Challenge.

Souter steps down as Stagecoach CEO

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Martin Griffiths has been appointed as the new chief executive of Stagecoach in a director reshuffle that will see former CEO Brian Souter take up the role of company chairman.

The appointment follows last week’s announcement that Virgin Rail – which is 49 per cent owned by Stagecoach – had lost out to FirstGroup in the race for control of the West Coast Mainline.

Sir Brian Souter, 58, co-founded Stagecoach in 1980.

He said: “I remain committed to the success of Stagecoach and consider now to be an appropriate time to plan to take a step back from the day-to-day management of the business.

I remain committed to the success of Stagecoach and consider now to be an appropriate time to plan to take a step back from the day-to-day management of the business.

“I fully support the board’s decisions to appoint Martin and Ross to their new roles, which reflects a further continuation of the transition in responsibilities that has occurred over recent years.  With a combined shareholding of over 25 per cent, my family and I remain committed shareholders in Stagecoach and I will devote whatever time is necessary to effectively discharge my responsibilities as chairman when that time comes.”

Stagecoach, which is currently in the process of bidding for the Thameslink and Great Western franchises, has also announced a 6.2 per cent rise in revenues at its British rail unit in the first quarter of this year.

Martin Griffiths, who was appointed as Stagecoach’s finance director in 2000, said: “I am honoured and delighted to be taking on the position of chief executive.

“I am proud to be part of the Stagecoach success story, working closely with Sir Brian.  I look forward to continuing to work with Sir Brian and the team of talented people across the group that underpin Stagecoach’s success.”

Formal proposal for RDG

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The Rail Delivery Group will be given added powers and placed on a more formal footing as the government ramps up  plans for closing the gap between train operators and infrastructure provider.

Proposals will be considered under the auspices of the Office of Rail Regulation. Says Tim O’Toole, chairman of the Rail Delivery Group, ‘Placing RDG on a more structured footing will enable it to take on a leadership role in which it will formulate strategies and policies for the whole industry.

‘The government’s command paper expects the Rail Delivery Group to take a leadership role within the rail industry in order to drive efficiency and improve value for money for the passenger, freight customer and taxpayer. Formalising the group will reinforce RDG’s ability to fulfil this role.’

The RDG could become a company limited by guarantee. An obligation will be placed on industry players to join the RDG by the introduction of a licence condition requiring participation in the group. Currently the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) brings industry leaders together on a voluntary basis to provide leadership to the rail industry.

The group was set up in May 2011 after the Rail Value for Money Study, chaired by Sir Roy McNulty.

Station staff save day-old kittens

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Station staff at Bedford have been praised for saving the lives of four kittens left abandoned in a carrier bag on the station.

Staff spotted the day-old kittens – all thought to be related – and immediately took steps to keep them warm. They then alerted the local RSPCA.

Says Gayle Simpkins of  RSPCA North Bedfordshire, ‘It was only the quick thinking members of staff who made sure the kittens were warm that saved them. I have no doubt that without their help, they would have died. All four kittens are now in the care of an experienced hand-rearer and are doing well.’

West Coast rail petition passes 30,000 signatures

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More than 30,000 people have now supported an e-petition urging the Government to re-think it’s decision to name FirstGroup as the new operator of the West Coast Mainline.

FirstGroup was awarded the sought after franchise after submitting a bid £5.5 billion for the 14-year contract.

Since the announcement last week, Virgin, who have run the service between London and Scotland since 1997, have raised doubts about feasibility of the bid.

Tim O’Toole, chief executive of FirstGroup, said the bid was a “deliverable proposition” and that FirstGroup would improve the service, reducing journey times and introducing new direct services.

Richard Branson has backed the online petition, saying: “It is not all over in the battle to make the Government see sense and reconsider the decision to award the West Coast Mainline franchise to FirstGroup.”

When petitions attain 100,000 signatures they are then considered for debate in the House of Commons.

Record traffic for Eurotunnel’s car carrying trains

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Eurotunnel’s car carrying trains have experienced record traffic levels, with more than 74,000 vehicles using the service in just one week in August.

The Le Shuttle service, which transports cars, motorcycles, caravans and coaches through the Channel Tunnel between Folkestone and Coquelles, is part of the Groupe Eurotunnel.

A new daily record was also set on August 11 – the penultimate day of the London Olympic Games – with 15,152 vehicles using the service.

The traffic levels were the highest since the end of Duty Free sales in 1999.

Jacques Gounon, chairman and chief executive of Groupe Eurotunnel SA, said: “In a highly competitive market this new record demonstrates the efficiency and flexibility inherent to the Le Shuttle service, the professionalism of our staff and the attraction for the travelling public of a transport system that is both fast and environmentally friendly.”

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