The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has applied to the US Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for over 108 million USD (102.9m EUR) of funding for corridor improvements. Planned improvements include two new Amtrak inland route daily round trips. The upgrades are a necessary first step for increasing train frequency and speed along the inland route corridor and the Boston-Albany (B&A) corridor. They will improve connections between Boston, Worcester and Springfield as well as further afield,

On Wednesday 25th, the assistant professor in Future Transport Systems, Marcelo Blumenfeld, and other associates had the honour of hosting a delegation of senior transport leaders from the Colombian government to the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) Centre of Excellence in Digital Systems. The opportunity granted to have this meeting was part of a wider mission organized by Cross rail International to support the ambitious plans to improve and expand rail transport in

In most of the world’s affluent countries, railroads either were built by the government or eventually claimed by it. Beset by growing losses due to high labor costs, bureaucratic inefficiency and the rise of automobiles and airplanes, those governments began reforming their rail systems in 1980s and 1990s with a mix of privatization, competition and arms-length contracting. In the U.S. the railroads began as private enterprises, albeit aided by massive government land grants in the

We communicate through robust virtual channels, conduct work remotely, and receive healthcare at a distance, all due to advancements in technology and the transition to the Internet of Everything. That intelligent connection between data, processes, and people is at the core of our mobility and is bound to shape the future of transport. Connectivity can improve the customer experience, optimize transportation, and create new opportunities for economic growth. Today, we explore the trends and innovations

Network Rail has completed a series of improvements across the UK as a part of their Transpennine Route Upgrade Project. This project works on improvements between Manchester, Huddersfield, York, and Leeds. These improvements are brought in with the idea of preparing for 70 miles of electrification across the route. As well as these improvements further improvements to the Leeds track were brought in to ensure the track can support even more trains than it already

The new requirements seek to enhance U.S. railroad cyber-security resilience by focusing on performance-based measures. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have announced a new cyber-security directive regulating designated passenger and freight railroad carriers. The announcement demonstrates the Biden Administration’s commitment to strengthen the cyber-security of U.S. critical infrastructure. Building on the TSA’s work to strengthen defenses in other transportation modes, this security directive will further enhance cyber-security preparedness and resilience for the nation’s railroad operations.

As more and more railways continue to suffer due to poor and outdated cyber-security infrastructure the market for good cyber-security becomes more integral to railways than ever. Luckily IT companies worldwide have begun to take notice and it is estimated that the railway cyber-security market is expected to grow a massive 8% within the next 7 years.   https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/railway-cybersecurity-market-to-witness-growth-acceleration-thales-france-alstom-france-siemens-germany

The government is arduously working on finding ways to avoid exploiting rail systems vulnerabilities as they don’t want any interference and want to prevent breaches and cyber-attacks from hackers. Knowing that the railways and their transportation are used by millions of people, big companies, and the government, the necessity of keeping the American rail industry safe is one of the goals of the authorities related to this field. It is not easy to take care

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) have completed their modernisation for 75 ‘Class 377/4’ trains for Southern. These upgrades come as a part of a five-year £55 million programme funded by ROSCO and Porterbrook. Upgrades made optimise not only the onboard experience but also the reliability and maintenance speed of these trains. https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/news/140030/southern-electrostar-upgrade/