Roll On The Future
The new UK government is expected to extend franchise terms for train operators, allowing the operators to procure new rolling stock. This article presents an overview of what the future may hold for rolling stock in the UK in light of this expected change. In the short and medium term, extending the life of existing trains through the use of state-of-the-art traction and auxiliary systems will be a priority. Reliability improvements and the use of remote diagnostics and monitoring technology to help improve performance will become the norm. The train itself will become ‘intelligent’, producing vast amounts of information for use in maintenance and operation processes. The vast majority of rolling stock will be electric, with existing diesel trains operating primarily on outlying lines. There will be a continuing emphasis on energy efficiency, with regenerative braking, equipment efficiency techniques, on-board energy measurement and storage capability, and the use of new materials to reduce weight. Air systems will be removed from trains, and electric braking will be used to halt the train. On-train information systems will develop and ‘wi-fi’ capability will become the norm. All trains on London Underground will be fitted with air-conditioning and through-gangways to improve passenger comfort, safety and security. Door positioning will be optimized to increase passenger flows and reduce dwell times. Trains will be controlled from integrated control centers allowing better congestion management, and the whole network will move towards on-board signaling, reducing headways. High-speed trains will also be even more efficient, since the international reference speed for high-speed routes will increase to 400-plus km per hour by the end of the decade.
- Record URL:
-
Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/49957551
-
Authors:
- Clark, Graeme
- Publication Date: 2010-6
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Print
- Features: Photos;
- Pagination: pp 25-26
-
Serial:
- Rail Professional
- Issue Number: 159
- Publisher: Cambridge Publishers Limited
- ISSN: 1476-2196
- Serial URL: http://www.cpl.biz/ourwork/general/rp.htm
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Energy conservation; Future; Passenger trains; Real time information; Rolling stock; Technology
- Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
- Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01173341
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Sep 16 2010 12:43PM