RAILWAY INTERIORS EXPO – ISSUE FIVE 2017

The latest news & reviews from the industry M A G A Z I N E

THIS YEAR AT...

Railway Interiors Expo 2017

The Greatest Show Yet!PLUS our Featured Exhibitors Index

& The AeroLiner3000A Fully Compatible Double DeckerTrain for Great Britain

2www.eleathergroup.com

Reduced weight and maintenance costs, improved appearance andbranding from a sustainable technology.To discuss your upholstery and cladding programme requirementscall +44(0)1733 843 939 or email: rail@eleathergroup.com

THE ORIGINAL HIGH PERFORMANCECOMPOSITE LEATHER

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Railway Interiors Expo 2017 takes placein Prague, Czech Republic, on 14–15November. This bi-annual event, whichwas first held in 2004. After being heldin Cologne, Germany, for several years,2015 marked the first time the eventwas held in Prague. That year, the showattracted visitors from 76 countries andregularly attracts more than 2000visitors from around the world. Forcomplete details about the show, youcan visit their website atwww.railwayinteriors-expo.com.

In this issue we have an interview withAndreas Vogler from Andreas VoglerStudios, the studio behind the design ofthe AeroLiner 3000, a fully compatibledouble decker train for Great Britain,with additional contributions by Swisscompany Lantal Textiles AG, a leadingsupplier of railway interior textiles, andBritish company Forbo Flooring (standno. 2018), both of whom were involvedin this project.

We also have a review of the recentlypublished Britain’s 100 Best RailwayStations by Simon Jenkins for you. It is ahighly worthwhile read that is brimmingwith interesting details and architecturalknow-how. Quite frankly, an excellentChristmas present for a fellow trainenthusiast in your life!

We have a guest contribution by StevenMifsud, Director of Direct AccessConsultancy on creating an inclusivesociety by providing disability access torail. He has worked on rail accessibilityprojects across Europe, including forVirgin, Luas, London Underground andNetwork Rail.

Dave Walker from Parker Hannifin haswritten his ‘Rolling Stock Diet Plan’,asking ‘How can we improve ourcustomer experience whilst increasing

As the days are getting shorter andwe’re spending less time outside (unless of course you’re in the southern hemisphere!), it’s apt that we’re focusing our attention on interiors.

Letter from the Editor

Josephine Cordero Sapién, editor-in-chief

ANDREW LUSHDirector

al@railway-news.com

JOSEPHINE CORDERO SAPIÉNEditor-in-chief

jcs@railway-news.com

NICOLA BROWNHead of Sales

nb@railway-news.com

AmBER GUY-KEmPHead of Client Contentagk@railway-news.com

GUY RAYmENTGraphic Design

Zoe CunninghamEditorial Assistant

Christopher SargentContributor

A2B Global media LtdThird Floor

11–15 Dix’s FieldExeter EX1 1QAUnited Kingdom

Office: +44 (0)1392 580002mobile: +44 (0)7432 725001

Email: info@railway-news.comWebsite: www.railway-news.com

If you would like to submit editorialcontent, or you are interested in giving an interview for the magazine, pleasecontact Josephine Cordero Sapién.

If you would like your company to join Railway-News’s online platform,

please contact Andrew Lush.

To subscribe to our newsletter, visitwww.railway-news.com.

COVER: © Forbo Flooring

capacity on the network, and at thesame time reducing both our carbonfootprint and the cost of running the railway?’

Tangerine looks to future transport in itscontribution ‘Transforming tomorrow’spassenger experience today’, notingthat 75% of the world’s population willlive in cities and 30% of the populationin developed countries will be over 60years old by 2050.

Our next issue, due to be published inFebruary 2018, will focus Middle EastRail held in Dubai (UAE) 12–13 March.There will be 400 suppliers exhibiting atthe event with more than 10,000visitors attending. Confirmed speakersinclude the Director General forMobility and Transport at the EuropeanCommission, Henrik Hololei, and theDirector General of UNIFE, PhilippeeCitroen. If you are going and would liketo be represented in our magazine,please contact Andrew Lush atal@railway-news.com.

Please enjoy our 5th issue of 2017!

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Contents

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RAILWAY INTERIRORS EXPO 2017

p.8 This Year at Railway Interiors Expo 2017

p.18 INDEX: Featured Exhibitors at Railway Interiors Expo 2017

FEATURES

p.10 The AeroLiner3000 – A Fully Compatible Double Decker Train for Great Britain

p.24 Careers in Rail

p.42 All Sense of Being in a Hurry Gone – Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations by Simon Jenkins

p.48 Disability AccessSteven Mifsud, Director of Direct Access Consultancy, says disability access to rail transportation plays a crucial role in creating an inclusive society.

SUPPLIER NEWS

p.20 Parker: The Rolling Stock Diet PlanDave Walker considers the 4Cs – cost, customer, carbon and capacity – and discusses how weight and space fit into the equation.

p.56 TangerineTransforming Tomorrow’s Passenger Experience Today

p.50 SensitProducer of Sensors for Railway Vehicles

p.28 PhasorHere Come Broadband Flat Panel Antennas

p.16 LantalEverything from One Source

p.37 UPCOmING EvENTSOctober 2017 – December 2017

p.60 mechanMechan’s Might Aids Depot Development

p.32 TreadmasterSure-Fire Flooring Solutions for Rail

p.22 ForboFlooring for Rail

p.40 FlexfabWe’re a Global Leader

p.46 BaultarAdvanced Flooring System

p.54 ASCCommissioning Applications

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NEW TECHNOLOGIES | NEW MATERIALS | NEW CONCEPTS | NEW DESIGNS | FREE TO ATTEND!

GO ONLINE TO LEARN MORE!

www.railwayinteriors-expo.com

Seating / Catering solutions / Lighting technologies / Design services /

Passenger comfort systems / Lavatories and washroom systems / Systems

integrators / Catering systems and technologies / Infotainment systems /

Anti-vandalism technologies / HVAC systems / Flooring solutions / Safety

equipment / Maintenance providers / Cleaning solutions / Advanced

composites and materials and much more...

WHAT’S ON SHOW

The latest and next-generation railcar and mass-transit design, materials and technology showcase!

FREE TO ATTEND!

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PLUS: Featuring the largest free-to-attend railcar interiors conference ever to take place!

www.railwayinteriors-expo.com

CZECH REPUBLIC

UKi Media & Events, Abinger House, Church Street, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1DF. Tel: +44 1306 743 744 Email: damien.deroche@ukimediaevents.com

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REGISTER ONLINE

NOW FOR YOUR

FREE VISITOR PASSPLUS:

FREE-TO-ATTEND

CONFERENCE

FEATURING

INDUSTRY-LEADING

SPEAKERS!

Railway Interiors Expo heads to Prague, CzechRepublic, on 14–15 November 2017, to provide avital showcase of all of the latest and next-generation railcar interior developments. Railcarmanufacturers, operators and designers will be ableto take a close look at all the very latest railcarinterior designs, technologies and components.Visitors will be greeted by everything from seats toflooring, composite materials, sanitary units,lighting, soft furnishings, infotainment systems andso much more. This year almost 100 exhibitors areexpected, from countries including Canada, Japanand the USA – not to mention a very strongEuropean contingent.

Your guide to the must-attendshowcase of railcarinterior innovations

The greatestshow yet

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Another big draw is the carefully curated two-day, two-streamconference, which, like the exhibition, is free to attend. This yearalmost 50 speakers will share their experiences and ideas – includingrepresentatives from Fraunhofer FEP, Idesign Sweden, NewRail,Ostende Vienne Orient Experience, PriestmanGoode, SNCF, SpiritDesign and the Vienna University of Technology. Please see ourwebsite for an up-to-date, full program. In addition, tangerine willtreat attendees to exclusive design workshops.

Networking opportunities continue into the evening of Tuesday, 14November with a drinks party, which is open to all attendees.

The Expo, which was launched in 2004, regularly attracts more than2,000 attendees from all over the world.

Register online now for your free entry pass!railwayinteriors-expo.com

Contact: Damien de RocheSales & Marketing DirectorTel: +44 (0) 1306 743 744Email: damien.deroche@ukimediaevents.com

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10

A Fully Compatible DoubleDecker Train for Great Britain

The AeroLiner3000

By Zoe Cunningham and Josephine Cordero Sapién

11

hoping to build aprototype next year.

AV: After a feasibility study we didcomplete a demonstrator study,where we designed and built halfa coach as a full-scaledemonstrator, which wasshowcased at the world’s largestrailway trade fair, InnoTrans, inSeptember 2016 in Berlin,Germany.

At the moment we are trying toform alliances to further promotethe train. We are talking to variousauthorities and manufacturers toinvest into a future train concept,which has not only benefits forthe UK, but through its advancedtechnology can also saveconsiderable running costs onstandard gauges all over theworld.

RN: What’s unique aboutthe challenges in theUnited Kingdom’s railwaysystem from othersystems in Europe?

AV: As mentioned above theBritish loading gauge is below 4mfor the majority of the lines,whereas the main lines on thecontinent are at around 4.5m.Also the platform level in UK is915mm, whereas the EuropeanUnion Technical Specifications forInteroperability TSI target is for760 and 550mm, especially toaccommodate double deckertrains. This creates ergonomicchallenges when increasingcapacity. Also many railwaystations are not really preparedfor a capacity increase. You alsoneed to think how to get peopleon and off a train. The train is asystem which you always need toconsiderate holistically.

The AeroLiner3000 is a fullycompatible double decker train forGreat Britain, first unveiled atInnoTrans 2016. The UKDepartment for Transport hasshown an interest in theAeroLiner3000 and negotiationsare on-going.

With capacity a major challengefor UK railways, designing doubledecker trains already in use on thecontinent for the UK network is aninnovative solution to a problemnot easily solved. Spacerestrictions mean trains can’t bemade taller or wider, but nor canthey be made longer and longer,because of platform lengths. Wewanted to hear more about thissolution put forward by AndreasVogler Studios.

In addition, we have chosen tofeature the contributions made tothe project by two suppliers to therailway interiors market, LantalTextiles and Forbo Flooring, aspart of our focus on railwayinteriors for this magazine issue.

Railway-News: MisterVogler, can you tell us abit about how youapproached the problemof overcrowding ontrains? Where did youinitially see opportunitiesfor design to alleviate theproblem? And what werethe design constraints?

Andreas Vogler: Britain hasgreatly invented the railways inthe 19th century, but is alsotrapped in its historicinfrastructure, which grew veryfast by many private companies,who made the tunnels as small aspossible to cut costs. It is the costof liberal capitalism that often agreater vision is missing. But thatwas 150 years ago.

However, British rail is a story ofsuccess with growing passengernumbers since the 1990s. Britishtrain operators so far have beencatching this capacity growthwith seat pitches reaching theirergonomic limits and with peak-hour travel being very expensive.However, passenger numberskeep on growing, because alsothe roads and the sky are full inBritain. It is a country on themove.

On the continent, the capacitygrowth has been caught bydouble decker trains, whichincrease a train’s capacity by up to50% without a change ininfrastructure. On the continentthe loading gauge historically islarge enough to allow that; in theUK it’s not.

When the Rail Safety andStandards Board RSSB with itsFuture Railway Programmelaunched the competition of afuture train in Britain, we wantedto take up the challenge.

The very tight infrastructure in UKis a major constraint in our design.Already 10cm more in eachdirection would bring greatbenefits for the design. In theshort term, the train we aredesigning could bring a relevantseating capacity increase withoutaffecting the infrastructure at all,in the long term, we hope it startsa discussion on how UK cancreate an rail infrastructure for the3rd millennium. DLR (GermanAerospace Center) has alreadydeveloped some radical butconsequent ideas in this direction.

RN: What stage are you inthe development of theAeroLiner 3000prototype? We hear you’re

12

drive on a car carrying traincalling a major cities with a speedof 225 mph? Los Angeles - NewYork in your own (electric) car in12 hours, while working, diningand charging the batteries of youcar. Future trains could even haveindividually powered high-speedcoaches, running independentlyand on demand, forming trains onthe fly and decoupling at high-speed to serve remote locationson demand. Watch out Googleand Apple, trains could be themeans of travel in the future, if thevision is right. The technology isalready in the present.

RN: Can you tell me a bitabout how you arrived atthe four Cs of the designbrief: capacity, low-carbon emissions throughlightweight construction,customer comfort, andcost-sensitive innovation.Is this a strategy thatother governments shouldadopt when thinkingabout modernisinginfrastructure? Could youexplain how your designaddresses each of theseattributes?

AV: The 4Cs have been adoptedand aligned from centralgovernment policy and arecommon to most transportsystems particularly aerospaceand automotive. We have beenexpanding the diagram of the fourCs by additional orbits, which allinterlock. If you make your coachlighter by clever engineering andyou can fit more people you saveenergy and carbon emission, butalso costs while you increasecapacity. Initial costs of the trainmaybe higher, but savings start as

RN: Do you hope yourprototype for the UKcould be appliedelsewhere?

AV: Other countries in the worldalso have low tunnels (as forexample in downtown Sydney). Inaddition, we could conceive ofdouble decker underground trainsin mega cities. A train with a lowerprofile also has a loweraerodynamic resistance, whichsaves energy and CO2 emissions.

But the major highlights about theAeroLiner3000 are not only itslower profile; even build in astandard profile it will reduceweight and energy use as well aswear on wheels and tracks, whichbrings considerable costreductions. Beyond that it alsobrings a new modern designapproach: an airline-style trainshould attract other operatorsworldwide.

RN: Aging infrastructure isa challenge in cities andcountries all around theworld. Generally speaking,

how can they start tothink about future-proofing their railwaysystems?

AV: The invention of the train wasthe entrance into masstransportation 200 years ago. Itwas the major means of travel forthe rich and the poor before theinvention of cars and aeroplanes.And astonishingly still today is oneof the most competitive means oftravel in terms of safety andpollution. Especially in Europe thedeveloping high-speed networkstarts to make many airlineconnections redundant.

But there is still a lot of small-scale historical thinking in thetrain world. A larger vision of thestyle and noblesse that train travelhad in Victorian times is missing inthe UK, but also on the continent.We need to work on that largervision. Why should Google, Appleand others build automatic carswhich form little ‘trains’ on themotorways, all with a lot of losspowered by individual enginesrunning at 80mph, when youcould make them automatically

Andreas Vogler © Forbo Flooring

13

control over the environment, togive feedback. Furthermore, itwould bring in a socialcomponent and balance theindividual feelings.

RN: Which particularprinciples of airline designdid you apply to theinteriors of this train tocreate optimal comfort?

AV: Before the interior designcomes the architecture of thecoach. We were very lucky towork closely with the brilliantengineers from the GermanAerospace Center DLR to developa very lightweight coach structurewith generous windows withinthe extremely confined Britishloading gauge. Now the interiordesign has to provide the skin forthe engineering and architectureof the coach. It is everything youtouch with your senses: with yourhands, your eyes, your ears, evensmell. This is all essential whenyou think about colours,materials, illumination, ventilationand heating. You have tounderstand your design not onlyfrom a technical and standardpoint of view, but from a humanpoint of view. It is not only aboutdurability, maintenance andcleaning, it is about supportingthe passengers to experience therelaxation or excitement of travel,give them a temporary home oroffice. Psychological andphysiological comfort. A feeling ofsafety and trust. All this flowsdirectly into design decisions andthe value of this design processfor the interior should not beunderestimated, especially intrains. Airline operatorsunderstand this much better,because there is morecompetition.

soon as it is running. Thechallenge is to increase alsopassenger comfort; that why wealso have psychology in ourdiagram orbit. A lot of the miseryof today’s train travel, not only inthe UK, is poor communication,poor psychology to makepassengers happy and poorpassenger flow. We are workingon a conceptual level on thosefields as well. We should notforget, the passenger is the mostimportant element in the system.

RN: Anything else you’dlike to add?

AV: Andreas Vogler Studio hasexperience in the design of smallspaces. Working in aerospacedesign and doing practicalresearch in British architectRichard Horden’s MicroArchitecture Study Group atTechnical University in Munich,we were confident to design adouble decker high-speed trainfor the very tight British loadinggauge. It is changingsome paradigms of a train, it ismore like a Learjet on rails.

RN: Which major aspectsof the design and researchthat you have been doingin the aerospace field foryears now did you applyto the design of this train?Which major aspects ofthe engineering are"revolutionary" in thiscontext? 

AV: I think this is difficult tohighlight with a concreteexample, it has more to do with astate of mind and designmethodology. For me it wasalways crucial to work in a trans-disciplinary manner and not be

trapped inside the disciplines andinside the specific industries,which all have their mentalitiesand home-grown limitations.

In aerospace design one isdeveloping a high awareness ofthe safety and engineeringimplications each design decisionmay have or not. As a designeryou get very sensitised tolightweight construction, energyconsumption and high passengercomfort in very small spaces.Whereas many in the train worldmay think a double decker on alow profile is not possible, for uswith our background it was clearfrom the beginning that we cancreate high business jet-likecomfort in a restricted volume,which people will also perceive ascomfortable

The same should be said for theengineers of DLR (GermanAerospace Center). Although thedepartment we worked with isspecialised in high-speed trains,they have the whole backgroundof aerospace engineering, whichinfluenced their thinking aboutlight construction, mechatronics,aerodynamics and so on. 

RN: What is "interactive"about the train's controls?

AV: We are planning thepossibility for the passenger tointeract with the environment byan app. The passenger cancontrol light, the shading of theelectronic windows individually.But also each passenger could tellthe app if he/she feels too cold orhot. The smart system would givethe passenger feedback of whatthe average temperature wishedby all passengers would be. It is akind of crowd sourcingenvironment. On a psychologicallevel the system would give thepassenger the feeling of having

14

individual and distinguished. This

means, we thought of the train as

designing an airline interior and

only then started to research the

availability of stock products. We

also looked at many trains and

clearly defined what we didn’t

want: interiors which look like

refrigerators and unmotivated

funny and dark colours and wild

patterns on seats and carpets,

unfortunately often found in

public transport.

RN: To provide somecontext for readers: Whydo you (and your client, Iassume) think it makessense to focus designefforts on, and invest in,rail infrastructure today?

AV: Trains were the very first

means of mass transportation

more than 150 years ago.

Trains today are some of the most

environmentally friendly and

safest means of transport and the

development of trains in UK is a

story of success. The number of

passengers has doubled over the

last 20 years and the number of

journeys is expected to double

again over the next 25 years. 

Trains are fast, don’t suffer traffic

jams and bring you directly into

the centre of cities. There are

worldwide large investments into

high-speed rail infrastructure. 

Western Europe dominates the

market, followed by Asia and the

Pacific. North America ranks third,

due almost entirely to its large

freight rail market.

RN: Which materials and

finishes did you use in the

train's construction and

interiors that are not

usually found in trains

today? Did any of these

materials come from your

aerospace research? If so,

which?

AV: All materials used are train-graded and available for trainoutfitting. However, usually youdon’t find it in this combination intrains. This has several reasons.Our approach, however, comesfrom our airline background,where the choice of materials isalso limited by especially fireregulations, but the choice andpossibility of the development ofpatterns and colours is muchhigher, since all airlines want to be

15

Lantal Textiles:SeatingThe Swiss company Lantal isn’tonly known for high-qualityproducts and services for thepassenger transportationindustries but also for itsinnovative spirit. As amanufacturer and refiner ofpremium textiles and a provider ofmany useful services, Lantal’smission is to do everything it canto make travellers feel at ease enroute. The high comfort of thepassenger was also a mainobjective while designing theAeroLiner3000, therefore acollaboration between the twoparties seemed like an idealcombination.

Lantal’s involvement in the projectstarted with a request from theSwiss architect Andreas Voglerfrom the Munich-based AndreasVogler Studio. Mister Vogler knewLantal already from the aircraftbusiness. He approached thecompany with the inquiry tosponsor their high-quality leatherfor the mock-up of theAeroLiner3000 at InnoTrans 2016.Lantal leather is made of first-classcentral European cowhides with asubtle grain and a polished surfaceand is also in compliance with allrelevant railway safetyrequirements. Lantal providedMister Vogler with different leathersamples and a colour card, whichoffered him a wide variety for thefuture look of the mock-up seats. After Mister Vogler found the rightleather, that matched his vision forthe mock-up, Lantal sent the finalmaterials to the seat manufacturerRica Seats in Finland. Rica Seats,which is known for its superiorworkmanship, then processed theleather on to the seats for theAeroLiner3000 mock-up.

The participation in a suchpioneering and innovative projectis associated to Lantal’s capabilityto analyse megatrends thatinfluence passengertransportation. Lantal’s designteam attends trade shows andexhibitions to obtain informationon design directions, andresearches the train market tobetter understand where thevoyage will go for our customersand their passengers in the future.

Forbo FlooringAt InnoTrans 2016, we weredelighted to see our Tessera FRflooring feature in AndreasVogler’s full-scale mock up of theAeroLiner 3000. Tessera FR is acollection of attractive,hardwearing carpet, offered invarious pile constructions andtextures, all designed to deliverspecific aesthetic andperformance advantages. The installation of carpet in railvehicles adds significant warmth,comfort and acoustic benefits.

This new double-decker conceptaimed at Great Britain’s railindustry received a lot of attentionat the show. The UK has yet to seea viable double-decker model thatwill tackle overcrowding issuesbut Andreas Vogler’s concept fitswithin maximum height/widthrestrictions and increases capacityby 30%.

The design has been incrediblywell thought out, right down totemperature control – heat will becontrolled by passengers with anapp, which will gauge an averageresponse and set the temperatureaccordingly. What’s more is thateach window section can bedimmed by passengers if the lightfrom outside is too bright.The interior design scheme canonly be described as quitebeautiful. The natural, mutedcolours are calming and aid therelaxation of passengers. Thewood finishes and moderntextures could have been used in ahotel or someone’s home –walking through the carriage waslike walking on to a private jet – afeeling which was at the forefrontof Andreas Vogler’s design vision.

60 years ofexperience in railinteriorsLantal’s know-how is based ondecades of experience: in 2016 theSwiss enterprise celebrated its 60thanniversary in the domain of railcarinteriors. In the aircraft segment,Lantal was able to leverage itscompetencies for the developmentof flame-retardant textilesbeginning in the early 1950s, in co-operation with Boeing and NASA.Lantal owes its current status asone of the world’s leading providersof all-in-one solutions for railcarinteriors to long-standingpartnerships and on-goingrefinements.

Single-sourceconvenienceLantal leaves nothing unfinished inthe customer’s hand: the companyoffers total solutions from a singlesource, from design developmentto production and warehousing.This all-in-one approach allowsLantal to implement customerprojects quickly, efficiently and tohigh-quality standards. Lantal’s engineering department isauthorised to perform

Lantal has oneprimary mission:to make the journey as comfortableas possible for travellers, fromboarding to arrival. The steadypursuit of this goal as well as high-quality products and serviceshave given this Swiss company anexcellent reputation worldwide. All-in-one solutions and productinnovations are designed to assurethe ultimate in well-being forpassengers and to simplify workingprocedures for railway operators.Lantal serves all major rolling stockand seat manufacturers, numerousspecialised completion firms andover 80 rail system operators aroundthe world.

Millions of commuters worldwide

use public transportation every day

to get to and from work. Some of

them have to cope with

excruciatingly long travel times.

This is why Lantal regularly deals

with the question on how to make

the travel experience as pleasant as

possible for travellers.

Lantal’s objective is not only to

create the ultimate in passenger

well-being with its products but at

the same time to support railway

operators with competent advice

to streamline the implementation

of their complex projects. The

company’s contributions include

project management, advice,

laboratory tests, engineering

services, and in-depth competence

in all-in-one solutions. For

hospitable interiors, Lantal offers a

diversified line-up of seat covers in

exquisite flat weaves and beautiful

leathers or robust velvets, high-

quality rugged carpets as well as

harmoniously matched headrest

covers. All Lantal products comply

with the relevant standards and

specifications.

Lantal’s all-in-one solutions benefit railsystem operators and travellers.

Everything fromone source

16

modifications of textile interiorelements independently and to relyon 3D drawings to develop seatcovers, literature pockets, and floorcoverings. These services simplify,expedite and streamline customerprojects and strengthen the railsystem operator’s brand identity.Operators also benefit frombundled competencies with asingle point of contact, whichreduces their administrative effort.The result is a lower cost and lesscomplexity in the processmanagement.

Conceptual Forecastcollection A harmonious and functionalinterior ambiance is essential formaking trips as pleasant as possiblefor travellers. It not only contributesto passenger well-being but alsoenhances the travel experience.Lantal’s design team has againevolved its acclaimed Trendletter tocreate a Conceptual Forecastcollection with seat cover fabrics,leathers, carpets and curtains. Thecurrent collection features stylishdesigns that can be transformedinto tasteful overall concepts. Itoffers three “classes” to match theapplication and the envisaged travel

experience: Modern Luxury, NewPremium and Premium Light.

Laboratory servicesLantal’s certified in-houselaboratory is equipped with theresources needed to test interiorcomponents that are subject to theEN 45545-2 standard. Lantal hasdeveloped a complete EN 45545-2-compatible line of products thatcan be delivered off-the-shelf or incustomer-specific materialcombinations with the relevant firetest report. In addition to fire tests,the laboratory also performs otherqualification tests involving wear

CurrentConceptualForecastcollection forthe Trainmarket

A cone calorimeter test, which is done in our laboratory

resistance, pilling, lightfastness andcolourfastness. The laboratory isaccredited pursuant to ISO 17025.All tests within the scope of itsqualifications are available to thirdparties on a contract basis as well.

LantalLantal is a leader in the design,production and distribution of textilesand services for the internationalcommunity of aircraft, bus and railwayoperators. The company offersforward-looking guidance with theobjective of achieving the ultimate inpassenger well-being.

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COMMITTED TO THE HEALTH OF ONE WWW.FORBO-FLOORING.COM/CHO

It originated from the UK RailwayTechnical Strategy and defines thetop-level strategic drivers as

• Cost• Customer• Carbon • Capacity

I don’t wish to go through each in detail as they are all fairly self-descriptive; however as acombined message they ask the following question:

“How can we improve ourCUSTOMER experiencewhilst increasingCAPACITY on thenetwork, and at the sametime reducing both ourCARBON footprint andthe COST of running therailway?”

Let’s start with the basics: the fourCs challenge that has been withus for some time now.

The RollingStock Diet Plan

Reduced ascompressor

purchase andmaintenance

negated

Potentially extraspace for

luggage orseating

Space previouslyused by the

auxilliarycompressor now

free for otheruse

Whole systemweight

reductioncontributing tolower fuel use

• Carbon

• Cost • Customer

• Capacity

By Dave Walker, Parker Hannifin

Fig. 1

20

go some way towards addressing

this, but the optimised design

must include a consideration of

access for maintenance and

service requirements.

However, the previously illustrated

example shows: weight and space

can also be reduced by returning

to basics and challenging the

current thinking. The “we’ve

always done it this way”, or “this

is best practice”, “if it ain’t broke,

don’t fix it” sayings need to be

challenged; then maybe a new

best practice will come to light.

Looking at a complete system

within the vehicle along with all its

interfaces from a completely clean

sheet will give us the opportunity

to question, review and potentially

improve that system utilising the

latest technology and

manufacturing advances. New

technologies that benefit the

whole life-performance and life-

cycle costs can be considered,

including the IoT (Internet of

Things). Operating from this level

we can also take a holistic view of

the vehicle system with the four

Cs in mind. The link, then, to

innovation – which may not mean

a completely new solution, but

could include technology transfer

from other industries and utilising

alternative technologies – can

truly be explored and the benefits

maximised.

To discuss how Parker can help

you address the 4 Cs utilising a

holistic system design approach

please contact Dave Walker,

Parker’s Rail Market Development

Manager at rail@parker.com.

You may ask, “how does thisaffect railway interiors, systems,designs and functionality, oh andby the way, what’s this diet planyou mentioned?”

Well, the four Cs are inextricablylinked; for example, won’t anincrease in capacity mean anincrease in the carbon footprint?Won’t more capacity mean ahigher cost? Or, if we take costout, will this negatively affect thepassenger experience? This iswhere we need to think about therelationships across the four Csand how we, as suppliers, canthink holistically to benefit thecomplete picture.

An example is shown belowwhere, starting with a clean sheet,a pantograph control solution hasbeen developed for use withoutthe need for an auxiliarycompressor.

From an interiors perspective, thisexample illustrates our ability tohave a direct impact on the fourCs, the four key top-level drivers,particularly when we employinnovative thinking. Not allprojects or activities will be able toaffect all four quite so obviously.They may have a significantimpact in one area whilst stillhaving a positive impact onanother, but the thought processremains.

If you look back at Fig. 1, we cansee that two factors affect thesefour Cs and they are weight andspace. These factors are alsoeasier to address and this bringsme to the diet plan:

• weight• space

We at Parker have been looking atthese issues for some time,wanting to improve them. It is not

just a case of reducing the size ofsomething; performancecharacteristics must be at the veryleast retained but preferablyenhanced whenever possible. Wealso have to consider mechanicalstrength, suitability for theoperating environment and theforces that may be applied. Thereduction in size may also notresult in a proportional weightloss, depending on theconstruction materials. Therefore,we should look at each point inisolation and then as a whole inorder to achieve the ultimate endresult.

Weight: there are obviously manythings that can affect componentweight. Size, shape and materialare all key, but production methodcan also be vital in producing theoptimum form. Just consider theability of additive manufacturingto produce components withouttraditional problems, such asshape and form restraints, ormaterial waste produced bymachining. The resultingcomponents can be complexforms that maximise materialthickness; this gives us engineeredsolutions that are bothmechanically sound yet of lighterweight, and all in a shape or formto fit and integrate into theinterfaces.

Space: reducing equipmentweight alone may not affect thespace envelope required;however, some gains can usuallybe made. It is worth weighing upthe cost of aiming for using lessspace against the cost ofdeveloping the equipment to fit.Miniaturisation in itself can be anexpensive exercise. It may bebetter to think of the effectiveutilisation of available space andlook at methods to reduce wastedspace. As previously stated,additive (or 3D) manufacturing can

21

• reduce the potential for slips and trips

How?A passenger entering a trainvestibule will be met underfoot bya moisture-removing surface thatwill get rid of wet and dry soilingfrom the soles of shoes andsuitcases without them having toso much as wipe their feet. CoralFR also reduces premature wearand tear to interior floorcoverings, minimises cleaning andmaintenance costs and protectspassengers by reducing sliphazards, increasingly important inthe winter months and in wetweather.

Benefits:• high moisture absorption

• dirt scraping for effective clean-off

Roads are getting busier andweekend demand is alsoincreasing. With a rise in railridership across all ages, theaesthetic of interiors needs toappeal to a wider range ofdemographics than ever before. Forbo offers the widest portfolioof compliant floor coverings forrail on the market.

Coral FR EntranceFlooringIf you could reduce the cost and

time of cleaning without lifting afinger, what would you say?In the absence of a magic wand,the answer lies quite literally at ourfeet. It is in the floor covering youchoose for your rail vehicleproject.

At our Coral FR production site,we manufacture entrance flooring

that with appropriate maintenanceand installation, can do thefollowing:• stop up to 95% of dirt and moisture entering a rail vehicle

• may save up to 65% of the lifetime cleaning costs of the other interior floor coverings

As more and more people eschew commuting by car, rail has become themode of choice for many daily travellers.

Flooring for Rail

22

• low life-cycle costs – easily repaired

• resistant to cigarette burns

• wide range of colours per design

• reaction to fire EN 45545-2: HL2/HL3

Tessera FR CarpetTessera FR is offered in acombination of pile constructionscreating a unique appearance.When installed on a rail vehicle, itcan be colourised to create abespoke design. It is slip-resistantand because of its heat-trappingcapabilities as a textile, it will helpto curb heating costs.

Benefits:• durability and appearance retention

• flexibility in colourisation

• slip-resistance

• reaction to fire EN45545-2:HL2

• comfort underfoot

• acoustic benefits

To request a sample of anyproduct, email:transport@forbo.com or visithttp://www.forbo.com/flooring/en-uk/segments/transport/phvxkk

• excellent soil hiding properties

• advanced colouring and design choice

• reaction to fire EN 45545-2: HL2

Coral Move FRWithin the Coral range is CoralMove FR. It features soil-hidingproperties but it is also warm andhas acoustic benefits, cruciallyenhancing the passengerexperience.

With bespoke customisationcapabilities, our design team willwork to match brand and colourrequirements on an individualproject-by-project basis. CoralMove FR is also made from 100%regenerated Econyl yarn making ita responsible choice.

Coral FR is welcoming, attractive,easy to maintain, saves you moneyand is even environmentallyconscious. Who knew you couldget so much from a floorcovering?

Flotex FR FlockedFlooringFlotex FR will withstand highvolumes of traffic and is very easyto clean because of its shortfibres. It is the perfect choice as itencapsulates the durability of aresilient flooring with the comfort,slip resistance and acoustic

properties associated with textiles.We offer a complete customdesign service, allowing you tomatch the floor precisely to yourinterior design scheme orcorporate identity colours.

Benefits:• high durability

• hygienic

• easy to clean due to short nylon fibres

• slip resistant

• reduces airborne allergens – independently approved by Allergy UK

• reaction to fire EN 45545-2: HL2

Marmoleum FRLinoleum FlooringMarmoleum FR is composed of ahigh percentage of natural rawmaterials, making it veryenvironmentally friendly. It offerssomething completely different toother floor coverings. Because ofits UV-cured finish, it is scratchand scuff-resistant meaning it willstand the test of time againstsuitcase wheels and frequentfootfall.

Benefits:• homogeneous, durable construction

23

CAREEERS

In 2018 Railway-News is launching an investigation into careers in railthat will run as a series in our quarterly magazine: By Christopher Sargent

Careers in Rail

© Hawaii County under licence CC BY 2.0

24

CAREEERS

what avenues can people take toget a job in the rail sector? Whatqualifications are required? Whatare the employment prospects?What jobs are even out there? Andwhat would a typical day in thatjob look like? We will look atapprenticeships, degree options,special training colleges and moreand we will interview individualsworking in rail to feature their jobsand personal experiences.

To whet your appetite, we’vespoken to Amanda White, Head ofRail at Transport for GreaterManchester, and ThomasColantuono, who is a RollingStock Engineer at Hitachi.

Amanda WhiteJob: Manager

Hi Amanda, thanks fortalking to us. What do youdo? What’s an average dayfor you?My work is very varied. I’m asenior manager in transport, sothat means I’m responsible for ateam, managing and leadingpeople. I represent rail across the

transport association, lookingoutwards from the rail industrywith regards to projects,investments and clients.

My role is complex in anoperational and technical sense. Imanage the relationship betweenthis organisation and the publicone, and I have to be up-to-dateon a lot of live information. I alsohave to keep an eye on all of theorganisations involved to makesure that they’re performing.It’s also a commercial role. I’m incharge of transferring stationassets, such as when TfGMbecame the owner of NetworkRail in the area.

How did you develop toget to where you are now?I did a ten-week placement thatgave me insight into the industry. Iliked it, and didn’t even apply for

anywhere else! It’s a job in which

you can provide for society, and

it’s a job for life.

I began my career technically, and

as I progressed, it became more

and more about communicating

those plans. What was important

with the HS2 project was not only

getting it right, but also

communicating those plans. It’s

about evidence-based lobbying,

which means telling the public

why we’re engaging in a project

and why we know we’ll need it.

25

Just 16% of rail workersare women, and only 4%of engineers are female.Why do you think fewerwomen work in rail?There’s already a certain narrativeabout what it means to be in rail.People don’t necessarily knowwhat it’s really like. We need toshow people that it’s moreinteresting, which has to start atschool. For me, I liked maths andphysics when I was younger, I wasdifferent from a lot of girls. Ifound mechanical engineeringinteresting. But we need to makeit more inclusive to women fromvery early on.

There are very few women intechnical areas, although a shift ishappening now where there arenow more and more females inthe workplace. There aresometimes men that are moredifficult to communicate withthan a woman, and I did comeacross the tendency inengineering to do things strictlyby the book. But there are also alot of men that are very helpful.

The HS2 project is a goodexample of an organisation thathas more females than males; it’sa very diverse project. That madeit an enjoyable, dynamic andenergetic space to work in.

How will the role changein the future?There’s going to be a lot moreinvestment in rail, for example ininfrastructure across the“Northern Powerhouse.” The waywe use and invest in rail will ofcourse shift, and things liketelecoms, signalling and planningwill go digital. There will besmarter and more efficientthinking about how rail is used,and the angle of the industry willbecome more commercial and

CARE

EERS

outward-facing as Network Railsells off parts of the business toreduce debts. I hope that it willbecome more open to customers,and they should be able tounderstand more of what goes onin the industry.

If you could talk to ayoung you, what advicewould you give?Believe in yourself. Somebody hasto get that job that you want, sowhy not you? Also, don’t work sohard! I’m a perfectionist, so Iwould say choose your battlescarefully. National Rail is a hugeorganisation, but getting involvedin HS2 made me feel like anindividual person.

Where can people lookfurther for information?Railway Technology magazine,Rail Engineer and Young RailProfessionals are all great sources.

Thomas ColantuonoJob: Engineer

What’s it like being anengineer? What are thebest and worst thingsabout your job?

In my profession, I’m a kind ofdesign engineer. I support theproduction of trains; I have tooversee the process and make surethat every part of the design iscorrect, that it’s delivered on time,etcetera.

The advantage of my job is that Iget to interact with a variety ofprofessions, from technicians toproject managers. The

26

disadvantage is perhaps that theplan changes frequently, whenanother engineering problemcomes up. Then, you have to leavewhat you’re doing and dosomething else. There’s also a goodopportunity to move up, aftergaining five or so years ofexperience.

It’s all challenging and interestingand in an internationalenvironment, as Hitachi is acompany that does business inJapan, the UK and Italy. Some daysare very busy, but I personallyprefer to be busy. It’s aninterdisciplinary job, thanks to thedifferent areas of the company.There are both social and technicalaspects, for example.

What are employerslooking for?You have to remember that thefirst time you send your CV, youremployer doesn’t know you. Forengineers, you should have abachelor’s degree – engineeringis of course the best, but they doallow other degrees. My interviewprocess started with a groupassessment, then moved on toindividual, so it makes a bigdifference to show emotionalintelligence. It’s important to beproactive, enthusiastic and polite

What made you want togo into a career in rail?I really like trains! So in that sense

I’m doing the job of my dreams. Inrail, there are a lot of aspects tothe engineering that interact witheach other; electric, mechanicaland communicative parts.Engineers have to network andengage with lots of differentpeople.

If you could talk to ayoung you, what advicewould you give?That there are many differentpaths for engineering, not justdesign, and that my job leaves metired but satisfied! Make sure youaccept every task given to youbecause it will lead you to interactwith different people. It takes a lot

of time to get experience, so bepatient, proactive and humble.Even the most experienced leaderhas something to learn!

Starting with our February issue in2018, we will look at theapprenticeship programmesoffered by Network Rail andTransport for London as well asapprenticeships on offer byprivate companies and we’ll take alook at the new National Collegefor High Speed Rail, whichopened its doors to its first groupof apprentices last month.

Additional writing by JosephineCordero Sapién

27

phasorsolutions.comLEARN MORE AT

THE FUTURE OF MOBILE BROADBAND™

1 INCH THICK ELECTRONICALLY STEERED ANTENNA

R O B U S T

&

R E L I A B L E

28

SATCOM antenna technology hascome a very long way, and thegrowing demand for mobility hasseen it pushed even further. Therise in popularity of thesmartphone, the tablet and othermobile devices has brought data-centric activity to the forefront. Inaddition, people want to use thesedevices no matter where they areto run a plethora of applicationsfrom social media, web browsing,streaming services, email – andmuch more. This need for “alwayson” connectivity has created ademand for broadband-capableantennas that can meet therequirements of performance andmuch higher throughput than everbefore, and for rail specifically, therequirement for a suitably rugged,reliable and low profile form.

So why flat panel antennas?The rail industry is under pressureto cater to the broadband needs

Staying connected has never beenso important. It tops the list ofpriorities for pretty mucheverybody today, and this isbecoming a very hot issue for trainoperating companies. The abilityto offer ubiquitous broadbandaccess to passengers is adifferentiating factor and reliablebroadband connections on boardputs any passenger rail companyat an advantage over competitorsand unconnected transportalternatives. Additionally, thiscapability is essential for railoperations, supportingapplications such as scheduling,track condition monitoring,logistics updates, crewcommunications, security andtelematics that monitor the trainperformance and health ofsystems on board.

Basic rail connectivity solutionsavailable today rely heavily upon

oversubscribed terrestrial wirelessservices, which are not uniformand can degrade rapidly in moredensely populated areas, as well inregions where coverage is poor,such as outside city centres.

The one, ubiquitous means ofensuring connectivity on boardtrains is to connect via satellite.Satellites can be accessedanywhere, and they provide areliable means of communication.To access one, all that is requiredis a clear line-of-sight to thesatellite. Satellite communications(SATCOM), working incomplement with terrestrialwireless connectivity, has thepotential to enable universal,consistently powerful broadbandaccess for rail passengers andoperators, but only with powerfuland reliable SATCOM antennatechnology.

A Paradigm Shift for High-Speed RailConnectivity

Here Come BroadbandFlat Panel Antennas:

By David Helfgott, CEO, Phasor

29

there have been two principalfactors that have held theirmainstream deployment back –cost and performance. They arecomplex pieces of technology andthat is why it has taken time todevelop FPAs that can finally meetexpectations and price points thatwill enable them to hit themainstream market. In a report byNorthern Sky Research, NSR’s FlatPanel Satellite Antennas, 2ndEdition, published in February thisyear, it was forecast thatcumulative FPA equipment saleswill reach $9.1 billion by 2026.

of passengers, many of whom arebusiness travellers and commutersthat require access to their workemail, internet and social media.Until now, rail operators whowished to deploy SATCOMnetworks have depended upontraditional parabolic antennas thatemploy mechanically steeredmounts to enable the dish torotate to maintain pointingtowards the satellite and to avoidinterference. This requirescomplex, motorised systems withmany continuously moving parts.When they do fail, it takes time forparts to be obtained in order torepair them, which involves thetrain being taken out of service.Furthermore, these traditionalantennas are bulky and must situnder large radomes, affectingtheir clearance and ability to fitbeneath tunnels.

It’s not ideal. But there is analternative to large, domed

antennas – very low profile, solid-state, electronically steeredantenna technology. These aresometimes called Flat PanelAntennas, but there is a subtledifference in the latestdevelopments.

Flat Panel Antennas (FPAs) havebeen in use since the 1980s.Narrowband FPAs, which operatein L-Band, can only producemoderate connectivity speeds andairtime can be prohibitivelyexpensive. The new developmentis for “wideband” FPAs (in the Kuand Ka frequencies) which havethe potential to empower truebroadband connectivity. However,

30

of the market, which necessitatesenterprise-grade connectivity tomeet the demands of on-boardusers and operations. Its sleek andextremely compact design (under2 inches high), will allow it toconform to the train roof and itwill only require nominalmaintenance as it is completelysolid state with no moving parts.The Phasor antenna is also “futureproof”, and it will operate andinteroperate between GEO-HTSand LEO/MEO constellations inthe same frequency. It is able totrack two satellites simultaneously– essential for LEO small satellitesystems. It is part of a wave of newantennas that will soon come tomarket to accommodate theinsatiable demand for mobility,which is driving these megaconstellations.

Antenna developers mustconstantly be several steps aheadto prepare for the changes thatare to come in satellite technologyand capabilities. One size will notfit all in this market, so ITmanagers and rail operators willneed to carefully assess theirconnectivity requirements in orderto make the right choice.

The market for mobile broadbandis set for explosive growth acrossall market sectors, and the high-speed/passenger rail market isintegral to this, and demands avery high standard of connectivity.Phasor looks forward to servingthis market with a highly reliable,high-performance ESA that re-defines the on-board connectivityexperience.

To learn more about Phasor’sground-breaking technology, visitus at:http://www.phasorsolutions.com/phasors-technology

It may also help to take a brieflook at what is going on in thesatellite sector at the moment.There is a revolution occurring inthe satellite communicationsmarket. Traditional widebandgeosynchronous (GEO) satellitesare being designed for mobilitywith very powerful, interlockingspot-beam coverage areas. Theseare also called GEO-HTS satelliteconstellations, and includeoperators like Intelsat and SES.Additionally, new small satellites,which were previously thepreserve of the scientific and

academic communities, haveproved to be highly capable andare moving into commercialdeployment. The developments inthe market mean that smallsatellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO)and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) willprovide high throughputconnectivity and therefore candeliver mobile broadbandapplications in more locationsglobally. There are several LEO-HTS mega constellations on thetable that will be deployed in thenear future such as LeoSat,OneWeb and SpaceX. Thewideband FPA will be the keyenabler for both the GEO-HTSand LEO/MEO constellations,empowering the delivery ofmobile broadband services topassenger vehicles globally. There are several manufacturersof Flat Panel Antennas that areworking towards commercialdeployment and they use differenttechnologies. Therefore, it isimportant to point out thatdifferent FPAs will have differentcapabilities and different strengthsin different applications. It isimportant to realise that not allFPAs are the same. Certain FPAswill be more suitable for use in theconsumer market with lower costbut also lower performance,whereas others will be highlysuited to mission critical enterprisecommunications applications.Consideration must be given tothe requirements of the user. Whatapplications will be run over theservice? What level ofperformance is required? Can theuser withstand any interruption inservice? How robust, powerfuland flexible is each technology?Phasor will be making its uniqueElectronically Steerable Antenna(ESA) available to the high-speedrail market for commercial servicein 2018. As a flat panel, software-defined antenna, this will not onlymeet but exceed the requirements

31

3242 3343

The London Underground is used by approximately 1.3 billion passengers everyyear so their rolling stock requires a floorcovering that can handle this amount offootfall while also fulfilling a crucial safety function.

Sure-Fire FlooringSolutions for Rail

two colours – light and dark grey –which will help contribute toimproved passenger experience onthe refurbished trains.

Bakerloo Line,LondonThe Bakerloo Line is the oldestfleet in operation on the LondonUnderground network andTreadmaster are supplying over9,000m2 of their TM7 product forthe refurbishment of the 36 seven-car 1972 rolling stock cars.Treadmaster worked together withLondon Underground projectengineers and the TfL designdepartment as well as with theirexternal appointed designer JedCoto provide two colours palettes,wine and grey, one for the mainflooring and one for the vestibuleareas.

Treadmasters TM7 is the idealproduct for metro flooringapplications as it meets the highestfire rating of BS6853 Cat 1a and theupdated European standardEN45445-5 2013 HL3. Combinethis with high durability, slipresistance and a genuine easy-to-clean product, then you have whatcould be considered a winningformula for rail operators who areconcerned about the change inpassenger fire safety standards.

Transport for London (TfL) haveundertaken an extensiverefurbishment of the Undergroundrolling stock to extend the life of theexisting fleet, some of which willeventually be replaced by newtrains from the NTfL (New Tube forLondon) tender which is to beawarded next year.

Jubilee Line,LondonTreadmaster are working on themid-life refurbishment of the 63seven-car 1996 rolling stock on theJubilee Line for the LondonUnderground.

The Jubilee Line is the third-busieston the network and carries over200 million passengers a year.

Treadmaster are supplying over10,000m2 of their TM7 flooring forthe project, which is being carriedout at London Underground’sStratford depot and will run until2019.

Part of the refurbishment is toimprove the ambience inside thecars as well as the accessibility forpersons with reduced mobility. The flooring is being supplied in

34

Hitachi’s engineers were lookingfor a flooring product that couldprovide a dual solution in thepassenger cars. Firstly to supportthe primary floor covering ofcarpet and help it to achieve themore stringent fire standard ofBS6853 Ca1b and secondly toprovide a water resistant barrierbetween the carpet and thesubfloor to protect the subfloorfrom liquid ingress and potentialcostly maintenance.

Using existing technologiesTreadmaster developed a bespokeproduct that could be used as awater barrier while meeting thefire requirements of BS6853Cat1b. The product was 1.5mm,half the thickness of their standardrail flooring products.

Additionally, they are supplyingtheir standard TM8 product for thetoilet modules, driver’s cabs andcycle rack areas.

The flooring is being supplied intwo colours – light and dark grey– which will help contribute toimproved passenger experienceon the refurbished trains.

C30 Metro,StockholmTreadmaster are also supplying17,000m2 of their TM8 product ina mid-grey colour for the newC30 metro cars for Stockholmpublic transport bodyStorstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL).Bombardier are building the 96 x4-car Movia C30 trains in acontract worth US $771m.

The interior layout has spaciousgangways and features aninnovative use of indirect light tocreate an open and brightenvironment.

The flooring will certainly be putthrough its paces as the number

of designated priority zones hasbeen increased to eight, ensuringample room for persons withreduced mobility as well asproviding extra room for thosetraveling with wheelchairs, babycarriages or extra-large luggage.The new trains are scheduled tocommence operations on the linein 2018.

Hitachi, UKTreadmaster have been working asa key supplier to Hitachi Rail sincethe first IEP Class 800/801 trainswere commissioned back in 2014.The new intercity trains are nownearing passenger service, as partof the £5.7bn investment tomodernise journeys along the EastCoast and Great Western mainlines. As part of themanufacturing process, there hasbeen a strong focus on a high-quality UK-based supply chainoffering bespoke solutions.

35

stock, other attributes such aswear and slip resistance, designaesthetics, cleanability andmaintainability are also keyfactors.”

Treadmaster are continuing tosupport Hitachi on their othercontracts including Class 385trains for Abellio Scotrail and theWest of England AT300 rollingstock programmes for First GreatWestern.

New EN45545-2standard raisesburning questionsSimon Andrews, Treadmaster’sBusiness Development Manager, isconcerned that the newEN45545-2 standard is a dilemmafor metro operators who currentlyadhere to more stringent nationalstandards such as BS6853 Cat 1aand are now faced with switchingto the new EN standard.

The two standards are notcomparable so it would appear tobe a downgrade in passengersafety if an operator switchesdirectly from BS6853 to EN45545-5

Andrews says he hopes thatoperators will not feel pressuredto reduce costs by switching tomaterials that would not havepreviously met the relevantnational standard but now meetthe new EN standard.

Treadmaster are able to offer railoperators a robust solution astheir TM7 product meets bothBS6853 Cat 1a and EN45545-5HL3 and their TM8 product meets BS6853 Cat1b and EN45545-2 HL3.

Rail Floor Specialists Treadmasterhave a proven pedigree inproviding the highest fire retardantflooring for the rail sector andparticularly for undergroundrolling stock. They are the currentflooring supplier to the LondonUnderground and are working ona number of projects for TfLincluding the new Elizabeth Linetrains.

Simon Andrews, Treadmaster’sBusiness Development Manager,

says that “although we specialisein metro and commuter railapplications, the Class 800/801programme demonstrates that wehave the flexibility andengineering capability to work onbespoke products for ourcustomers.

“We can offer solutions for alltypes of rolling stock andalthough fire safety is a higherpriority when considering whichflooring to specify on rolling

Bakerloo Line Refurbishment

36

Hitachi Class 800 UAT

37

preserve their rail infrastructure and rolling stock in the future.The event will be attended by representatives fromgovernment, rail operators, large industry, i.e. mining andmanufacturing, international organisations and the privatesector.Event website: http://rail-evolution.com/

Rail Network Resilience02 Nov 2017Location: Arup, 8 Fitzroy Street, London, W1T 4BQRecent news stories of malware attacks on the NHS, train driverstrikes and on-going signalling issues have raised questionsabout the effectiveness of current network operations andwhat can be done to address this serious situation. InNovember 2017, Rail Network Resilience will act to resolveissues of reliability, safety and performance that have broughtthe industry near tipping point. It’s practical, delivery-led focusmakes it a must attend event for anyone involved with networkoperations, safety, maintenance and management, as well asstrategy and policy-based roles. Receive 10% off whenregistering using code – 339RNEWSEvent website: http://bit.ly/2woPhbq

SmartMetro 201706 Nov 2017 – 08 Nov 2017Location: TBCSmartMetro is the perfect platform for engaging with globalmetro operators on how technology can solve the key issuesaffecting the urban transport today; from signalling and safetyto the digital passenger. SmartMetro works closely with thetransport industry to deliver in-depth technical and operationalcontent via innovative event formats to foster networking & theexchange of information and ideas.Event website: https://www.smartmetro.eu

Delivering Crossrail and Next Steps for Crossrail 208 Nov 2017Location: Central London, TBC.This seminar will focus on the future of London transport in thecontext of the new Elizabeth Line, due to be fully open by2019, and the plans in development for Crossrail 2, followingthe joint statement from the Secretary of State for Transportand the Mayor of London backing the project. Planned sessionswill explore the potential impact of the new line andopportunities for the wider network – including for intermodal

APTA EXPO09 Oct 2017 – 11 Oct 2017Location: 285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW,Atlanta, GA 30313Held just once every three years, APTA EXPO is the nation’slargest showcase of technology, products, and services relatedto the public transportation industry. With more than 800exhibitors and 15,000+ industry peers, APTA EXPO is theforemost event where innovation and technology converge todetermine the future of every entity of public transit. At APTAEXPO you can expect to network with industry leaders andexperts from around the world, get hands-on time withemerging technologies, and learn about how these innovationscan accelerate every aspect of your organization. Registrationis free to the public and includes unlimited access to theexpansive show floor as well as free educational sessions in theLearning Zones on a wide variety of vital topics. Register nowfor free!Event website: http://www.aptaexpo.com

Nordic Rail 201710 Oct 2017 – 12 Oct 2017Location: Elmia, Elmiavägen 15, 554 54 Jönköping, Sweden

Nordic Rail is the only dedicated railway exhibition inScandinavia. It’s a fair for companies, organisations andindividuals with a professional interest in the railways, directlyor indirectly. Nordic Rail is the industry’s most importantmeeting place for customers, representatives and otherstakeholders. Here at Elmia Nordic Rail you can hear the latestnews, share experiences and build transnational networks.Event website: http://www.elmia.se/en/nordicrail/

African Rail Evolution17 Oct 2017 – 18 Oct 2017Location: Durban International Convention Centre,Durban, South AfricaAfrican Rail Evolution is the only African forum for maintenanceand rehabilitation professionals that features best practices andpioneering case studies on maintaining, upgrading and future-proofing ageing rolling stock, track, signalling, OHTE electricaland cabling, equipment and/or infrastructure. This is a nicheevent for rail maintenance and rehabilitation engineeringprofessionals that will look at future rail systems and the impactof digitalisation and big data on maintenance and railwaysafety. Leading rail operators will also present case studies anddebate how best to manage maintenance and rehabilitation to

October, November, December 2017

UpcomingRailway Events

38

AusRAIL PLUS 201721 Nov 2017 – 23 Nov 2017Location: Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre,AustraliaAusRAIL PLUS is the largest rail event in Australasia, attractingclose to 7,000 attendees. The event comprises of a 3-dayconference which includes technical streams, keynoteministerial addresses, CEO forums and more, run alongside alarge-scale exhibition of 450 exhibition stands. The theme forthis year’s conference is: Rail’s Digital Revolution.Event website:http://www.ausrail.com/?utm_source=media_Partner&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Rail_News&utm_campaign=P17m01

2nd Annual Rolling Stock Procurement Forum21 Nov 2017Location: Addleshaw Goddard, milton Gate, 60 Chiswell St,EC1Y 4AG, UKThe Rolling Stock Procurement Forum is a focused guide onestablishing the long-term requirements for new rolling stockin the UK, and on all aspects of the procurement process.Through case studies, expert advice, and project updatesexplore all factors that impact the delivery of new fleets, fromfinancing and understanding the viability of fleet life extension,to developing maintenance plans, upgrading infrastructure andfuture-proofing for new technology and infrastructuredevelopments. Receive 10% off when registering using code –338RNEWSEvent website: http://bit.ly/2uHZH4H

HackTrain Conference24 NovemberLocation: London, UKThe launch event of HackTrain 4.0. Following the firstconference held in June last year, which brought togethermore than 300 rail and tech professionals to see the latestoutputs of their accelerator, results of their B.A.R.R.I.E.R.S.report and with five of the transport-owning groups presentedwhat they learned through engaging with HackTrain. PeterWilkinson, the MD of Passenger Services at the DfT, is theopening keynote speaker for this year’s HackTrain Conference.Other speakers are Tom Ewing, the DfT’s principal datascientist, and River Tamoor Baig, CEO & Founder of HackPartners. The event is packed full with panel discussions withtopics ranging from cyber security to increasing competition inrail. Event website: http://hacktrain.com

Future Rail India Summit07 Dec 2017 – 08 Dec 2017Location: New Delhi, India, TBCWorking on the Railway Ministry’s vision, Nispana is organizingthe 2nd Edition of Future Rail India Summit, which will bringtogether the key decision-makers. Along with that theconference also brings together technology providers, policymakers, and decision-makers from the Ministry of Railways andprivate and public sector stakeholders, who will discuss,provide insight and identify technology and best practices forsmooth operations.Event website: https://futurerailindia.com

connectivity, and for regional growth and regenerationprospects for areas that will receive new stations. Delegates willalso discuss the integration of latest technologies andcommunication services on-board and along the route, as wellas the passenger and business priorities for utilisation ofimproved transport links. Further discussion will consider thekey challenges ahead for Crossrail 2, including remaining issuesaround route planning, station locations and the further publicconsultation stages to be cleared before it can be formallyapproved.Event website:http://www.westminsterforumprojects.co.uk/conference/crossrail-2017/26951

Transrail Connection 201708 Nov 2017 – 09 Nov 2017Location: Cité de la mode & du Design, 34 Quai d’Austerlitz,75013, ParisOver the years TRANSRAIL CONNECTION has become aninternational meeting place of the railway and urban mobilityindustry, allowing numerous national and international mainactors of the sector to come together. It is an event fortechnology suppliers with a know-how of the rail sector,contractors, European and global manufacturers andsubcontractors who research innovative technology solutions.This is the 5th time this event is being held and we areexpecting more than 500 participants from around the world.They are looking forward to meet and discuss with theircustomers and colleagues. All participants are able to attendthe round table, organised by Ville, Rail & Transports, which willdebate ‘Automatic Undergrounds Around the World?’, andvarious conferences, focused on three main issues: digitisation,innovations and technology transfers, and urban mobility.Event website: http://www.transrail-connection.com/home

Railway Interiors Expo 201714 Nov 2017 – 15 Nov 2017Location: Prague Letnany Exhibition Centre (PvA),Beranovych 667, Praha 9 - Letnany, Prague, Czech RepublicThe Railway Interiors Expo is the international showcase ofeverything within a railcar, from seating and materials, lighting,washroom facilities and flooring to composites, infotainmentsystems and security concepts. The Railway Interiors Exporegularly attracts far in excess of 2,000 attendees from all overthe world – it is a truly global networking opportunity.Event website: http://www.railwayinteriors-expo.com/index.php

World Rail Festival 201714 Nov 2017 – 15 Nov 2017Location: mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre,Amsterdam, The NetherlandsThe World Rail Festival 2017 will be in its 7th year and itcontinues to grow and attract a large audience of rail operatorsfrom around the world. The conference will host hundreds ofattendees, 100 speakers and 40 exhibition booths. Over 100different global rail operators will be represented at this event.Event website: https://goo.gl/Bf6573

39

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41

A review of ‘Britain’s 100Best Railway Stations’ by Simon Jenkins

Published in Hardcover 28 September 2017

All Sense of Beingin a Hurry Gone

stop. Their activism wassuccessful. They built a small huton the platform following thedemolition of the stationbuildings. Within this hut selectedrailway poems are affixed to thewalls for the waiting traveller toenjoy.

As the title already makes clear,this book, then, is arranged as alist of 100 stations geographicallygrouped, following an

Philip Larkin’s famous poem ‘TheWhitsun Weddings’ is a tale of atrain journey from Hull to Londonon a hot Whitsun Saturday.Generally thought to have beenbased on an actual train journeymade by Larkin at Whitsun in 1955,Larkin scholar John Osborne hassaid that such a journey could nothave taken place because of a railstrike on Whitsun in 1955. Thusthis poem is maybe a wry

marriage between the poetry andthe reality of train travel in theBritish Isles.

A more recent example of railwaypoetry and reality comingtogether, is in the small Welshstation of Dolau. Due to bedemolished, Simon told me, alocal action group was set upexpressly for the purpose ofcampaigning to keep the stationopen as an unmanned request

42

And yet, as we’re hurryingourselves to get to the rightplatform, grab a newspaper and acoffee, buy a ticket and get on thetrain, we’re too focused on ourimmediate goal to pay attention toour surroundings. Simon Jenkinsmakes a powerful plea for us tostop and take a moment to reallysee the buildings in which all ofthis is taking place. And so thisbook is in part a lesson inarchitecture, both in the grand,over-arching sense presented tous at St. Pancras and a celebrationof details, such as the capitals ofthe columns at Great Malvernstation, which are described as‘the most remarkable ironwork onthe Victorian railways’. As we read about the individualstations, their masterminds, theirquirks and their defining features,we are treated to a pleasingsprinkle of cheerful descriptors –

introduction that takes the readeron a journey through the historyof the railway in Britain. Inaddition, there is brief mention ofstations that still stand but are nolonger used as such.

There are a couple of reasons whyhe was attracted to writing a bookabout Britain’s stations, Simon tellsme. The first, the more pragmaticof the two, was that there weremany books written about trainsthemselves and many booksabout architecture, yet neither thetrain enthusiasts nor those with anarchitectural bent had bothered toturn their attention to stations.Leaving this gap unfilled wouldhave been a shame.

The second embodies the spirit ofLarkin’s poems. Scenes of arrivaland departure, human emotion,excited hugs of reunion, tearfulgoodbyes, sights normally

precluded from public view, buthere visible to all, coupled with theanticipation of travel vividlydemonstrated by immediacy ofthe trains themselves, once loudand steam-powered, todaypossibly electrified and very muchfaster.

Indeed, this second, emotionalaspect reminds me of one of mychildhood favourites – TheRailway Children. The scenewhere the eldest, Bobbie, standson the platform as the trainarrives, steam everywhere,concealing the alightingpassengers, finally sees her father,at last freed from wrongfulimprisonment, and rushes towardshim with shouts of ‘Daddy! MyDaddy!’ is still the one to mostreliably move me to tears. This iswhat Simon Jenkins calls theromance of the railway.

St Pancras – Picturereproduced by courtesy ofthe Railway Heritage Trust.

Photo Paul Childs

43

stations as minor works of art.Obviously designed to suit theirpurpose and, because of theirscale, be engineering marvels,stations display a uniquecommitment to architecturaldesign and to bold beauty. Some,like Bristol Temple Meads, look likeveritable cathedrals. Wemyss Bay,in Scotland, Simon Jenkins writes,‘is one of the few stations that, inmy opinion, qualify as a coherentwork of art’, or indeed ‘scienceencased in art’. It is rightfully giventhe honour of being featured onthe cover. Stations are unique inthis way; airports and bus stationslack this kind of imagination.

All the stations in this book havebeen rated with one to five stars inan entirely subjective manner, asSimon Jenkins admits,acknowledging, ‘I am acutelyaware of the often fiercepartisanship of rail enthusiasts’.Though he is clearly less of a fanof Birmingham New Street than Iam for example, I give this book afull five stars. It is a mostenjoyable, informative read. Thehardcover comes out today, 28September 2017. When then thepaperback is published, it wouldmake for the most perfect book toread on a train journey, thepastime chosen by Philip Larkintoo.

“At first, I didn’t notice what a noise

The weddings madeEach station that we stopped at:

sun destroysThe interest of what’s happening

in the shade,And down the long cool

platforms whoops and skirlsI took for porters larking

with the mails,And went on reading.”

the aforementioned GreatMalvern, a one-time retirementstronghold, is presented to us asan ‘upland Torquay’, whileCarnforth spent decades being a‘railway Purgatory’ – and allmanner of quite interestingsnippets that would surely pleasethe likes of Stephen Fry.

I was surprised to learn about mylocal station, Exeter St David’s, thatit had been there that a youngpublisher had the idea of replacingcardboard with paper as thematerial for book coverings tomake them easier to read on atrain. Simon Jenkins writes, ‘ExeterSt David’s can thus claim to haveinspired the paperback […]. Aplaque on the station honours thisevent.’ I will go in search of it thenext time I’m there.

I asked Simon Jenkins what it was

he hoped his readers would takeaway from his book. His answerwas two-fold. We all know thatthe big London termini such asKing’s Cross are impressivebuildings. We are even likely torecognise them in pictures. Andthey are undoubtedly outstandingfeats of engineering wedded toarchitecture. However, he says hewould like to draw more attentionto lesser-known, yet splendidstations throughout the land,citing examples such as Norwich,Portsmouth or Carlisle. Myfavourite, leafing through thisbook with its many lovely colourphotographs, is the striking artdeco station of Surbiton, a placeI’d hitherto only ever associatedwith Tom and Barbara from TheGood Life.

The other takeaway he hoped forwas that readers would appreciate

Surbiton – Picture reproduced by courtesy of the Railway Heritage Trust. Photo Paul Childs

44

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design negates the need.

Accessible design benefits railoperators by reducing workloadand increasing user self-sufficiency which in turn leads toincreased use. From an economicaspect, accessibility to railtransport encourages trade,tourism and enables disabledpeople to access socialopportunities includingemployment. Examples of barriers include the following:

The Life Opportunities Survey(Office for National Statistics)identified that 74% of adults withan impairment name at least onemode of transport which they ‘donot use at all’ or ‘use less than theywould like’ compared to 58% ofadults without an impairment. Thissuggests that disabled people facemore (or increased) barriers topublic transport use. In the UnitedStates, the National Organisationon Disability found that disabledpeople are four times more likely

to lack suitable transportation thannon-disabled people.

To use a public transport systemsuccessfully, users need to be ableto find the route to their desireddestination, understandscheduling information, be awareof cancellations or delays andplatform changes. Barriers topeople with mobility impairmentsmay result in inconvenience,embarrassment, anger orexposure to injury by poorlytrained attendees. Accessible

Disability access to rail transportation plays a crucial role in creating an inclusive society

Disabilityaccess

By Steven Mifsud, Director of Direct AccessConsultancy and an NRAC Access Consultant

© Eric Fischer under licence CC BY 2.0

48

conditions that cause

difficulties in reading

displays. Daily, seasonal and

weather-related variations in

light quality and quantity may

also impact

• How to ensure people

understand operating

policies – New York City

Subway operates both express

and local trains; it can be

confusing to know when to

get off the express and on to

a local train

• How to reduce the gap

between a carriage and

platform. This gap should be

as small as possible to keep

front wheels of wheelchairs,

walking aids and visually

impaired people from falling

through the gap. The Jubilee

Line in London uses full-

height barriers and

Washington D.C. uses

platform edges marked with

contrasting colours,

truncated domes and

flashing lights.

The benefits of improving disabled

access can assist with others –

Steinfield (2012) highlighted how

eliminating stairs is a good design

solution as it increases the speed

of boarding and disembarking.

Steven Mifsud is the Director of

Direct Access Consultancy and a

NRAC Access Consultant who has

worked on rail accessibility

projects across Europe including

for Virgin, Luas, London

Underground and Network Rail.

• Difficulties experienced when entering stations and boarding trains are exacerbated at times of overcrowding. Disabled people can find it difficult to move around, hold on to handrails, and reach priority seats

• Audio announcements are useful (when audible and clear) but inaccessible to deaf people if used on their own

• visual information displays are useful (when updated to match audio announcements) but inaccessible to visually impaired people if used on their own

• Passengers travelling at peak times tend to move through crowds purposefully, intent on reaching their destinations quickly. This means they are not always aware of other passengers, in particular those with impairments which are not immediately apparent

• Factors which can have physical impacts (such as discomfort, pain or tiredness) or emotional impacts (such as lowered confidence, anxiety or frustration) can affect transport use in a number of ways such as changing the modes used, the time of day journeys are made, and how journeys are planned

• Inconsistencies between (and within) modes limit the number of journeys disabled people make which include multiple interchanges.

‘Inconsistencies’ refers to differences in the design of vehicles, wheelchair access, availability of ramps and information formats

• visual impairment strips at the edges of platforms do not address the issue of gaps between carriages which may confuse those with visual impairment into thinking it is the entrance to the carriage.

To address these issues, aDisability Access Audit takes asnapshot of a station at aparticular point in time. Usingrelevant guidance in the countryof operation, such as the UK’sAccessible Train Station Designcode of practice or the DubaiUniversal Design Code, an auditwill consider:

• Plans for concourse and waiting areas prior to departure at terminals and on platforms at other stations to reduce the physical effort needed to transit

• The use of wayfinding systems to find gates/platforms and amenities e.g.: toilets, refreshments, including the fonts being large enough to be seen at a distance, that there is a high contrast between text and background, distinctive colours are used for signs in contrast to the general terminal colour scheme and placed in overhead locations

• The use of electronic displays to provide information if they are updated promptly. Issues to consider are ambient

49

The Czech company SENSIT s.r.o. has beenproducing temperature, humidity, CO2,level, flow and position sensors since 1991.

SENSIT s.r.o., Producerof Sensors for Railwayvehicles

50

temperature, relative humidity and

CO2 concentration control

system. 

With the use of the combined

temperature and relative humidity

sensors and the combined

temperature, relative humidity and

CO2 sensors, we secure e.g.:

• the creation and preservation

of a comfortable climate for

passengers in railway vehicles

• the removal of condensation

from train windows and walls

• energy savings based on the

CO2 value evaluation by the

air-conditioning unit

• increased efficiency of the

whole control system

• cost savings

In the railway vehicles sector,

Sensit produces temperature

sensors, combined temperature

and relative humidity sensors and

combined temperature, relative

humidity and CO2 sensors. All

products for this sector must have

specific properties as defined in

the so-called railway standards

(EN 50155, EN 61373, EN 50121-3-

2, EN 45545-2 and NFPA 130).

They include especially resistance

to vibration and electrical safety;

they have to meet fire standards,

and electronic components have

to meet the conditions for

electromagnetic compatibility

(EMC). All these characteristics are

taken into consideration during

development – this is confirmed

with a test report and a certificate

issued by an independent

technical testing laboratory that is

properly accredited.

As the latest products in our

assortment of railway vehicle

components, we would like to

introduce to you combined

temperature and relative humidity

sensors as well as combined

temperature, relative humidity and

CO2 sensors.

Combinedtemperature,relative humidityand CO2 sensorsWith increasing demands foreffective regulation inhomebuilding, this trend has alsofound its way into the transportsector. Railway vehicles are noexception. We havedeveloped combined temperatureand relative humiditysensors and combinedtemperature, relative humidity andCO2 sensors with RS 485(MODBUS) output and CAN(CANopen) protocol inaccordance with the requirementsof this sector.

These combined sensors are usedto measure two or all of the threevariables in passengercompartments of train units andcarriages and are a part of the

51

aesthetic design

• better air flow around the temperature and humidity sensing element

• significantly faster response time of temperature and relative humidity

• convenient installation and removal of the sensor

For more information about our

products, please visit our website

www.railwayvehicles.com

The sensors meet the railwaystandards and type tests arecarried out by the notified body:

• insulation test in accordance with EN 50155

• shock and vibration test in accordance with EN 61373

• electromagnetic compatibility in accordance with EN 50121-3-2

• the plastic box and PCB materials meet a set of requirements for the R 24 materials according to table 5

for the fire hazard level HL1- HL2-HL3 of EN 45545-2:2014

As a modification we can providethis combined sensor in a materialwhich meets the requirements ofNFPA 130.

The design of combinedtemperature and relative humiditysensor and combinedtemperature, relative humidity andCO2 sensors secures:

• temperature, relative humidity and CO2 measurement in small

52 53

54

ASC 4311LN and ASC 4411LN,boasting low frequencies andexceptional dynamics in signal andnoise performance, are ideallysuited for assessing drivingcomfort and go a long waytowards ensuring passengers havea more pleasant ride.

Something we at ASC know all toowell is this: rail transport imposesparticularly stringent demands onmeasuring technology. That’s whyour development engineers striveequally hard to develop ultra-durable and reliable sensors forour rail sector customers. Theseare sensors which prove theirworth, day after day, in operationsto monitor safety and wear fortrams, underground trains as wellas rolling stock carryingpassengers and freight; they meetall the key quality and safetyrequirements.

Leveraging many years ofexperience and having anestablished presence in the railtransport sector has allowed us todevelop a particularly wide rangeof these units for our customers,in this key sector. And when thereis a need to master individualchallenges, we also developcustomer-specific sensorsolutions that meet even themost complex of requirements.

In the rail transport sector, weoffer sensor solutions of unrivalledquality, including for the followingapplications:

Driving comfortmeasurementAssessing driving comfort involvesmeasuring low frequencies all theway to 0 Hz, to personally recordeven the slightest impacts andvibrations, which may impinge onthe comfort of passengers duringtravel. The uniaxial accelerometers

Condition MonitoringApplications

Commissioning Applications

55

Structural analysesWithin the railways sector,structural analyses are not onlyperformed on trains, but alsodrawbridges, tracks and the trackbed.

The task of monitoring vibrationon drawbridges (structural healthmonitoring) in particular mayrequire exceptionally long cablingbetween the sensor and themeasuring computer, whichresults in unwanted signal lossesin the process. The ASC CS seriesof capacitive sensors guaranteeloss-free signal transmission overeven the longest lengths of cabledue to their current output of 4–20 mA. Many customers currentlyuse the triaxial CS-1611LN sensorfor such applications.

Accelerometers with lightweight,high-frequency and robustqualities are preferred for thestructural analysis of completetrains as well as for individualcomponents. As satisfiedcustomers confirm: the triaxialpiezoelectric ASC P203A11accelerometer more than meetsthese requirements.

Track bed vibrations are alsoexamined, for example, to recordany settling of the subsoil. In thiscase, underneath the entirestretch in question, the ultra-durable and hermetically sealedASC OS series sensors are used,such as the uniaxial ASC OS115LNor the triaxial ASC OS315LN.

Operational stability testIn rail transport, individualcomponents such as bogies, axles,brakes or wheel bearings, areexposed to extreme and otherambient conditions. Investigationsinto operational strengths helpuncover potential weaknesses at

an early stage and contribute

decisively to ensuring the safety

and reliability of rail vehicles in the

process.

Our customers use numerous

capacitive accelerometers from

ASC to monitor individual

components as well as complete

trains. Both the uniaxial ASC

4421MF and the triaxial ASC

5525MF are preferred choices in

this context, due to their high

shock resistance and their

extended frequency range when

measuring vibrations at the bogie

and its components.

Bridging navigationThe ability to determine the

position of rolling stock at all

times is a safety must for modern

rail transport. For example, trains

may lose their GPS signal when

entering a tunnel. Under such

circumstances, sensors can help

ensure continued accurate

positional determination. The ASC

IMU 7.x.y. is a sensor with 6

degrees of freedom (DOF) which

is often installed in rolling stock

for the purpose described. The

measuring unit is based on a

triaxial capacitive MEMS

accelerometer and a triaxial

angular rate sensor.

With the IMU 7.x.y, ASC offers a

unique modular system, allowing

a customised configuration to

meet an individual requirement.

When it comes to measuring

acceleration, there is a choice

between the ASC LN series and

ASC MF series with a measuring

range of ± 2g to ± 50g as well as a

rate range of ± 75 °/s to ± 900 °/s.

56

with a unified end-to-end journeyexperience. For instance, yourphone could help you knowwhether you have time to grab acoffee before your train departs byco-ordinating the predicted queuelength with how long it’ll take youto get to the platform for yourtrain departure.

Whether it’s trains, planes orautomobiles, consumers aresearching for ways to take thetrauma out of travel. And in theair, on rail or road, one London-based design consultancy,tangerine, has been working withbusinesses to transform theexperience, looking to newtechnology and intelligent designto make journeys more joyful.

“At tangerine, we’re thinkingabout how to address some ofthe key challenges facingtransportation and infrastructurein the future,” says CEO, MartinDarbyshire. “Central to this isusing a designer’s insight to

With major rail infrastructureprojects underway in Europe andthe UK, such as Crossrail and HS2,many are asking what the future oftransport holds.

One of the key challenges facingrail is increasing urbanisation andan ageing population that will putnew strains on infrastructure. By2050 a staggering 75% of theworld’s population will live in citiesand 30% of the population indeveloped countries will be over60 years old.

This leads many in the industry toask: what would a seamlesspassenger journey look like in2050, how can we anticipate thechanging needs of people andfuture-proof solutions against newand rapidly developingtechnologies and how can designtransform the customerexperience to not only meet butexceed expectations?

Undoubtedly, a vision for thefuture will include smart stationsand adaptable train carriages thatminimise dwell times and improvepassenger flow through a station,with longer trains and platforms toaccommodate an ageing, lessmobile population. Digital surfaceson the exterior and interior of thetrain could provide real-timeinformation to help passengersquickly identify an unoccupiedseat. By subtly shifting passengerexpectations on-board a train, thecarriage and seating could bereconfigured to better utilisespace during peak times to easeovercrowding.

Today’s travel experience isalready being enhanced by varioustravel apps. Looking to the future,big data and IoT devices will helpto plug the current gaps inpeople’s experience travellingbetween different modes oftransportation. By utilising sharedservices, transportation will movetowards becoming multi-modal

With the current focus on electric power,autonomously assisted drones and self-driving vehicles, it’s easy to lose sightof the bigger picture for transportation.

Transforming tomorrow’s passengerexperience today

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57

within the carriage. Passengerstravelling in groups benefit fromsharing a face-to-face space inwhich to converse and interact.Whereas, if the train is quiet, singlepassengers often select a quadseat to stretch their legs and relax,with a large desk on which to puttheir things.

At peak times however, with trainsat full occupancy, the four-seatgrouping becomes undesirable.When carriages are busy, itbecomes a space wherepassenger interaction is awkward.Smaller groups and singlepassengers are often forced toshare the space.

tangerine found that byreconfiguring the seat, they couldchange the passenger’srelationship with the carriage,thereby solving this problem. Thedesign solution angles the seatingoutwards, improving privacy. Ashared centre arm moves up anddown, allowing couples, familiesand groups to use the space moresocially, like a lounge sofa. Sidearm rests also drop to allowimproved egress and wheel chairaccess, making the seat suitablefor everyone and accessible for all.

identify what people’s needs willbe, anticipating the potential painpoints for passengers andcreating design concepts whichhelp our clients in rail, aviationand the automotive industries touse this intelligence. Our aim is tocreate truly seamless passengerexperiences that will enrich allour lives.”

A combination of customerpsychology and design precisionsaw tangerine successfullytransform the first-class passengerexperience on the HeathrowExpress train service in time forthe London 2012 Olympics.

The problem for HeathrowExpress was that 15-minutejourney between central Londonand the airport offered little timeto make first-class passengers feelspecial and therefore theirpremium carriage was empty evenat peak times. Tangerine proposedthat Heathrow Express would havejust one seat on each side of theaisle instead of three seats across,giving passengers individualprivacy, with their belongingsclose by, and a real sense ofexclusivity.

“Sitting in first class, I couldn’thelp but notice that there werelots of seats with no one inthem,” tangerine Chief CreativeOfficer, Matt Round, recalls. “So, Ithought, better to abandontraditional wisdom, if we canenhance the quality of thepassenger experience, driveticket sales and improve seatoccupancy. By changing thecarriage format, we were able toprovide customers with greaterprivacy and a sense of exclusivity,whilst maintaining 90% of theseats.”

It was a truly radical idea – noBritish commercial railway

carriage had ever been configuredthis way. Along with other cleverchanges to layout and signage,the redesign led to a big boost foroccupancy levels as well as theHeathrow Express brand. Theknock-on effect for all ofHeathrow Express’s customerswas reduced overcrowding instandard class, as more peoplewanted to travel in first class.

Other ideas to unlock additionalrevenue streams for the operatorand create a seamless passengerjourney, from booking to arrival ata destination included: on themove booking, at-seat ticketrecognition and online servicessuch as a bookable conciergeservice to meet you at the airport.

Identifying the critical issues thatinfluence how people behave onpublic transport, and finding thepoints to improve customerexperience is a philosophy thatworks just as well across allclasses of rail travel.

In the standard class carriage,grouped seating with the fourseats around a shared table hastraditionally held the allure of thepassenger, offering a more openand comfortable seating option

Heathrow Express First Class carriage

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The design focus for any mode oftransport should be to identify andenhance the ‘touch-points’ thatimprove a person’s journey.Understand those and you cancreate differentiated services thatdrive growth and build brands.

Whatever the kind of journey, theapproach is about understandingthe psychology of the traveller.“You identify the patterns that areimportant, the relationships thatmatter, to drive the emotions,”says Martin Darbyshire. “Then youcan make the adjustments thattransform the experience. If youget it right for consumers, youget it right for business.”

More about tangerine:www.tangerine.net/rail-interior-design

Flexible train seating concept that adapts to suit all users

Seating is angled to give privacy for inividuals travelling in grouped seating

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Mechan’s distinctive yellow liftingjacks are a familiar sight in raildepots across the world.

mechan’s might aidsdepot development

15t Lifting Jacks

61

Various handling options areavailable, to suit the needs ofdepot operators, includingtraction motor removal units,manual hydraulic units and undercar manipulators.

Bogie liftingStripping down and rebuildingbogies can be heavy work, whichis why Mechan has devised arange of products to make theirremoval, refurbishment andmaintenance easier.

Bogie and wheelset turntablesenable items to be movedbetween adjacent roads or aroundthe depot, while bogie lifters androtators can also be designed tofacilitate inspection of othercomponents.

Bogie lifting platforms and theirmobile counterparts attach to theframe to raise a bogie to acomfortable working height.Mechan’s fixed platforms arelocated in the workshop floor andwill take the weight of a forklifttruck, so other operations cancontinue when the equipment isnot in use.

They are the Sheffieldmanufacturer’s flagship product ina portfolio of lifting and handlingequipment that is renowned for itssafety and reliability.

The tough, yet refined lifting jacksare vital for access to bogies,wheelsets and underfloorcomponents and Mechan’spatented Megalink control systemensures they enjoy globalpopularity. It produces a smoothand safe lift, allowing just oneoperator to raise an almostunlimited number of unitssimultaneously from anywhere inthe chain.

Lifting jacks may be Mechan’smost recognisable contribution tomodern depots, but its influenceruns much deeper, thanks to awide range of bespoke products,including:

Bogie dropsFixed location equipment drops –sometimes known as bogie orwheelset drops – enableunderfloor modules to beremoved, maintained or replacedwithout lifting or splitting the train.This makes them particularlybeneficial when an unscheduledchange is required.

Drop systems involve initialinvestment in pit construction, butcan prove very flexible, allowingbogie change to be completedwithin two hours and saving timeon other underfloor work.

Under carequipmentUnder car lifting systems allowengines and other modules to bechanged without raising the train.

Sitting in a shallow pit below thetrack, Mechan systems have

removable rails that supportvarious axle loads. In normalcircumstances, they are latchedinto place to keep the road openfor general maintenance andwhen an exchange is required, thevehicle is positioned with therelevant module located centrallyabove the rails.

Underfloor liftingMechan produces a range oflifting solutions to raise completetrains or single rail cars, reducingthe time it takes to maintain, repairor replace componentsunderneath a carriage.

Cantilever systems are ideal forworkshops with space constraints,allowing bogies to be movedbeneath the lifted carriage.Alternatively, a column designenables components or completebogies to be replaced directlybehind the lifting equipment.

Rail removal When it is not necessary to detacha complete bogie, rail removalsystems offer a cost-effectivealternative to exchangingwheelsets and under car modules.

Bogie Work Stands

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extraction methods to enable

smaller fans to be used, reducing

energy consumption and noise.

Sandbox fillingKlein automated sandbox filling

systems use a pneumatic pipe to

eliminate dust and an

ergonomically designed nozzle,

similar to those found at petrol

stations, enabling the process to

be completed by just one

operator.

Rail shuntersA greener alternative to traditional

shunters is available from Mechan

to aid the movement of vehicles

around a depot. Zwiehoff’s award-

winning, Rotrac electric road and

rail shunters are emission-free,

relying solely on battery power to

trail loads of up to 500 tonnes.

Prestigious partnersBy combining traditional

engineering with innovative

design, Mechan drives product

development, working closely

with industry leaders, such as

Siemens, Alstom, Bombardier,

Hitachi and Network Rail.

This collaborative approach

enables the firm to secure

important contracts at home and

overseas and to produce faster,

cleaner and more efficient

handling equipment.

For information about Mechan’s

products, telephone +44 (0)114257 0563, email:

info@mechan.co.uk, visit:

www.mechan.co.uk or follow the

firm on Twitter @mechanuk.

Bogie storageKeeping large items at overhaulfacilities presents space andaccessibility problems. Mechansupplies low and high-levelstands, stacking frames and palletsto facilitate the safe andergonomic storage of tractionmotors, module packages,wheelsets and bogies.

Bogie test pressOnce bogie maintenance iscomplete, a press or test stand isneeded to mimic the loadsimposed by the rail vehicle andsettle the suspension. Mechanrecommends adding a spreaderbeam to transfer weight to thepress structure, which can bemounted in the depot floor iftracks are flush, or under a raisedsection of rail.

TraversersMechan is making a name for itselfin this field, having created thelargest traverser in the UK for thePort of Felixstowe’s North RailTerminal.

The firm guides clients fromconcept to manufacture andinstallation, producing completelybespoke traversers that meetindividual workshop and vehiclerequirements. Demand for theseunique machines is much lowerthan other depot equipment, butMechan is one of the fewcompanies in the UK able toshowcase its ability.

Rail wheel profileLaser measuring is a must forchecking wheel, brake disc andrail wear and Mechan is the UKand Irish representative for one ofthe most advanced systemsavailable. The handheld CALIPRIfrom NextSense uses three simplelasers to record all relevant wearparameters on wheelsets andtracks, eliminating human errorand producing faultless, tamper-proof results.

Exhaust extractionMechan has sourced flexibleexhaust hoods from Blaschke thatguarantee the removal of dieselfumes. They are fitted withnarrower pipes than traditional

Bogie Frame Rotators

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RAIL DEPOT & WORKSHOP

EQUIPMENT• RAILCAR LIFTING JACKS

• BOGIE/EQUIPMENT DROPS

• TRAVERSERS

• TURNTABLES

• BOGIE WORKSHOP MACHINES

• UNDER CAR EQUIPMENT HANDLING

• LASER MEASURING

• SANDBOX FILLING

• SHUNTERS

• EXHAUST EXTRACTION

• UNDER FLOOR WHEEL LATHES

Davy Industrial ParkPrince of Wales Road

Sheffi eld S9 4EX

mechan.co.uk

info@mechan.co.uk

+44 (0)114 257 0563

We hope you have enjoyed our latest Railway-News magazine. Besure to look out for our next issue.We are now producing a magazine on a quarterly basis so please do not hesitate to contact us at al@railway-news.com if you would like to featureyour latest technology in an upcoming issue. Please also take a look atwww.railway-news.com for all the latest rail news, events and technology.

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