Railway infrastructure managers are obliged to check technical condition of infrastructure in order to maintain safe traffic. Usually this is done using conventional methods and tools or directly through the inspections made by the technical staff. Technological development which is currently being experienced indicates the availability of new measurement methods that can be used to monitor the condition of railway infrastructure. However, the introduction of new methods for monitoring the infrastructure is usually a change affecting safety, which requires an assessment of the significance of the change for the maintenance of the required level of railway traffic safety. The authors assessed the significance of the change in the method of infrastructure monitoring and related risk assessment as a result of the use of the contactless method of checking the railway surface as an alternative method to staff inspections. Additional control measures or preventive measures for potential threats have also been indicated.

The extension of the second line of the Warsaw Metro (M2), running from east to west, is currently under construction. The opening of sections in the eastern and western parts of the line has been carried out in 4 stages, successively handing over sections of 2−3 stations each. Th e section currently under construction is the last section of the 2nd line in the south western part, which also includes the construction of the Karolin technical and holding station (STP Karolin). The Varsovia trains delivered by Škoda, whose styling is similar to the Inspiro trains from Siemens, which have been in service on the Warsaw metro for several years, have been acquired for the rolling stock of the line. The construction of the metro was disrupted by the SARS-Cov-2 coronavirus pandemic (2020−2022) as, alongside a delay in the completion date or the delivery of rolling stock, it caused an increase in the price of materials and labor costs, forcing the parties (City Hall of Warsaw, contractors) to revalue the contract.

Electromagnetic radiation, which is a special example of the electromagnetic field, has been present in the universe since its creation. Examples of radiation include radio waves, X-rays, and visible light. Depending on the frequency of the emitted electromagnetic wave, it can be ionising or non-ionising. Ionising radiation, due to its ability to penetrate matter, is oft en used in many areas of life. In industry, it is used for diagnostic purposes, e.g. in radiography.

The subject of the article is the analysis of solutions and applications of modern information and communication technologies (ICT) in urban centers and the measurement of transport quality indicators, taking into account the requirements of the ISO 37120 standard: Sustainable cities and communities – indicators for city services and quality of life. The article consists of two parts. In part I of the article, the subject of smart cities was introduced, including the functioning concepts of smart city. A description of the shaping of urban spaces and the quality of life in the smart aspect was made, taking into account the issues of sustainable development. The characteristics of the ISO 37120 standard, used to measure the level of services and living conditions in cities, are presented. The basic and auxiliary indicators in the field of city services and quality of life, including those related to transport, were presented. Polish cities that received the smart city certificate were listed. At the end of part I, there was a review of experiences and solutions that improve mobility that operate in selected cities around the world and in Europe.

The Vectron locomotives are a Siemens proposal covering locomotives dedicated to both passenger and freight traffic, capable of operating under a wide range of supply voltages (multi-system, single-system, etc. versions are offered), on both normal and broad-gauge track. A diesel version was also designed for operation on non-electrified lines. The Vectron locomotives are a variant of the Eurosprinter ones, developed in the early 1990s and enriched by the operation experience acquired, both on the German or Austrian railway network and in other EU countries (acceptance to operate as part of the liberalization of the common market). To date, circa 1,500 Eurosprinter locomotives have been sold, primarily in Europe and also in the USA, where they are operated in moderate climate, and both the Mediterranean one and the cold Scandinavian winters. Keywords: electric locomotives, multisystem voltage locomotives, Vectron, Siemens

This article presents the possibilities of increasing the role of railways in the public transport system of the Urban Functional Area of Olsztyn. First, the proposed extent of the rail service, the assumptions for the new transport offer and the principles for the development of the rail timetable were outlined. Taking into account the current state of the infrastructure, the feasibility of implementing the basic transport offer (10 pairs of trains per day) and its further development in the future was examined for each direction of transport, and graphical timetables were drawn up and presented, based on the assumption of cyclical departures (i.e. clock-face schedule for train departures). Part of the article is also devoted to measures in the area of bus transport in terms of organisation and infrastructure, which, if taken, would make it possible to better integrate it with the railway system. Taking into account the observations and conclusions in the previous chapters, the proposed investment activities involving the railway infrastructure necessary to implement and improve regional rail services, as well as a broader perspective on further investments enabling the development of the transport offer and increasing rail accessibility in the Urban Functional Area of Olsztyn, are presented. The main conclusion of the analyses carried out is the confirmation of the feasibility of implementing a cyclical timetable in the area under study for the assumed base number of connections. Keywords: rail transport, public transport, integrated transport system, cyclical timetable

The following article constitutes an attempt to solve the problem of the interpretation of results based on a comparison of measured values to permissible values. When exceeded limits are observed, the recipients of acoustic analyses (mainly non-specialists) are frequently uncertain as to how to interpret the results. At the moment, there is no unambiguous way of defining acceptable, alarming or unacceptable values of noise but an original indicator methodology, which allows a clear and easy interpretation of the results obtained, has been proposed. The suggested noise load factor (NLF), based on measurements of physical quantities, enables conducting a broader assessment of the nuisance of noise originating from railway vehicles. Keywords: noise, environmental impact assessment, acoustic impact

There is a reason why it is said that stations are the business card of railroads. In the IN2STEMPO and ExtenSive projects, re-search work is looking at solutions to improve the passenger experience at stations. This article presents the scope of research carried out within the projects, including the development of more effective tools for crowd management at high-capacity stations, but also on new methods of designing stations and their elements taking into account the latest architectural trends. An important issue is also a problem still troubling the staff of many railroads, that is, improving accessibility from the plat-form to the train. Rail services, by their universality, should take account of the extensive opportunities offered by information technology. This applies to the complete process of passenger service, from purchase of a ticket to arrival at commercial out-lets and the journey itself. The article also outlines the principles of the ExtenSive project, which is a continuation of previous work aimed at developing both passenger applications and software for transport operators, which at the end of the day will enable the provision of transport services of the highest standard. This paper presents the results of the analysis so far on the eve of the projects’ completion, and identifies possible applications of the results of the work carried out. Keywords: rail passenger services, Shift 2Rail, Horizon 2020

The article describes the structure and principles of operation of a drive system used in some low-floor trams. The system consists of electric motors, gear transmissions as well as hollow shaft s and four-linkage couplings causing the wheels to move. During the study, a dynamic model was built and the parameters needed to carry out a simulation were determined. NGT6 low-floor tram wagons operated by MPK S.A. Cracow were used as examples of existing vehicles. Due to the lack of available data, part of the work was devoted to determining mass moments of inertia of drive system components using an experimental method of torsional vibrations of a string. In subsequent chapters, a mathematical model was developed and a tram start-up simulation was performed based on specific parameters of the individual system components. Some of the results were presented in the form of graphs. Keywords: tram riding simulation, mathematical model of dynamics, start-up, mass moments of inertia, method of torsional vibration of string

This article is an introduction to the issue of integrating rail transport with the local public transport system in the Urban Functional Area of Olsztyn. It presents the definition of the said area and the current information on the possibilities of rail transport within it, derived from strategic documents and public debate. This is followed by a detailed description of the technical conditions of the railway infrastructure in the Urban Functional Area of Olsztyn, taking into account investments carried out in recent years, those in progress and those planned, as well as a description of the rail transport services provided. The final part of the article presents the principles of operation of public transport in Poland and some Polish examples of organisational integration. The authors intend to continue the discussion in a further publication. Keywords: railway infrastructure, Olsztyn, public transport, integrated transport system