Egyptian Railways Research Articles

‘Evaluation of occupational and nonoccupational interstitial lung disease in railway workers’

Introduction Occupational lung diseases include a wide variety of respiratory diseases with clinical manifestations and diagnostic test results that have features similar to nonoccupational diseases. Aim To determine the prevalence of occupational Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) among confirmed ILD patients admitted to the chest department of Egyptian Railway Medical Centre and the assessment of the outcome. Patients and methods A total of 155 patients with confirmed ILD, were subdivided into two groups: group (A) 79 patients with occupational exposure and group (B) 76 patients with nonoccupational exposure. Both groups were subjected to a detailed history, radiological assessment, arterial blood gases, and Spirometry. Data of days of hospital stay were also recorded. Results The prevalence of confirmed cases of ILD among occupational exposure was 1.49% versus 1.1% in the nonoccupational. Range of age in occupational group was between (31and 68 years). Chest X ray (CXR) findings were positive in 58.2% and 30.2% of occupational and nonoccupational group, respectively. Among group (A), 47.1% of the patients stayed between 11 and 15 days), 15.76% admitted to ICU, and 5.2% were mechanically ventilated. While 48% of hospitalized nonoccupational patients stayed between 6 and 10 days, 8% were admitted to ICU and 4% were mechanically ventilated, Conclusion The prevalence of interstitial lung diseases with occupational exposure was 1.49%, higher than non-occupational interstitial lung diseases. They were younger in age, had history of domiciliary oxygen therapy, frequent exacerbations, and previous hospital admissions. They had prolonged length of hospital stay, particularly those not using protective measures.

Expressly Orient? Britain’s railway-making in pre-colonial Egypt

Constructed in the 1850s with heavy British involvement, the Egyptian railway was the first to be built in a non-European Mediterranean territory. Britain – which neither financed nor owned this railway – nonetheless came to view it as a British possession. Originally envisioned as a highway for connecting the Mediterranean to the Red Sea and India, the railway became a means unto itself in Britain’s drive for a foothold in Egypt. Taking place in a period of both expanding British influence in the Mediterranean and technological innovation, this article centres on the largely overlooked interconnectivity between the railway and Britain’s march to dominance in Egypt. To secure a railway, Britain systematically undermined Ottoman sovereignty in semi-independent Egypt. Britain’s efforts ranged from gunboat diplomacy to combating Ottoman legal reform intended to limit capital punishment, which Britain saw as a prerequisite to safeguarding its interests in Egypt. Moreover, Britain de facto supported the railway’s construction through mass Egyptian forced labour. Once in operation, the railway became a social site that produced de facto colonial racial hierarchies. Combined, the article shows how, decades before the 1882 British occupation of Egypt, the railway project irrevocably contributed to Britain’s gradual colonization of Egypt.

Low-cost framework for 3D reconstruction and track detection of the railway network using video data

3D reconstruction from video data is proposed for mapping the Egyptian railway network. A generic framework is proposed and applied based on video data. This framework mainly passes through three main stages. The pre-processing stage contains system implementation, data acquisition, the keyframes extraction, and camera calibration. The second stage is the generation of the 3D reconstruction models from a set of two-dimensional images. This stage is mainly based on the feature correspondence process and Structure from Motion (SfM) techniques. The 3D coordinates of the feature points and relative camera motion parameters are refined using the bundle adjustment algorithms to generate an accurate 3D reconstruction model. Many models are reconstructed based on different parameters/scenarios to evaluate the most accurate model. The best 3D model was selected and used to generate an orthogonal photo. Finally, the third stage is the track detection framework which uses the generated orthogonal image for automatic detection of railway tracks. The framework is tested on a dataset of a railway network with an approximate length of 20 km. The accuracy of the results is compared with field survey data conducted in the same area using conventional surveying instruments. From the results, the recommended train speed for reasonable video data collection is 10 kph with an overlap percentage of 95 %. The RMSE of the extracted track width is 0.03 m, and it contributes to the efficiency of our approach in the reconstruction of 3D surfaces compared to the recommended procedures in traditional techniques.

Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in a sample of Egyptian railway drivers

Background There are scanty international and even no Egyptian studies addressing the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in railway drivers with an expected high risk of accidents. Thus, it is worth studying and assessing the prevalence and predictors of OSAS among Egyptian railway drivers. Patients and methods This prospective cross-sectional screening study was conducted on 160 Egyptian railway drivers. They were subjected to medical history taking and examination, anthropometric measurements, oxygen saturation (SpO2) by oximetry, arterial blood gases, Friedman obstructive sleep apnea–hypopnea syndrome score measurement, and Arabic version of both Berlin and STOP BANG questionnaires. Then, limited night polysomnography (PSG) was performed in high-risk patients. Finally, full channel PSG was done for positive limited night PSG. Results The prevalence of sleep apnea among the studied cases was 4.22%. There was high statistically significant difference between the non-OSAS group and the OSAS group regarding age less than or equal to 49 years [odds ratio (OR)=11.364], witnessed apneas during sleep (OR=175), weight in kg more than 95 (OR=13.00), PaO2 less than or equal to 88 (OR=31.0), PaCO2 more than 39 (OR=31.0), and average SPO2 less than or equal to 88 (OR=34.0). Regarding parameters of limited night PSG, the apnea–hypopnea index cutoff point was more than or equal to 5 with an area under the curve (AUC) of 100%, O2 desaturation index cutoff point was more than 17.2 with an AUC of 100%; lastly, the average SPO2 cutoff point was less than or equal to 88% with an AUC of 76.4%. Conclusion This study highlights for the first time that the prevalence of OSAS was 4.2% in a sample of Egyptian railway drivers. Our results further point out that weight, neck circumference, systolic blood pressure, PaO2, and PaCO2 are the most useful predictors of suspecting OSAS. Also, parameters of limited PSG are considered a useful tool in confirming suspected patients with OSAS.

The Role of Helicobacter Pylori Eradication on the Pathogenesis of Minimal Hepatic Encephalopathy in Egyptian Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Abstract Background Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) is defined as alteration of mental state in the absence of other causes of encephalopathy due to liver failure and/or abnormal shunting of blood from portal to systemic circulation often accompanied by elevated blood ammonia. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the relation between the Helicobacter pylori infectionand minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in cirrhotic patients and to assess the outcome after treatment of H. pylori. Patients and Methods This study was can•ied out at Egyptian Railway Medical Centre at the in-patients section at Gastroenterology and Hepatology Medicine Department with chronic liver disease who agreed to participate in the study. After performing the psychometric tests the patients were allocated in one of the two groups according to test results: Group I: consisted of 30 consecutive patients who have chronic liver disease and presented with evidence of Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE), as recognized by positive psychometric tests, Group Il: included 30 consecutive patients who presented with chronic liver disease and did not have Minimal hepatic encephalopathy, as confirmed by negative psychometric test. Results In this study a significant reduction was found in blood ammonia levels in MHE and non- MHE after triple-drug anti-H. pylori treatment (p < 0.001). This reduction was more marked in patients with MHE group compared to non-MHE group with % improvement in ammonia level 26.1 ± 8.36 umol/L and 17.79 ± 7.308 for MHE and non-MHE respectively. This finding indicates that H. pylori may contribute to the development of hyperammonemia in patients with liver disease and MHE. The role of H. pylori in the pathogenesis of hyperammonemia has been shown in previous studies which showed a reduction in blood ammonia levels after eradication of H.pylori infection. Conclusion Helicobacter Pylori infection was more prevalent in patients with MHE than without MHE. Serum arnrnonia levels were significantly higher in MHE patients than without MHE and even higher in H.pylori positive patients than without H.pylori infection. Helicobacter Pylori eradication treatment significantly improves ammonia levels, results of psychometric tests and improves manifestations of MHE.

Usurpers of Technology: Train Robbery and Theft in Egypt, 1876–1904

AbstractThis article examines banditry, embezzlement, and other insider crimes along Egyptian railway lines during a period when British officials exerted centralized control over the Egyptian railway and financial austerity had a negative impact on the rail sector. By exploring the motives and tactics of railway crimes, I posit that criminals, by making claims on and use of the technology outside the purview of state regulations, expressed their heterogeneous desires to redistribute social wealth, repurpose the technological promise of modern railways, and confound intentions of colonial governance. Using new archival materials, this article utilizes a bottom-up approach to examine grassroots activism, everyday knowledge, informal networks, and the social mores and norms that criminals harnessed to discern infrastructural vulnerabilities and elude surveillance from the colonial state. Ultimately, I contend that criminal acts uncovered social crises otherwise hidden under the shadow of the exterior prosperity and stability of late 19th-century Egypt.

Proposed models to calculate and optimise line capacity under different operation conditions for Egyptian railway network

The capacity evaluation models are planning tools that help government agencies to maximize the benefit from existing railway infrastructure and improve rail transportation operations. These models determine the maximum number of trains that could operate on a given railway infrastructure, during a specific time interval under operational conditions. This paper develops analytical models to calculate the railway line capacity using a regression analysis based on the Egyptian official timetable. The Egyptian railway network consists of 104 links under different operation conditions (passenger / freight, passenger and freight trains) with mechanical or electrical signals systems running on single or double tracks. To calculate railway practical capacity, the three equations for each operation conditions were improved by the combination of the longest block section and passenger and freight speed. These equations have accepted value of the coefficient of determination and the absolute average error. Finally the maximum capacity is obtained by the optimum values of effective factors using iteration technique. This optimum values will increased about 80% of the capacity for Egyptian network lines.

Proposed Track Classification for Egyptian Railway Lines

The present research paper aims to reclassify the Egyptian Railway Network taking into consideration the safety and economy factors as Egyptian Railway suffers from track maintenance shortage. Lines are classified into several groups depending on dynamic load parameters to facilitate economic studies and comparisons between the worldwide railways. Then, discussions of four Railway line classifications are studied as follows: Theoretical classification of line Sections according to ENR, Actual classification of line sections according to ENR, UIC line classification and proposed classification of line sections for ENR by following the mentioned techniques. Three objectives are studied to reclassify the Egyptian Railway tracks: determine the traffic loads for all line sections of ENR based on official train schedule for year 2019, the track classification should be continuously defined each year taking the load, train type and the running speed as the main three effective parameters. The present methodology deduce some conclusion and recommendations to ensure both track safety and economical operational.

Mechanical Testing of Innovated Composite Polymer Material for using in Manufacture of Railway Sleepers

Faculty of Engineering at Shoubra has been funded to start a project for manufacturing railway sleepers from plastic wastes and iron slag to replace imported wooden sleepers. In this paper, performance of wooden sleepers in tracks of Egyptian Railways, including high cost and material defects as well as reasons to find out a new sleeper will be presented. Previous studies for using composite materials in manufacturing railway sleepers are illustrated. Mechanical testing has been carried out to determine the important properties of the new mixture; hence results are compared with the minimum requirements of the international railway standards. Linear analysis has been conducted using 3D-SAP2000 software to simulate the actual performance of the proposed sleeper. It is found that the testing results are larger than the required values. Thus; it is concluded that the tested material is effective and adequate to be used in manufacture of railway sleepers.

Dynamic characteristics of old railway steel bridges in Egypt

Dynamic response of existing railway bridges is influenced by many factors including structural properties, railway traffic speed, and train-to-bridge frequency. Excessive vibrations cause passengers’ discomfort, rail elements deterioration, higher derailment risks, fatigue deformation problems, stress amplification, and eventually high maintenance costs. In such cases, applied remedies include limiting traffic speed or changing bridge mass or stiffness. Traffic induced vibrations can also be mitigated by enhancing structural damping through application of Tuned Mass Dampers. Egypt has one of the oldest railway transportation network with several steel bridges crossing the Nile River, in addition to several canals. In a running project, dynamic properties of selective bridges on the Egyptian railway networks infrastructures are investigated through extensive field testing. The considered bridges cover a wide range of structural properties including simply-supported and continuous bridges, spans ranging between 40 to 90 m, single and double track lines, and open timber bridges. Field tests results are studied; hence, key factors affecting bridge dynamic characteristics are discussed and highlighted. Moreover, results are compared with those extracted from finite element analyses. The project aims at evaluating the possibility of excessive vibration problems while considering different values of train velocities. In the current study, focus is given to two example bridges. Field and numerical results are exhibited and discussed. Eventually, possibility of excessive vibration problems are determined considering different values of train velocities. It was observed that available formulas in current design codes do not capture warping and torsional modes that present fundamental modes for truss bridges. In addition, existing railway bridges do not satisfy serviceability limit states when considering high speed trains.

Egypt National Railways: ICT Can Save Egyptian Lives

Since 1992, the Egyptian National Railways (ENR) has been encountering tremendous losses in lives and revenues. The losses were due to the lack of a proper IT infrastructure, making the network unqualified to handle the millions who use its railways every day. The safety measures along ENR’s 6,700 kilometers of railways network have been managed by human operations, which makes railway transportation too risky. When he came into office as Minister of Transport in 2010, Alaa Fahmy put safety as the highest priority. The intention of this research case is to investigate and showcase how ICT centric short term strategic actions combined with ICT centric long term strategies and reforms can be adopted to solve the eminent problems of safety and efficiency in the Egyptian railway sector. A one year longitudinal participant observation methodology has been adopted in this research case data collection process where the study was conducted in an uncontrolled observational manner to minimize any interference or manipulation to the real-life setting. Investigation has revealed that by focusing on ICT centric strategic actions that enhance the sources of the competitive advantage of the transport sector in Egypt, in addition to implementing long term strategies that are expected to boost the competitive advantage of the transportation sector in Egypt; a tenth of a minute operation risk factor of 0.01%0.001% has been realized. This factor is in compliance with the IEC international standard for electrical, electronic and programmable electronic safety-related systems. Furthermore, safety measures, reflected by the very low reported number of causalities during the study period, was ultimately improved

Managing unit train performance in developing countries: a case study of the Egyptian railways

In most developing countries, the most economic role for freight railroads is to operate unit trains over a limited network. Unit trains have the potential to minimize costs by eliminating terminal operations and by maximizing equipment utilization. However, it is essential to monitor unit train performance to ensure that service is actually provided as scheduled. Analysis of unit train operations in Egypt demonstrates that there is likely to be a range of variability in loaded and empty trip times and in cycle times for the various services. The paper identifies the basic issues affecting unit train performance in Egypt and recommends general approaches for managing unit trains in developing countries.

British Versus American Locomotives

A NOTEWORTHY Parlimentary paper has recently been issued containing correspondence respecting the comparative merits of British, Belgian and American built locomotives running on the Egyptian railways. The paper is full of interest to the locomotive engineer, bearing out as it does the unsatisfactory results obtained with American locomotives on British, Colonial and Indian railways when compared with the English design of engine, and, what is more, these unsatisfactory results are in all cases certified by the representative of the American firm of locomotive builders, as well as by an official appointed by the Egyptian railway authority, so there can be little doubt as to their accuracy.