Rail Connection Research Articles

Laboratory and field investigation of the effect of geogrid-reinforced ballast on railway track lateral resistance

Continuous welded rail (CWR) tracks have particular advantages over common tracks with jointed rails such as increased ride comfort, reduced noise and vibration and decreased maintenance costs due to the removal of joints in rail connections. Alternatively, some complications associated with CWR tracks, for instance increased lateral forces, are the main reason of track buckling and its subsequent lateral deformation. These problems are usually more severe in curved tracks. In order to overcome the large lateral forces caused by temperature deviations of CWR tracks which results in railway vehicle instability, the ballasted track lateral resistance should be improved. Among the various methods proposed in this area, no specific study has been carried out on the effect of geogrid reinforcement on ballasted track lateral resistance. Thus, the present research was allocated to investigating the effect of geogrid on the lateral resistances of both single tie and track panel via laboratory and field tests. In this regard, at the first stage, the ballast layer was reinforced with various number of geogrid layers, the effect of which was investigated by conducting the single tie push test (STPT) in the lab environment to assess the optimum number of geogrid layers and their installation levels along the ballast layer thickness. Afterwards, a test track was executed in the field including various sections which were reinforced in the same way as the lab tests. Consequently, many STPTs and track panel displacement tests (TPDTs) were accomplished. As a result, the STPTs in the lab and field confirmed more than 31% and 42% increase in single tie lateral resistance for ballast layers reinforced respectively with one and two geogrid layers, while these values were reached to 29% and 40% in the case of TPDT.

Analysis on the Features of Chinese Dry Ports: Ownership, Customs Service, Rail Service and Regional Competition

In recent years, many regions including China have witnessed fast growth of dry ports. Unlike in the other regions of the world, the major dry ports in China are not profitable, but the reasons behind have not been discussed before. After a brief review on the development pattern of Chinese dry ports, certain dry port functions like customs clearance and rail connection, dry port ownership structure, and inter-competition among dry ports are identified as the unique factors which distinguish Chinese dry ports from others and affect their performance. We investigate the relationship between these factors and the efficiency of Chinese dry ports with a two-stage approach based on a panel data collected from eight dry ports affiliated to the port of Ningbo, China, covering the 2011-2016 period. In the first stage, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is used to measure these dry ports’ technical efficiency. In the second stage, Tobit regression analysis is applied to explore the relationship between efficiency and the above mentioned factors. Several insightful findings are observed, further leading to useful managerial insights.

Deregulation and the Determinants of Entry: Evidence from the German Interurban Bus Industry

Two years after the deregulation of the German interurban bus industry in January 2013, two new entrants emerged as market leaders: MeinFernbus (MFB) and FlixBus (FB). We use a comprehensive route-level data set to investigate the determinants of route entry for both providers. Applying survival models, we find that both companies show an increased probability to enter populous, centrally located routes with large shares of young inhabitants; however, they both avoid entries into routes including an airport or with low quality rail connection. Furthermore, both market leaders refrain from entering small and medium-sized routes in which another provider is already operating. In large markets, however, they both show an increased entry probability independent of the presence of a competitor.

Odbudowa komunikacji na Warmii i Mazurach w latach 1945–1950

The aim of this article is to present the most significant problems connected with the process of rebuilding the post-war transportation system in Warmia and Mazury. The system was one of the most important fields of the economy because it provided a basis for further reconstruction. It was essential for carrying out post-war territorial decisions connected with the relocation of the population, for example displacing Germans, relocating the people from the East or the process of settlement. The reconstruction of the transportation system was also necessary for the development of former East Prussia, a part of which was given to Poland by the new administrative authorities. For this reason, teams of railmen were the first to arrive to the territory of Warmia and Mazury. This article presents the destruction of the rolling stock and the participation of the Soviet soldiers in its further devastation. Moreover, the focus is placed on the stages of the reconstruction of the railways and rail connections. Apart from that, substantial attention is devoted to the reconstruction of the road system. The article describes the difficulties in obtaining cars and motorcycles, caused by the fact that most of such vehicles were only to be used by the local authorities. Furthermore, the article presents the development of the passenger road transport network. Attempts have been made not only to reconstruct the timetables and describe the changes in ticket prices, but also to present the difficulties such as the lack of punctuality or limited driving comfort. The article is supplemented with data regarding the number of passengers of the aforementioned forms of transport. Additionally, the information about the alternative methods of travelling during the first five years after the Second World War have been provided.

Real-time container transport planning with decision trees based on offline obtained optimal solutions

Hinterland networks for container transportation require planning methods in order to increase efficiency and reliability of the inland road, rail and waterway connections. In this paper we aim to derive real-time decision rules for suitable allocations of containers to inland services by analysing the solution structure of a centralised optimisation method used offline on historic data. The decision tree can be used in a decision support system (DSS) for instantaneously allocating incoming orders to suitable services, without the need for continuous planning updates. Such a DSS is beneficial, as it is easy to implement in the current practice of container transportation. Earlier proposed centralised methods can find the optimal solution for the intermodal inland transportation problem in retrospect, but are not suitable when information becomes gradually available.The main contributions are threefold: firstly, a structured method for creating decision trees from optimal solutions is proposed. Secondly, an innovative method is used for obtaining multiple equivalent optimal solutions to prevent overfitting of the decision tree. And finally, a structured analysis of three error types is presented for assessing the quality of an obtained tree. A case study illustrates the method's purpose by comparing the quality of the resulting plan with alternative methods.

How to Choose the Most Efficient Transport Mode for Weekend Tourism Journeys: An HSR and Private Vehicle Comparison

The present paper focuses on an analysis of the efficiency of High-Speed Rail (HSR) connections in comparison to private vehicles, with the aim of identifying the most convenient mode of transportation for weekend tourism journeys. This efficiency is centred on a person based assessment and will depend on the time available at the destination, the convenience of the timetables and travel times, and the associated costs related to accommodations and travel expenses. Because travel costs may amount to a significant share of the total expenses for recreational travel, individuals and groups may consider using a car to reach their destination, especially for journeys of short distances. However, the development of the HSR system in Spain provides an important increase in accessibility that is generating changes in the way people travel. The accessibility of the HSR service has brought an interesting alternative whose attractiveness (in terms of comfort and speed) rises with the distance travelled. In addition, RENFE (Spanish rail operator) is now reorienting its services and fares to compete in the tourism market, improving the competitiveness of HSR for weekend tourism trips relative to other transport modes. In this framework, the paper demonstrates that HSR is a real alternative, in terms of connection efficiencies, for weekend journeys, as almost half of the Spanish cities served by HSR are more efficiently connected to Madrid through HSR than by private cars. In addition, the paper offers a person-based approach that should be taken into account in future research on transport mode choices.

“If Just One of the Boats Had Remained”: The 1862 Battle of Augusta and Its Aftermath

“If Just One of the Boats Had Remained”:The 1862 Battle of Augusta and Its Aftermath Donald A. Clark (bio) It is often said that Kentucky joined the Confederacy after the war. Although many loyal Kentuckians’ turn against the Union came earlier—in 1863, when the Emancipation Proclamation was promulgated, or 1864, when African Americans were recruited as soldiers—the saying certainly holds true for the writing of history after the war. Many white Kentuckians came to see their Unionism as a mistake and, therefore, bought into the Lost Cause version of history.1 One of those Kentuckians, Basil W. Duke, had fought in the war as one of John Hunt Morgan’s raiders. After the war, he became a prominent figure of the Lost Cause in Kentucky, writing, for example, History of Morgan’s Cavalry in 1867. He was also the owner and a frequent contributor to the Confederate apologist magazine, the Southern Bivouac, in the mid-1880s. In 1886, Duke wrote an article for the Bivouac about the Confederate invasion of [End Page 41] Kentucky in the summer of 1862. Among the battles mentioned in the article was the Battle of Augusta, which occurred on September 27, 1862. As would be expected, Duke emphasized the role of his men while saying little about the Union Home Guard under Joshua Taylor Bradford. Likewise, he provided minimal background, said little about the defense, and nothing about the aftermath in Augusta. Twentieth-century articles on the battle relied far too much on Duke’s accounts. Primary source material that could have surmounted the disparity has been noticeably absent from the articles, addresses, and discussions about the battle. Thus, for far too long, our understanding of this small Civil War engagement in Bracken County has come from information supplied by the victorious commander, Basil W. Duke.2 In order to remedy that deficiency, this article examines the story from the Unionist perspective, which gives us an important example of how a town tried to defend itself from the ravages of Confederate marauders. Diaries, newspaper accounts, service records, and official records tell about the months, weeks, and days that led up to the fight. Likewise, court-martial records from the National Archives provide heretofore-unseen testimony of twenty-three witnesses who add a great deal of information about the fight and the tragic aftermath. Many of the primary sources involve Colonel Bradford and other Unionist defenders of this small Ohio River town. Although Kentucky “turned Confederate” after the war, it was a loyal State during the war, and by examining the Unionist Home Guard in small towns like Augusta, we can have a better understanding of how the war affected local communities throughout the commonwealth. Duke was a native of nearby Scott County, Kentucky, who had obtained a law degree from Transylvania University before moving to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1858. In early January 1861, this resolute States’ rights advocate helped organize the pro-secession Minute Men, [End Page 42] who engaged in activities that led to his indictment for arson and treason. Rather than stand trial in St. Louis, Duke returned to Kentucky and married Henrietta H. Morgan, the sister of John Hunt Morgan, commander of a company of State Guard troops with pronounced southern sympathies. In October 1861, Morgan merged those men into a Confederate cavalry brigade, and Duke was elected by his unit to serve as a lieutenant.3 During the Union advance against Chattanooga in July 1862, the twenty-four-year-old Duke and thirty-seven-year-old Morgan harassed the Fourth Division of the Army of the Ohio in middle Tennessee. Dr. Joshua Taylor Bradford, a major in the Medical Corps, had served with that division at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee, but during the siege of Corinth, Mississippi, he returned home on sick leave. In early August, this forty-five-year-old native of Augusta, Kentucky, was looking to rejoin his brigade in Tennessee, but on August 12, that became impossible when Morgan’s men blew up the important rail connection at Gallatin, Tennessee. One week later, the newly installed governor of Kentucky, James F. Robinson, appointed Bradford captain of the Bracken County Home Guard and...

Power Supply System Implemented on Polish High Speed Lines and Pantograph-OCL Interaction Quality Assessment Based on Tests Performed on PKP Network

In this paper the 3kV power supply system of Polish high-speed lines is described. Basic OCL parameters and test results of current collection quality is presented. One of the basic parameters limiting the maximum service speed on a given line is the pantograph-OCL cooperation quality. In this paper three types of overhead contact lines designed and implemented in Poland are described. There are also specified basic parameters and materials of catenaries, as well as OCL geometry or mechanical and electrical design values. The measured values obtained as a result of the performed tests are given in this paper which allows them to be compared with the design intents. One of the overhead contact line system examples is an OCL system implemented on CMK mainline. The line was built in the 1970s and nowadays is a backbone of Warsaw to Silesia rail connection. Today PKP provides 200km/h commercial intercity services on this line. The CMK trunk line is commonly considered as a leading one on the Polish rail network. On this line several tests were performed which allowed the following two types of traction stock to enter service on the domestic network. The first of them was Siemens ES64U4 electric locomotive and the second one was ED250 Pendolino electric multiple unit, manufactured by Alstom Ferroviaria. All these tests were carried out according to the requirements described in Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSI) of Trans-European high-speed rail network for both Test pantograph and catenary on compliance with the TSI Energy and locomotives subsystems. During the Pendolino test runs two consecutive speed records were attained, first one (250.1 km/h) by a modified FS ETR460 train in 1994 and the latter (293 km/h) by a PKP ED250 train in 2013. It is to be noticed that the speed records mentioned above were determined not only by the power supply system parameters but were dependent on other factors as well. During the test runs the current collection quality was checked, for both single-unit and multiple-unit operation. In this paper the results of pantograph-OCL cooperation are described, according to TSI “Rolling stock” and “Energy” subsystems. These specifications state that the general current collection quality assessment criteria are the contact wire uplift and the contact force (calculated between a collector head and the contact wire).

Online Stakeholder Interactions in the Early Stage of a Megaproject

The purpose of this article is to examine the network structure of online stakeholder discussions in the planning stage of a UK public megaproject, High Speed Rail 2. By providing new rail connections between London, Birmingham, and Manchester, this project is highly complex as it is embedded in a network of stakeholder relationships that may support or oppose the project. Data drawn from Twitter were analyzed using Social Network Analysis and inductive analysis of user profiles and content. Findings indicate that the majority of online stakeholders oppose the project and form stable clusters. Larger clusters within this network may attempt to deploy power directly in the form of a manipulation strategy, whereas smaller clusters may seek to ally themselves with more powerful groups, a pathway strategy. Overall, the methodology is a useful complement to existing methods and may provide real-time insights into the complex, evolving discussions around megaprojects.

The Effects of Liberalisation of the Passenger Railway Market on the Situation of Regional Rail Connections in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria

Abstract Liberalisation of railway market can be an important instrument for increasing the attractiveness of local rail services and consequently for making the railways more competitive with other means of transport, which could result in changing the modal share in the favour of railways. The differences in the railway liberalisation level as well as in the policies towards rail transport between Central and Eastern European countries are vast, hence the present situation and the future prospects of regional services are diverse. Whereas there is only one railway line in Slovakia which is not operated by the state railway company ZSSK, a few private local connections which complement a very dense network of ČD state railways are in service in the Czech Republic. Poland, by contrast, is a country where liberalisation of railway market is most advanced as several different companies are responsible for transport in the regions. However, the results of this large scale liberalisation are ambiguous as the positive effects (reopening of some lines) are balanced by isolation of the new regional government-owned systems from each other. In Austria, by contrast, the existence of several private and regional government-owned local railways which are an indispensable part of the regional transport networks has contributed to maintain an effective transport system. Although the effects of liberalisation on the local railway networks can often be ambiguous, several cases from the Czech Republic, Austria and Poland show that privatisation and municipalisation may have a positive effect on the railway service as it has enabled to maintain the service on many sections which were at risk of closure. However, the most important condition of the effective transport development seems to be an active cooperation between the railway operators and the local governments as an expression of appropriate transport policy.

A Multi-Criteria Approach for Risk Assessment of Dry Port-Seaport System

The successful accomplishment of dry port-seaport system logistics activities is relatively difficult due to involvement of different risks. These risks and their respective sources have a tendency to disturb the system functioning. Risk management is one of the critical processes. An error can cost the dry port-seaport system too much. The aim of this paper is to analyze and assess risk factors within the dry port-seaport system using a multi-criteria approach. In this research, an effort has been made to collect the proces ’s risk factors. Our methodology is based on three steps. As results, risk factorsin rail connection are the most important and need a greater governmental concern. the findingswould be useful for industries in managing and reducing the consequences of the risks in dry port-seaport system.

Based on the Structural Mechanics of Dump Truck Chassis Frame of Design Improvement

EQ3090 dump truck in the basis of EQ1090 modification and become, the chassis choose EQ1090 chassis. The modification of the main frame, including the main frame of the drilling and welding, the main frame of extension design, main frame of reinforcing plate design. Auxiliary frame modified, include the auxiliary frame of the cross section shape and size, reinforcing plate decorate, deputy frame front shape and installation location, rail and beam connection design, auxiliary frame and the main frame connection design, and finally, the auxiliary frame in intensity. The refit vehicle meet the using performance and achieve the anticipated goal.

Methodology for Assessing the Quality of Rail Connections on the Network

The role of the EU transport system is to provide a high degree of mobility where necessary, to increase its performance in terms of speed, comfort, and safety. Achieving a consistent, integrated, and efficient transport system currently requires connections linking all transport modes. The most important criteria from the point of view of passengers are the reachability of the destination and frequency. This paper assesses the quality of rail services by considering the supply of connections on the network. It proposes a methodology for evaluating the constructed timetable in passenger traffic for the assessment of the achievability of tariff points. We also present some results of a case study of a Slovakian railway network.

The Channel Tunnel: transport patterns and regional impacts

Since its opening in 1994 the Channel Tunnel has become a key element in the transport infrastructure linking Britain and continental Europe. But, as well as forming part of the Trans-European Rail Network, the Channel Tunnel was also seen as a potential stimulus to trans-frontier collaboration and as a possible catalyst for regional economic development. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the regional impacts of the Tunnel within the Anglo-French frontier zone on both sides of the English Channel. Although millions of passengers travel through the Tunnel every year, numbers have failed to reach the forecast levels and the overall benefits are fewer than had been anticipated. The English Channel still represents a psychological barrier (partly due to language differences) and the frontier zone has failed to develop as an integrated labour market. Moreover, the findings suggest that the Channel Tunnel has only had a limited impact on the spatial economy of the trans-frontier zone in Kent and Nord-Pas-de-Calais. While Ashford has undoubtedly gained from its high-speed rail connection, the greatest impacts have occurred in metropolitan regions further from the Tunnel, including Lille and East London.

Emergency Management of Urban Rail Transportation Based on Parallel Systems

Integrating artificial systems, computational experiments, and parallel execution (ACP) is an effective approach to modeling, simulating, and intervening real complex systems. Emergency response is an important issue in the operation of urban rail transport systems for ensuring the safety of people and property. Inspired by the ACP method, this paper introduces a basic framework of parallel control and management (PCM) for emergency response of urban rail transportation systems. The proposed framework is elaborated from three interdependent aspects: Points, Lines, and Networks. Points represent the modeling of urban rail stations, Lines describe the microscopic characteristics of urban rail connections between designated stations, and Networks present the macroscopic properties of all the urban rail connections. Based on the given framework, a series of parallel experiments, which were impossible to achieve in real systems, can now be conducted in the constructed artificial system. Furthermore, the constructed artificial system can be used to test and develop effective emergency control and management strategies for real rail transport systems. Therefore, this proposed framework will be able to enhance the reliability, security, robustness, and maneuverability of urban rail transport systems in case of an emergency.

Impact of light rail implementation on labor market accessibility: A transportation equity perspective

This study seeks to examine transit’s role in promoting social equity by assessing before-after impacts of recent transit changes in the Twin Cities, including opening of the Hiawahta light rail line, on job accessibility among workers of different wage categories. Geo-spatial, descriptive and regression analyses find that proximity to light rail stations and bus stops offering direct rail connections are associated with large, statistically significant gains in accessibility to low-wage jobs. These gains stand out from changes in accessibility for the transit system as a whole. Implications of the study results for informing more equitable transit polices are discussed.

The role of port authorities in new intermodal service development; the case of Barcelona Port Authority

Improving intermodal connectivity is important for ports. However, developing new rail connections, especially in the contestable hinterland, is complex and requires substantial investments. Therefore, rail operators are reluctant to start new connections unless risks are limited. Port authorities can play a role in these hinterland connections to increase traffic to their ports. Barcelona is one of the leading port authorities in this respect, with a well developed hinterland strategy and a developing network of inland rail nodes. The Port Authority of Barcelona also invests in new rail shuttles, for instance between Barcelona and Lyon. This shuttle initiative is centre stage in this paper, as it may stand out as a best practise for port authority involvement in developing new rail connections. The paper starts with an introduction of the importance of intermodal transport for the development of hinterlands of ports. The second part will provide an overview of the hinterland strategy of Barcelona and describes in detail the participation of the port of Barcelona in the start-up phase of the intermodal connection to Lyon. The final section discusses the main conclusions from the case study with regard to the involvement of port authorities in the development of new intermodal transport services.

Desire among the Ruins: The Politics of Difference in American Visions of Porfirian Mexico

Travel to Mexico became instantly faster, smoother, and cheaper for Americans when workers finally linked US and Mexican rail lines in 1884. Following the opening of the international rail connection, Americans went south of the border in droves and produced a wide array of representations depicting Mexico under the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz (1876–1911, a period known as the “Porfiriato”). Travelogues, picture postcards, stereographs, and magic-lantern slides with Mexican themes all circulated heavily in US popular culture during this time. This essay examines the politics of difference in these representations – chiefly travel writing and postcards – arguing that travelers and other observers played a crucial but overlooked role in popularizing the view of Mexico as a logical field for capitalist (and sometimes territorial) expansionism. By positioning Mexican bodies as both desirable and dangerous, I argue, the creators of travel discourse set the stage for contradictory and ambivalent views of Mexico that reverberate in the United States even today.

Public health and travel medicine: intricately intertwined

Just over a century ago, Orville and Wilbur Wright achieved the first powered flight, which lasted 12 seconds, having travelled 120 feet; less than the length of a Boeing 747. This was the shape of things to come and between 1950 and 2011 the number of international arrivals has grown from 25 million to 980 million. With continued growth predicted to continue in 2012, albeit at a somewhat slower rate, international tourist arrivals are on track to reach the milestone one billion mark later this year. Despite various terrorist attacks and natural disasters, such as the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami, travellers' confidence to explore the world continues unabated. Growth in travel occurred in particular to Africa by 7%, Asia and the Pacific by 6%, and international tourist arrivals worldwide are expected to grow by a further 3 to 4% in 2012, reaching the historic one billion mark by the end of this year. The specialty of travel medicine has evolved rapidly as a result of the massive increase in international travel facilitated by the introduction of economical and fast air transport across the world, the construction of transcontinental road and rail connections, giant ship cruisers, travel to and exploration of regions and areas that were previously inaccessible or remote, and the explosive increase in tourism. Concomitant with the predicted increase in international travel, this also means exposure of travellers to genes, bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites and other health hazards in the new environment, and the transfer of genes and microorganisms across continents to the host population. This can result potentially, in public health concerns in host countries as exemplified by the transmission and subsequent spread of the infectious diseases, SARS and H1N1. Travel medicine extends well beyond diseases of warm climates and the exigencies of travel and tropical life. It includes exposure to new environments and new cultures, and new hazards ranging from high-altitude and deep-sea environments to medical problems of cosmic radiation and space travel; emerging and re-emerging infections; safe food, safe water, safe clothing; natural and accidental disasters; issues such as jet lag and tourist risk of violence and importantly, the avoidance of accidents which is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in travellers. Extensive knowledge of current and new vaccines and of prophylactic and therapeutic drugs is essential. These include malaria chemoprophylaxis, strategies for emergency standby treatment for malaria and drugs for the treatment of travellers' diarrhoea. The re-emergence of infections such as diphtheria and syphilis in parts of Eastern Europe, the epidemiology of drugresistant malaria, extensive outbreaks of dengue fever and antigenic shifts of influenza leading to pandemic influenza, are examples of the imperative need for rapid access to accurate information in order to protect the health of those who travel. …

Eurocodes Applied to The Øresund Link Between Denmark and Sweden

The first application of the Eurocode system to a major bridge and tunnel project was the 16 km coast–coast section of the road and rail connection between Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmö in Sweden, completed in July 2000. The draft structural Eurocodes were implemented by means of a project application document (PAD), filling in lacunae and specifying supporting standards. The partial safety coefficients were calibrated to a specified reliability index, and scenarios with recurrence intervals corresponding to the characteristic values of applied loads were identified for the major risk hazards (ship collision, fire). These design events were to be resisted by the structures, whereas more severe—and less frequent—events were included in the operational risk budget. The loads, load factors and load combination factors were given in a technical design basis (TDB), which also compiled all functional, environmental and aesthetical requirements specified by the owner and the Authorities. Excerpts from the TDB were issued to the contractors as design requirements related to the individual construction contracts, supplementing the PAD and the Eurocodes. The experience is being used in the ongoing design of the 18 km Femern Bælt link between Denmark and Germany, scheduled to be opened for traffic in 2020.