Rail Transport Research Articles

Information acquisition and tax avoidance: Evidence from a natural experiment

AbstractAnalyzing the launch of high‐speed rail (HSR) services in China as a natural experiment, we identify a positive externality stemming from lower information acquisition costs: the reduction in firms’ overinvestment in tax avoidance. Specifically, we find that outsiders undertake more corporate site visits and firms engage in less tax avoidance after the opening of HSR lines in the cities where these firms are located, leading to enhanced firm value. In another result consistent with expectations, we document that the impact of the introduction of HSR lines on tax avoidance is concentrated in firms in which insiders exhibit a high propensity to extract rents through aggressive tax strategies. Our results imply that more efficient transportation facilitates site visits and the acquisition of firm‐specific information, particularly soft information. This improvement strengthens external monitoring, thereby limiting the ability of insiders to accumulate private benefits under the guise of tax avoidance that benefits all shareholders as the residual claimants.

Carbon footprint in choosing the best sustainable mode of intercity passenger transport

The carbon footprint, which measures greenhouse gas emissions, is a good environmental indicator for choosing the best sustainable mode of transportation. The available emission factors depend heavily on the calculation methodology and are hardly comparable. The minimum and maximum scenarios are one way of making the results comparable. The best sustainable passenger transport modes between Rijeka and Split were investigated and compared by calculating the minimum and maximum available emission factors. The study aims to select the best sustainable mode of transport on the chosen route and to support the decision-making process regarding the electrification of the Lika railroad, which partially connects the two cities. In the minimum scenario, ferry transport without vehicles was the best choice when the transportation time factor was not relevant, and electric rail transport when it was. In the maximum scenario, the electric train and the ferry with vehicles were equally good choices. Road transportation between cities was not competitive at all. The comparison of the carbon footprint based on minimum and maximum scenarios gives a clear insight into the ratio of greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles in passenger transport. It supports the electrification of the Lika railroad as the best sustainable transport solution on the route studied.

Rail Transport in the Aspect of Military Mobility

Rail Transport in the Aspect of Military Mobility

On the 130th anniversary of the Krasnoyarsk Rail Transport Institute — branch of Irkutsk State Transport University

In 2024 Krasnoyarsk Rail Transport Institute — branch of Irkutsk State Transport University turns 130 years. The history of its establishment is connected with the rapid development of railway transport in Russia and the construction of a new railway in Siberia. The article presents an outline of the 130-year history formation and development of the oldest educational institution, founded in 1894 as the First Siberian Technical Railway School. The main stages of the university’s formation are determined, achievements in the professional training of specialists in the railway industry, its contribution to the socio-economic development of the country are considered.

Development of the logistics potential of railway transport

An analysis of freight transport statistics over the past 10 years shows sensitivity to political influences from almost all modes of transport to one degree or another, including rail. At the same time, the participation of rail transport in the total volume of freight traffic in recent years can be estimated at 17–18 %. In recent years, there has been a trend towards an increase in the railway transportation sector in the total volume of freight. In order to ensure the technological sovereignty of the Russian Federation, it is necessary to take a number of technical, organizational and managerial decisions to offset the negative consequences. The development of domestic logistics potential involves the development of international transport corridors that will connect the macroeconomic regions of the north, south, east and west. This will certainly have an impact on the global economy as a whole. Therefore, the main task is to develop effective interaction between participants in transport processes both on related modes of transport, as well as the largest representatives of the operator and logistics business, cargo-forming enterprises. In this regard, the current situation has been analyzed using a tool to identify competitive advantages in the domestic market and in conditions of global competition.

Modeling and dynamic performance of distributed force in high-temperature superconducting pinning magnetic levitation

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) pinning magnetic levitation (maglev) systems are highly promising for future applications in rail transportation. Through the interaction between onboard HTS bulks and the permanent magnet guideway (PMG), this system generates levitation and guidance forces, known as the HTS-PMG relationship. Under practical conditions, this interaction manifests itself as a distributed force. However, past models have only considered concentrated forces. This study aims to design experiments to investigate the HTS-PMG relationship and propose a more realistic discretized lateral-vertical coupling HTS-PMG relationship to accurately reflect torques in dynamic simulations. Based on this, a dynamic model is established to analyze the Sperling index and the five-degree-of-freedom dynamic response of the HTS pinning maglev vehicle system under different HTS-PMG relationship models. The results indicate that the proposed discretized lateral-vertical coupling HTS-PMG relationship accurately characterizes the torque generated by the HTS levitator, influencing lateral, roll, pitch, and yaw motions to some extent. Compared with the concentrated force model, the discrete force model exhibits superior dynamic performance, particularly in terms of lateral dynamics and the lateral Sperling index. This study provides valuable insights into the field of HTS maglev, particularly regarding investigating HTS-PMG relationships and their impact on HTS maglev system dynamic performance.

The current situation and the directions of changes in rail freight transport in Thailand

The purpose of the article is to present the current situation in the rail freight transport in Thailand and the direction of changes in this area. Firstly, Thailand statistics in volume of freight transport by rail and modal share of freight transport have been presented. Afterwards, problems and obstacles in railway operational practices and in using rail transport services have been identified to improve railway system in Thailand and the outcome was assessed in terms of railway capacity and utilization. The findings were used to outline the direction of changes in rail freight transport. The results show that the rail transport capacity in double-track would increase by 48% (at present by 15.5% and as plan by 30%) and the ratio by rail transport to total freight transport would increase from at present by 1.87% to 10% in 2037.

Effects of acoustic environment on sleep and mental health in residential regions near railways

Noise is an important environmental risk factor for physical and mental health. Furthermore, long-term noise exposure is burdensome for the mind and body and has become a serious problem. Rail transportation is one of the main methods used to transport goods in China; however, the noise and vibrations generated by freight trains have serious impacts on residents in nearby regions. To further investigate the relationship between railway noise and road noise exposure and changes in sleep duration and mental health scores, a field study in Harbin, China, was conducted and a health risk prediction model was constructed. The results showed that for every 1 dB increase in the Equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level (LAeq), the percentage of deep sleep among residents living near the railway decreased by 0.2 %. Although residents near the railway reported similar sleep evaluations compared to those living farther away, they exhibited poorer mental health. Cox risk modeling indicates that the risk of mental health problems is approximately three times higher for those living near the railway. These findings potentially provide benefits in developing strategies to reduce the risk of mental illness for people residing near railways.

The Use of Automation in Rail Transport to Ensure Interchanges in Regional Passenger Transport

The Use of Automation in Rail Transport to Ensure Interchanges in Regional Passenger Transport

Ballistic performance of aluminum alloy plates with polyurea coatings for high-speed train structures

Polyurea coatings have been widely promoted in explosion and ballistic impact protection applications due to their excellent hyper-elasticity performance. In rail transportation, high-speed trains face potential impact threats from track ballast, which can affect the strength performance of the base material. To address these challenges, we examined the ballistic performances of aluminum alloy plates with polyurea coatings under large-scale impact (>30 mm). Four different configurations of target plates were investigated: A, P-A, A-P, and P-A-P. We fabricated samples and performed dynamic impact tests using an air cannon system to demonstrate the feasibility. Results show that ballistic performance is significantly improved by applying polyurea coatings on aluminum alloy plates. In particular, the growth rate of limit velocity of configuration A-P, P-A, and P-A-P to that of configuration A are 5.5 %, 19.4 %, and 22.8 %, respectively. The enhancement mechanism was further uncovered through stress wave propagation analysis and lateral energy diffusion effect. Explicit formulas for predicting the limit velocity and residual velocity were derived and demonstrated with reasonable accuracy over a wide range of parameter spaces. The observed enhancement in ballistic performance through polyurea coatings on aluminum alloy plates offers promising ways to design and implement more resilient and impact-resistant high-speed train structures.

Design of arduino-based track inspection trolley

Abstract In recent years, China’s transport industry has been booming, and among them, rail transport plays a crucial role. Along with the track laying volume and mileage of continuous growth, the track of the daily inspection work burden is increasing, the current track inspection in China is still in the manual inspection stage, it is difficult to ensure the safety of workers, so a stable, accurate, lightweight track inspection vehicle has become the development of the general trend. The core of this design is the use of Arduino as a motherboard, non-contact track detection, the ability to use the appropriate sensors to detect the track of the super-high problem, while being able to use the camera on the collection of track line information, fast and stable on the track whether there is a foreign body and the track surface levelling for the collection and sent to the upper computer, in the upper computer for subsequent image processing.

Experimental investigations of the wear behaviour of railway brake block raw materials

Abstract Passenger and freight transport by rail is gaining ground not only in Europe, but in many countries around the world. At the same time, due to the increased traffic, the need to investigate the effects of rail transport on the environment and to reduce the harmful effects is also increasing. One of the recurring problems is the reduction of the noise that occurs during the braking of railway cars, as well as the mitigation of particles released during braking and, as a result, the reduction of their health-damaging effects. In more and more European countries, the so-called Noise Differentiated Track Access Charges (NDTAC) is being introduced, where the cost depends on the amount of noise emitted during braking. For this reason, the examination of the friction conditions of the materials used in railway brakes and the finding of materials with the most favourable properties is a priority area of research. In this paper, the initial investigations of a recently started research project on the subject are presented, the aim of which is to develop and test new layered composite materials that may be used in the future to produce railway brake blocks. The paper presents the main objectives of the project, the principles, and tools of the friction tests to be applied, as well as the test measurements carried out, during which the friction characteristics of copper alloy and aluminium control materials along with the currently used cast iron and composite brake blocks were examined.

New energy urban rail vehicle hybrid energy storage control system

Abstract With the increasing demand for urban transportation and the gradual strengthening of environmental protection awareness, new energy urban rail transportation has gradually become the future trend of urban development. The hybrid energy storage system is one of the key technologies to achieve the goals of energy saving and emission reduction of new urban rail vehicles, improving operation efficiency and comfort. In the traction stage of urban rail vehicles, the energy storage unit composed of lithium batteries and supercapacitors is jointly supplied with the power grid. In the braking stage, the energy storage unit composed of lithium batteries and supercapacitors is a common way for urban rail vehicles to recover energy. This study validates the efficacy of employing fuzzy control methodology to enhance the performance of the energy storage system. The experimental results show that the fuzzy control method can better balance the load distribution between lithium batteries and supercapacitors, thus extending their service life and improving the overall system performance. Based on the SOC energy management strategy of supercapacitors, urban rail vehicle power is allocated to supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries via a low-pass filter. System power is adjusted based on supercapacitor SOC, determining capacitor charging/discharging states and suppressing system output power.

Glosa krytyczna do wyroku Wojewódzkiego Sądu Administracyjnego w Warszawie z dnia 11 kwietnia 2023 r. (VII SA/Wa 2467/22)

The commentary concerns the judgment of the Voivodeship Administrative Court in Warsaw of 11 April 2023, in which the Court referred to the interpretation of the concept of a railway area. The Court’s position deviates from the standards of linguistic interpretation and the accepted practice of administrative authorities. Due to its significant relevance to the process of agreements made by the President of the Office of Rail Transport, the discussed judgment is important for the practice of administrative bodies involved in spatial planning and development. The commentary is critical in nature and considers that the Court, by applying inappropriate interpretive tools, deviated from a linguistic interpretation that was unjustified in the context of the previous case law and doctrinal views.

Rail transit disruptions, traffic generations, and adaptations: Quasi-experimental evidence from Hong Kong

Despite a recent surge in urban rail service disruptions, rigorous impact studies are rare and the empirical literature presents mixed or highly underestimated results. In response, we examine the impacts of disrupted urban rail service on vehicle use in Hong Kong, using air quality as a proxy for the latter. We find that, on average, nitrogen oxides concentrations near an inactive metro station increased by 7.8% after the protests. This result translates into an 8.4% increase in on-road traffic intensity, given the pollution-traffic elasticity of 0.93. During rush hours, metro-station shutdowns further increased traffic intensity by ≤31.9%, suggesting an imminent need for a rail-to-road mode shift among commuters. The magnitude of the effects, however, tends to decline over time, with a 1% decline for each hour past the occurrence of a given shutdown event. This declining trend seems to reflect increased adaptation over time at both network and individual levels.

Assessing Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) container logistics on the Rhine Alpine corridor: A discrete event simulation approach

Inland Waterway Transport (IWT) is pivotal for hinterland freight logistics, connecting numerous inland terminals with major deep-sea ports. Despite its significant advantages in cargo capacity and environmental sustainability, it remains underutilized due to operational inefficiencies, diminishing its competitive edge compared to road and rail transport. Addressing these challenges requires innovative solutions, yet existing studies often neglect to evaluate these innovations and their interactions within the broader IWT logistics framework and other transport modes.This study bridges these gaps by introducing a comprehensive Discrete Event Simulation (DES) model to capture the dynamic interactions within the IWT logistics system, its interplay with other transport modes, and the potential impact of innovative measures on IWT performance. The model simulates the current container logistics system along the Rhine-Alpine (RALP) corridor, incorporating key elements such as cost-time calculations, transport mode selection, network flow allocation, and the assessment of IWT innovations.The methodological framework and architecture of the DES model are presented, emphasizing verification and validation processes to ensure accuracy and reliability. The model outputs a network-wide analysis of the current IWT logistics system, examining mode split, cost, time, emissions, distance, and the interrelationships among these factors. This analysis serves as a benchmark for evaluating the effects of various innovative strategies on IWT performance.By employing the DES methodology, this research advances the understanding of container IWT logistics, providing critical insights for stakeholders and policymakers. It evaluates the current performance of container IWT in the RALP corridor and identifies opportunities to improve the efficiency and competitiveness of container IWT.

Liberalization of the European Union Rail Transport Markets: Challenges and Solutions

Liberalization of the European Union Rail Transport Markets: Challenges and Solutions

Hydrogen supply chain for future hydrogen-fuelled railway in the UK: Transport sector focused

Though being attractive on railway decarbonisation for regional lines, excessive cost caused by immature hydrogen supply chain is one of the significant hurdles for promoting hydrogen traction to rolling stocks. Therefore, we conduct bespoke research on the UK's hydrogen supply chain for railway, concentrating on hydrogen transportation. Firstly, a map for the planned hydrogen production plants and potential hydrogen lines is developed with the location, capacity, and usage. A spatially explicit model for the hydrogen supply chain is then introduced, which optimises the existing grid-based methodology on accuracy and applicability. Compressed hydrogen at three pressures, and liquid hydrogen are considered as the mediums, incorporating by road and rail transport. Furthermore, three scenarios for hydrogen rail penetration are simulated respectively to discuss the levelised cost and the most suitable national transport network. The results show that the developed model with mix-integer linear programming (MILP) can well design the UK's hydrogen distribution for railway traction. Moreover, the hydrogen transport medium and vehicle should adjust to suit for different era where the penetration of hydrogen traction varies. The levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH) decreases from 6.13 £/kg to 5.13 £/kg on average from the conservative scenario to the radical scenario. Applying different transport combinations according to the specific situation can satisfy the demand while reducing cost for multi-supplier and multi-targeting hydrogen transport.

Modelling reservation strategies for managing peak-hour stranding on an oversaturated metro line

Metro is the main travel model for urban commuters in many metropolises around the world. During peak hours, large numbers of passengers pour into metro stations for rail services, but some are unable to board the trains in time and left stranded on the platform or even queuing outside the stations. The trip reservation (TR) strategy, where passengers preplan their trips and reserve their entry time to the stations. This paper develops an entry reservation strategy (ERS) to optimize the commuter flow during peak hours, and construct a multi-objective passenger flow joint optimization model based on many-to-many passenger demand to minimize the total trip cost of passengers at reservation station and the number of stranded passengers at intermediate stations. The passenger flow optimization problem is formulated as a mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP) model. We design an iterative sequential search algorithm combined with the GUROBI solver to obtain the parameters of the optimal ERS and the passenger flow distribution in the metro system after disaggregated reformulation of the complex constraints of the model. We also demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed method with two experiments – an illustrative example and a large-scale case study of Beijing Metro. The results of Beijing Metro experiment show that the joint optimization model with entry reservation strategy (JO-ERS) reduces the number of stranded passengers by 88.46 % compared with the original passenger flow from the AFC.

Passenger Service Satisfaction Evaluation of Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway

As competition in the passenger transportation industry intensifies, high-speed railway must continuously improve service quality to win passenger satisfaction and secure a place in the competitive market. The Jakarta- Bandung High-Speed Railway (JBHSR), Indonesia’s and Southeast Asia’s first high-speed rail, commenced operation in October 2023. This study aims to identify areas for service improvement by measuring and evaluating passenger satisfaction and proposing optimization suggestions. Combining domestic and international service quality evaluation schemes and customer satisfaction models, this study employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to construct a passenger satisfaction evaluation system for high-speed rail services from three dimensions: perceived quality, expected value, and perceived value. A passenger satisfaction survey was conducted, and the results were analyzed using AHP and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) methods to calculate satisfaction scores. The Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) revealed that aspects such as ease of ticket purchasing, accuracy of train operation information, and punctuality scored highly in terms of satisfaction. However, items categorized under ‘Concentrate Here’ and ‘Low Priority’ quadrants require further optimization. This study benchmarks successful practices from other countries’ HSR systems and proposes specific improvement measures, including installing free Wi-Fi at stations and on trains, expanding parking capacity with an online reservation system, increasing the number of escalators and elevators at Padalarang Station, and installing electronic displays and enhancing ground signage for better visibility of carriage positions. These measures aim to improve the quality of HSR services and enhance passenger satisfaction.