Gauge Railway Research Articles

Automatic Railway Road Crossing (RLC) Traffic Light System for Metric Gauge Railway Network in Tanzania

The verdict has been established that Railway Level Crossings (RLCs) present possible risk to roads users. Because of the ever-increasing number of vehicles on the road every day, it was determined that employing automation at level crossings can be beneficial to both road and railway users' safety. The aim is to develop an automated railway level crossing system that would reduce the likelihood of collisions between trains and road users at intersections. From the perspective of a railway level crossing, the conditions safeguards must meet is straightforward - Before a train passes, there must be a complete stop for all road users. Two RFID sensors and Ultrasonic sensors are used located at strike-in and strike-out points at the level crossing. Detection of automobiles stuck on the railroad once the train has activated the automation at the RLC is performed by the Ultrasonic sensor. Other warning measures in the system include an automated barrier, Light Emitting Diode flashing lights, and an audio alarm device. Arduino UNO and ESP32 were used as microcontrollers to perform all the logical operations and control commands. Consequently, the next train station from RLC was updated of the incoming train’s Expected Time of Arrival (ETA). The time it takes for the barriers to close will be determined by the train’s speed. In this project work, the prospective application strategy for securing railroad crossings is described in detail. It is the best feasible control of the level crossing by using the train detection system.

Optimizing Public Private Partnership in Implementation of Railway Transport Projects in Kenya: A Case of the National Standard Gauge Railway

All over the world, the growing demand for transport infrastructure is on its high and with it comes overstretched and widened fiscal constraints, leading governments to seek specialized financing cooperation between the public and private sectors, known as Public-Private-Partnership (PPP). This study sought to investigate the influence of public-private-partnership on implementation of railway transport project: A case of Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the influence of public-private-partnership’s financing and private consortium on implementation of railway transport project. The study was grounded on the Agency and Game theories. The study adopted both descriptive survey and interview research designs. The study’s target population was the staff working at Kenya Railways, standard gauge railway consultant, standard gauge railway consultant contractor and PPP Unit, totalling to 100 respondents. The study’s sample size was 94. The study adopted purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. Quantitative data was collected through closed ended questionnaires while qualitative data was collected through interview guides. The quantitative data was coded by Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS). The statistical tools of analysis used for descriptive data were arithmetic mean and standard deviation, with the variables attaining a composite mean ranging between 3.885 and 4.195 and standard deviation ranging between 0.864 and 0.932. The statistical tools of analysis used for inferential statistics was Pearson Moment Correlation, with the variables attaining a strong positive correlation ranging between 0.735 and 0.889. The study concluded that public-private partnership’s financing and private consortium influence implementation of railway transport project. The study recommended that governments adopt public-private-partnership as the way forward to railway projects’ implementation and private consortium to have organization cultures that are simple to understand.

Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway Project in the Context of Theory and Practice of Regional Planning

Despite most African countries having immense natural and human resources potential, the continent has mostly been lagging on matters of economic development. This scenario could primarily be attributed to weak intra-regional and inter-country trade given the poor connectivity, quality, and diversity in transportation services and infrastructure. In this regard, the governments of the greater East African Region representing Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya, therefore, mooted a coordinated vision to develop interlinked regional infrastructure in road and rail transport to allow smooth movement of goods and services. This paper aimed to critically review the impact of the SGR development on Kenya in the context of regional planning and development. The methodology of the study was a critical review of existing literature and secondary data. Study findings indicated that the development of the (Standard Gauge Railway) SGR is in tandem with the development strategies of other East African Countries. Its development is incorporated in national spatial plans with the rail route targeting regions with viable populations and sustainable economic activities. Criticisms, however, revolve around the ballooning debt to finance infrastructural development and lack of prioritization f mega projects. In conclusion, despite the financial constraints, the SGR is viewed to significantly influence the socio-economic spheres while presenting challenges in the management of landscapes where it traverses in Kenya and the Region.

Constructing 3D Models of Rigid Objects from Satellite Images with High Spatial Resolution Using Convolutional Neural Networks

A way of constructing 3D models of rigid objects from one satellite image is described. It is based on the use of two convolution neural networks which sequentially process high-resolution satellite images. The first neural network performs integral image analysis for segmentation and identification of objects of specified physical classes. The second neural network performs local image analysis and works with images segmented by the first neural network in areas of the image that presumably contain objects of specified classes. An algorithm for reconstructing a 3D model of an object from raster domains of a segmented image obtained from local analysis is described. It is based on regression analysis, the assessing of equivalent figures, and the linearization and polarization of contours. Results from the algorithm’s operation are given using the example of railway infrastructure facilities. The results from constructing 3D models of three objects of the railway infrastructure, identified via the operation of neural networks for four informative classes of areas are presented, e.g. roofs, walls, railroad tracks, contanc lines (poles). Standard dimensions (e.g., the railway gauge (1.52 m) and the height of railway support poles (11.35 m)) are used to estimate scaling coefficients that allow determination of base dimensions and object heights. The possibility of constructing 3D models of objects of areas from 210 to 4200 m2 is shown.

Kenya's regional ambitions or China's Belt‐and‐Road? News media representations of the Mombasa‐Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway

Kenya's Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), and its construction and financing by China, exemplifies the prominence accorded to mega‐infrastructural projects in contemporary economic development, as well as the dependence this has engendered on external loans. Alongside, multiple geographies intertwine in the SGR which is both a component of China's global ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI), as well as an East African regional link between coastal Kenya and neighbouring landlocked countries. In most popular and academic analyses, the role of China is emphasized over the SGR's positioning within East Africa. Does this then lead to an undermining of the meanings that are attached to the SGR within Kenya? This article seeks to add Kenyan perspectives to the debate over China's infrastructural loans by examining the range of news media discourses that have emerged around the SGR. Utilizing the theoretical lens of South‐South cooperation and African agency, this study analyzes how material infrastructure becomes meaningful within the context of a political superstructure. For Kenya, this political superstructure is shaped not only by Kenya‐China relations, but also by infrastructural competitions within East Africa, as well as within Kenya itself.

Reduction of freight car wheel wear of 1520 mm gauge railways

A brief description is given of the comprehensive modernization of standard freight car trucks through the use of devices of American companies adapted for railways with a 1520 mm gauge and wheels with ITM-73 specially developed wear-resistant profile, which allows several times to increase the resource of problematic running gears. An approximate method is proposed for solving the wheel–rail interaction problem with determining the position and size of non-elliptic contact patches, including with conformal contact. Using this method, new profiles have been developed for turning worn wheels (ITM-73-01), as well as new wheels for cars with an axial load on rails of 23.5 tf (ITM-73-02) and 25 tf (ITM-73-03). The data of experimental studies showed that the average wear rate of the wheel flanges of freight cars with complex modernized trucks equipped with wheels with ITM-73-01 profile is 3.5-5 times lower than that of a standard car with a standard wheel profile. According to forecast estimates, the use of wheels with profiles ITM-73-02, ITM-73-03 will allow to achieve even greater increase in the resource indicators of wheelsets for wear of the flanges.

Recent Developments and Future Prospects of Manufacturing of Broad Gauge Railway Sleepers Using Waste Materials in India

Railways form the backbone of all economies, transporting goods, and passengers alike. Sleepers play a pivotal role in track performance and safety in rail transport. Composite sleeper is becoming a suitable alternative for replacing the existing concrete, steel and particularly timber sleeper in both mainline and heavy haul rail network. Composite sleeper technologies are already available but they have gained limited acceptance by the railway industry. A number of composite railway sleeper technologies have been developed but their applications in rail tracks are still limited. This paper discusses in brief about the materials that have been used in making sleepers in the early stages of railways and rigorously reviews the recent developments on composite sleepers and identifies the critical barriers to their widespread acceptance and applications. It has been shown that majority of the sleepers do not last till their expected design life resulting in massive replacement and repair cost. Currently the composite sleeper technologies that are available ranges from sleepers made with recycle materials starting from plastic, rubber, construction waste etc. While these recycled material based sleepers are low cost, the major challenges of using this type of sleepers are their limited strength, stiffness and dynamic properties which in most cases, are incompatible with those of traditional concrete, steel or timber sleeper. This paper rigorously reviews the recent developments on composite sleepers and identifies the critical barriers to their widespread acceptance and applications.

Structural Evaluation of Variable Gauge Railway

In the Eurasian railway network, a different gauge length is used across several countries. A railroad variable gauge allows railway vehicles in rail transport to travel across a gauge break caused by two railway networks with differing track gauges. The variable gauge railway consists of the bogie system to change the length of the wheel shaft and the gauge changing railroad track. Thus, it is important to assess the structural performance of the variable gauge system. In this study, as a performance improvement subject of the variable gauge bogie and railroad, a structural analysis using dynamic finite element calculation was performed to evaluate the reliability and life cycle of the release system and the variable gauge railway. First, the contact pressure and structural stress of the release disk and the release rail were calculated, which provided the wear condition and fatigue life prediction of variable gauge components. Second, a structural analysis of the gauge stabilization rail after the gauge release was executed. The maximum principal stress was evaluated to guarantee the required service life of the stabilization rail section. For the operational safety of the variable gauge system, the operation conditions and maintenance requirements of the variable gauge railway were proposed.

Addressing Impact Evaluation Gaps in Belt and Road Initiative Projects in Africa: The Standard Gauge Railway Project in Kenya as a Proof of Concept

Abstract The impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to global development will be unprecedented and significant, and developmental impact evaluation is therefore central to understanding BRI projects and making informed decisions. Compared with evaluations of individual projects and programs, evaluation of large and mega infrastructure projects under the BRI is particularly challenging and complex in integrating stakeholder objectives, accounting for social benefit and costs, and tracking long-term project impact. In this paper, we summarize the key drawbacks of existing BRI evaluation frameworks, propose a systematic evaluation framework elicitation method based on the inputs from BRI subject matter experts and verified through stakeholder participation, and apply an interim evaluation framework in understanding the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya, as a proof of concept of a comprehensive evaluation framework. In doing so, we seek to provide a tool for BRI decision makers and stakeholders to assess these projects holistically at planning, construction and operation stages.

The Economic Implications of Belt and Road Initiative in the Development of Railway Transport Infrastructure in Africa: The Case of the Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the potential economic benefits the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project under Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) may bring to Kenya. This will contribute to the ongoing debate on whether Chinese investments on BRI infrastructure projects in Africa are mutually beneficial or not. The key issues discussed include the economic benefits of SGR in Kenya, the economic risks or challenges of SGR given the emergent issues of debt burden in Kenya and how China and Kenya would engage in the future to deepen Sino-Africa relations in BRI projects especially transport infrastructure. The paper relies on secondary information from available published literature on railway transport infrastructure in Africa with specific reference to SGR in Kenya. Information from key informants drawn from the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and the United States University based in Nairobi was used to enrich literature review. The main findings of the paper are: (1) SGR will lead to socio-economic development of the country (2) it will contribute revenue to the Government through the railway development levy levied on containerized transportation from the port of Mombasa, and (3) will boost trade and regional integration through better rail connectivity. To make BRI projects more transparent, it is recommended that there is need for more stakeholder engagement in these projects. It is also recommended that the funding mechanism should be reviewed to make borrowing more affordable.

China’s state-centric approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) abroad : a case study in Africa

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is conventionally understood as voluntary and market- based corporate behaviour without direct government involvement. The development of CSR in China challenges this understanding in the light of the growing role of government in promoting it. Over the past decade China has demonstrated a state-centric approach towards promoting CSR. Existing studies focus only on Chinese domestic CSR practices. However, with the rise of Chinese companies in Africa under China's ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, it is important to examine how the state-centric approach applies to the overseas CSR practice of Chinese companies. This article aims to fill the literature gap through in-depth interviews and analysis of the Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya. It shows that close institutional, relational, and bureaucratic ties between the state and the business community give the Chinese government the power to influence the behaviour of Chinese state-owned enterprises overseas. The Chinese government can influence the CSR practices of Chinese companies overseas through mandating, facilitating, endorsing and partnering in order to minimize the negative externalities of companies’ overseas activities. However, the state-centric CSR approach limits the space for civil society engagement and the effectiveness of the approach abroad is constrained by a variety of institutional contexts and corporate ownership models.

China's State-Centric Approach to Corporate Social Responsibility Overseas: A Case Study in Africa

AbstractCorporate social responsibility (CSR) is conventionally understood as voluntary and market- based corporate behaviour without direct government involvement. The development of CSR in China challenges this understanding in the light of the growing role of government in promoting it. Over the past decade China has demonstrated a state-centric approach towards promoting CSR. Existing studies focus only on Chinese domestic CSR practices. However, with the rise of Chinese companies in Africa under China's ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, it is important to examine how the state-centric approach applies to the overseas CSR practice of Chinese companies. This article aims to fill the literature gap through in-depth interviews and analysis of the Standard Gauge Railway project in Kenya. It shows that close institutional, relational, and bureaucratic ties between the state and the business community give the Chinese government the power to influence the behaviour of Chinese state-owned enterprises overseas. The Chinese government can influence the CSR practices of Chinese companies overseas through mandating, facilitating, endorsing and partnering in order to minimize the negative externalities of companies’ overseas activities. However, the state-centric CSR approach limits the space for civil society engagement and the effectiveness of the approach abroad is constrained by a variety of institutional contexts and corporate ownership models.

Narrow Gauge Railways of Taiwan: Sugar, Shays and Toil, written by Michael Reilly, (2017)

Narrow Gauge Railways of Taiwan: Sugar, Shays and Toil, written by Michael Reilly, (2017)

Spatial pattern and developing mechanism of railway geo-systems based on track gauge: A case study of Eurasia

The railway is an indispensable feature of a nation’s infrastructure, and the gauge is an internal and objective technical regulation of the railway. In the large-scale regional space, the track gauges reflect the development differences, historical relations and mutual influences between countries and regions. This makes the railway, originally as a regional connection, have special social, political, military and other multiple attributes. Based on this, the paper, from the perspective of railway gauge, takes the Eurasian continent as the case region to explore the spatial pattern, formation mechanism and organizational mode of communication of the Eurasian continental railway geo-system. The results show that 11 kinds of railway gauge structures exist in Eurasia, which respectively belong to three types of wide-gauge, standard-gauge, and narrow-gauge, but the mainstream gauge only includes 1520 mm, 1435 mm and 1067 mm. Considerable variation in the coverage length and space range of different gauges is apparent, which provides a physical and technological basis for railway system differentiation and network fragmentation, which leads to the formation of eight railway geo-systems. Due to different modes for railway transport management in different geographical locations, the geographical pattern and geographical relationship of four transport organizations are formed. What especially important is the emergence of “1435 gauge space” and “1520 gauge space”, as well as the railway geo-space confrontation between them, on the Eurasian continent. Besides, we also find that the railway geo-system of Eurasia is mainly affected by the technology dissemination, path dependence, geopolitics, national defense and the colonial expansion of military latitude, and on this basis, five geo-modes of railway gauge propagation are formed.

중국의 대(對) 아프리카 해외직접투자(FDI)의 갈등적 효과 분석 : 케냐 Standard Gauge Railway 사례를 중심으로

중국의 대(對) 아프리카 해외직접투자(FDI)의 갈등적 효과 분석 : 케냐 Standard Gauge Railway 사례를 중심으로

MATH SIMULATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF INNER DESIGN OF TAPERED CARTRIDGE BEARING UNITS FOR 1520 RAIL SPACE

Development of high-speed passenger transportation is closely related to the application of closed tapered cassette bearing units. Due to the fact that the above mentioned closed cassette bearing units do not have grease replacement, wear products remain inside the bearing during the whole operation period and later through increasing of their amount they start to work as an abrasive causing almost exponential intensified wear. To get high operational parameters (8 years of service life or 800 thousand kilometers of maintenance-free run) during designing of closed bearing units it is required to provide limited decrease of wear. Main features of mathematical simulation and optimization of inner geometry of tapered cassette bearings are considered in the paper. The goal of this research was development of specified mathematical models to define features of loading and stress-strain behavior as well as further optimization of inner geometry of double row tapered cassette bearings for 1520 gauge railways. Finite element method was taken as the main method of research. At the first stage mathematical model included adapter, double row outer ring, tapered rollers, two inner rings, wheel set axle, wheel and rail that were in mutual non-linear contact interaction. The bearing unit itself was explored at the second stage – closed tapered “cassette” to define distribution of loading in circumferential direction. In the result of performed work it was investigated several typical sizes of tapered cassette of double row cassette bearings – 130x230 mm, 150x250 mm and 130x250 mm. The authors developed complex multi-contact finite element model to analyze stress-strain behavior, strength and durability of tapered “cassette” for 1520 gauge railways. Main patterns of stress-strain behavior and optimum inner geometry of tapered cassette were developed.

Совершенствование методики проектирования сортировочных горок для формализации в программные продукты

For stable and rhythmic operation of the sorting station, the design of a sorting slide is necessary. The parameters of the sorting slide during design are determined in accordance with the methodology “Rules and norms for the design of sorting devices for 1520 mm gauge railways". The estimated height should provide the most difficult route of the sorting park. The results of the analysis of the methodology for determining the difficult from the point of view of rolling the sorting park path are presented, a formula is proposed that simplifies the procedure for determining such a path. It is possible to transfer calculations to a computer program even in the process of developing a neck plan for a sorting park.

The concept of an integrated rail transit system based on tram-trains in the metropolitan area on the example of Piaseczno

The article presents the concept of an integrated rail transit system for Piaseczno, which is one of the main urban centers of the Warsaw Metropolitan Area. The conditions for the development of new lines and the use of existing infrastructure were analyzed. An agglomeration rail transit system based on normal and narrow gauge railways and tram-train was proposed, taking into account the stages of network development and integration of various modes of transport. The proposed solution can be a model for the development of rail transport in the metropolitan area. Keywords: Tram-train; Narrow-gauge railway; Piaseczno

Chinese contractor involvement in wildlife protection in Africa: Case study of Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway Project, Kenya

As their sales of projects in Africa increase at a high annual growth rate, Chinese contractors are encountering new challenges regarding wildlife protection during project construction. Using the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway project constructed by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) as a case study, we researched how the CRBC involves itself in wildlife protection throughout the project. The results state that, although the CRBC's efforts show its commitment to wildlife protection, its overall involvement in this domain is far from successful. Chinese contractors need to improve their effort regarding wildlife protection for future projects.

Sustainability of Rail Transport in Africa: A Case Study of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway

Sustainability of Rail Transport in Africa: A Case Study of Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway