Railway Transport Research Articles

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИХ СРЕДСТВ ЗАЩИТЫ ОКРУЖАЮЩЕЙ СРЕДЫ ПРИ ЖЕЛЕЗНОДОРОЖНОЙ ТРАНСПОРТИРОВКЕ НЕФТЕПРОДУКТОВ

There are given results of a comparative analysis of existing organizational and technical means to protect the environment from the negative effects of transporting petroleum products by rail. Each of the transportation stages is considered and based on the results obtained reasonable conclusions are drawn about the most problematic stage in terms of the effectiveness of existing environmental protection measures. The study objective is to analyze the effectiveness of existing organizational and technical means to protect the environment from polluting effects of railway transport with petroleum products. The relevance of the work is ensured by Decrees of the President of the Russian Federation "On National Development Goals of the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2030 and for the Future up to 2036" dated 05/07/2024 No. 309 in terms of reducing emissions of dangerous pollutants and preventing environmental pollution in cities and towns. Scientific novelty is in the fact that for the first time the problem of low efficiency of environmental protection provided by technical means operating at the stage of unloading oil cargoes is highlighted. Based on the results obtained during the analysis of environmental protection from the polluting effects during transportation of oil-bulk cargoes, a conclusion is made about the insufficient level of technical equipment of unloading petroleum products, expressed in the absence of a preventive safety complex.

Post-earthquake damage probability assessment of high-speed railway simply supported bridge based on traffic capacity

Railway transportation is an important channel for emergency rescue and disaster relief. Traditionally, the method of evaluating the damage degree of bridges under different seismic intensities from the perspective of structural damage cannot be directly used to judge the traffic capacity of trains on bridges after earthquakes. It is impossible to guarantee the running safety and affect the transportation of materials after the earthquake. Because the damage state of track structure directly affects the running safety of trains, this study combines the relationship between the damage of track structure and the deformation of bridge structure after earthquake, and puts forward the transverse relative displacement of girder end (TRDGE) as the damage index of train running function of railway bridge after earthquake. Then, the OpenSees-TRBF (Train-Railway-Bridge-Foundation Coupled System Dynamic Analysis Platform) co-simulation method is used to carry out the train-track-bridge coupling dynamic calculation under different seismic damage states, and the running safety analysis database under different TRDGEs is established. Then, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is used to classify the bridge damage index of traffic capacity through different target safety speeds. Based on the probabilistic seismic demand model, the exceedance probability curve of traffic capacity damage under different seismic intensities is established. Finally, based on the curve, the running safety risk domain of trains on the bridge under different seismic intensities is obtained with a confidence level of 95 %. This study proposes a post-earthquake damage assessment method for railway bridges based on the assurance of running safety probabilities, evaluating the damage degree of the bridge with the residual traffic capacity of the bridge after the earthquake. This study can be applied to assess earthquake damage on existing railway bridges and provide references for the safe speed of trains on the bridge after an earthquake.

Global disparities in CO2 emissions from mobility sectors of diverse economies: A macroscopic exploration across 188 countries/regions

Reducing CO2 emissions represents a global challenge, and the mobility sectors account for a considerable portion of total emissions, with marked disparities across diverse economies. Viewed from a macroscopic perspective, countries and regions around the world can be categorized in various ways. However, relying on a single or a few indicators often proves inadequate to meet the classification requirements for carbon reduction and sustainable development. In this study, employing machine learning and guided by 10 economic indicators, we classified 188 countries/regions into 6 identifiable clusters. Subsequently, by applying ratio analysis and random forest methodologies, we conducted a matrix-based analysis that elucidates the distinct emission characteristics of each mobility sector. Feature importance analysis revealed that for highly developed economies, the total population's contribution was significant, especially in domestic and international aviation, accounting for 50% and 25% of emissions, respectively. In contrast, for lower-middle-income countries and regions, while the total population still played a pivotal role, its influence was most pronounced in railway transportation, reaching 67%. For rapidly developing economies, domestic aviation emissions reached a peak influence of 61%. These insights emphasize the necessity for strategies tailored to the unique attributes of economic entities.

Pantograph Slider Detection Architecture and Solution Based on Deep Learning.

Railway transportation has been integrated into people's lives. According to the "Notice on the release of the General Technical Specification of High-speed Railway Power Supply Safety Testing (6C System) System" issued by the National Railway Administration of China in 2012, it is required to install pantograph and slide monitoring devices in high-speed railway stations, station throats and the inlet and exit lines of high-speed railway sections, and it is required to detect the damage of the slider with high precision. It can be seen that the good condition of the pantograph slider is very important for the normal operation of the railway system. As a part of providing power for high-speed rail and subway, the pantograph must be paid attention to in railway transportation to ensure its integrity. The wear of the pantograph is mainly due to the contact power supply between the slide block and the long wire during high-speed operation, which inevitably produces scratches, resulting in depressions on the upper surface of the pantograph slide block. During long-term use, because the depression is too deep, there is a risk of fracture. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the slider regularly and replace the slider with serious wear. At present, most of the traditional methods use automation technology or simple computer vision technology for detection, which is inefficient. Therefore, this paper introduces computer vision and deep learning technology into pantograph slide wear detection. Specifically, this paper mainly studies the wear detection of the pantograph slider based on deep learning and the main purpose is to improve the detection accuracy and improve the effect of segmentation. From a methodological perspective, this paper employs a linear array camera to enhance the quality of the data sets. Additionally, it integrates an attention mechanism to improve segmentation performance. Furthermore, this study introduces a novel image stitching method to address issues related to incomplete images, thereby providing a comprehensive solution.

Produktivitas Bongkar Muat Angkutan Retail di PT Kereta Api Indonesia

PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) Operational Area IV Semarang is one of the state-owned enterprises that operates its business activities in the field of railroad transportation services, which provides facilities and infrastructure to support the smooth transportation of passengers and goods. Along with the increasing flow of goods and loading and unloading operations, all stakeholders involved in the railroad sector are increasingly improving the quality of work and service so that all operations at the terminal run well. This study aims to determine the causes of decreased loading and unloading productivity and the influence of facility factors, human resources, and time on the productivity of loading and unloading retail freight. This research was conducted at PT Kereta Api Indonesia DAOP IV Semarang UPT Terminal Semarang Tawang. Data collection was done through questionnaires, observation, and documentation. This study employs quantitative research methods. The data processing shows that the drop in the productivity of loading and unloading retail transportation is due to a number of things, such as the facilities for loading and unloading (X1), the number of workers (X2), and the amount of time spent loading and unloading (X3). The SPSS output shows that all three of these variables have some effect on the productivity (Y) of retail freight at PT Kereta Api Indonesia DAOP IV UPT Terminal Semarang Tawang.

Investigation of the Strength and Dynamic Load on a Wagon Covered with Tarpaulin for 1520 mm Gauge Lines

Higher efficiency of rail transportation at the present stage of development of the transport industry necessitates the creation and introduction of rail vehicles with improved technical and economic characteristics among which is reduced tare weight. The issue of reducing the tare weight of wagons is quite urgent. It deals not only with the sprung mass of the wagon but also with the load on the rail track, which is under the influence of constant cyclic loads. Therefore, the present study deals with the development of a wagon covered with tarpaulin for carrying goods requiring protection against the environment. The loads inherent for operation on 1520 mm gauge lines are considered. The covered wagon mod. 11-217 is chosen as a prototype. The profiles of the covered wagon frame components are selected according to the moment of resistance of their cross-sections. It is found that the proposed design has a 16% lower tare weight than that of the prototype. The results of the strength calculation for the wagon under the main design operating modes have proved the feasibility of its structural design. The motion of the covered wagon over a track irregularity has been assessed as ‘excellent’. The results of the study will contribute to the creation of recommendations for the development of modern structures of covered wagons as well as improve the efficiency of railway transportation.

A review of railway transportation in Central Asia for corridors and the revival of the Great Silk Road

This review examines the state of railway transportation in Central Asia within the context of the Silk Road initiative, tracing its origins from the United States' New Silk Road strategy. Despite recent setbacks, the Silk Route has become a crucial geopolitical tool for military, political, and economic interests, with corridors like Kazakhstan's Terminal and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan route identified for potential revitalization. Uzbekistan, particularly in the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan corridor, emerges as pivotal for advancing the Silk Road initiative. A comprehensive analysis of data collection methodologies employed in studying these corridors is also included to ensure the reliability and validity of the findings. Employing a multifaceted methodology, including quantitative analysis of infrastructure metrics, case studies of specific projects, a literature review synthesizing existing knowledge, and comparative analysis drawing parallels and contrasts, this study explores opportunities and challenges in enhancing these corridors, aiming to contribute to the broader strategy's rejuvenation in Central Asia. By analyzing current conditions and proposing improvements, the research seeks to optimize railway transport, aligning with the Silk Road's historical significance in the contemporary geopolitical landscape.

Transport statutes in the system of sources of law of Ukraine

The article is devoted to the issues of transport statutes as sources of transport law of Ukraine, their validity and ability to effectively regulate social relations in the field of railway, road, and inland water transport, taking into account the changes that have occurred in social, political and socio-economic life over the past time on the restoration of Ukraine’s independence in 1991. The author analyzes the formal preservation of the validity of the relevant legislative acts of the Soviet era, taking into account the normative legal acts adopted in 1991 on a legal succession of Ukraine. The author emphasizes that from a formal and legal point of view, the transport statutes of the Soviet era remain valid, however, due to the contradiction of a significant part of their norms with the legislation adopted later, these normative legal acts are increasingly losing their legal influence on social legal relations and are subject to the action of such a phenomenon as “forgetting the rules of law”. At the same time, it was noted that proposals to abandon transport statutes in favor of a cumbersome codification of transport law norms (by raising the norms of statutes to the level of law) are irrational since an overly detailed Transport Code of Ukraine or codes of laws in the fields of road, rail or inland water transport will not be simple in use and will not meet the technical and legal requirements to the law. As a result, the author concludes that transport statutes in general are necessary regulatory legal acts. Still, their current editions are to a large extent morally outdated and such that they urgently need a radical revision to bring them into line with the changed norms of the legislation of Ukraine and take into account the need for adaptation of the national legal system to the law of the European Union. Thus, the application of their current editions in practical activities should be carried out after a thorough legal examination for the relevance of certain provisions.

AI based UPQC control technique for power quality optimization of railway transportation systems

Metro trains have non-linear load characteristics, which means that the power sent to them gets distorted. Problems are caused by changes in power, swells, harmonics, and other disturbances. In this research, an artificial intelligence-driven control method was used on a unified power quality conditioner (UPQC) to help reduce power quality problems and improve power quality. Three advanced control methods are built and compared using MATLAB Simulink. Some of these methods are the ANN Controller, the NARMA-L2 Controller, and the PI Controller, improved using the Adaptive Lizard Algorithm. The controls' usefulness is judged by how well they lower the total harmonic distortion (THD) in the source current. The results show that all three AI-based controls work much better than the system that was not paid for. The ANN Controller works the best, followed by the NARMA-L2 Controller, and the PI Controller improved with the Adaptive Lizard Algorithm. These AI-driven control methods can enhance power quality and ensure that metro rail systems run smoothly and efficiently, as shown by how well they work. Modern transportation networks need more advanced ways to handle power quality, and this research helps make those solutions come together.

Communication security analysis of fully electronic interlocking systems

Communication security in fully electronic interlocking systems is one of the key factors ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the entire system. EN50159 is an important standard in the European railway communication sector, aimed at ensuring the safety, reliability, and efficiency of railway transportation. According to the communication security standards of EN50159, there are six types of security risks in closed communication: data duplication, deletion, insertion, misordering, delay, and corruption. This paper analyzes and explains the aspects of communication security that need to be considered based on the safety communication standards of China's railway signaling system and the signal safety standards in EN50159, focusing primarily on communication security and reliability.

Research on a Train Safety Driving Method Based on Fusion of an Incremental Clustering Algorithm and Lightweight Shared Convolution.

This paper addresses the challenge of detecting unknown or unforeseen obstacles in railway track transportation, proposing an innovative detection strategy that integrates an incremental clustering algorithm with lightweight segmentation techniques. In the detection phase, the paper innovatively employs the incremental clustering algorithm as a core method, combined with dilation and erosion theories, to expand the boundaries of point cloud clusters, merging adjacent point cloud elements into unified clusters. This method effectively identifies and connects spatially adjacent point cloud clusters while efficiently eliminating noise from target object point clouds, thereby achieving more precise recognition of unknown obstacles on the track. Furthermore, the effective integration of this algorithm with lightweight shared convolutional semantic segmentation algorithms enables accurate localization of obstacles. Experimental results using two combined public datasets demonstrate that the obstacle detection average recall rate of the proposed method reaches 90.3%, significantly enhancing system reliability. These findings indicate that the proposed detection strategy effectively improves the accuracy and real-time performance of obstacle recognition, thereby presenting important practical application value for ensuring the safe operation of railway tracks.

"Expand the range, improve the quality of service...": about the organization of trade and public catering on the Moscow-Kursk-Donbass railway in the late 1950s

The relevance of the stated topic is determined by the special social significance of trade and public catering in the daily life of the population. Moreover, in modern conditions, their role is not decreasing, but only increasing. Improving the mechanisms of functioning of the service sector can be successful not only with the active use of the achievements of digital civilization, but also with the rational use of the experience of previous generations. In scientific and historical terms, the topic of organized satisfaction of consumer demand for food and basic necessities is little studied, especially in relation to the recent Soviet past. The issues of the history of departmental trade and catering have also not received adequate coverage in the scientific literature, which motivates their development from the standpoint of the methodological apparatus available to scientists today.The purpose of the study is to summarize the experience of organizing trade and catering in railway transport in the late 1950s on the basis of archival documents and published materials.The objectives: to reveal the specifics of transport trade in the period under review; characterize the problems of organizing catering for railway workers.Methodology. The research was based on the principles of objectivity and historicism. To solve the problems, the author used historical-genetic, historical-systemic, historical-comparative, typological, and retrospective methods.Results. The study of the experience of trade and catering enterprises of railway transport made it possible to objectively assess the role of departmental social policy in creating favorable conditions for the performance of professional duties by employees with a special working regime.Conclusions. The main problem in the organization of transport trade and nutrition during the study period should be recognized as the inability to organize an uninterrupted supply of food to workers who worked on remote crossings and linear sections. The other traditional flaws of Soviet trade and catering were also characteristic of the railway sphere of labor supply.

The experience of teaching national history and the foundations of constitutional knowledge in the late 1930s early 1940s (using the example of railway schools in the Kursk region)

The relevance of the topic under discussion is determined by the significant social importance of school history education. Over thirty years of Russian society's and state's life in conditions of ideological and political diversity, as well as the complete erosion of the Western-scale liberal values, has led to most Russians realizing the need to adhere to traditional moral principles based on ideas of patriotism and humanism. The domestic education system is the main vehicle for this. Therefore, the controversial experience of teaching history in schools arouses professional interest among researchers and practicing teachers.The purpose of the study is to reveal the peculiarities of teaching history in the pre–war years on the basis of archival documents and published materials on the example of departmental educational institutions of railway transport.Objectives: to characterize the contradictions of the process of introducing historical and social sciences disciplines into school education; to reflect the role of historical knowledge in the patriotic education of the younger generation.Methodology. The research was based on the principles of objectivity and historicism. To solve the tasks set by the author, the methods of historical-genetic, historical-systemic, historical-comparative, typological, retrospective were used.Results. The study of the experience of teaching the historical and social sciences cycle of academic disciplines in the pre-war years on the example of departmental educational institutions of railway transport made it possible to objectively assess the impact of humanitarian training of students on the formation of their civic position and the education of patriotic feelings, which had a decisive impact on the behavior of graduates of railway schools during the period of military trials and subsequent restoration of the national economy.Conclusions. The experience of teaching history and the foundations of constitutional knowledge accumulated in the pre-war period is worthy of application in the context of modern reform of historical education. Recognition of the leading role of national history in shaping the worldview of the younger generation requires a systematic approach in teaching and educating young people based on love and respect for their Homeland.

The Management of Railway Operations during the Planned Interruption of Railway Infrastructure

A planned interruption of railway infrastructure is a situation where the operation of the track line or the operation of railway transport is limited. If there is also a restriction on the railway infrastructure, it means there will be complications not only for passengers but, above all, for railway undertakings operating freight transport. However, because of the planned railway infrastructure interruption, the quality of services provided not only to passengers but also to freight transport is decreasing. The aim of this paper is to propose effective planned maintenance works based on the analysis and evaluation of the processes performed during the planned railway infrastructure interruption or restriction. The research describes the process of affected railway infrastructure from technical, cost, and safety points of view. A methodological procedure is proposed under the condition of the Czech infrastructure manager. The main method is the calculation of the costs for the railway infrastructure manager and railway operator during the infrastructure interruption. The application part is undertaken using two interrupted lines according to the established alternative timetable in the area of České Budějovice.

A real-time and high-accuracy railway obstacle detection method using lightweight CNN and improved transformer

With the sustained development of railway transportation, the urgent necessity to improve train operation safety makes obstacle detection become the research focus. However, existing railway obstacle detectors still face challenges in balancing detection accuracy and speed during the shunting process. In addition, they are not robust enough in real-world railway environments, especially in complex scenes involving small obstacles. To address these problems, this paper presents a real-time and high-accuracy railway obstacle detection model using lightweight CNN and improved transformer (RH-Net) for detecting railway obstacles efficiently to guarantee traffic safety. First, the Lightweight Feature Extraction Module (LEM) is designed to minimize the model’s computational load while maintaining its feature extraction ability. Then, the Improved Transformer Module (IFM) is developed to boost the model’s ability about stably extract global contextual information. Finally, the Enhanced Multi-Scale Feature Fusion Module (EFM) is proposed to optimize the detection of obstacles with different sizes, especially small objects. In the experiments on railway dataset, RH-Net achieves optimal detection performance on GeForce GTX 1080Ti (96.99% mAP and 135 FPS) and Jetson Xavier NX (97.02% mAP and 43 FPS), which is significantly superior to the existing detection models. Experimental results show that RH-Net has excellent detection ability, which can accurately and efficiently detect obstacles in complicated railway environments. Moreover, the experiments on MS COCO indicate that RH-Net can achieve more satisfactory detection performance than existing state-of-the-art methods. Therefore, the proposed model can be well-applied to more complex real-world scenes for multiple object detection.

Hygienic assessment of occupational conditions and schedule of railway employees

Introduction. Railway transport is one of the leading branches of the national economy, though more than 50% of the railway employees have to undergo some occupational hazards [1]. In recent years, with the introduction of new technologies, significant changes have occurred in the rolling stock. Up to date research on the hygienic assessment of occupational conditions and schedule of railway employees is needed. The purpose of the study is to investigate the occupational conditions and schedule of railway employees, and to identify the principal occupational hazards. Materials and methods. The materials of the special assessment of the occupational conditions at workplaces in the divisions of the South-Eastern Directorate of Traction, as well as the results of the proper hygienic studies, including railway employees inquiry on occupational hazards (n=300). The analysis of the occupational conditions was carried out according to Guide No. 2.2.2006–05. Results. According to the results of an objective assessment of occupational conditions of railway employees, the main occupational hazard is high work intensity. The second most important factor is noise. Profound hygienic studies show that such occupational hazards as vibration, electromagnetic field (EMF), dust, etc. should be paid more attention. Limitations. The limitations of the study are related to their volume. The data of the special assessment of the occupational conditions and production control were used for the period of 2019–2023, the sample size of the respondents was 300 employees (2022). Conclusion. According to the results of an objective assessment of occupational conditions of railway employees, the main occupational health risk factor is high work intensity accompanied by a shift work schedule. The second most important factor is noise. The results of the questionnaire are generally consistent with the results of the special assessment of occupational conditions of railway employees, but also indicate other occupational hazards the employees to undergo including vibration, gas and dust contamination, exposure to electromagnetic fields, the level of which generally meets the requirements of hygienic standards. The ranking of the railway employees was carried out, occupations at risk of developing general pathological syndromes were identified.

Автоматизированный контроль перемещения тормозных башмаков на железнодорожном транспорте: применение RFID-технологии при закреплении подвижного состава

The possibility of introducing RFID technology in the work of railway transport is considered as one of the aspects of digitalization of the railway. The general principle of operation of this technology in securing rolling stock is described. The positive aspects of the introduction of this technology are analyzed.

A Simulation Approach for Analysis of the Regenerative Potential of High-Speed Train Suspensions

This study primarily investigates the adaptability and performance of hydraulic–electric regenerative dampers for high-speed trains by substituting conventional primary dampers with hydraulic–electric regenerative dampers. The primary objectives are to develop a detailed model of primary suspension regenerative damper (PSRD) energy conversion that incorporates factors such as oil pressure loss, motor efficiency, and overall system efficiency, and to perform a comprehensive comparative analysis of vibration responses, wheel wear, comfort indices, and power generation using an integrated MATLAB and SIMPACK co-simulation platform. The results reveal that at an operational speed of 350 km/h, the dynamic responses of the carbody, bogie, wheelset, and dampers equipped with the proposed PSRD systems closely align with those of conventional primary vertical damper systems. The detailed PSRDs’ hydraulic–mechanical–electrical model effectively captures the subtleties of oil pressure fluctuations and their impacts. The wear distribution and magnitude across the vehicle remain consistent during acceleration, constant, and deceleration speeds, ensuring uniform wear characteristics. Under real-world railway operational conditions, the ride comfort metrics of vehicles fitted with regenerative dampers are comparable to those with conventional primary vertical dampers. Furthermore, each regenerative damper can generate up to 21.72 W of electrical power, achieving a generation efficiency of 45.28%. Finally, a test rig was designed and fabricated to validate the primary suspension regenerative damper (PSRD) model, showing good agreement between predicted and actual damping force and power regeneration, with results indicating a peak damping force of 12.5 kN and approximately 230 W of regenerated power. This research provides a theoretical foundation and experimental validation for implementing power regeneration mechanisms in railway transportation, demonstrating that the hydraulic–mechanical–electrical PSRD model can fulfil the performance criteria of conventional dampers while offering substantial energy harvesting capabilities. This advancement not only enhances energy efficiency but also contributes to the sustainable development of high-speed rail systems.

Comparison of train noise and vibration measurements with U.S. Department of Transportation model predictions

Wayside noise and ground-borne vibration measurements of freight and light rail train operations were carried out in Denver, CO in support of the Burnham Yard Transportation Planning Study being pursued by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). This study was intended to evaluate various track layout alternatives for the Consolidated Main Line (CML) freight railroad alignment and enhancement of Regional Transportation District (RTD) light rail operations while maintaining options for Front Range Passenger Rail (FRPR) within Burnham Yard and the surrounding areas. The objective of the measurements was to compare measured train noise and vibration levels with predictions using models sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in order to validate the use of these models to assess the noise and vibration impacts of the project alternatives. The models included the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Chicago Rail Efficiency And Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) freight noise model, the FRA Horn Noise Model, and the models included in the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Transit Noise and Vibration Impact Assessment Manual. Based on a comparison of measured and modeled results, it was concluded that the USDOT models could be used to assess noise and vibration from train operations in the Burnham Yard Study Area.

Перспективы применения промышленных экзоскелетов на железнодорожном транспорте в качестве средств индивидуальной защиты

Purpose: to identify the most effective models of industrial exoskeletons, determine the possibility of using industrial exoskeletons for work carried out on railway transport, identify their main disadvantages and propose options for improving their design. Methods: search and comparative analysis of information on new industrial exoskeletons used in various areas of life to determine the possibility and feasibility of their wider implementation in railway transport. Results: a review and assessment of industrial exoskeletons currently manufactured in the Russian Federation was carried out. Practical significance: It has been revealed that in most cases, harmful working conditions for workplaces at railway transport enterprises are caused by the factor of labor severity. The influence of this factor can be reduced by using modern personal protective equipment (PPE) for the musculoskeletal system of workers. It has been established that industrial exoskeletons are promising PPE for reducing physical activity. Recommendations on their choice for a number of railway transport professions are given