Train Travel Research Articles

Acoustic optimization design for the laying schemes on the composite roof structure of high-speed train

ABSTRACT If the weak sound insulation in the roof during high-speed train travel through tunnels can be addressed by adjusting the order of materials, this will meet design requirements for both economy and lightweight construction. This paper studies this problem. First, a prediction model for sound transmission loss (STL) of the roof was established to investigate the impact of different material placement schemes and optimize their arrangement. Then, the optimal placement schemes between the roof and floor were compared using STL tests. Finally, this study also examined how an optimal scheme mitigates power radiation from the roof into the train interior under typical mechanical excitations. The results indicate that the optimal laying scheme for the roof differs from that of the floor. By placing sound absorption materials on the inner side of aluminium extrusion and sound insulation materials on decorative plate, it effectively enhances vibro-acoustic characteristics of the roof.

Analysis of train-induced aerodynamic characteristics and pressure-relief measures relating to fully enclosed noise barriers installed on railway bridges

Fully enclosed noise barriers (FENBs) are increasingly being installed on high-speed railway bridges for noise pollution control. However, the aerodynamic effects of high-speed trains passing FENBs have an adverse impact on barrier durability and generate micro-pressure waves. In this paper, a numerical model of a train passing an FENB on a bridge is established. The aerodynamic pressure distribution along the FENB is analyzed for both a single train and two trains passing one another. The propagation characteristics and evolution mechanisms of pressure waves are then investigated. The results show that the pressure is lower at the ends of the FENB and higher in the middle along the direction of train travel. The peak positive and negative pressures at the mid-span are 1.95 and 4.47 times higher than those at the ends, respectively. This distribution is caused by the propagation, superposition, reflection, and attenuation of pressure waves. Compression waves account for 78.9% of the peak positive pressure. An amplification factor must be considered when estimating the impact of two trains passing one another. Analysis of five pressure-relief schemes shows that arranging a single pressure-relief hole at a high-pressure location effectively alleviates the over-pressure in the FENB. The overall pressure-relief effect is an exponential function of the single opening area. Considering a constant opening area, arranging several relief holes at equal spacing optimizes the adverse pressure distribution compared with the single-hole relief scheme. The equivalent forces of the multi-hole scheme are 3.35% and 7.58% lower than in the single-hole scheme.

A Queue-SEIAR model: Revealing the transmission mechanism of epidemics in a metro line from a meso level

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected communities worldwide. The metro, an essential means of public transportation in many cities, is particularly vulnerable to the spread of the virus due to its limited space and complex passenger flow structure. As the basis of quick and effective management decision-making, it is very important but intractable to accurately and quickly capture the transmission mechanism of epidemics in the metro line. This study addresses this challenge by proposing a meso-level Queue-SEIAR model. The Queue-SEIAR model integrates a feedback queuing network model, which captures the nonlinear stochastic effect of the congestion propagation on passenger mobility dynamics in the metro line, with an extended SEIAR (Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, Asymptomatic, and Recovered) epidemic model in multiple-subgroups situations. The risk of infection within a metro line is measured using the Total Number of Newly Exposed Travelers (TNNET). The Euler’s method is used to solve the Queue-SEIAR model, with time complexity that is independent of passenger volumes and station and train capacities, making it suitable for the analysis and decision-making of large-scale metro lines. The Queue-SEIAR model is validated versus the micro-level agent-based simulation. Numerical experiments reveal some interesting findings: (1) The gap between the Queue-SEIAR model and the benchmark Macro-level Epidemic Model (MEM) in terms of TNNET will become larger with congestion; (2) From the Queue-SEIAR model, low-demand and low-risk stations may become high-risk because of the congestion propagation, while MEM does not reveal such a pattern; (3) There exists a moderate allowed entering proportion, train dwell time, and social distance to minimize the TNNET; (4) The optimal social distance increases as the train headway or travel demand increases; and (5) The epidemic prevention effectiveness of side platforms surpasses that of island platforms.

The Impact of Yoga on Athletes' Mental Well-Being: An Experimental Study.

Background Athletes have a variety of obstacles that might shrink their chances of getting adequate rest, including competing and training times, travel, stress, academic responsibilities, and overtraining. Furthermore, athletes have been reported to have poor self-reports of their sleep length and quality. The study aims to assess the impact of yoga practice on sleep quality, stress, anxiety, psychological rigidity, and experience avoidance. Methods A pre- and post-testrandomized design was applied for the research. Forty-four recreational athletes (age 18-45 years)were selected per the inclusion criteria from the athletes studying at Banaras Hindu University. Exclusion criteria are a likely severe psychiatric disorder, chronic illness, substance abuse, disability, endocrine or metabolic disorders, and history of using psychotropic drugsand smoking. The Yogic intervention contains the Pranayama and meditation, which was practiced for six weeks in the intervention group. Outcome variables were stress, sleep, anxiety, mindfulness, psychological rigidity, and experience avoidance. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI),Sport Competition Anxiety Test, Mindful Attention AwarenessScale (MAAS), and Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II (AAQ-II) were applied to measure the outcomes. Results The majority of the participants(30 (68%)) were male, and 44 (100%) had more than two years of sports experience. Of the participants, 18 (40.90%) had a habit of 3-5 hours of internet surfing. We noticed that there was a significant mean difference from pre- to post-intervention in terms of stress, sleep, anxiety, mindfulness, psychological rigidity, and experience avoidance (p < 0.0001). Conclusion The results concluded positive effects of yoga on athletes' stress, sleep, anxiety, mindfulness, psychological rigidity, and experience avoidance in athletes.Stress alleviationand reduced anxiety are the strongest predictors of improving psychological flexibility skills in athletes' daily lives. Improving mindfulness and supporting good sleep patternscould be good indicators of improving psychological rigidity and experience avoidance.

Linking music, place and heritage: Anthonie Tonnon's Rail Land

AbstractI investigate intersections between music and mobilities as manifested in songwriter and musician Anthonie Tonnon's Rail Land tour of 2019–20. These concerts celebrated New Zealand's passenger rail heritage through not only performance but also by mobilising the audience to travel by train to the concert venue. The curation of both journey and destination amounted to a subtle activism. In influencing the way people travelled to his shows, Tonnon effectively remobilised a consideration of train travel in which the journey was arguably as memorable as the destination. As such, the artist was contributing to a re‐entwining of music, identity and place.

The Arrival from Abroad: Train Travel and Mobile Ideas of Race in Pre-Apartheid South African Literature

ABSTRACT This article identifies and explores an inciting incident in two pre-apartheid South African novels: the trope of an ‘arrival from abroad’. This trope centres on a character arriving by train from a place figured as foreign, whether that is Cape Town or London, to the rural South African setting of the story, bringing ideas of interracial togetherness with them that challenge local racial hierarchizations. Two novels are used as case studies, one from the beginning of the 20th century – Perceval Gibbon’s Margaret Harding (1911) – and one written on the eve of apartheid – Peter Abrahams’s The Path of Thunder (1948). The traveller from abroad is either a black South African who has been educated in Europe or Cape Town and arrives home to effect change, or the traveller is a white character from Europe whose values are pitted against those of white South Africans. In both cases, the ‘arrival from abroad’ is a destabilizing force to the local community, bringing often unwelcome ideas from outside. Together, Gibbon’s and Abrahams’s novels allow me to explore the interrelations between the mobility of ideas from one place to another, ideologies of race, the figure of the outsider, and train travel in South African literature from the first half of the 20th century. Comparing Gibbon and Abrahams enables me to trace differences and continuities over time and in diverse uses of the trope. This article argues that the ‘arrival from abroad’ trope is used to embody a notion of mobile ideas at a time when trains served to shift both goods and people to radical effect on society.

Analisis Tingkat Pelayanan Atas Kepuasaan Pelanggan Penyedia Barang Logistik Yang Akan Di Asuransikan Pada PT Kereta Api (Persero ) Medan Labuhan

The level of customer satisfaction with logistics goods provider services, especially PT Kereta Api (Persero) Medan Labuhan, is the main focus in this analysis. Through a survey of 35 respondents using local and long-distance train services, six main aspects of service were evaluated: ticket sales service, arrival time, cabin cleanliness, security, air circulation, and arrival time at destination. The results illustrate that despite improvements in some aspects, such as arrival times and safety, additional areas, including cabin cleanliness and air circulation, still have plenty of space for further development. According to these results, if we want to make train travel better for everyone, we need to pay close attention to these elements.

Navigating perils at the US-Mexico border: an illustrated exploration of trauma among southern border migrants

Surge in migrants at the US-Mexico border, intensified by Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has led to over 2.7 million U.S. Border patrol encounters in 2022. This article explores trauma among Southern border migrants, categorizing injuries from desert crossing, border wall traversal, fleeing, and train travel. Desert migration poses risks from harsh terrain, extreme temperatures, and dehydration. The border wall, covering a quarter of the border, results in varying falls, correlating with increased morbidity at greater heights. Motor vehicle use introduces dangers, including high-speed chases and altercations, causing significant morbidity. "La Bestia," cargo trains, expose passengers to assault, coercion, and injuries during boarding attempts. The study details organ-based injuries, emphasizing distinct patterns in facial trauma, thoracic injuries, abdominopelvic injuries, and lower extremity injuries. Controlled and uncontrolled falls have diverse outcomes, with pediatric populations facing increased morbidity. In conclusion, migrants face serious risks, including heat-related illnesses, violent crimes, and traumatic injuries. Southern border migrants, often deported without complete care, represent an underserved population. This exploration sheds light on their unique healthcare needs, urging attention to their challenges in a concise manner.

Evaluation of Commuter Train User Mapping in the Sidoarjo – Indro Department

The mobility of people from Sidoarjo to Gresik for various purposes requires commuter train as an efficient transportation mode. There is a fundamental need to map the distribution of potential commuter train users whose destination is Gresik area. In this study, the researcher chose Sidoarjo - Indro commuter train route as it intersects with a road and its vehicular traffic. This research method examined the population, number of people using commuter service, vehicle mode selection, and problems encountered while travelling between Sidoarjo and Gresik. Data collection methods used were surveys and questionnaires. Data processing used was tabulation. The mapping results show that the purpose of the passengers’ trip is predominantly for work using motorbike which delivered access as far as 4 km (30%) and online motorbike taxi as far as 4 km (43%). It is known that the distribution of commuter train passengers is dominated by those who start from Gubeng Station and stop at Sidoarjo Station. The mapping of the distribution is important to create fundamental reference that is further used in transportation modelling for areas that are not yet served by Commuter Train services, considering that commuter train services are not evenly distributed throughout the region. It is also essential to evaluate based on commuter train travel behavior mapping.

Analysis of Intercity Transportation Network Efficiency Using Flow-Weighted Time Circuity: A Case Study of Seven Major City Clusters in China

Enhancing the efficiency of intercity transportation networks is crucial for sustainable regional transport development, significantly impacting travel behaviors and energy consumption. The transportation infrastructure within the city cluster is rapidly developing to accommodate the increasing traffic demand, necessitating substantial investments. It is imperative to investigate the effectiveness of intercity traffic within urban clusters, to evaluate the influence of transportation infrastructure enhancements on regional traffic efficiency. Circuity is a conventional metric used to assess the efficiency of transportation networks, primarily emphasizing distance, while overlooking factors such as travel time and traffic flow. In this study, the concept of circuity has been redefined in terms of travel time and has been referred to as the transportation network travel speed. Subsequently, the amalgamation of travel speed within the transportation network and traffic flow culminates in the proposition of Flow-Weighted Time Circuity (FWTC). Real-time intercity navigation data, offering accurate travel time estimations, are utilized to analyze the spatial distribution of intercity transport efficiency in the seven major city clusters of China, via both automobile and train modes of transportation. The results indicate that (1) as the travel distance extends, the speed of transportation within the network typically increases, albeit with increasing fluctuations, especially in the case of intercity train travel; (2) concerning the efficiency of intercity automobile travel, most city clusters demonstrate satisfactory performance, with the exception of the Guanzhong Plain. The Yangtze River Delta and Beijing–Tianjin–Heibei regions stand out for their superior performance. In terms of intercity train efficiency, the Yangtze River Delta, Beijing–Tianjin–Heibei, and Mid-Yangtze River regions exhibit higher levels of efficiency in intercity train transportation, while the Guanzhong Plain city cluster falls behind in this aspect. On the whole, the efficiency of intercity travel using automobiles surpasses that of train travel, indicating a pressing need for improvement in the latter.

An instance-based transfer learning model with attention mechanism for freight train travel time prediction in the China–Europe railway express

Since the inception of the China–Europe Railway Express (CRE), rail transportation has emerged as a predominant means of transporting goods across international borders. The quality and reliability of railway transport services are constrained by the precision of train travel times. However, the real-time data available for the CRE trains is rather limited due to the volume and duration of operations, which increases the difficulty of forecasting CRE train travel times. In order to enhance the accuracy of predictions, a novel two-stage transfer learning model with the Long Short-Term Memory attention (T.R2_LSTM_A) is introduced in this study. By incorporating attention mechanisms, the Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM) module, the two-stage TrAdaBoost.R2 algorithm, and transfer learning (TL), the model captures the inherent characteristics of time series data and attains a high level of accuracy in predictions. This approach effectively mitigates the limitations of current transfer learning methods, which are primarily caused by insufficient sample data. In the model, an instance-based TL method is utilized to address the shortcomings of insufficient data, and an attention-based LSTM is selected as a base learner to overcome the thorny issues of gradient disappearance and explosion. Additionally, LSTM Attention (LSTM_A), a novel attention mechanism, is introduced to improve the ability of the proposed model to capture complicated characteristics. The T.R2_LSTM_A model is systemically evaluated and shown to be superior to Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Regression (SVR), LSTM, convolution-based LSTM (CLSTM), AdaBoost_LSTM, LSTM with attention mechanism (LSTM_Attention), and TrAdaBoost.R2_RF (T.R2_RF) for predicting train travel time, using a real-life case study of CRE. The MSE, RMSE, MAPE, and MAE values for the T.R2_LSTM_A model are equal to 5.572, 2.361, 2.578, and 1.767, respectively. These values surpass those of other widely used prediction methods, indicating that the T.R2_LSTM_A model is well-suited for predicting train travel times in the CRE.

Railing through reality: Trains and mobility in Victorian ghost stories

This paper explores the multifaceted cultural history of ghost trains in Victorian fiction by situating three little-known ghost stories in the publishing and social history of the second half of the nineteenth century. The figure of the ghost train offers a route into the entangled history of publishing and railways by contextualising the anxieties presented in railway ghost stories with the real-world experiences of passengers. Taking ideas of mobility as a focal point, this paper brings together discussions of virtual travel and the supernatural to demonstrate some of the impact railways had on reading and writing about train travel. More so than tales of other haunted transport technologies, it is the ghost train's unnatural capacity for movement that disturbs both passengers and readers. By both enhancing and warping reality, railways are ripe source material for Victorian ghost stories to entertain and demand questions of spatio-temporal experience from their reading passengers.

Gastrointestinal syndrome encountered during a train voyage to high altitudes: A 14-day survey of 69 passengers in China

BackgroundThe diagnosis and evaluation of the severity of acute mountain sickness (AMS) continue to be problematic due to a lack of consensus on the inclusion of symptoms in a scoring system. Recent investigations highlight the significance of gastrointestinal symptoms in identifying this condition. However, the specific gastrointestinal symptoms associated with AMS have not been thoroughly elucidated in previous studies, and the underlying risk factors remain inadequately comprehended. MethodsThis study aimed to investigate the characteristics, trends, and risk factors related to gastrointestinal symptoms encountered during train travel to high altitude. A total of 69 passengers, specifically all with medical backgrounds, were surveyed 6 times over a period of 14 days. ResultsThe daily incidence of abdominal discomfort was higher than non-gastrointestinal symptoms within 14 days. Gastrointestinal symptoms demonstrated a greater prevalence, longer duration, and increased risk compared to non-gastrointestinal symptoms, such as headaches. The symptoms of abdominal distension and bowel sound hyperaction were found to be prevalent and persistent among patients diagnosed with AMS, exhibiting a high incidence rate. Gender, age, body mass index (BMI), smoking habits, and alcohol consumption were identified as risk factors associated with the occurrence and duration of gastrointestinal symptoms. ConclusionThis study suggests that gastrointestinal symptoms are more common and persistent when traveling to the plateau by train. These symptoms should be taken into consideration in the further diagnosis and prevention of AMS. Therefore, this study provides a significant theoretical foundation for the prevention and treatment of AMS.

Determination of Train Vehicle Speed using Fibre Bragg Grating Sensors for Railway Application

The average speed of the train can be determined by dividing the distance by the time taken to reach the targeted destination. Nevertheless, in the process of railroad travel, the pace of the train can either slow down or speed up depending on the circumstances. It is essential to conduct research into the speed of the railroad in particular conditions to ascertain what speed is appropriate for the railroad to run safely under certain conditions. This study is currently being conducted using Fibre Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors to determine the speed of the train at a specific point. Three different specific points are chosen. The speed is calculated by dividing the distance between two wheels on one bogie by the time between the two peaks representing the two wheels on one bogie. The train traveling between each point exhibits three different speed behaviours. It is currently found that the average speed at location 1 is 49.71 km/h, and the train is decelerating. At location 2, the average speed is 66.21 km/h, and the train moves at a constant speed. Lastly, at location 3, the average speed is 40.18 km/h, and the train is accelerating. In addition, the wavelength shifting signal can be utilized to count the train's axles. In this experiment, the train consists of 9 bogies with 18 sets of wheels. Therefore, this experiment demonstrates that FBG sensors can be used to determine the speed of the train at a certain location.

Medical emergencies on board of means of transport

Medical emergencies occur always and everywhere. The care of patients on board means of transport is not possible with the quality and routine that takes place in ground- or air-based emergency services. Nevertheless, there are some concepts for patient care. The article describes typical emergency medical problems for the scenarios of train, ship and air travel and presents the existing possibilities for practical emergency medical assistance.

Windowscapes, dreamscapes and screen texts: train travel as performative practice in experimental film

ABSTRACT Echoing the current research on mobilities, performative practice and the performative documentary, railway journey in screen texts is increasingly seen as a complex embodied, experiential and performative practice. However, although train films have received some attention in film criticism, little is known about the performative potential of train travel in experimental film. To fill this gap, I take a phenomenological stance on railway journeying to demonstrate how several stylistically distinct and rarely screened experimental films stage passengering through the display of window views or larger sections of trainspace, turning it into productive site of contemplation, creative activity and artistic expression.

Understanding train tourism mobilities: a practice theories perspective

By integrating mobilities research with practice theories, this paper uncovers the interdependencies between tourism, transport and mobilities that allows for a more comprehensive analysis of individual mobile practices and their connections with other mobilities and tourism practices at a destination. By analysing train travel as a performance, practice entity (materials, meanings and competencies) and practice bundle, we also bridge the structure–agency gap in transport and tourism research. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork on three longdistance branch lines in Northern England, we unpack train mobilities in the tourism context to show the interconnectedness of and the competition between seemingly unrelated practices. Our findings reveal the structures and dynamics that shape rural train travel within the tourism context. Moreover, train mobility is transformed through various micro-changes that occur through tourists’ performances and changes in the practice elements, such as the presence of skilled or unskilled travellers. We furthermore show that train tourism is an interlocked system of what we have termed ‘multimodal mobility bundles’ involving the interplay and competition between different mobilities and practices and the role of governance in shaping these dynamics.

Penanganan Keadaan Khusus pada Operasi Kereta Api

In organizing train operations in Indonesia, especially in Java, apart from planning, controlling and evaluating train operations under normal/ordinary conditions, based on existing data and experience, several planning and control scenarios are needed for special conditions/services, handling critical situations, also handling emergencies. In terms of regulations (determination &amp; announcement) of train operations, in the form of GAPEKA for normal circumstances, MALKA, PPK and WAM scenarios are also prepared as alternative regulations outside GAPEKA (PT Kereta Api Indonesia Service Regulation No. 19 of 2011). In everyday life, apart from these scenarios, anticipation is also needed to provide guidelines for handling them, so that they support the train travel operation scenarios. In order to provide references, guidelines, flow and supporting resources on how to deal with several of these situations, both predictable, incidental and unexpected, then the plan for handling special situations must be formulated properly and completely and in accordance with various possible circumstances. The formulation of handling special situations is important. Handling these special situations is still different for special, critical or emergency situations/services

Stability Deterioration Analysis of Toppling Dangerous Rock Mass under the Combined Effect of Vibration and Freeze-Thaw Cycles

To investigate the degree of stability deterioration in toppling dangerous rock mass under different action times, firstly, the vibration load generated by train travel in a single action and its decay law were studied, and the theoretical relational equation of rock strength deterioration under the action of vibration loading was obtained by analyzing the increase in half axle expansion of micro fissures inside the rock. Secondly, the freezing stress of the microfissures was determined according to the rock freezing and swelling theory, and the theoretical relational equation of rock strength deterioration under the action of freeze-thaw cycles was obtained by integrating the rock confinement and moisture migration conditions of the fissures wall. The stability coefficient of the toppling dangerous rock mass exhibited a rapid and then slow decreasing trend with increasing number of actions, which was non-linearly negatively correlated with the train running speed and the initial porosity of the rock, and non-linearly positively correlated with the freezing temperature. Controlling the freezing temperature and initial porosity of rock can significantly reduce the degree of deterioration in the stability of dangerous rock mass.

Getting back in the loop: Does autonomous driving duration affect driver's takeover performance?

The level 3 autonomous driving function allows the driver to perform non-driving-related tasks such as watching movies or reading while the system manages the driving task. However, when a difficult situation arises, the driver is requested to return to the loop of control. This switching from driver to passenger then back to driver may modify the driving paradigm, potentially causing an out-of-the-loop state. We tested the hypothesis of a linear (progressive) impact of various autonomous driving durations: the longer the level 3 autonomous function is used, the poorer the driver's takeover performance. Fifty-two participants were divided into 4 groups, each group being assigned a specific period of autonomous driving (5, 15, 45, or 60 min), followed by a takeover request with a time budget of 8.3 s. Takeover performance was assessed over two successive drives via reaction times and manual driving metrics (trajectories). The initial hypothesis (linearity) was not confirmed: there was a nonlinear relationship between autonomous driving duration and takeover performance, with one duration (15 min) appearing safer overall and mixed performance within groups. Repetition induced a major change in performance during the second drive, indicating rapid adaptation to the situation. The non-driving-related task appears critical in several respects (dynamics, content, driver interest) to proper use of level 3 automation. All this supports previous research prompting reservations about the prospect of car driving becoming like train travel.