The latest news, trends and data from the rail industry
W
ith the global rail industry facing increasing pressure to reduce its environmental impact, operators and governments are emphasising the importance of finding greener fuels and alternative propulsion methods to cut down on emissions. Electrification and battery power remain at the forefront of discussion around replacing diesel-powered locomotives, but many countries in Europe have highlighted the potential of hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) technology, which produces electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen in a chemical reaction, and leaves water as the only emission.
The introduction of hydrogen-powered trains on major rail networks is no longer a pipedream. French manufacturer Alstom’s revolutionary Coradia iLint has been a fixture in the headlines since its first appearance at InnoTrans 2016, with the train already running on several lines in Germany, and the company is now in discussions to bring it to other countries, including the US. Both France and the UK have outlined plans to introduce hydrogen-powered trains on their networks by 2022, with the latter testing a hydrogen train demonstrator, named HydroFLEX, on a mainline railway this year.
Recently, a study commissioned by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) and Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking (S2R JU) analysed the extent to which fuel cells and hydrogen technologies could be introduced within the European rail market. The study showed that some of the current hydrogen-powered rail cases in Europe highlight a positive total cost of ownership for fuel cells, while in others it could be the ‘most adequate zero-emission alternative’.
In numbers:
350km/h
The maximum design speed of China’s Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, which came into operation last December
£642m
The value of a seven-year-deal between locomotive manufacturer Alstom and operator Avanti West Coast – at the time of writing, the biggest refurbishment deal the UK has ever seen
1,300
The number of train movements through New York Penn Station in the US, which operator Amtrak is currently hoping to expand through a $7.2m improvement project
44 million
The number of annual passengers travelling along the Paris-Lyon High Speed route, which runs approximately 240 trains per day
85%
The percentage of Scotrail’s trains that ran on time in December 2019, marking a 19-month high for the Scottish operator
40°C
Maximum temperature along the Rail Baltica route, according to a new report into the effect of climate change on the multi-national project.
In quotes:
Eleather head of global sales Louise Gear, speaking about rail trends in 2020
“Regulation changes mean that we’re going to see a more integrated European railway in 2020, and traditional monopolies will be challenged. Rail operators will respond by aiming to provide a better service to customers. This could be through going ticketless, improving cleanliness, introducing new designs for carriage interiors or offering more competitive prices.
Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) director-general for regulation Ed Humpherson, after an OSR report criticised national rail passenger statistics produced by Transport Focus
These statistics are the only publicly available measure for understanding rail passenger satisfaction across the rail network. Substantial collaborative action by Transport Focus, the Department for Transport and the rail industry is required to enhance the public value of these important statistics so that they can be relevant and underpin an evolving rail industry.”
In News
EU commits $966m to modernise Polish rail network
Nigeria awards $3.9bn Abuja-Lokoja rail line contract to CRC
Etihad Rail awards $435.5m contract to Hitachi Rail
In quotes:
Eleather head of global sales Louise Gear, speaking about rail trends in 2020
“Regulation changes mean that we’re going to see a more integrated European railway in 2020, and traditional monopolies will be challenged. Rail operators will respond by aiming to provide a better service to customers. This could be through going ticketless, improving cleanliness, introducing new designs for carriage interiors or offering more competitive prices.
Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) director-general for regulation Ed Humpherson, after an OSR report criticised national rail passenger statistics produced by Transport Focus
These statistics are the only publicly available measure for understanding rail passenger satisfaction across the rail network. Substantial collaborative action by Transport Focus, the Department for Transport and the rail industry is required to enhance the public value of these important statistics so that they can be relevant and underpin an evolving rail industry.”
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