A new study has highlighted the impact of climate change on the design and construction of the vast Rail Baltica project. How will warmer summers and an increased risk of flooding affect the service, and what are the implications of this study for other large rail infrastructure projects?

We take a deep dive into US rail freight and the obstacles facing North American carriers, shippers and investors in the future. We also take a closer look at Chicago’s soon-to-be upgraded ‘L’ train, as well as two of the UK’s esteemed mountain railways – Snowdon and the Cairngorm funicular – to gain a deeper insight into the challenges of running and maintaining these unique networks.

Also in this issue: a look back at Eurostar after 25 years of high-speed rail services; asking Arriva Rail about its latest initiative to help deaf and hard-of-hearing passengers; and a rundown of the tech start-ups set to disrupt rail in 2020.

Joe Baker, editor