In this issue

The rail industry is working on many fronts to reduce emissions and clean up its environmental impact, and the search for cleaner, more sustainable fuels is central to the effort. While some rail developers are exploring battery-powered engines, others are experimenting with hydrogen. We catch up with two pioneering projects using hydrogen-powered trains that are helping to pave the way for wider adoption of this clean fuel in the rail industry.

Also in this issue, we find out how Crossrail is using digital twin technology in the construction of London’s newest rail line and take a look at France’s plan to revive night train services with the reopening of the iconic Paris-Nice route. We also review the UK’s four-year dispute over the role of train guards, which has highlighted the question of how far technology can go in replacing human personnel and what this means for railway jobs.

Plus, we hear about trends in integrated rail data management, explore the challenges of rail connectivity in rural areas, speak to Thales about its new predictive maintenance system and hear from Fugro about how technology can help with decarbonisation in the rail sector.

We hope you enjoy this edition.

The Future Rail team.