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🔐 Can Trains Really Prevent Their Own Accidents?

🔐 Can Trains Really Prevent Their Own Accidents?

RailPulse Tech
April 10, 2025

🚀 Hello, The EU is boosting rail connectivity and resilience through three key developments: new legislation standardising train design and approvals to improve military and emergency transport;

Arriva’s GBP 300 million investment in battery-hybrid trains to cut emissions and expand UK rail capacity; and a EUR 50 million EIB-backed upgrade to Ukraine’s rail links with neighbouring EU countries, enhancing cross-border transport and integration.

Regional Highlights

Europe:

🗼Alstom is investing over EUR 150 million to expand its production capacity in France, focusing on high-speed trains like the Avelia Horizon, which includes new assembly lines, site expansions, digital innovation, and supply chain support, creating at least 1,000 new jobs.
💂Network Rail has awarded contracts to four companies for the provision of On Track Machines (OTMs), such as tampers and ballast regulators, to maintain and renew Britain's 20,000-mile rail network, ensuring efficient, 24/7 operations with improved sustainability and modern technologies.
🇨🇿 České dráhy (ČD) has launched a trial of HVO-powered RegioFox trains to assess biofuel's impact on emissions, fuel consumption, and train performance. The project, involving multiple partners, aims to reduce CO2 emissions and support sustainable transport. The trials, part of the Czech Republic's clean mobility plan, will run for at least six months.
🇧🇬 Bulgaria's Ministry of Transport has launched a procedure offering BGN 34.5 million to support intermodal operators and terminal development, with funds for zero-emission equipment, IT systems, and infrastructure improvements, aiming to modernize and expand intermodal terminals and enhance multimodal transport connectivity.
🧿 Systra has been awarded a contract to support the development of four new rail links in Turkey's Çukurova region, improving connectivity between industrial areas and the Mediterranean coast.
🇪🇪 RB Rail AS is negotiating with tenderers for the Rail Baltica railway signalling system design and construction, aiming to finalize a contract by the end of 2025.
🇹🇷 Türasaş has unveiled Turkey's first domestically produced suburban train, the E39000, designed for the Gaziray suburban rail system in Gaziantep, marking a significant step in the country's national rail production with eight trains capable of carrying 1,000 passengers each, as part of the ongoing expansion of the city's transport infrastructure.
🇵🇱 Polish Koleje Mazowieckie has signed a contract with Stadler for 14 additional FLIRT electric trains, bringing their total order to 64 units, with deliveries set to start within 24 months and an 18-year maintenance contract included.
🥐 French SNCF has postponed its expansion plans in Italy until 2027 due to limited high-speed train slots offered by Italy's state-owned rail operator, Ferrovie dello Stato, and an ongoing investigation into its market dominance.

Aisa:

🇨🇳 The China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) will invest USD 1.4 billion to upgrade the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), including track rehabilitation and the purchase of new locomotives and wagons, to enhance copper and cobalt exports from central Africa, with a 30-year concession agreement for construction and operation.
🇮🇳 Alstom has delivered its 500th Prima T8 e-locomotive to Indian Railways from its Madhepura facility, marking a significant milestone in a EUR 3.5 billion contract to supply 800 high-powered locomotives, which are built under the 'Make in India' initiative and feature advanced energy-saving technology for freight services.
🇮🇳 India’s newly inaugurated Pamban Bridge is a technological milestone for Indian Railways, featuring the country’s first vertical lift mechanism integrated with electromechanical controls, enabling ships to pass beneath while supporting high-speed train operations up to 160 km/h.

North America:

🇺🇸 Amtrak has pulled its entire Horizon fleet of 70 cars from service due to corrosion concerns, disrupting train operations across the Midwest and Pacific Northwest and forcing widespread bus substitutions until repairs are determined.

The Expanding Impact of (PTC)

Positive Train Control (PTC) transforms railway safety by automatically preventing human-error-related accidents, such as collisions and derailments. Using GPS, wireless communication, and onboard computers, PTC systems monitor train location and speed in real-time, and can intervene when necessary to avoid incidents.

Key Benefits:

Up to 100% prevention of specific accident types like overspeed derailments and train-to-train collisions.
Enhanced safety by reducing reliance on manual signals and operator judgment.
Improved efficiency, with fewer delays and safer work zone management safety with alerts for high-risk zones.

Real-World Examples:

United States: By the end of 2020, PTC was implemented on nearly 100% of required rail routes, covering over 57,000 miles of track.
California: Metrolink reports a 40% drop in signal violations since implementing PTC.

Why It Matters:

PTC represents a critical milestone in modernising rail infrastructure, ensuring safe operations amid growing passenger and freight demands. It also lays the groundwork for integrating more advanced technologies like AI and automation into rail networks, shaping the future of smart mobility.

Statistics of the Week

Alstom has secured a seven-year contract extension to manage JFK's AirTrain operations and maintenance, enhancing the system's reliability, capacity, and safety. The service, crucial for reducing airport congestion, operates 24/7 with an average 98.56% system availability, serving over 68,000 daily riders.
In Week 13 of 2025, U.S. rail traffic rose 8.6% year-over-year to 513,553 units, driven by a 7.8% increase in carloads and a 9.4% rise in intermodal volume, while year-to-date North American traffic climbed 3.0% to 8.68 million units.
Japan’s first 3D-printed train station, built by JR West, was assembled in just 2.5 hours using prefabricated parts and 3D-printed mortar, reducing construction costs by approximately 50% compared to traditional reinforced concrete methods.

Upcoming Events

Thailand Rail | April 10-11, 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand
NT Expo | April 22-24, 2025 | São Paulo, Brazil
Train & Rail | May 6-8, 2025 | Stockholm, Sweden
Sydney Build Expo | May 7-8, 2025 | Sydney, Australia
Africa Rail | May 13-14, 2025 | Johannesburg, South Africa
Rise of IoT & Big Data in Rail | May 14-15, 2024 | Cologne, Germany
Railway Interior Innovation Summit USA | May 20-22, 2025 | Florida, USA
Railway Interchange | May 20-22, 2025 | Indianapolis, USA
Asia Pacific Rail | May 28-29, 2025 | Bangkok, Thailand
Smart Transportation Conference & Exhibition | May 30, 2025 | Virtual
International Railway Summit | June 3-5, 2025 | Vienna, Austria
Global Stainless Steel Expo | June 4-6, 2025 | Mumbai, India

Spotlight on Influential Voices

Geoff Marshall is a filmmaker and transport enthusiast known for visiting all 2,563 stations in Great Britain, all stations in Ireland and the Isle of Man, and riding a part of all 544 London bus routes, holding two Guinness World Records for completing the London Underground stations fastest.
GLovesTrains is a train enthusiast and vlogger who shares light-hearted weekly travel vlogs on YouTube. Having explored every railway station in the North West of England, North Wales, and Yorkshire and the Humber, GLovesTrains is passionate about showcasing train travel adventures, despite juggling day jobs and life’s challenges. The channel offers fun insights into the UK transport network, with plans to venture further afield.

Keep Us on the Right Track! What do you think of this week’s line-up? Next week’s train of news is already pulling in!