Future Rail: Issue 32

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Deutsche Bahn has launched a major restructuring of its organisation and management team in the wake of an 18.2% drop in EBIT for the first half of 2015, and a 39% fall in after-tax profit from €642m to €391m. Strikes, loss in passenger and freight traffic, a drop in profits and an increase in debt, followed by resignations of key senior figures all spell trouble for the company – so how will the overhaul programme help the operator weather this storm?

Also in this issue, we take a look at Scotland’s new Borders rail line, check in on the roll-out of digital signalling in Australia, and explore an innovate train upcycling concept that aims to tackle the rolling stock shortage in the UK. Plus, we take a look inside Network Rail’s new mobile maintenance trains and find out how the UK’s new automatic delay refunds scheme is progressing.

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In this issue

Deutsche Bahn: Weathering the Storm
Deutsche Bahn has announced a major restructuring programme in the wake of an 18.2% drop in EBIT for the first half of 2015. Gary Peters asks, how can the company weather the storm?
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A Symbol of Growth
Trains have returned to the Scottish Borders for the first time in 46 years. Gary Peters asks if the network is ready to cope with growing demand.
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Digital Down Under
Australia is going digital in a bid to improve operations on the country’s railways. One key part of this is the roll-out of a new signalling system in collaboration with Lockheed Martin. Gary Peters reports.
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Workshop on Wheels
As Network Rail’s new mobile maintenance trains start to roll out in the UK, Eva Grey finds out which cost, safety and efficiency improvements the technology will deliver.
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The Green Machine
Vivarail plans to answer the age-old supply and demand problem on the UK’s railways with an innovative concept. Eva Grey explores the potential of the upcycled D-Train.
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Full Speed Ahead
Murray Hughes, author of The Second Age of Rail: A History of High-Speed Trains, rounds up latest facts and figures on the development of high-speed rail.
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Refunds: Keeping it Simple
Eagerly anticipated automatic refunds for delayed train journeys seem to have arrived in the UK. Eva Grey asks, should passengers expect a nationwide roll-out in the near future?
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Next issue preview

With the High-Speed 2 bidding process opened up to Chinese contractors and discussions ongoing between the UK and China on a number of other rail projects, it appears the two countries are preparing to collaborate more closely than ever before. We investigate what skills and economic benefits China can bring to the British rail sector, and what the true cost of Chinese companies’ involvement will be.

We also find out how US rail operators are coping with the implementation of positive rain control, and ask how Chicago’s rail congestion problem can be solved after previous efforts and investments have failed. Plus, we take a look at advanced software tools for rail tunnelling works, find out how Google Fiber and Indian Railways want to bring WiFi to rail stations across the country, and explore technologies helping commuters find a space on crowded rush hour trains.

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