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In recent years, many major German cities have expanded the capacity and legal authority of their municipal order enforcement services and order maintenance policing. The focal action points are central neighborhoods characterized by a concentration of social problems, reinvestment in the built environment, and prevailing feelings of insecurity and the need to improve the quality of life. This study explores the causes of local cultures of control and their relations to order maintenance policing and neighborhood change. We used a document analysis and guided interviews with experts in the railway station districts of Düsseldorf, Leipzig, and Munich. Our findings demonstrate how the local control habitus shapes neighborhood change while being shaped through neighborhood-specific demands for formal social control. Demands for order maintenance policing originate from both the supply (business people) and demand sides (new residents). Moral entrepreneurs convey such demands through the local political context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northeast part of India is experiencing an increase in infrastructure projects as well as landslides. This study aims to prepare the landslide susceptibility map of Tamenglong and Senapati districts, Manipur, India, and evaluates the state of landslide susceptibility along the Imphal-Jiribam railway corridor. Efficient statistical methods such as frequency ratio (FR), information value (IoV), weight of evidence (WoE), and weighted linear combination (WLC) were used in model preparation. A total of 322 landslide points were randomly divided into training (70%) and testing (30%) datasets. Nine causative factors were utilized for landslide susceptibility mapping (LSM). The importance of which was obtained using the information gain (IG) method. FR, IoV, WoE, and WLC were used to prepare the LSM using the training datasets and nine causative factors. Moreover, the accuracy and consistency were evaluated using AUC-ROC, precision, recall, overall accuracy (OA), balanced accuracy (BA), and F-score. The validation results showed that all methods performed well with the highest AUC and precision values of 0.913 and 0.95, respectively, for the IoV method, while the WLC method had the highest OA, BA, and F-score values of 0.808, 0.81, and 0.812, respectively. Finally, the results from LSM were used to evaluate the state of landslide susceptibility along the Imphal-Jiribam railway corridor. The results showed that 34% of the areas had high and very high susceptibility, while 40% were under less and significantly less susceptibility. The Tupul landslide area lay in medium susceptibility where the disastrous landslide occurred on 30 June 2022. Susceptibility values around the Noney and Khongsag railway station ranged from high to very high susceptibility. Thus, the study manifests the need for LSM preparation in rapidly constructing areas, which in turn will help the policymakers and planners for adopting strategies to minimize losses caused due to landslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Lightning generated electromagnetic impulses propagating in the magnetospheric plasma disperse into whistlers – several seconds long radio wave signals with decreasing frequency. Sometimes, multiple reflections form long echo trains containing many whistlers with increasing dispersion. On January 3, 2017, two necessary prerequisites – a pronounced lightning activity and a magnetospheric plasma duct – allowed for observations of a large number of whistler echo trains by the high-latitude station in Kannuslehto, Finland. Our investigation reveals that the duct existed for nearly eight hours. We show that causative lightning sferics arrived to the duct entry from three different winter thunderstorms: a small storm at the Norwegian coast, which produced energetic lightning capable to trigger echo trains in 50% of cases, and two large storms at unexpectedly distant locations in the Mediterranean region. Our results show that intense thunderstorms can repetitively feed electromagnetic energy into a magnetospheric duct and form whistler echo trains after subionospheric propagation over distances as large as 4000 km. When lightning generated whistler waves echo multiple times, they are called whistler echo trains. Here, the authors show lightning strokes from three thunderstorm systems responsible for long-lasting and intense whistler echo trains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Park-and-ride (P&R) facilities, when combined with the advantages of urban rail transit, have the potential to alleviate congestion problems and promote multimodal transportation. However, some facilities face operational and utilization issues in terms of efficiency and capacity, which may not fully meet users' needs. Therefore, it is essential to conduct research that addresses challenges related to user parking and facility operation. A critical step in this direction is to study relevant indicators that comprehensively measure the operational efficiency and capacity of the facilities, and to find effective methods to tackle problems in P&R operation. This study examined and selected data indicators for P&R facilities around targeted stations, taking those around Nanjing urban rail transit stations as an example. Data envelopment analysis was employed to establish a P&R operational efficiency and capacity evaluation model. This model was enriched with a comprehensive evaluation of multiple factors that affect P&R, with these factors significantly influencing the recorded evaluation results. By identifying operational issues in P&R facilities around Nanjing urban rail transit stations, this study proposed optimization solutions to enhance their operational efficiency and capacity. The findings can serve as a reference for the coordinated development of P&R facilities and urban rail transit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Expansion of the rail transit network has increased public transportation accessibility, and the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of ridership have become more complex. Herein, the characteristics of rail transit origin-destination (OD) ridership distribution were analyzed using a drift power law distribution model, and the robustness of ridership distribution in three periods (weekdays, weekends, and holidays) was investigated. A Louvain algorithm-based community detection method divided the rail transit network into different community structures. This division was generally consistent with the established rail transit line layout. However, central city communities were more dispersed, and the rail transit stations of different lines may have belonged to the same community, revealing the spatial correlation between different stations from the perspective of OD ridership. The outcomes of this division were stable for the different periods. This study contributes to the precise configuration of transportation facilities around rail transit stations and the formulation of rail transit operation management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the accessibility of each traffic zone to high-speed railway stations can evaluate the ease of the transportation hub in the transportation system. The utility-based model, which captures individual travel behavior and subjective perception, is often used to quantify the travel impedance on accessibility for a given origin–destination pair. However, existing studies neglect the impacts of travel time uncertainty on utility and possible choice set when measuring accessibility, especially in high-timeliness travel (e.g., railway stations or airports). This study proposes a novel integration of the utility-based model and multimodal space–time prism under travel time uncertainty to measure reliable accessibility to high-speed railway stations. First, the reliable multimodal space–time prism is developed to generate a reliable travel mode choice set constrained by travel time budgets. Then, the reliable choice set is integrated into the utility-based model with the utility function derived from a proposed mean–standard deviation logit-based mode choice model. Finally, this study contributes to measuring reliable accessibility within areas from Beijing's 5th Ring Road to the Beijing South Railway Station. Based on the results, policymakers can effectively evaluate the distribution of transportation resources and urban planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of shared e-scooters with public transit is a promising solution for urban mobility's first/last-mile challenge. This study explores spatiotemporal factors influencing this integration, using 35-day e-scooter trip data from Chicago. Employing a random-effect negative binomial approach, we modeled the frequency of e-scooter trips to access/egress to/from bus stops and train stations. Results indicate that weather conditions, design features like intersection density, and multimodal network density significantly influence usage. The transit system characteristics such as service frequency have a positive effect on the integration of e-scooters and trains while a similar effect for bus and e-scooter integration was not significant. Furthermore, safety-related variables such as accident and crime rates as well as demographic characteristics were also revealed to be significant factors in our study. These findings offer vital insights to urban planners and policymakers for infrastructure, safety enhancements, and interventions to encourage efficient e-scooter-public transit integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is planned to reopen Midsomer Norton railway station, which is a station on the Somerset & Dorset Heritage Railway Line, to traffic. As a first step, Midsomer Norton will be a terminus, and it is proposed to build sidings and a depot for the trains that terminate there. However, a ground investigation is essential before commencing construction of the sidings and the depot, as this is a vital part of any civil engineering process. The behaviour of the ground must be known in order for a structure to be supported by it; therefore, data from the ground investigation are used as reference for any kind of structure development. This study covers a site investigation that includes a desk study, walkover survey, sampling and laboratory testing in order to ascertain the feasibility of a suitable design. Moisture content testing, liquid limit and plastic limit tests, standard compaction testing, shear vane tests, and triaxial compression tests were carried out to determine the soil characteristics and to analyse the soil behaviour. A strong recommendation was made to follow a systems engineering approach in the construction phase, as well as in the design stage. The dependability of the system is ensured by the good use of V – process of systems engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban (suburban) railway is a fast and convenient rail transit system connecting urban and suburban areas, and a refined analysis of the diversity of public service facilities around its stations can help to promote the intensive use of land around rail stations. However, the differences in the diversity of public service facilities in the railway life circle between urban and suburban railway stations and the factors affecting them are not clear. This paper takes the Beijing Suburban Railway Line Sub-center (Line S1) as a case study, uses the Shannon-Wiener index to measure the spatial diversity characteristics of public service facilities, and utilizes a multi-scale geographically weighted regression model to explore the influencing factors. The findings indicate that: (1) Centered on the stations, all six stations show a "less-more-less" ring or half-ring to the left distribution structure of the comprehensive diversity index of public service facilities within their study areas, with an increase followed by a decrease. (2) The influence of each influencing factor on the diversity of market-featured facilities exhibits significant differences. The most substantial spatial heterogeneity is observed in the distances to the nearest subway stations and bus stops. Distances to subway and urban (suburban) railway stations exhibit different spatial distribution characteristics within urban and suburban areas on Line S1. In urban areas, the closer the distance to the subway station or the further the distance to the railway station, the greater the diversity of public service facilities. Conversely, in suburban areas, the opposite is true. The conclusions of this research provide a scientific methodology and improvement measures to facilitate the construction of railway life circles in suburban regions of megacities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Railway interlocking systems are essential safety components in rail transportation, designed to prevent train collisions. They regulate the transitions between sections of a railway station using rail traffic control elements. An interlocking system can assess whether the configuration of these control elements poses a collision risk. Over the years, researchers have developed various algebraic models to tackle this issue, highlighting the potential use of computer algebra systems in implementing interlocking systems. In this work, we aim to enhance these systems' capabilities. Not only will they indicate whether a situation is dangerous, but if it is, they will also provide guidance on how to configure certain rail traffic control elements to ensure safety. In this paper, we introduce an algebraic model that represents the railway station through polynomials. This approach transforms the task of identifying dangerous situations into calculating the residue of a polynomial over a set of polynomials. The monomials contained in this residue polynomial encode all possible configurations that would render the situation safe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The underground hub of Xinghuo Station of M3 Line of Beijing Metro is an integral part of the underground comprehensive hub of Xinghuo Station of high-speed railway, and it is constructed by open-excavation method. Due to the different requirements of the main structure function inside the foundation pit of the hub, the foundation pit adopts the three-level layout. One side of the foundation pit is adjacent to the existing high-speed railway Xinghuo station, and the other side is adjacent to the urban road, the foundation pit is affected by four layers of groundwater. In order to solve the difficulties encountered in the design of the multi-stage foundation pit support structure of the underground hub of the Xinghuo Station on the metro line M3, this paper carries out the research of the foundation pit composite support structure system. Firstly, the spatial layout characteristics, surrounding environment and groundwater occurrence characteristics of the hub foundation pit are analyzed, and the problems of the conventional support structure system are discussed. Based on the concept of graded support and graded water stop, the combined foundation pit support structure system is developed. The paper presents in detail the layout, structural parameters and step sequence of multi-stage foundation pit excavation and support structure system at all stages, then establishes the three-dimensional numerical calculation model of multi-stage foundation pit excavation and support, analyzes the pit bottom uplift and the deformation of the retaining structure, and finally discusses the deformation characteristics of the combined retaining structure of the foundation pit based on the measured results of the deformation of the retaining structure at all stages. The results of numerical simulation and on-site monitoring show that the uplift of pit bottom and the deformation of supporting structure meet the requirements of control values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety situation of railway stations is facing great challenges due to the characteristics of huge transport task load, fast operation speed and larger station scale. Based on this, this paper proposes a decision-making method for safety risk factors of high-speed railway stations, which combines fuzzy fault tree (FFTA) and Bayesian network (BN) algorithms. Firstly, the basic risk factors and events of each subsystem of high-speed railway station in the actual construction and operation process are statistically analyzed and modeled, and a total of 22 basic events affecting the safe operation of railway stations are determined. Secondly, the limitation of data collection is overcome by means of expert experience evaluation, scoring and fuzzy rough set theory. Then, the fusion structure of fault tree analysis and Bayesian network algorithm is used to overcome the shortcomings of single algorithm in data processing ability and accuracy, effectively and accurately reveal the logic and probability relationship between safety risk factors, and four basic events such as the lack of technical means to master the station resource status and operation progress are identified as the main influencing factors. Finally, through sensitivity analysis, the risk reduction value importance (RRW) indicators of 22 basic events that affect the safety of high-speed railway station construction and operation are obtained. The results show that the RRW of the 4 main influencing factors are all greater than 15%, which verifies the correctness of the results obtained by FFTA and BN. The proposed decision-making method for safety risk factors of high-speed railway stations can realize accurate positioning and decision-making of key indicators and corresponding probabilities affecting the safety of high-speed railway stations, thus providing effective reference for ensuring the safe operation of high-speed railway stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing utilization of urban underground space, new tunnels frequently intersect with existing tunnels and operational railways. However, sometimes the excavation and unloading of new tunnels can cause deformation of adjacent existing tunnels and railways, significantly affecting their normal operation. We used finite element software to predict the influence of new tunnel construction on overcrossing existing tunnels and down-traversing operational railways by a dynamic tunneling model based on a connection channel project of the east and west squares of a railway station. This article is not only control the distance between the two tunnels, but the new tunnel and the existing tunnel, as well as the new tunnel and the operation of the railway, the positional relationship between the three, the deformation laws of existing tunnels and operational railways during the construction of new tunnels with different buried depths are analyzed. The results show that the deformation curves of existing tunnels and operational railways present a normal distribution. The maximum deformation position is at the intersection with the new tunnel upon completion of the new tunnel excavation construction. Moreover, an increase in the buried depth of the new tunnel increases the deformation of the operational railway and the existing tunnel. The influence of the depth change of the new tunnel on the settlement of the operational railway is greater than that of the existing tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid expansion of high-speed rail (HSR), the HSR station areas are often the key development areas of the cities and the gateways to display the cities' image. However, the problem of lack of vitality in these areas has emerged. Limited studies have quantified the vitality of HSR station areas and examined the factors influencing it. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of various factors on the vitality of HSR station areas. To accomplish this objective, we propose a method for measuring the vitality of HSR station areas using Baidu's real-time user density data. We demonstrate the method through the case study of 91 HSR station areas in the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration in China. We construct structural equation models using a Bayesian approach to test the effects of intercity accessibility, intracity accessibility, surrounding area density, and local socio-economic development on the vitality of HSR station areas. The results show that (1) Intracity accessibility, surrounding area density, and local socioeconomic development have significant positive effects on the vitality density of HSR station areas. Intercity accessibility has a negative effect on the vitality density of HSR station areas. (2) Surrounding area density positively influences the stability of weekday and weekend vitality in HSR station areas. Local socio-economic development negatively impacts the stability of weekend vitality in HSR station areas. (3) High-vitality HSR station areas are mostly located in Chengdu and Chongqing, both megacities. Station areas with low vitality are primarily located in small cities. This study's findings can be used to guide the planning and decision-making of HSR station areas aimed at enhancing their vitality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In large public places such as railway stations and airports, dense pedestrian detection is important for safety and security. Deep learning methods provide relatively effective solutions but still face problems such as feature extraction difficulties, image multi-scale variations, and high leakage detection rates, which bring great challenges to the research in this field. In this paper, we propose an improved dense pedestrian detection algorithm GR-yolo based on Yolov8. GR-yolo introduces the repc3 module to optimize the backbone network, which enhances the ability of feature extraction, adopts the aggregation–distribution mechanism to reconstruct the yolov8 neck structure, fuses multi-level information, achieves a more efficient exchange of information, and enhances the detection ability of the model. Meanwhile, the Giou loss calculation is used to help GR-yolo converge better, improve the detection accuracy of the target position, and reduce missed detection. Experiments show that GR-yolo has improved detection performance over yolov8, with a 3.1% improvement in detection means accuracy on the wider people dataset, 7.2% on the crowd human dataset, and 11.7% on the people detection images dataset. Therefore, the proposed GR-yolo algorithm is suitable for dense, multi-scale, and scene-variable pedestrian detection, and the improvement also provides a new idea to solve dense pedestrian detection in real scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzing the travel mode choice behavior of residents within the catchment area of a rail station holds significant importance in optimizing the transportation structure and establishing a green transit–oriented system. This study collected travel survey data from residents living within the rail station catchment area in Nanjing, China. A multilevel indicator and multiple causes (MIMIC) model was constructed to analyze potential psychological factors influencing residents’ choice of travel mode. The cross-nested logit (CNL) model was employed to reveal differences in residents’ travel intentions and preferences for various modes of transportation. The results show that the convenience and comfort of rail transit are paramount to residents, and their perceptions of external barriers in the area proximate to the rail station directly shape their travel intentions and choices. Factors such as travel attitude, preference, subjective norms, and external obstacles all exert a positive influence on residents’ mode choice; preference exerts the least impact, whereas environmental perception is the most determinative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban rail transit network planning is a complex issue that involves multiple considerations, including traffic flow, passenger demand, geographical environment, economic costs, environmental protection. To address the pressing issues of inadequate station coverage, protracted planning timelines, and suboptimal passenger satisfaction in conventional urban rail transit network planning methodologies, the paper delves into the application of a Deep Dual Q Network in urban rail transit network planning. By initially analyzing the distribution density of Points of Interest (POI), the study employs the K-means clustering algorithm to meticulously select optimal locations for urban rail transit stations. Subsequently, a tailored urban rail transit network planning model is constructed, incorporating the site selection outcomes and delineating its pertinent constraints. Leveraging the prowess of a Deep dual Q Network, the model is efficiently solved, yielding an optimized urban rail transit network planning scheme. Experimental validation reveals remarkable outcomes, with a maximum station coverage rate of 91.9%, a minimized planning duration of 23.6 minutes, and a pinnacle passenger satisfaction rating of 98.1%, underscoring the practical efficacy and significance of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to traditional multi-robot path planning problems, multi-chain robot path planning (MCRPP) is more challenging because it must account for collisions between robot units and between the bodies of a chain and the leading unit during towing. To address MCRPP more efficiently, we propose a novel algorithm called Multi-Train Safe Interval Path Planning (MT-SIPP). Based on safe interval path planning principles, we categorize conflicts in the multi-train planning process into three types: travel conflicts, waiting conflicts, and station conflicts. To handle travel conflicts, we use an improved k-robust method to ensure trains avoid collisions with other trains during movement. To resolve waiting conflicts, we apply a time correction method to ensure the safety of positions occupied by trains during waiting periods. To address station conflicts, we introduce node constraints to prevent other trains from occupying the station positions of trains that have reached their target stations and are stopped. Experimental results on three benchmark maps show that the MT-SIPP algorithm achieves about a 30% improvement in solution success rate and nearly a 50% increase in the maximum number of solvable instances compared to existing methods. These results confirm the effectiveness of MT-SIPP in addressing the challenges of MCRPP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The station–city integration development strategy, guided by the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) model, has enhanced the coupling relationship between rail transit stations and urban areas. Walking, as a core mode of low-carbon urban transport, plays a significant role in the connectivity between stations and urban areas and in the rate of passenger flow dispersal. During peak periods, large volumes of passengers flood the streets, forming complex and diverse walking paths that penetrate urban neighborhoods. Route choice is a complex decision-making process influenced by both subjective and objective factors. Previous studies on pathfinding activities have often focused on either subjective or objective factors in isolation, with limited research on their interaction. This paper establishes a comparative analysis framework based on the translation of subjective and objective information and behavioral feedback mechanisms. Using Lvcuo Station, a transit station on Xiamen's Metro Line 1 in Fujian Province, China, as a case study, we collected walking data from 410 passengers through field surveys. We used the Kappa consistency coefficient test method to analyze the performance of the interaction between the objective environment and subjective environmental cognitive factors when pedestrians exit the rail transit station and walk to their destinations. We also used multinomial logistic regression (MLR) to analyze the correlation between subjective perception variables and objective built environment variables and to consider the influence of individual pedestrian characteristics and attributes on path selection. The results revealed the following: (1) Overall, there is a significant deviation effect of subjective and objective factors on passengers' pathfinding behavior, with some spatial correlation with the built environment of the streets. (2) The consistency of influences on walking activities varies significantly across different travel periods, distances, and purposes. (3) Visual elements, urban life with a bustling atmosphere, street permeability, and route connectivity positively correlate with subjective perception while "supporting walking facilities" and "meeting consumption needs along the way" negatively correlate with subjective perception. These findings underscore the need to enhance the understanding of the built environment in the street spaces within rail transit station areas from the perspectives of pedestrians to improve the walkability of these streets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is based on an ethnography of the railway siding at Raxaul Junction railway station, a town on the Bihar–Nepal border, which finds itself at the intersection of a massive logistical exercise by China in the form of the Belt Road Initiative, counter-logistical apparatus building by India and incremental hardening of an otherwise 'open' border by Nepal. The article will analyse in detail the intricate network of the labour market that operates at and through the railway siding. It will also trace the origins of commodities used in the cement factories in the industrial corridor of Nepal that are extracted from some of the most deprived regions of India at great human and social costs. Finally, I will describe some of the latest exercises in logistical operations such as containerisation, opening of a new land port, the Integrated Check Post in Raxaul and operationalisation of a new dedicated freight corridor from Vishakhapatnam port to Raxaul, which is reconfiguring the logistical arrangements away from Kolkata and Haldia port and their implications on labour and labour practices. The Raxaul railway siding will be, hence, studied on multiple scales: global, national and local. The article will also try to understand the transformation of this very peculiar border town located on a unique border. This transformation is creating new labour processes, migratory processes and networks, and new modes of production of workers' subjectivities and resistance along the global logistical apparatus and supply chains. It will also open up the possibilities of thinking conceptually about 'South Asian Border Systems'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and rapid short-term passenger flow prediction is the foundation for safe and efficient operation of urban rail transit systems. The urban rail transit passenger flow is related to the surrounding land properties and is accompanied by random interference. However, the passenger flow characteristics of stations and the role played by random disturbances in predicting passenger flow signals are not clear. A hybrid neural network named Urban Rail Transit Short-Term Flow Prediction Neural Network (URTSTFPNN) is proposed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of short-term passenger flow prediction. The network consists of three modules: feature Processing Module, Data Reconstruction Module, and Prediction Module. In this process, the urban rail transit stations are classified by dynamic time warping based on the time series attributes of entry and exit passenger flow. The noise reduction technology of wavelet transform is added to the network to increase the accuracy of the model. The analysis results of the proposed model using data from Metro Line 2 in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China, indicate that urban rail transit stations can be divided into commercial and official stations, high-density residential stations, low-density residential stations, and tourist and passenger transport terminal stations. The URTSTFPNN shows higher predictive accuracy in revealing the errors compared to the single Long Short-Term Memory model, the Auto-Regression and Moving Average model, and the BP neural network model. The coefficient of determination increased by 1.91 ~ 3.48%, 6.45 ~ 9.45%, and 2.72 ~ 5.69%, with a reduction of calculation time by 19.57 ~ 33.29%, 0.88 ~ 11.61%, and 27.87 ~ 36.71%, respectively. The model proposed by this research can accurately and quickly predict passenger flow, which can be used to guide various categories of urban rail stations to develop effective passenger flow management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the reasons cities are attractive is the rich array of urban amenities they provide. In this study, we examine how investments in urban rail transit affect clusters of consumer amenities in China, based on the experiences of six Chinese cities that are at varying stages of rail transit development. A difference-in-differences model is built using geocoded data on wide categories of consumer amenities to estimate the rail transit effects from a sample of 315 new rail transit stations opened between 2015 and 2018. Our results show that the opening of a new station induces an increase of approximately 4% in the total number of consumer amenities in the vicinity of the station within the first year. The impact strengthens substantially after two years. The effect of rail transit varies across cities and among different neighborhoods within a city. In most cities, rail transit effects are stronger in central areas, contributing to agglomeration of retail and dining amenities. When the rail system expands rapidly, however, the opening of a new station tiggers greater growth of daily service amenities in the suburbs, leading to a decentralization effect. Additionally, we find that neighborhood purchasing power and transit-adjacent land supply have limited impacts on amenity growth driven by new rail stations. This study provides important insight into how public amenities interact with private amenities and its findings have significant implications for urban planners and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Real‐time estimation of crowd counting in underground metro systems, constrained by limited space, is crucial for managing heightened pedestrian volumes and responding promptly to emergencies. To address this challenge, we propose a passenger state transition‐based model, called STRmt, designed for the seamless and continuous monitoring of real‐time crowd movement within service areas of stations and trains, leveraging auto fare collection systems (AFC) as a comprehensive sensor network. Our innovation lies in modeling the dynamic movement of passengers within a metro system over time as a state transition process aligned with the train schedule. To achieve this, we introduce a spatio‐temporal deep learning framework, denoted as STnet, designed to dynamically predict these state transitions. The performance of our method is rigorously assessed through extensive experiments conducted spanning 2 years in Shenzhen, China, utilizing AFC data, train schedule data, and weather data. The results demonstrate that the proposed method surpasses baseline methods, achieving an estimation precision of 0.92. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a multilevel modelling approach to analyse a novel dataset of academic publications at all business schools in 11 European countries, this paper finds that the influence of organisational- and country-level contextual factors on researchers varies considerably based on the type of institution and the development level of the country they are located in. At the organisational-level, we find that greater spatial connectivity–operationalised through proximity to nearby business schools, rail stations, and airports–is positively related to scientific research volume and public dissemination (news mentions). While this result is significant only for high-income countries (above EU-average 2018 GDP per capita), this is likely because the low-income countries (below EU-average 2018 GDP per capita) examined here lack a 'critical mass' of well-connected universities to generate observable agglomeration effects. At the country-level, the results indicate that in high-income countries, less prestigious schools benefit from higher rates of recent international immigration from any foreign country, providing a direct policy pathway for increasing research output for universities that aren't already well-known enough to attract the most talented researchers. In low-income countries, recent immigration rates are even stronger predictors of research performance across all levels of institutional prestige; more open immigration policies would likely benefit research performance in these countries to an even greater extent. Finally, the paper's results show that, in low-income countries, a composite measure of a country's quality of life (including self-rated life satisfaction, health, working hours, and housing overcrowding) is positively related to research outcomes through its interaction with school prestige. This suggests that the lower a country's quality of life, the more researchers are incentivised to produce higher levels of research output. While this may in part reflect the greater disparities inherent in these countries' economic systems, it is noteworthy–and perhaps concerning–that we have observed a negative correlation between country-level quality of life and research performance in low-income countries, which is particularly felt by researchers at less prestigious institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedestrian monitoring in crowded areas like train stations has an important impact in the overall operation and management of those public spaces. An organized distribution of the different elements located inside a station will contribute not only to the safety of all passengers but will also allow for a more efficient process of the regular activities including entering/leaving the station, boarding/alighting from trains, and waiting. This improved distribution only comes by obtaining sufficiently accurate information on passengers' positions, and their derivatives like speeds, densities, traffic flow. The work described here addresses this need by using an artificial intelligence approach based on computational vision and convolutional neural networks. From the available videos taken regularly at subways stations, two methods are tested. One is based on tracking each person's bounding box from which filtered 3D kinematics are derived, including position, velocity and density. Another infers the pose and activity that a person has by analyzing its main body key points. Measurements of these quantities would enable a sensible and efficient design of inner spaces in places like railway and subway stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resurgence of passenger flows after the pandemic poses a significant challenge to the safe operation of rail transit. Therefore, adopting the waiting hall of an ultralarge railway station hub as an example, thermal radiation and evacuation simulations were conducted by the Fire Dynamics Simulator and Pathfinder, respectively. Island-style shops, known for their high crowd density and fire load, were defined as fire sources, and the effectiveness of a 6 m wide fire isolation zone was validated via the adoption of the dual-validation model. By comparing the relationships between the total evacuation population after passenger flow recovery and various evacuation parameters, it was shown that passengers were not evenly distributed among the exits in the waiting hall during an emergency, leading to uneven utilization. Furthermore, to gain a comprehensive understanding of the evacuation process under simulated fire conditions, an evacuation simulation involving 10,000 evacuees over a duration of 324.8 s was conducted. This study provides a theoretical basis for optimizing fire emergency evacuation plans for ultralarge railway station hubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double-story high-speed railway stations have become increasingly popular due to their smaller footprint and improved operational efficiency. However, ensuring passenger comfort in such stations requires careful consideration of train-induced vibrations. This study investigates the train-induced vibrations in Beijing Fengtai Railway Station, which is Asia's largest and China's first double-story high-speed railway station. To carry out this work, a vibration source load model and the finite-element model of the station were first established, where the model was verified using field-measured data. Following these, the vibration characteristics of the station under various train passing conditions, including different track positions and train speeds, were investigated numerically in both time and frequency domains. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for the vibration control of the railway stations of the similar modes and scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stuttgart's main station is being completely revised and remodeled as part of the Stuttgart Ulm railway project. The old terminus station is being replaced by an underground through station. The chalice supports are a major design feature of the new platform hall. This article describes how they were designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of high-speed railways (HSR) in China, the level of travel accessibility for residents has improved. While previous research has predominantly concentrated on the accessibility of HSR networks, it is imperative to recognize that the accessibility of HSR services is intrinsically intertwined with the spatial arrangement of HSR stations. The unreasonable location of HSR stations can lead to inequitable problems in service facilities within metropolitan areas. When investigating the accessibility of HSR stations, the road network emerges as the primary conduit for residents' mobility. The spatial variance of the road network manifests not only in divergent spatial densities but also in the traffic conditions across distinct temporal and spatial intervals. Based on the road network and dynamic road conditions, this study proposed a modified two-step floating catchment area method (M2SFCA) by using high-speed railway station location data, the subdistrict office (village and town) data, road network data, and floating car data (FCD). Taking the XZQ Metropolitan Core Area (the metropolitan core area of Xiamen, Zhangzhou, and Quanzhou, China) as an example, this paper analyzed the impact of a newly planned HSR station on the spatial distribution of accessibility in the metropolitan core area. The findings revealed that the newly planned HSR station has led to a substantial 68.18% elevation in overall regional accessibility. Notably, approximately 35% of the population has transitioned from locales with diminished accessibility to regions with heightened accessibility. Furthermore, the HSR station has ameliorated the hitherto uneven spatial distribution of accessibility advantages across the region. Under the limitation of travel time in metropolitan areas, this study explored an accessibility evaluation model based on dynamic traffic data, providing a method for an impartial and equitable evaluation of transportation infrastructure placement within the metropolitan core area. This study shows that the new high-speed railway station will not only improve regional accessibility but also affect the equilibrium degree of the spatial distribution of regional accessibility benefits. It is suggested that the metropolitan area should further build high-grade roads, strengthen transportation network links between urban areas, and improve regional accessibility. At the same time, for areas where the degree of accessibility fairness has declined, it is suggested to increase the energy level and scale of their high-speed railway stations to reduce the dependence of local residents on external high-speed railway stations and improve the convenience of local residents' travel. In addition, this paper improves the accessibility measurement method—2SFCA method. By improving the search carrier of the spatial action domain, the calculation method of road traffic state, and the selection of time threshold, the improved 2SFCA method is more in line with the actual situation, which expands the dynamic space–time analysis ability, improves the accuracy of accessibility calculation, and can more accurately judge the fairness of high-speed railway station construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the ZPW-2000 integrated track circuits with the same standard as those used in the sections are widely used in China's high-speed railway stations, and the platform tracks in some stations adopt one-section track circuits. When the train is received at the station, the sending end of the track circuit of the platform track will face the train and send codes to provide trackside information for the train. If the train comes to a complete stop at the station and changes its direction by activating the cab on the intended end, when the starting signal is not at clear, the train may mistakenly receive the information sent by the track circuit of the adjacent line, and the train will depart from the station incorrectly, resulting in safety problems. In this paper, the method of adding an external relay circuit is proposed, and the timing of the train entering and leaving the platform track is determined by the circuit logic, and the concrete measure for applying train tail complementary code is provided, so that the double-end code sending can be realized after the train enters the track to solve the aforementioned problems. This solution only adds a small number of relays indoors, has no outdoor workload, does not need to change the train control software, and can be adapted to suit individual platform tracks of the station. The adaptation process is easy to implement and has minimal impact on transportation. This scheme can provide reference for the solution of safety protection enhancement for platform tracks equipped with integrated track circuits in high-speed railway stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes the architecture features and functions of GSM-R Macro Site equipment in the existing network as the research object, and demonstrates, through RAMS analysis and engineering tests on the operating network, that the reliability, availability and maintainability of a single set of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) currently in use can be improved by enhancing the redundancy of key modules, so as to reduce the probability of the failures and out-of-service of base stations in the network. Reducing the impact of single-module failures of GSM-R base stations on railway services including CTCS-3, and lowering the maintenance timeliness requirements for BTS module failures along the line, both lay the foundation for the continuous, long-term and stable operation of GSM-R Macro Sites in the network, and provide a solid base for safe and stable railway operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On-demand app-based shared mobility services have created new opportunities for complementing traditional fixed-route transit through transit agencies' efforts to incorporate them into their service provision. This paper presents one of the first studies that rigorously examine riders' responses to a pilot aimed at providing such a transit-supplementing service. The study conducts latent class analysis on riders of the Via to Transit program, a mobility pilot in the Seattle region where on-demand service was offered to connect transit riders to light rail stations. The analysis identifies three distinct rider groups with heterogenous responses to the on-demand service: (1) riders who previously used private cars or ride-hailing; (2) riders who were pedestrians and bikers but switched likely because of safety concern; (3) mostly socio-economically disadvantaged riders who previously relied on the bus, but switched to the new service for the convenience and speed. These results point to rich transportation policy implications, which can inform decision-making by public transit agencies as they are exploring alternative ways to deliver the mobility services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable sensor placement is the premise of station structure health monitoring and the key to obtaining accurate response information. Aiming at the issues such as the fuzzy positioning of the existing sensor strain monitoring points and the lack of placement method, a Python-based optimal sensor placement program for railway station roofs is compiled and developed based on the regulations and model analysis results. The purpose of this program is to assist engineers in more efficiently screening and optimizing the placement of dynamic and static sensors through customized screening limits and intelligent optimization algorithms, thereby avoiding signal interference and cost wastage caused by redundant sensor arrangements and maximizing the coverage and sensitivity of structural response. The results indicate that this program can display the strain monitoring points visually, and clearly show the position of the measuring point along the member direction and its specific coordinates on the member cross section. The issue of fuzzy strain monitoring points in the traditional placement method is effectively solved. Secondly, the program improves the rationality and science of measuring placement and makes up for the shortage of acceleration sensor placement based on experience by using the particle swarm optimization algorithm and minimize modal assurance criterion. Thirdly, the program with a simple operation interface improves the efficiency of sensor screening optimization, meeting the requirements of engineers for the placement of monitoring points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Users of escalators and moving walkways with sufficient space to accommodate two lanes of users often follow an implied etiquette for the two lanes: one for walking and one for standing (in the US, China, and many countries, the convention is "walk left, stand right"). When there is high volume, e.g., when exiting a subway or train station or at the conclusion of an athletic event, the escalators often experience bottleneck congestion that constitutes the primary source of delay. It has been suggested that during such high-congestion periods, it would be more efficient if everyone just stood in both lanes, with empirical evidence used to support this counterintuitive finding. Simple deterministic queueing models are used to show under what conditions such results hold and also to provide further insights regarding tradeoffs between performance metrics as a function of the distribution of walkers and standers, which could inform practical implementation policies to increase efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to compare the pattern of responses obtained by a web-based and a paper-based survey used to investigate the transit safety of travellers in railway stations in Sweden. This aim is achieved by evaluating whether the response and the completion rates change as the surveys progress, assessing the effect of the survey mode on respondents' answers (after controlling for the surveys' internal consistency and differences in the samples), and the potential impact of the order of alternatives in multiple-choice questions on the responses. To carry out the study, a sample of 500 responses was taken from each population and later compared using a series of statistical tests. Findings indicate that despite the surveys' high internal consistency, the prevalence of victimisation, fear of crime, and precautions detected in the web survey was higher than those found in the paper survey. The web survey shows a major drop just after the initial questions, while the paper survey shows a more stable pattern of responses, but was also affected by a single compulsory question that pushed the completion rate down. Finally, the order of alternatives in multiple-choice questions (fixed or random) did not affect the answers given by the respondents, providing a solid base for safety interventions in transit environments, regardless of survey mode. The article concludes by making suggestions for both research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The random movement of occupants in a high-speed railway station results in a more complex indoor environment. In this study, the indoor thermal environment and the thermal comfort in summer were investigated via field measurements and questionnaires in the waiting hall of a high-speed railway station. The results showed that there was an uneven horizontal temperature distribution in the area, and over 30% of the passengers were dissatisfied with the air conditioning system. In order to improve the control of the indoor temperature as well as reduce the energy consumption of the air conditioning system, an improved zonal control strategy and AMPC control optimization algorithm based on real-time people are proposed, and different control strategies are modeled and simulated using MATLAB/Simulink. It is concluded that the improved zonal control method proposed in this paper can save 28.04% of the fan energy consumption compared with the traditional control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: As global urbanization accelerates, effective mobility in metropolitan areas becomes crucial. City transportation systems, often congested, have diverse transit modes and numerous access points. Our study focuses on the transportation accessibility of the various districts within Moscow, a city with a population of over 12 million and covering approximately 900 square kilometers. (2) Methods: The city was divided into 2 km-by-2 km squares, and we used both personal and public transportation data. This allowed us to analyze spatiotemporal mobility patterns, calculating travel times and distances between these defined centroids. Our assessment not only considered transportation to key hubs, such as major train stations, airports, and the city center, but also weighed the integral interconnectedness of individual districts. Various time frames, including morning and evening peak hours and quieter weekend periods, were used. (3) Results: The study pinpointed the most and least convenient districts for various transit options across the city. Our findings underscore the intricacies of daily commuting patterns in Moscow, highlighting bottlenecks and areas for potential infrastructure enhancement. (4) Conclusions: Using Moscow's case, we demonstrated the methodology to better understand and improve strategic urban planning and intelligent mobility solutions, aiming to bolster transportation accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental validation of computational simulations is important because it provides empirical evidence to verify the accuracy and reliability of the simulated results. This validation ensures that the simulation accurately represents real-world phenomena, increasing confidence in the model's predictive capabilities and its applicability to practical scenarios. The use of musculoskeletal models in orthopedic surgery allows for objective prediction of postoperative function and optimization of results for each patient. To ensure that simulations are trustworthy and can be used for predictive purposes, comparing simulation results with experimental data is crucial. Although progress has been made in obtaining 3D bone geometry and estimating contact forces, validation of these predictions has been limited due to the lack of direct in vivo measurements and the economic and ethical constraints associated with available alternatives. In this study, an existing commercial surgical training station was transformed into a sensorized test bench to replicate a knee subject to a total knee replacement. The original knee inserts of the training station were replaced with personalized 3D-printed bones incorporating their corresponding implants, and multiple sensors with their respective supports were added. The recorded movement of the patella was used in combination with the forces recorded by the pressure sensor and the load cells, to validate the results obtained from the simulation, which was performed by means of a multibody dynamics formulation implemented in a custom-developed library. The utilization of 3D-printed models and sensors facilitated cost-effective and replicable experimental validation of computational simulations, thereby advancing orthopedic surgery while circumventing ethical concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses patterns of victimisation and safety perceptions among passengers using railway stations across neighbouring municipalities in Sweden. Exploratory data analysis and logistic regression models underlie the methodology of the study, which shows that the geography of passengers' victimisation differs from the geographical patterns found for the perception of safety. Findings show that passengers' safety perceptions are more affected by the physical and social characteristics of transit environments than passengers' victimisation. Yet, for those who have reduced mobility, the station affects the likelihood of their being victimised. Lack of staff and poor maintenance of the station are two significant attributes associated with the lower levels of safety perceived by passengers as well as levels of crime and panhandling at both the station and on the way to it. Compared with all passengers, women, but in particular those who identify as LGBTQI+ /Non-binary/Other, run a higher likelihood of feeling less safe. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Train traffic is a powerful source of seismic waves, with many applications for passive seismic imaging. Seismic signals were recorded a few metres away from the railway track. These records display harmonious waveforms below 15 Hz for trains driving at speeds of around 100 km hr−1. The sensors record an apparent wavelet emitted by the interaction of the axle on a few of the closest sleepers. From this, we build a simple modelling tool using shifted wavelets to simulate a train signal. The relationship involves the varying train speed, the distances between each axle, and the wavelet emitted by each axle. We propose a nonlinear deconvolution method to invert this relationship. We use a local minimization algorithm with gradients derived by the adjoint state method, and use a frequency continuation technique. A linearized picking-based inversion initializes the nonlinear inversion. On real data, we apply this automatic workflow to 300 train passages, with an excellent match between the best simulation and the data. We identify the trains decelerating as they enter a train station. We also identify the train type based on inverted wheel spacing with centimetric accuracy. The inverted wavelets are consistent with the assumption that trains emit seismic waves by bending the rail above sleepers, although the theory does not explain why the inverted wavelet is not zero phase. This automated kinematic inversion algorithm may allow for contactless railway monitoring, and be used for source characterization for subsurface monitoring below railway tracks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many European cities, railway stations have become urban hubs in which a variety of functions and uses are focused. These include retail, cafés, offices and housing. They are often also complemented by adjacent amenity open space, in both hard and soft landscaping, alongside a broader provision for other modes, such as public transport, walking and cycling. In this sense, large-scale transport hubs resemble small-scale city centres and, like other urban centres, the public space in stations should meet the needs of a wide range of users. The design and management of railway stations is highly complex and the risk of such nodes failing as quality public spaces is significant. In addition, railway stations play a pivotal role in encouraging public transport use and they have the potential to contribute to a modal shift from more polluting transport modes. We argue that the design and management of such spaces is a key variable in the modal choices many travellers make. Based on empirical research across Europe, this paper presents a set of indicators for assessing the quality of railway stations and their adjacent areas and summarizes our research findings to increase the attractiveness of rail journeys through enhanced public spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines Atay's "Railroad Storytellers - A Dream" in terms of Atay's modernist experimentation in his depiction of space and spatiality, emphasising his contribution to Turkish literature as a pioneer modernist author. Oğuz Atay's distinctive and innovative style, which forms his affinities with the early Western modernists such as James Joyce and Virginia Woolf, establishes his significant place as a pioneer modernist author in Turkish literature in the 1970s. The concept of 'house/ home' by Gaston Bachelard in The Poetics of Space (1957, 2014) is instrumental for me as it pertains to the predicament of three storytellers as artists in the nameless and remote railroad station. The narrator of the story and his fellow storytellers gradually sink into disconnection, confusion, misery and poverty in an environment that represents the cold and unwelcoming face of technological modernisation symbolised by the space of the train station. The narrator's quest for finding a 'home' to connect him to his readers and where he could exist as an artist comes to life in his attempt to write a letter to his readers, telling them he is still 'here' and asking them where they are. No matter how blighted that effort is since the narrator has no address to send the letters to, the endings for Atay's story imply a need for connection with his readers expressed in the impossible meeting of the 'here' with the 'where' in spite or because of the estrangement and alienation of the artist/author in the modern world. Hence, the possibility of space as a 'home' for the author/narrator dwindles in the not forthcoming answer to the letter that will never reach its destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes the methodology employed to construct a seismic fragility function based on a pre-existing numerical model tailored for underground stations. Employing a dynamic numerical model, a comprehensive analysis encompassing 110 distinct cases was conducted, each varying in soil depth and classification. Seismic waves, conforming to the standard design spectrum, were utilized within these numerical analyses. The formulation of the fragility function within the constructed model follows a structured approach, segmented by damage indices and severity levels. This systematic breakdown serves to outline the fundamental framework for establishing the fragility function, providing insights into its development process. Subsequently, the derived fragility function underwent a rigorous comparative analysis against established seismic fragility functions from prior studies. This comparative assessment serves as a critical evaluation tool, allowing for an appraisal of the suitability and robustness of the newly developed fragility function in relation to existing benchmarks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen energy, characterized by its high calorific value and sustainability, represents a secondary clean energy source. It is predominantly stored, transported, and utilized through pipeline networks. However, a comprehensive optimization approach for the design for the ground pipeline network of hydrogen storage is currently lacking. This paper embarks on a systematic exploration of the layout, station type and parameter design for the ground pipeline network of hydrogen storage. Addressing various application perspectives, the study constructs two distinct pipeline network structures: the Star-Star Global Optimization Model (SSGO-Model) and the Star-Tree Global Optimization Model (STGO-Model). Three cases are discussed under six different constraint scenarios. These scenarios focus on layout optimization, variable capacity layout optimization, and the overall optimization of layout and parameters. An overall optimization strategy is proposed to solve the models. A detailed analysis of the iteration process, layout schemes, station and pipeline constraints, investment, and flow parameters of the pipeline network in the optimization results is presented. Through systematic analysis, the correctness and effectiveness of the model are verified, demonstrating the variability of optimization results under different topological structures and constraint conditions. Moreover, when conducting integrated optimization, the total investment is minimized, proving its superiority. The findings demonstrate the applicability of these models in guiding the construction for the ground pipeline network of hydrogen storage, thereby fostering the advancement of hydrogen storage technology. Concurrently, this research contributes significantly to the development of hydrogen energy, offering strategic insights and practical solutions for its efficient deployment. • Integrated optimization model for hydrogen storage ground pipeline network. • The model considers layout, station type and parameter design. • Overall optimization strategy is proposed. • Three cases verify optimization model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]