Search

Robustness of higher‐order network (HON) with dependency is different from first‐order network (FON), as the attack orders and the number of iterations are totally different. To measure the robustness of HON with dependency, this study proposed new attack strategies on node and edge failure through measuring the size of the giant component and global efficiency. And two real‐world systems of hazardous materials transportation accident causation system and Chinese high‐speed railway system with different network size were empirically studied. Results show that HON is more fragile to robustness attacks than FON. The number of attack iterations is uncertain in HON, which depends on the attack strategies and the network structure. Meanwhile, nodes and edges with high dependency have greater impacts on network robustness, providing valuable insights into capturing critical information. This study may be helpful to design the robust system, improve the system's reliability and serve as a valuable reference for future exploration of HONs robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Heze section of the Rizhao-Lankao High-Speed Railway (RLHR-HZ) officially began operations in June 2021. Previous studies have shown that the RLHR-HZ crosses two subsidence zones. In this study, we analysed ground displacement along the RLHR-HZ using Sentinel-1A SAR data collected from June 2021 to June 2023, employing both Permanent Scatterer and Distributed Scatterer techniques. The results indicate a reduction in the displacement rate; however, subsidence continues along the RLHR-HZ, with displacement rates ranging from −16 mm/yr to −5 mm/yr. This reduction is likely due to the cessation of mining activities and the replenishment of groundwater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I think with trains to reflect about education, its rhythms, trajectories, and the possibilities that "attentive looking through windows" can afford us in moving toward just futures. Using two of Alfonsina Storni's poems, the yellow train of Cien años de soledad as well as educational philosophy, I argue that trains can shape a way of thinking that serves standardizing purposes; which do not allow us to see the afflictions of the world. At the same time, trains can be a space in which fugitive time practices can be encouraged. By using Simone Weil's notions of attention, I argue that a practice of attention is needed to attend to world afflictions, advance an ethics of the Other, and bring those afflictions to responsive collective spaces. In this line of thinking, trains that both pull together collective discussion and provide windows to look through are necessary. As educators, an essential task is finding ways to pedagogically value the diversity of such "look-through windows" to find collective conversations that disrupt dominant timescapes and reassert humanity for educators and students through attentive practices as acts of love. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the impact of transportation systems in urban areas on economic activity. We examined the effect of traditional Chinese railway construction fencing on urban spatial development using nighttime luminance and railway data from prefecture‐level cities. The study found that the fencing effect exacerbated uneven development on either side of the railway, especially in economically underdeveloped areas. These results were supported by different measures of development and a placebo test. The fencing effect was also found to affect the location of newly registered firms and the total factor productivity of industrial firms, leading to unbalanced growth on either side of the railway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In railway transportation, the evaluation of track irregularities is an indispensable requirement to ensure the safety and comfort of railway vehicles. A promising approach is to directly use vehicle dynamic responses to assess the impact of track irregularities. However, the computational cost of obtaining the dynamic response of the vehicle body using dynamics simulation methods is large. To this end, this study proposes a physics‐informed neural operator framework for vehicle–track spatially coupled dynamics (PINO‐VTSCD) calculation, which can effectively acquire the vehicle dynamic response. The backbone structure of PINO‐VTSCD is established by the branched Fourier neural operator, which features one branch for outputting car body responses and the other branch for estimating the responses of bogie frames, wheelsets, and rails. The relative L2 loss (rLSE) of PINO‐VTSCD under the optimal hyperparameter combination is 4.96%, which is 57% lower than the convolutional neural network‐gated recurrent unit model. Evaluation cases from large‐scale simulations and real‐world track irregularities show that the proposed framework can achieve fast solution in scenarios such as different wavelength‐depth combinations and different wavelength ranges. Compared with the traditional vehicle–track coupled model, the speedup of the PINO‐VTSCD model is 32x. The improved computational efficiency of the proposed model can support many railway engineering tasks that require repetitive calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing effective Through Train Services (TTSs) faces challenges due to complex infrastructure conditions, train performances and passenger demands. To enhance TTSs between two different classes of urban rail transit lines with variations in train speed and capacity, we propose a multi-objective Integer Non-Linear Programming (INLP) model. This model maximizes passenger travel time savings and average train load utilization, and develops an integrated approach to simultaneously optimize the frequencies of through express trains and local trains, as well as the operation zones, stopping patterns and type selection of through trains. Additionally, a Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II is designed to solve the INLP model based on a simple test network and a real-world case from the Nanjing Subway. The unique benefits of our proposed method are demonstrated by a comprehensive compared with the Single Line Operation Mode and the all-stop plans under Through Operation Mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large particle sizes of railway ballast and rock fill have meant that conventional techniques used to measure the small-strain stiffness of finer geomaterials have not been adopted, with the consequence that their stiffnesses are poorly defined. In a series of tests on a UK railway ballast, simple adaptations were made to existing local strain measuring systems to account for the larger particle sizes. The study showed that the small-strain stiffnesses are different in second loading compared to virgin loading, but multiple cycles had little further effect on the stiffness. The large particle size was found rarely to have any detrimental effect on the quality of the strain measurements and the two independent measurements of axial strain taken at diametrically opposite locations were generally as consistent as for finer grained soils. As for other soils, the 'external' measurements of strain across the apparatus platens were of little use in determining stiffness. The presence of water did not have a significant effect on the behaviour, and this was confirmed by inter-particle loading tests on single particle contacts. Despite the use of lubricated end platens, there was a significant barrelling of the sample at large shear strains so that the internal measurement of the volumetric change diverged from the external measurement at large strains. The very small volumetric strains that occurred during isotropic loading meant that each sample could only be used to obtain one measurement of the virgin loading stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, longer and heavier trains have become more common, primarily driven by efficiency and cost‐saving measures in the railroad industry. Regulation of train length is currently under consideration in the United States at both the federal and state levels, because of concerns that longer trains may have a higher risk of derailment, but the relationship between train length and risk of derailment is not yet well understood. In this study, we use data on freight train accidents during the 2013–2022 period from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Rail Equipment Accident and Highway‐Rail Grade Crossing Accident databases to estimate the relationship between freight train length and the risk of derailment. We determine that longer trains do have a greater risk of derailment. Based on our analysis, running 100‐car trains is associated with 1.11 (95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.12) times the derailment odds of running 50‐car trains (or a 11% increase), even accounting for the fact that only half as many 100‐car trains would need to run. For 200‐car trains, the odds increase by 24% (odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.20–1.28), again accounting for the need for fewer trains. Understanding derailment risk is an important component for evaluating the overall safety of the rail system and for the future development and regulation of freight rail transportation. Given the limitations of the current data on freight train length, this study provides an important step toward such an understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic literature survey on diagnostic methods used for railway materials and systems. The authors analyze various railway accident reports, focusing on the types of failures described and their causes. Previous review papers have addressed various aspects of railway systems diagnostics; however, most of the existing research focuses on specific parts of the rail vehicle or subsystems. In contrast, this survey focuses on railway diagnostic systems rather than general diagnostic methods used in mechanical and electrical engineering. The authors classify the types of failures and diagnostic methods that are used in rail transport into two categories: infrastructure and rolling stock. The purpose of this paper is to systematize the types of failure that occur in railway transport systems; identify the state-of-the-art means and methods of diagnostics in railway materials and systems, with particular focus on new research findings; and identify trends and possible research gaps in need of further development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a model to determine the theoretical braking loads for railway tracks. Two braking load studies are reviewed: one by the Office of Research and Experiment Committees and one related to the European specifications for braking load. The maximum braking load of a rail is determined by multiplying wheel load with an appropriate coefficient of adhesion. The maximum braking load is not an input in the current track–structure interaction model. Currently, braking load per meter of track, e.g., 30 kN/m of track, is an input in a track–structure interaction model. Thus, a formula is suggested to convert the maximum braking load into an equivalent braking load per meter of track (kN/m of track). The formula is applied to compute the braking loads that are validated against the observations from Office of Research and Experiment studies and Eurocode values. It is crucial to choose a proper value of coefficient of adhesion to compute the braking load; therefore the coefficient of adhesion is reviewed. A formula is also suggested to determine the extent of the track affected by the braking load. The formulas are applied to both ballasted and direct-fixation track; they demonstrate how the value for braking load per meter of track and the value for affected track length due to braking change with the track form and quality of track maintenance. The extent of the affected track due to braking may be the length of track on the bridge approaches to be included in a track–structure interaction model. The model for determining the theoretical braking loads for railway tracks would be helpful for attaining a better understanding of the braking action of rolling stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine aggregate economic gains in the United States as the railroad network expanded in the nineteenth century. Using data from the Census of Manufactures, we estimate relative increases in county aggregate productivity from relative increases in county market access. In general equilibrium, we find that the railroads substantially increased national aggregate productivity. By accounting for input distortions, we estimate much larger aggregate economic gains from the railroads than previous estimates. Our estimates highlight how broadly-used infrastructure or technologies can have much larger economic impacts when there are inefficiencies in the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem that it is difficult to obtain the explicit expression of the structural matrix in the traditional train-bridge coupling vibration analysis, a combined simulation system of train-bridge coupling system (TBCS) under earthquake (MAETB) is developed based on the cooperative work of MATLAB and ANSYS. The simulation system is used to analyze the dynamic parameters of the TBCS of a prestressed concrete continuous rigid frame bridge benchmark model of a heavy-haul railway. The influence of different driving speeds, seismic wave intensities, and traveling wave effects on the dynamic response of the TBCS under the actions of the earthquakes is discussed. The results show that the bridge displacement increase in magnitude in the lateral direction is more significant than in the vertical direction under the action of an earthquake. The traveling wave effect can significantly reduce the lateral response of the bridge, but it will significantly increase the train derailment coefficient. When the earthquake intensity exceeds 0.2 g, the partial derailment coefficient of the train has exceeded the limit value of the specification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of New Architecture is the property of New Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of New Architecture is the property of New Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of New Architecture is the property of New Architecture Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Accurate prior information of passenger flow demand on high‐speed railway is of great significance for the operation and the management of transportation systems. Various factors in modern social life have caused uncertainty at demand. Recently, individuals are increasingly depending on the online search results when choosing among different transportation modes, services, and destinations, which provide important basic information for forecasting the travel demand. This study employs Baidu search index to assist in capturing volatility of high‐speed railway passenger demands, offering insights into the travel inclinations and travelers' actions. Furthermore, we have given more in‐depth attention and analysis to their residual term accounting for the random nature caused by various factors. To this end, a sophisticated deep analysis mechanism based on data decomposition has been devised to extract and analyze the valuable information concealed within the residuals, so as to enhance the comprehension of the variability inherent in the high‐speed railway passenger flow. Meanwhile, an error correction strategy is implemented for all residual terms to improve further their forecasting accuracy. Experimental results from two real‐world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the developed hybrid approach across several popular evaluation indicators. Therefore, this study can function as a reliable instrument, provide sensible data‐driven guidance for resource allocation and make scientific decisions in the railway industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article traces the fragments and afterlife of the colonial rail as a material object in Tanzania. The rail was a tool for exploitation and proper control of the colony. The rails changed the land. The land was shaped and reshaped to accommodate the rail and aid the colonial project. As the colonial project ended, it marked the start of the demise of the railways and its ultimate abandonment. However, as ruins, the rail has continued affecting people and the Tanzania landscapes in various ways. This article collects fragments and the effects of the rail, both visible and beyond the ruination of the rail itself.Este artigo traça os fragmentos e a vida após a morte da ferrovia colonial como um objeto material na Tanzânia. A ferrovia foi um instrumento de exploração e de controle real da colônia. As estradas de ferro mudaram a terra. A terra foi moldada e remodelada para acomodar as estradas de ferro e auxiliar o projeto colonial. O término do projeto colonial marcou o início do fim da ferrovia e seu abandono definitivo. No entanto, como ruína, a ferrovia continuou afetando as pessoas e as paisagens da Tanzânia de várias maneiras. Este artigo coleta os fragmentos e os efeitos das estradas de ferro, tanto visíveis quanto além da ruína da própria ferrovia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of its inherent properties, the use of thermoplastic composites is expanding in a number of industries, including aerospace, rail transportation, and wind power generation. However, the development of 2D and 3D reinforced thermoplastic composite structures is hampered by the high viscosity and poor wetting of thermoplastic matrices, resulting in their application being mainly limited to nonload‐bearing components. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the technology and current applications of thermoplastic composites, covering materials, preform structures, manufacturing methods, process parameters, performance, and applications. It also provides an outlook on their future development. Highlights: Thermoplastic composite has economic and environmental benefits.Summarized the current technology and application of thermoplastic composites.The manufacturing difficulty is the thermoplastic polymers wet fibers.One promising approach to the issue is prepreg technology.Prepreg technology make 3D thermoplastic composites become possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Track decay rate (TDR), meaning the rate of attenuation of bending waves through the rail, is the most important indicator of a track's dynamic characteristic impacting the rail noise emission. TDR depends on various parameters related to the construction of the track, and it can be increased using rail dampers. These are mechanical devices working on the principle of dynamic absorbers and are attached to the rail. This paper addresses the track with light rails needing improvements to reduce the rail noise emission using a particular rail damper with a mixed damping system (rubber–oil). The bending waves that propagate through the rail, the frequency response function of the rail, and TDR are investigated considering different scenarios regarding the parameters of the track: soft/stiff rail pad, tampered/settled ballast, and sleeper bay. To this end, an analytic model of the track featuring rail dampers consisting of an infinite Timoshenko beam with discrete attached oscillators is used. Numerical results show the possibility to increase TDR of railway track with light rails for both soft/stiff rail pads from 4 to 500 Hz up to 1250–1600 Hz using rail dampers with a mixed damping system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims forward to explain the effect of freight transportation on environmental pollution and to investigate the role played by the usage rates of road and railway transportation modes in this relationship. As an auxiliary problem of the research, it was tried to determine whether there is a threshold value for these types of transportation and what consequences will arise in terms of environmental pollution below and above this threshold. For this purpose, the data of OECD countries for the period 2000–2018 were analyzed with the PSTR method. Analysis results showed a non-linear relationship between freight transportation and environmental pollution and that the road/rail transportation ratio plays an important role in this relationship. The determined threshold value is 68.18% for road freight transport and 29.55% for rail freight transport. Below the determined threshold values, as the amount of cargo transported increases, the rate of carbon emission increase gradually increases in both types of transport. Above the threshold values, road transport increases the rate of increase even more, while rail transport decreases this rate of increase. Within the scope of these results, countries should develop policies to increase the use of railways in freight transport while reducing the use of roads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For 70% low-floor trains on the light rail lines in Changchun, a multi-linkage forced steering device (FSD) is developed aiming at relieving the independently rotating wheelset (IRW) excessive flange wear and improving IRW bogie system running safety on curve line. This FSD employs guiding mode of steering four independently rotating wheels separately in a two-axle bogie, that is, four FSDs are employed to work together to realize the steering of a two-axle bogie. One side of an FSD is connected to the axle of an independently rotating wheel while the other side is attached to the front or rear vehicle body. When train passes through curve, the yaw angle between the IRW bogie and the front or rear carbody drives the linkage system to rotate to guide the independently rotating wheel towards its radial position. The coupled vehicle-track dynamics model for a 6-module single-type low-floor light rail train is developed and simulations of the train passing through tangent and curved tracks with and without FSD proposed are carried out. The results indicate that the FSD can improve the IRW restoring capability on tangent track and curve negotiation performance on whether sharp, medium, or large curved track. For example, passing through a curve with a radius of 200m, the IRW friction work has the biggest drop by 62.07% and the wheelset attack angle is second with a reduction rate of 55.02%. Adopting of larger steering stiffness, smaller steering clearance, and lever ratio greater than the ideal value can guarantee the higher steering ability of FSD. Besides, lower longitudinal stiffness of the trailer primary suspension is recommended because it can also enhance the steering ability of the FSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transportation sector holds a substantial influence on our quality of life and the environment. In contrast to rail transport, road transport carries a heightened risk of environmental and social issues. These include, but are not limited to, congestion, accidents, community segregation and encroachment, air pollution, toxic releases, water and soil pollution, and impacts on wildlife vitality. With the surge in global freight volume, the heavy reliance on road transport and underutilization of railroads will prove inadequate to meet the escalating demand and exacerbate existing environmental and social concerns. Therefore, transportation investment evaluations must comprehensively and consistently consider environmental, social, and economic factors. This study develops a Life-cycle Benefit-Cost Analysis and an accessible tool to capture overall nationwide impacts across various stages of transport infrastructure and equipment life cycles. We compare highways and railroads, considering actual and maximum capacities, to identify the most cost-effective and sustainable investment. Our results show that trucking costs $370.07 per thousand ton-miles, 4.85 times higher than rail at $76.37 per thousand ton-miles. We also highlight further research needed to address the issues of data unavailability, limited metric scope, and computational method limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To lighten the workload of train drivers and enhance railway transportation safety, a novel and intelligent method for railway turnout identification is investigated based on semantic segmentation. More specifically, a railway turnout scene perception (RTSP) dataset is constructed and annotated manually in this paper, wherein the innovative concept of side rails is introduced as part of the labeling process. After that, based on the work of Deeplabv3+, combined with a lightweight design and an attention mechanism, a railway turnout identification network (RTINet) is proposed. Firstly, in consideration of the need for rapid response in the deployment of the identification model on high-speed trains, this paper selects the MobileNetV2 network, renowned for its suitability for lightweight deployment, as the backbone of the RTINet model. Secondly, to reduce the computational load of the model while ensuring accuracy, depth-separable convolutions are employed to replace the standard convolutions within the network architecture. Thirdly, the bottleneck attention module (BAM) is integrated into the model to enhance position and feature information perception, bolster the robustness and quality of the segmentation masks generated, and ensure that the outcomes are characterized by precision and reliability. Finally, to address the issue of foreground and background imbalance in turnout recognition, the Dice loss function is incorporated into the network training procedure. Both the quantitative and qualitative experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is feasible for railway turnout identification, and it outperformed the compared baseline models. In particular, the RTINet was able to achieve a remarkable mIoU of 85.94%, coupled with an inference speed of 78 fps on the customized dataset. Furthermore, the effectiveness of each optimized component of the proposed RTINet is verified by an additional ablation study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of complex system reliability is an area of growing interest, particularly given the diverse and intricate nature of the subsystems and components these systems encompass. Tackling the reliability of such multifaceted systems presents challenges, including component wear, multiple failure modes, the cascading effects of these failures, and the associated uncertainties, which require careful consideration. While traditional studies have examined these elements, the dynamic interplay of information between subsystems and the overarching system has only recently begun to draw focus. A notably understudied aspect is the reliability analysis of complex real-time systems that must adapt to evolving operational conditions. This paper proposes a novel methodology for assessing the reliability of complex real-time systems. This method integrates complex network theory, thus capturing the intricate operational characteristics of these systems, with adjustments to several key complex network parameters to define the nuances of communication within the network framework. To showcase the efficacy and adaptability of our approach, we present case studies on railway and maritime systems. For the railway system, our analysis spans various operational scenarios: from single train operations to simultaneous operations across multiple or different radio block center regions, accounting for node and edge failures. In maritime systems, the case studies employing the VHF data exchange system under operational scenarios are subject to network reliability analysis, successfully pinpointing critical vulnerabilities and modules of high importance. The findings of our research are promising, demonstrating that the proposed method not only accurately evaluates the overall reliability of complex systems but also identifies the pivotal weak points—be it modules or links—warranting attention for system enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The frequency domain measurement of radiated emissions from electric railways (from 9 kHz up to 150 kHz) has been omitted from the main part of the relevant standard (lack of repeatability and reproducibility of the results is mentioned as the reason). This paper describes the radiated emissions measured from three electric trains to emphasize the importance of the suitable time length selection (by comparing specific durations of the recorded data: 1 min and 5 min) and the influence of calculation methods of the resultant spectrum in frequency domain (RMS, mean, and Max of spectrum). The results revealed the requirement of unique definitions for pre-, during-, and post-measurement factors so that the repeatable and reproducible results could be achieved. The prerequisites for having less uncertain results are as follows: (1) pure background measurement (in energized and de-energized state of the catenary); (2) precoordinated operation mode, speed, and power of the train during the measurement; (3) precise details of the analysis step. A unique analysis method is required (to be clearly elaborated in the relevant standards) to obtain comparable results between different working groups engaged with the radiated-emission measurements from a train in a frequency range of 9 kHz to 150 kHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Where pedestrian crossings meet rail tracks, a flange gap allows the train wheel flanges to pass. This gap can be hazardous for wheelchair users as castor wheels may become trapped. While compressible gap fillers can eliminate the flange gap, fillers are subject to wear, pose a derailment hazard to light rail vehicles and can strip grease from passing wheels. These issues could be mitigated by partially filling the flange gap with a compressible filler. The aim was to investigate the risk of entrapment and ease of extraction of wheelchair castors from flange gaps fully and partially filled with compressible fillers, and assess ride quality. Materials and methods: Entrapment risk and ease of extraction for four wheelchairs were tested at various crossing angles with flange gap fillers. Twelve wheelchair users tested ease of extraction and ride quality for partially and fully filled flange gaps. Results: It was found that risk of entrapment is low if a standards-compliant crossing with open flange gaps is traversed in a straight line. However, castors can become trapped if the user alters direction to avoid an obstacle or if the crossing surface is uneven. Once trapped, castors are extremely difficult to remove without external assistance. Conclusions: Flange gap fillers that reduce the gap to 10 mm or less eliminate entrapment while retaining acceptable ride quality. Filling flange gaps or leaving a residual gap depth of less than 10 mm is the best option to eliminate risk of entrapment and ensure good ride quality for wheelchair users. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION: Rail crossings flange gaps pose an entrapment hazard for wheelchair users Partial or complete flange gap fillers may reduce entrapment but require research Rehabilitation professionals need to educate wheelchair users on techniques to cross flange gaps safely Consumers and health professionals can consult rail operators to partially fill flange gaps [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interactions between high-speed rail (HSR) and air transportation systems constitute a complex, evolving integral component of our modern transportation landscape. Over recent decades, changes in travel patterns and growing environmental concerns, spurred by advancements in railway technology, have significantly influenced the dynamics of these two transportation modes. While previous reviews on this subject have provided seminal insights, there is a necessity for a novel synthesis of research findings in recent years, given that extant reviews have covered the evolving landscape until the year 2018 only. This review critically evaluates the latest literature to analyze five aspects regarding air/HSR interactions: Modal integration/modal competition, bi-directional impacts, emission aspects, robustness/resilience perspectives, and some other related work. In addition, we propose a set of ten challenging research questions, highlighting the need for concerted research efforts, considerations of more practical decision factors, and evidence-based policy making to foster a sustainable and resilient integration of air/HSR systems in the 21st century. • We review interactions between high-speed rail and air transportation. • Our baseline are four surveys in the extant literature. • Papers published since the year 2018 are focus of our investigation. • We conclude with a discussion of ten unique challenges for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What effect did infrastructure expansion have on state coercive capacity? A growing body of literature ties infrastructure—particularly for communication and transportation—to increased state capacity and control. Yet, the same infrastructure that extends the reach of the state simultaneously alters local contexts in ways that may unravel social control and enable resistance to state-led coercion. Drawing on novel time series cross-sectional data on draft evasion in French West Africa—a measure of resistance to coercive policies—this article demonstrates that railway expansion did not neatly increase the colonial regime's ability to monitor the population and effectively extract conscripts. Railway infrastructure disrupted many of the economic and social conditions that enabled coercion, including legibility and local compliance. Railways drove displacement and urbanization, altered opportunity costs and incentivized everyday resistance, and opened possibilities for exit. By heightening mobility and undermining conditions of social control, railroads were associated with higher draft evasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on the insufficient passenger demand during off-peak periods in urban rail transit, a new train operation mode with flexible train composition considering trains couple/decouple at intermediate stations is proposed. An optimized two-phase nonlinear model is formulated in order to design a periodic train schedule, where train headways remain constant over a specific period. This model takes into account the flexible train composition. The objective function aims to minimize total passenger waiting time and train operating costs while considering constraints such as maximum line passing capacity, passenger flow demand, and the number of train units in the composition. Linearization techniques are applied to convert nonlinear constraints into linear equivalents, and the CPLEX solver is employed to solve the model. An illustrative real-case example is presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model. The results demonstrate that the operation mode with flexible train composition during off-peak periods offers significant advantages over traditional train composition modes, including single train routes, long-short train routes, and multiple train compositions. This mode enables better alignment between passenger demand and capacity, reduces operating costs, and enhances passenger service levels. The proposed operation mode is particularly suitable for urban rail transit lines with low passenger demand but requiring high passenger service, such as suburban lines or common lines during off-peak periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transportation of goods in South Sulawesi remains predominantly reliant on road networks, with truck transport playing a central role in the region's logistics. Despite the introduction of rail infrastructure, its effectiveness as an alternative freight transportation mode has not been comprehensively evaluated. This study assesses the reliability, costefficiency, and environmental impact of both truck and rail transport along the Makassar-Parepare route, employing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The findings reveal that road transport demonstrates superior reliability and operational flexibility, with trucks offering lower transportation costs at IDR 404 per ton-kilometre, compared to IDR 511 per ton-kilometre for rail. However, rail transport exhibits increasing cost efficiency over longer distances, particularly beyond 360 kilometres. A modal shift of 30% from trucks to rail has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 22.6%, contributing to environmental sustainability through a 29.5% reduction in fuel consumption. These results highlight the need for an integrated approach to transport infrastructure development, where economic, environmental, and social dimensions are holistically addressed. Future efforts to enhance rail infrastructure could provide significant long-term benefits by alleviating road congestion and supporting sustainable freight transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 1886 MW 7.3 Charleston, South Carolina, earthquake, three railroads emanating from the city were exposed to severe shaking. Expansion joints in segmented railroad tracks are designed to allow railroad infrastructure to withstand a few parts in 10,000 of thermoelastic strain. We show that, in 1886, transient contractions exceeding this limiting value buckled rails, and transient extensions pulled rails apart. Calculated values for dynamic strain in the meizoseismal region are in reasonable agreement with those anticipated from the relation between strain and moment magnitude proposed by Barbour et al. (2021) and exceed estimated tectonic strain released by the earthquake by an order of magnitude. Almost all of the documented disturbances of railroad lines, including evidence for shortening of the rails, can thus be ascribed to the effects of dynamic strain changes, not static strain. Little or no damage to railroads was reported outside the estimated 10-4 dynamic strain contour. The correspondence between10-3 and 2 × 10-4 contours of dynamic strain and Mercalli intensity 9 and 8, anticipated from the dependence of each quantity on peak ground velocity, suggests it may be possible to use railroad damage to quantitatively estimate shaking intensity. At one location, near Rantowles, -20 km west of Charleston, a photograph of buckled track taken one day after the earthquake has been cited as evidence for shallow dextral slip and has long focused a search for a causal fault in this region. Photogrammetric analysis reveals that the buckle was caused by transient contraction of <10 cm with no dextral offset. Our results further weaken the evidence for faulting in the swamps and forests south of the Ashley River in 1886, hitherto motivated by the photograph and limited macroseismic evidence for high-intensity shaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the railway line from Lahat to Lubuklinggau uses the R.42 rail type with a crossing power capacity of 2,106 > 5,106 tons/year. An increase in road class is needed to increase crossing capacity. This research aims to determine the feasibility and impact of upgrading the rail type from R.42 to R.54 to improve the operational efficiency and safety of the Lahat-Lubuklinggau railway line. In this study, the author uses the railway loading method using the beam on the elastic foundation (BoEF) concept to calculate rail permit voltage to ensure that the capacity of the railroad can accommodate the load of railway traffic. The study results in show that with the upgrade of the railroad class to class III with the R.54 rail type, this line can transport a load of 5,924,001.60 tons/year, an increase from 1,838,390.40 tons/year. In addition, the track with the R.54 rail type also meets the requirements for trains with the largest load, considering that the allowable voltage (1,097.18 kg/cm²) is smaller than the previous rail allowable voltage (1,738.14 kg/cm²). It is estimated that the R.54 rail type has a life resistance of 16-17 years against crossing power without the Babaranjang train and for 9-10 years against crossing power with the Babaranjang train for the coming year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Metro stations have become a crucial aspect of urban rail transportation, integrating facilities, equipment and pedestrians. Impractical physical layout designs and pedestrian psychology impact the effectiveness of an evacuation during a metro fire. Prior research on emergency evacuation has overlooked the complexity of metro stations and failed to adequately consider the physical heterogeneity of stations and pedestrian psychology. Therefore, this study aims to develop a comprehensive evacuation optimization strategy for metro stations by applying the concept of design for safety (DFS) to an emergency evacuation. This approach offers novel insights into the management of complex systems in metro stations during emergencies. Design/methodology/approach: Physical and social factors affecting evacuations are identified. Moreover, the social force model (SFM) is modified by combining the fire dynamics model (FDM) and considering pedestrians' impatience and panic psychology. Based on the Nanjing South Metro Station, a multiagent-based simulation (MABS) model is developed. Finally, based on DFS, optimization strategies for metro stations are suggested. Findings: The most effective evacuation occurs when the width of the stairs is 3 meters and the transfer corridor is 14 meters. Additionally, a luggage disposal area should be set up. The exit strategy of the fewest evacuees is better than the nearest-exit strategy, and the staff in the metro station should guide pedestrians correctly. Originality/value: Previous studies rarely consider metro stations as sociotechnical systems or apply DFS to proactively reduce evacuation risks. This study provides a new perspective on the evacuation framework of metro stations, which can guide the designers and managers of metro stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The People's Republic of China ("P.R.C.") is in selective default for refusing to pay back private investors from the Hukuang Railway Bond default of 1911. The P.R.C. is the successor government to the Republic of China ("R.O.C.") and Qing Dynasty. This Comment argues that though it is the successor government, the P.R.C. retains the legal rights and obligations of the former government and is the legal inheritor of these debts. This Comment takes this syllogism one step further and argues that the successor government doctrine is customary international law--applying the lessons from the Russian bond default of 1918. Finally, this comment argues that because the successor government doctrine is customary international law, the P.R.C. is in violation of the 1980 U.S.-Sino investment treaty. This Comment recommends that the U.S. government purchase the debt from private investors and force the P.R.C. to arbitration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK rail network is subject to costly disruption due to the operational effects of adhesion variation between the wheel and rail. Causes of this are often environmental introduction of contaminants that require a wide‐scale approach to risk mitigation such as defensive driving or rail‐head maintenance. It remains an open problem to monitor the real‐time status of the network to optimise resources and approaches in response to adhesion problems. This article presents an on‐vehicle monitoring method designed to estimate the coefficient of friction by processing data from on‐board sensors of typical rail passenger vehicles. This approach uses a multi‐body physics analysis of a target vehicle to create estimators for both creep force and creep, allowing a curve fitting approach to estimate the coefficient for friction from the creep curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cotton Textile Technology is the property of Cotton Textile Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The straddle-type monorail is an electric-powered public vehicle widely known for its versatility and ease of maintenance. The finger-band is a critical connecting structure for the straddle-type monorail, but issues such as loose bolts are inevitable over time. Manual inspection is the primary method for detecting bolt looseness in the finger-band, but this approach could be more efficient and resistant to missed detections. In this study, we conducted a straddle-type monorail finger-band-anomaly-monitoring experiment using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS), a distributed multi-point-monitoring system widely used in railway monitoring. We analyzed track vibration signals' time-domain and frequency-domain characteristics under different monorail operating conditions. Our findings revealed the following: 1. DAS can effectively identify the monorail's operating status, including travel direction, starting and braking, and real-time train speed measurement. 2. Time-domain signals can accurately pinpoint special track structures such as turnouts and finger-bands. Passing trains over finger-bands also results in notable energy reflections in the frequency domain. 3. After the finger-band bolts loosen, there is a significant increase in vibration energy at the finger-band position, with the degree of energy increase corresponding to the extent of loosening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of today's inland freight transport in Switzerland is operated on the road system. In this study, an innovative agent-based simulation approach is developed to investigate the potential shift from road to rail. In a first step, future freight demand for inland road transport is calculated based on official governmental forecasting tools provided by ARE (Bundesamt für Raumentwicklung, Switzerland). In a second step, the agent-based simulation framework Multi-Agent Transport Simulation (MATSim) is used to investigate different supply concepts and estimate the mode shift effect from "road-only" to "intermodal road and rail transport". The simulated transport supply consists of the road network, the rail network, the cargo rail schedule, and the terminals where containers are loaded from Heavy Goods Vehicles to cargo trains and vice versa. For both, the road and rail system, dynamic queuing effects are explicitly taken into consideration. The illustrative case study for Switzerland reveals that intermodal road/rail transport provides a great potential to reduce road traffic. From the users' point of view, switching from road to intermodal transport yields an average cost reduction of 46%. Even without any optimization of the transit schedule and terminal capacities, a significant trip share of 23% is shifted from road to intermodal transport. Both train and terminal capacities as well as the number of train departures per origin destination relation are limiting factors and have a crucial impact on the demand for intermodal transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Application as a decision-support tool in the management of level crossings. Railway level crossings pose risks to both train passengers and road users, worsened by the complex interaction between rail and road traffic, particularly on local railways. This study introduces a Risk Management (RM) framework designed to enhance safety at level crossings on local railways by providing a decision-support tool. By individually assessing risk factors, the framework allows for a precise evaluation of the current risk levels in terms of both Cumulated and Individual Risk levels, Individual Risk, and the impacts of potential modifications. The framework allows the quantitative assessment of risk and resource optimization, enabling infrastructure managers to identify high-risk crossings and select the most effective safety interventions. The framework was applied to 96 level crossings on an Italian local railway line, demonstrating its ability to support decision-making for targeted interventions as well as broader network-level actions, significantly improving system safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rack railway system, driven by the meshing of vehicle gears and ground racks, overcomes the limitations of wheel-rail adhesion and offers advantages such as strong climbing ability, environmental sustainability, and low operational costs. These factors made it a key focus for rail transit construction in mountainous areas. The mountain rack railway system in China is still in its infancy, and technical standards for rack railway vehicles have yet to be fully established. Compared to traditional wheel-rail vehicles, rack railway vehicles exhibit significant differences. In order to clarify the particularity and top-level indicators of mountain rack railway tourism vehicles, this study analyzed the features of mountain tourist rail transportation. Based on the progress of domestic mountain rack railway tourism projects, the study identified specific vehicle requirements in terms of steep-slope operation, transitions between steep and gentle slopes, axle load, and sightseeing performance. The adaptability of meter gauge and standard gauge tracks in mountain tourism railways was studied, particularly how track gauge influences vehicle structure, clearance, and track structure. It was clarified that meter gauge tracks should be prioritized for routes with lower traffic volumes. A technical specification system was proposed, with three standard vehicle widths: 2. 65 m, 2. 5 m, and 2. 3 m. The corresponding vehicle dimensions and passenger capacities were specified. Train formations were proposed with capacities ranging from 486 to 7 320 passengers per hour. Additionally, an analysis of rack railway line characteristics indicated that the traction and braking performance of rack railway tourism vehicles should be between the levels of high-speed railway vehicles and urban rail transit vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With railway route selection as the research objective from the perspective of dual-carbon economy, this paper analyzed domestic and international research on railway carbon emissions and route design. It elaborated in depth on the mechanisms and approaches of railway carbon emissions at different stages and highlighted the important role of route selection in reducing railway carbon emis-sions. Based on policies and the current situation of railway development in China, this paper explored ways to achieve carbon neu-trality. Additionally, new requirements for railway route selection design under the dualcarbon goals were analyzed. For railway route selection design under carbon constraints, principles based on carbon reduction and low-carbon targets were proposed. The study investigated key aspects of route selection design and conducted a technical-economic comparison focused on carbon reduction and low-carbon targets, offering suggestions. The results revealed that railway route selection affects carbon emissions in both the construction and operation stages. Therefore, carbon emissions should be included in technical-economic evaluations. At the same time, in-depth research and technical-economic analyses should be conducted based on technical standards, spatial positioning of routes, and the distribution of different structures along the route. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of track plane design parameters plays an important role in the construction of testing and operational lines for rack railways. On the basis of the calculation principles of standard gauge railway lines, combined with the matching relationship between meter-gauge vehicles and tracks, a preliminary study on the key design parameters of the rack railway track plane was conducted using vehicle dynamics theory. By comparing with standard gauge railways and summarizing relevant parameter values from domestic and international specifications, the calculation formulas and control indicators of the curve radius and the transition curve length for the rack railway were obtained. The results showed that for a rack railway with a maximum design speed of 120 km/ h on adhesion sections and 40 km/ h on rack sections, the minimum curve radius for the adhesion section could be set at 900 m under normal conditions and 750 m under difficult conditions. For rack sections, the minimum curve radius could be 350 m under normal conditions and 300 m under difficult conditions. The transition curve length for adhesion sections should be selected according to the curve radius, while the minimum transition curve length for rack sections should be 20 m. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]