trains
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North America’s first hydrogen-powered train debuts in Canada
This summer, North America’s first hydrogen-powered train began traveling across the Canadian countryside. The French passenger train is a short-term demonstration, running through the end of September, that aims to spark adoption in Canada and the US. “I think the most important thing that’s going to come out of it is people’s awareness and comfort with the technology,” Robert Stasko, executive director of Ontario’s Hydrogen Business Council, told CBC News.
The first fully hydrogen-powered passenger train service is now running in Germany
Alstom's Coradia iLint trains only emit steam and condensed water.
Uber tests train and bus bookings in the UK
As it promised earlier this year, Uber is testing bus and train travel options in the UK via a partnership with Germany's travel platform Omio.
Uber plans to add train, bus and flight bookings to its UK app
Uber is planning to add travel booking via flights, trains and more in the UK this year to expand its ride-hailing business.
In the face of COVID-19, one hyperloop company is making friends
The company has announced major partnerships with Capgemini, Ferrovial and Hitachi, big names in the world of legacy rail and infrastructure.
Germany's national rail operator will experiment with hydrogen trains
Germany’s national rail operator Deutsche Bahn has announced that it’s developing a hydrogen-powered train with an eye to replacing diesel trains.
Panasonic built a vacuum to rescue AirPods from train tracks
Working with Japan’s JR East rail group, Panasonic has developed a cordless vacuum device that can quickly nab a stray pair of wireless earbuds.
MTA spends $1 million to test disinfecting NYC subways with UV light
MTA invests $1 million in UV light devices to disinfect trains, subways and buses.
How AI helped upscale an antique 1896 film to 4K
When the 50-second silent short film L'Arrivée d'un train en gare de La Ciotat premiered in 1896, some theatergoers reportedly ran for safety at the sight of a projected approaching train, thinking that a real one would burst through the screen at any moment, Looney Tunes-style. A wild thought, given the blurry, low-resolution quality of the original film. Thankfully those panicky cinephile pioneers never saw the AI-enhanced upscaled version released by Denis Shiryaev, or they would have absolutely flipped their lids.
After Math: 'Musked' opportunities
It was a week of near misses and closer hits than the tech industry probably would have wanted. Amazon's Alexa "accidentally" recorded more than a few customers' private conversations, Apple's iPhones turned out to be bendier than anticipated, and that PUBG chicken dinner of yours wound up being harder fought than anybody had previously thought.
Amazon TV shows are hopping aboard Eurostar trains
Thanks to our need for constant amusement, whether you're on a plane, train or automobile, these days you never have to look at a rubbish book again. The Eurostar high-speed train network has had a bring-your-own-device entertainment service of its own for a while now, but a new partnership with Amazon means Prime Video-exclusive TV shows are joining that catalog. Provided you've hopped onto one of Eurostar's newer e320 trains, you can connect to the on-board WiFi, load up the Eurostar app and you'll find shows like The Grand Tour, Transparent and Man in the High Castle ready for streaming. And whether you're going from London to Paris or Brussels to Lille, there'll be something on there to keep the kids quiet for an hour, too.
Germany's future trains have digital cars with game consoles
The impending era of driverless rides could prove disruptive for traditional modes of public transport. But, Germany's state-owned railway company thinks it has a solution, and it sounds like a lot of fun -- especially for gamers. It just unveiled plans for a new train complete with a digital coach that packs TVs and game consoles. Deutsche Bahn's "Ideenzug" ("Idea Train") will also boast gym equipment and a play area for kids. The railway firm envisions the project as a way to keep pace with, and even overtake, self-driving cars. (If it thinks autonomous vehicles are a scary prospect, wait till it learns of the Hyperloop).
ICYMI: How to banish drones, fast levitating train and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-150144{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-150144, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-150144{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-150144").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: A startup plans to detect and disable any drone flying within range of its proprietary system with a planned launch date later this year. The US Air Force beat its own magnetic levitation speed record at 633 miles per hour. Researchers developed e-skin that can track blood oxygen content and heart rate, displaying on LEDs. We are smitten with this commuter bike car from Sweden so please check it out. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Japan and trains: The love affair
Snowfall causing train delays is nothing new. In the UK, where I'm from, this happens with hilarious, infuriating regularity. But last week, the first snow of 2016 brought Tokyo's central railway lines and Metro to a halt: hour-long delays between stations normally located minutes apart, packed platforms and a lot of complaints. That's because Japan's railway system typically works flawlessly, from the immaculately clean trains that service the distant southern isles of Japan to the experimental high-speed, floating maglev cars that might hit 372 miles per hour. If you love trains, you'll love Japan. And I just love them.
Pepper the robot's latest job is in a train station
When it's not vaguely talking up Nescafe coffee or or telling you about a Japanese phone carrier's excellent data packages, Pepper the robot is in France, working at a train station. Starting this month in three stations, Aldebaran's humanoid 'bot will welcome guests both departing and arriving, offering train timetable information, as well as local tourist information. Three of the wide-eyed automatons will help staff French train stations for three months, ending mid-March 2016 when the French National Railway Company (SNCF) will decide whether to install Peppers in other regional stations. The robot will even (attempt to) collect those customer satisfaction surveys that we all loathe. But when it's administered by a robot, perhaps we'd be more likely to respond.[Image credit: Wikipedia, Quoique]
Most US rail operators won't meet deadline for train safety controls
According to a US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, as many as 70 percent of rail operators won't meet the end of the year deadline for safety controls. Operators are legally required to install positive train control (PTC) systems that slow trains traveling too fast (based on location) by the end of the year. The GAO says that only five rail companies will meet the December 31st deadline to have the safety tech in place. An automatic train control (ATC) system was only installed in one direction on the section of track where an Amtrak train derailed near Philadelphia earlier this year. As you might expect, the safety feature may have prevented that accident entirely by automatically adjusting the train's speed for that portion of the route. [Image credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
US and Chinese firms agree on high-speed rail plan from LA to Vegas
Pledge agreements aren't the only deals being inked ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping's first official state visit to the US. A consortium led by China Railway Group has come to terms with America's XpressWest Enterprises LLC to jointly build and operate a high-speed rail link running between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. The project has already cleared its environmental impact study, obtained all of the necessary DoT licensing and right-of-way approvals, and is ready to begin building as soon as next September. China Railway has already put up $100 million in initial capital. According to China Railway, the route will span 230 miles between Las Vegas and Los Angeles proper. XpressWest's website, however, claims the tracks will stop in Victorville, California, 85 miles outside of LA, and 55 miles closer to its destination.
UK to trial automatic refunds for shoddy train service
Everyone reading this will have been inconvenienced by a delayed train at some point, if not frequently, but it's unlikely you went to the bother of seeking compensation. Probably because noting down the length of the delay and filling out a refund form at a ticket office or online seems more trouble than it's worth for a few quid. Railways Minister Claire Perry thinks it's high time the process was simplified, which is why she's proposing a new system that would refund passengers for delayed or cancelled trains automatically. As The Times reports, up to 90 percent of affected passengers don't chase compensation, resulting in as much as £100 million going unclaimed each year. Refund policy was changed a few months ago so passengers could request cash instead of vouchers, and under Perry's plan, those entitled to a refund would see money owed automatically deposited into their bank account, or added to their smart ticket balance.
Anti-graffiti device nabs taggers by sniffing their fumes
Australian taxpayers spent a whopping $34 million last year to remove graffiti from Sydney's commuter trains. To combat this urban blight, the Australian Department of Transport is rolling out an electronic "nose" that alerts authorities in real-time. This device, dubbed "the mousetrap", activates when it detects paint marker and spray-can aerosols. It then immediately engages a closed circuit recording of the crime before alerting the police, who pick up the perp at the next stop. The program has already undergone viability testing and, according to CBC News, has caught 30 vandals red-handed. Sydney Trains, the government-owned rail company that operates the region's commuter lines, hasn't disclosed how many of the devices will be deployed, only that they'll be swapped between service lines at random intervals. [Image credit: New South Wales Police Force/Australia Broadcasting Corporation]
Supersonic air keeps train tracks clear when weather sucks
Unlike forest fires, you personally can't do much to stop trainwrecks. With that in mind, the folks over at General Electric took a break from tracking your brain on BBQ and devised a way to keep one of the oldest forms of powered-transport on track in adverse weather conditions. You see, the Ardennes Forest in Belgium is legendary for its inhospitable conditions and to sidestep them and the mountains, trains were taking a longer, flatter and more expensive route. That wasn't too economical. So, GE implemented what it calls the Advanced Rail Cleaner for trains on the route. Essentially, the ARC is a module that sits at a precise spot ahead of the front axle and uses high-pressure air (rather than lasers) moving at supersonic speeds to clear away any moisture and debris.
