Text 14 . International Railway Organisations
Severe competition from other transport modes made railways establish international railway organisations. Their work is realized within the framework of several institutions.
The UIC or the International Union of Railways was founded in 1922. It promotes cooperation between railways at the world level and carries out activities to develop international rail transport. In order to reach understanding, the UIC has established standard railway terminology and international classification system of locomotives and railway carriages. The Soviet Union was among the founding members of the UIC in 1922. However, the Cold War made the USSR leave the UIC. Nowadays, a special working group has been set up to restart cooperation between JSC Russian Railways and the UIC.
The Community of European Railways and Infrastructure Companies brings together railway undertakings and infrastructure companies from the European Union, Norway, Switzerland and other states. It promotes modern environmentally friendly modes of rail transport systems.
The Union of the European Railway Industries is responsible for design, manufacture, maintenance and reconstruction of rail transport systems. Besides, there are some other interesting international alliances such as international air rail organisations. They develop, build and operate fast rail air links to passengers.
The European Conference of Ministers of Transport is an intergovernmental organisation established in October 1953. Russia joined the ECMT in 1997 and has been its active member ever since. Russian railways is a vital link for Eurasia from East to West, and North to South.
The Coordinating Council on Trans-Siberian Transportation (CCTT) is a non-commercial transport association. Its main purpose is to attract transit cargo to the Trans-Siberian route. Much work of Russian Railways takes place within the framework of the Organisation for Cooperation of Railway Lines (OSLD). Its main aim is to develop international transcontinental freight and passenger transport, and to create a common rail transport space in Eurasia.
Questions for discussion:
1. What made railways establish international railway organisations?
2. What did the UIC work out?
3. What does the UIC promote?
4. What does the Community of European Railways and Infrastructure Companies develop?
5. What does the International Rail Transport Committee implement?
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6. What are the primary tasks of the Union of the European Railway Industries?
7. What are the international air rail organisations responsible for?
8. When was the European Conference of Ministers of Transport established?
9. Why are Russian railways important for Europe and Asia?
10. What is the main aim of OSLD?
Text 15. Information Technology in Railway Service
Railways want to offer new services to customers by making railway trips and ticketing easier. Some railways have modernised their distribution chains by using the Internet or SMS. Their strategy is to provide monetary benefits both to the railway company and to the customers. Railways have created a special gap in the level of prices of tickets delivered in stations and those delivered with the use of the Internet or SMS.
Thus, in Germany prices on tickets purchased on the Internet are 10% lower than for the same tickets delivered in the stations. In France, last minute tickets only accessible by the Internet are sold with a 50% discount. In some European railways the client can reserve a seat and purchase a ticket with a specific SMS message which is sent to the appropriate railway call centre. After having paid for the ticket with a credit card, the customer receives a specific code. This code will be given to the controller of the train who will check its validity with the specific pocket computer. In addition, the client can change or cancel his reservation. Anyway, not all clients can easily be accustomed to new technologies. For this reason, and in order to avoid the clients' annoyance railway authorities create reception areas with hostesses advising people how to use the Internet or SMS for booking.
Russia is also implementing new technologies. The Russian rail system is the most extensive in the world. However, passengers used to purchase their tickets first in order to secure their travel dates. There were no open tickets for Russian trains. People had to buy tickets for a particular train on a certain date.
However, the situation has changed for the better. There are companies in Russia that offer e-booking of railway tickets. They provide easy and fast ticket reservation services. On their websites, travellers can order both electronic and paper tickets. Thus, the travel company “Legend tour”, a partner of Russian railways, performs electronic train ticket reservation service for Russian trains. E-tickets are delivered fast and safe to your email address. When passengers receive their e-tickets they print them and exchange for a boarding pass at the Russian train station.
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An electronic ticket is an electronic version of a regular paper ticket. But it differs from the paper one. Thus, an e-ticket is recorded automatically in several computer databases when a reservation is confirmed. All ticketing systems have access to these databases. Besides, e-tickets require no special blanks. All information is stored in the memory of the databases and is easily transferred between different computers and databases.
Questions for discussion:
1. What do railways want to offer?
2. How are railway distribution chains modernised?
3. What strategy do the railways follow?
4. Why is the price on e-tickets lower than the price on the same tickets delivered in the station?
5. Where can people get a last minute ticket in France?
6. How can clients reserve seats and tickets in Europe?
7. What is given to a client after he has paid for a ticket?
8. How can railway authorities avoid the clients' annoyance?
9. How did Russian passengers usually purchase railway tickets?
10. How does an electronic ticket work?
Text 16. Magnetic Levitation
High-speed railway lines are the answer of railways to the transport market requirements for reduced travel times. One of the most efficient ways to achieve it is the application of maglev systems.
In magnetic levitation trains, the contact between the bearing substructure and the vehicle is avoided. Propulsion is ensured by magnetic phenomena. The bearing substructure is a concrete slab in the shape of an inverted “T” or of a “U”. Suitably located magnets and coils generate the forces required for levitation, propulsion, and guidance. A super-conducting magnet fulfilling these three requirements was constructed.
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Maglev technology was developed in the 1970s in Germany and Japan. During the course of testing the train speeded up 517 km/h. In 1999 speed of 552 km/h was attained.
Maglev system developed in Germany is based on attraction or electromagnetic suspension technology. Japanese invention focuses on repulsion or electrodynamic suspension technology.
In comparison with conventional railways maglev technology has several advantages. Very quiet and energy efficient trains operate at high speeds. There is no wheel-rail friction or loss of traction. Aerodynamic drag is the only resistance to be overcome. Besides, there is no harm from rail, ice or snow. Finally, absence of mechanical contact leads to low maintenance costs.
One of the drawbacks of maglev systems is the necessity to penetrate the city centres.
Maglev systems can overcome steep grades and curve radii at speed of 300 km/h. Magnetic field influence is slight, and does no harm on passengers.
Many projects for maglev applications were planned in the past. The only railway using maglev system is in China. It connects the airport of Shangai with the centre of the city.
Maglev systems represent a very promising technology. They may provide express links of airports with urban areas and between densely populated areas.
Questions for discussion:
1. What caused the appearance of maglev systems?
2. How is propulsion ensured?
3. What is the bearing substructure?
4. When and where was maglev technology developed?
5. What is German maglev system based on?
6. What does Japanese invention focus on?
7. What are the advantages of maglev technology?
8. Is there any drawback of maglev systems? Name it.
9. Magnetic field does no harm on passengers, does it?
10. Where is maglev technology used nowadays?
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