Worldwide, governments and private companies are attempting to improve passenger transport in response to growing populations and the need to cut carbon emissions. For several countries, train travel is the best mode of transport for moving people quickly and sustainably from A to B.
The development of electric metro systems has helped cities around the globe provide low-emissions urban commuter transport and reduce the number of cars on the roads, while high-speed, long-distance routes have helped provide an alternative to flying. Greater innovations are being seen in train travel year after year, from 3D-printed railway stations to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to boost efficiency and the rollout of autonomous trains.
#1 .The First 3D-Printed Railway Station
In March, West Japan Railway (JR West) and its partner Serendix assembled, what they call, the world’s first 3D-printed train station. Located in the southern prefecture of Wakayama, 60 miles south of Osaka, the station replaced an ageing wooden complex at the existing Hatsushima Station. The building consists of a minimalist white shed under a curved roof, with structural components prefabricated with 3D-printing technology before being transported to the site to be assembled in just two and a half hours.
Serendix has become known for building houses using 3D printing technology. JR West hopes the project will help it understand the potential for “sustainable building materials and cutting-edge technologies” for other regions in the future. The company explained, “With Japan facing a declining and ageing workforce, introducing innovative technologies such as 3D printing will facilitate the modernization of railway infrastructure planning.”
The station building is expected to open in July. It measures 2.6 meters tall, 6.3 meters wide, and 2.1 meters deep and is reinforced with concrete and steel. JR West estimates that using 3D printing technology helped cut construction costs by around 50 percent. The fast speed of construction also helped avoid costly closures at the station.
#2. AI to Boost Efficiency
Train companies worldwide are incorporating AI into their operations to help boost efficiency. A 2024 report entitled The Journey toward AI-enabled railway companies, by the International Union of Railways and McKinsey, assessed the potential for adopting analytical AI and gen AI in the rail industry. The report found that railway companies had already started to implement various AI technologies for around 20 key use cases and suggested that greater adoption could unlock an estimated $13 billion to $22 billion in impact a year, globally. The report suggests there are over 100 potential AI uses for rail.
Some of the ways that AI is expected to improve railways is in the optimisation of train schedules, reduction of energy consumption, and enhancement of overall operational efficiency. Predictive analytics will also enable rail operators to anticipate maintenance needs, significantly reducing downtime and improving safety.
#3. Autonomous Trains
Driverless train technology has come leaps and bounds in recent years, with several cities launching different levels of autonomation on their train networks. An autonomous train can run and brake using an autopilot system, using the signalling orders and timetable as a guide. Autonomous trains can run with or without a driver present and certain urban driverless train networks have been around for over 30 years.
In 2024, Copenhagen in Denmark upgraded its S-bane network to transform the city’s 170-km-long railway into the world’s largest automatic urban railway system. The system has been operational since the 1930s and provides a highly trafficked passenger service, connecting the city centre with the suburban zones. The system now uses Siemens Mobility’s Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) technology to provide the highest level of train automation, allowing trains to operate entirely without human intervention, using advanced sensors, artificial intelligence, and comprehensive communication systems.
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the national rail company NS is working with Spanish train manufacturer CAF to conduct trials with self-driving trains. In 2024, the two companies completed a successful test by running an autonomous train near the Dutch city of Groningen, showing promise for the future of the country’s national rail network.
In Japan, the East Japan Railway Company (JR East) plans to introduce automated functionality to the ultra-high-speed Shinkansen trains. The first self-driving bullet trains are expected to be operational by as early as 2029. The first stage of the initiative will include the running of automated trains on a 37-mile rail line between Nagaoka Station and Niigata Station in the west of the country. Initially, the company will put a driver in the cockpit, but it hopes to roll out completely driverless trains by the mid-2030s.
There is a wide range of innovative technologies being deployed in various countries around the globe aimed at improving train travel. As several countries try to improve passenger transport to boost efficiency and reduce emissions, greater innovation across various aspects of train transport is making this possible.
By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com
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