STATIONS

Improving Safety at Stations

Barry Eagle, founder and CEO at GripClad leans on his experience of making train stations safer over the past 20 years to provide insight to current rail professionals

BUSINESS NEWS

MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM INNOTRANS

Hitachi Rail’s new ‘Blues Train’, one of the most advanced trains in the world, was unveiled in Berlin at the world’s largest rail transport fair, InnoTrans. Built for Trenitalia, the cutting-edge battery hybrid train will reduce carbon emissions and fuel consumption by 50 per cent and has the ability to arrive at and depart from stations completely under battery power. The train will be the first ever ‘tri-mode’ (using battery, electric and diesel power) fleet to enter passenger service in Europe, later this year.

Alstom under the umbrella of its brand identity, Mobility by Nature, presented its latest innovations and digital solutions that enable sustainable mobility for customers and greener transport choices for passengers.

With the broadest and most innovative portfolio of green solutions in the industry, Alstom is focused on decarbonising mobility. Green traction solutions, including Alstom’s latest fuel cell technology, hydrogen, battery pack and fuel cell solutions for new trains, as well as green re-tractioning options for existing fleets, will be a highlight.

Liebherr presented a representative of its new generation of railroad excavators from the construction machinery sector. The company has been producing powerful and highquality railroad excavators since 1967. These can be used both on the road and in rail transport. There they carry out, for example, work related to the maintenance or renewal of rail systems as well as the laying of track infrastructures. In the components product segment, the company presented the horizontal version of the D966H engine with 13 litres displacement, which was specially developed for railcars. This combustion engine, which is being presented in its diesel version, is HVO-capable. Currently, the engine technology is being further developed for use with hydrogen.

D966H ENGINE WITH 13 LITRES DISPLACEMENT

Securing National Infrastructure

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LPCB Security Housings, Doors, Bar-sets, Cages and Access Covers

Steel and GRP Buildings and Cabinets Tested to LPS 1175 SR2 and SR3 and SR4

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LPCB Security Doors & Window Bar Sets for the Rail Industry

In 2021, there were 258 non-workforce severe injuries due to slips, trips and falls in UK train stations, and the workforce had 40 incidents of the same ilk. Train stations are not always safe places to be, and in adverse weather conditions, they can be hazardous. From slippery steps to station platforms that aren’t correctly adapted for those who are visually impaired, hazards lie at every turn. But how can we make train stations safer?

How railway stations aren’t safe

Constructed over the past 100 or so years, railway stations don’t often get any major development. This has meant that as foot traffic has increased rapidly over the years, the safety solutions haven’t necessarily caught up.

Common features at train stations like intricately constructed metal platform bridges, while stunning to look at, are at high risk of rusting and becoming slip hazards in wet weather. Similarly, station platforms that aren’t coated with an antislip product like GRP (glass reinforced plastic) can become ice rinks in winter!

Maintain tactile paving

Tactile paving, supplied in tiles, is imperative for the safety of those who are visually impaired. Blister tiles, which have small raised circular bumps on, are used to warn people of danger that is imminent, i.e., a roadside crossing or the very edge of a train platform. These are commonly seen at train stations and must be well maintained. A chipped or missing tactile blister paving is not only a hazard to those who aren’t visually impaired, but for those who are visually impaired, it provides increased hazards.

Corduroy tiles, which are regularly seen just before the edge of a platform, warn users ‘hazard, proceed with caution’. These, if made of concrete or similar materials, can become incredibly slippery when wet, causing problems for all. Due to their design, they can also harbour water, and must be kept clean from leaves, twigs and other debris.

By using a GRP, also called FRP (fibreglass reinforced plastic), tactile paving, you can be sure of the anti-slip properties, as well as having lightweight, easy to replace tiles that take no more than a few hours to set.

Make Steps Safe

Steps and stairs are often a core place where people slip and fall. As such, it’s important that all relevant safety measures are in place. Depending on the material that your stairs are made from, whether wood, metal or fibreglass, you may need different safety measures.

Metal stairs, for example, often need weatherproofed solutions, such as full GRP sheets that cover the entirety of the surface.

Wooden stairs often have GRP strips attached; the same product used on decking. This allows the wood to breathe so it doesn’t rot but adds an anti-slip element. You can also get stair tread covers, which are a simple retrofit solution that instantly make stairs safer. GripClad previously supplied these to a railway station that was undergoing renovation, provided by Morgan Sindall. Rasheed Singh, who works at Morgan Sindall, said ‘Our No.1 Priority was to ensure the safety of our passengers and GripClad’s product suited that bill perfectly.’

Another Leap in Railway Simulation

The future of train simulation is here with the release of Train Sim World 3

Outside of spotting, photography and modelling, rail simulation has become a large and growing arm of interest for rail enthusiasts as well as the industry and at its centre is Dovetail Games. The Train Sim World franchise has brought a variety of routes and locomotives into people’s living rooms, from the iconic HST along the Great Western Railway, to the romance of 50s steam and the LMS Jubilee Class. Players are placed virtually into locomotive cabs, recreated to closely match their prototype, but are also able to wander round environments, such as real-world railway stations, yards and depots.

Featuring both historic and contemporary traction has been key to giving players the immersion they seek in both Trains titles produced by the company: Train Sim World and Train Simulator Classic. The former brings highly detailed models and environments to console and PC gamers and introduces rail simulation to a wider audience, whereas the latter offers a far more extensive catalogue of routes and locomotives, as well as the ability to customise and modify the experience, for a more dedicated railfan audience on PC.

Over the years, Dovetail Games have worked with many partners in the industry to bring authentic licences, rolling stock and liveries to their games, thus creating routes and environments that both rail enthusiasts and rail professionals will find familiar. This also includes getting feedback from real-world operators and drivers as well as their large and growing community of enthusiasts.

Jon Rissik, Chief Executive Officer of Dovetail Games: ‘We have been building train simulation experiences for nearly 15 years now and we remain passionate about rail, giving people a taste of what it’s like to drive and master these fabulous machines. Over the years we have been privileged to work with many rail operators and staff to help us get the little details right. These things really matter to our enthusiasts! I would like to thank those people for their knowledge and insight. Authenticity is everything when you are building a complex simulation experience!’

The latest iteration, Train Sim World 3, develops the highly detailed environments and realistic locomotive handling for the latest generation of games consoles bringing dramatic weather conditions to the experience and with it, the challenge of navigating through them. Wind, rain and snow all now have a significant effect on running conditions, building on the realism so proudly recreated by the team at Dovetail Games.

Matt Peddlesden, Executive Producer at Dovetail Games: ‘For Train Sim World 3, the team have done an amazing job enhancing and building on the immersive experience of our previous titles. The new lighting system transforms the visuals along with all-new weather dynamics that will significantly impact the operation of trains in-game.

‘This and the development of our dedicated Training Center, guiding users through the controls, will see Train Sim World 3 bring existing players new and exciting challenges, whilst giving those new to the franchise an enjoyable introduction to the railway world.’

One of the franchise’s most popular routes returns, improved and expanded on for Train Sim World 3. Southeastern Highspeed brings Britain’s fastest domestic train service to the game via the Class 395 ‘Javelin’. This route now includes the high-speed section from Ebbsfleet down to Ashford as well as the section through