All articles tagged with #railways
A new study corrects a 19th-century record, moving the first known space weather disruption of technology from 1841 to 1848. Researchers found that the railway line mentioned did not exist in 1841, but a magnetic storm on October 18, 1848, aligns with the reported 16-minute train delay in Exeter, UK.
Ukraine said it struck multiple Russian targets in Crimea and southern Ukraine on Aug. 1, including a naval drone storage facility near Chornomorske, the Syvash railway bridge near Chonhar and a railway bridge near Vladyslavivka, a Black Sea Fleet electronic intelligence unit in Sevastopol, and a repair base at Pervomaiske, with additional strikes on a logistics depot near Podove in Kherson region and a UAV storage facility near Tokmak in Zaporizhzhia region.
Swiss startup Sun-Ways' pilot of solar panels mounted between tracks in Buttes produced about 16,000 kWh in its first year and a plan for a permanent installation, with the potential to supply roughly 1 TWh annually across Switzerland’s rail network. Building on that success, Italy is planning a pilot with Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, while Sun-Ways pursues projects in Korea and partnerships with Dutch, Chinese, Indian and Singaporean firms—often highlighting rugged panel design, anti-reflection features, and in-train cleaning to address safety concerns.
Russia announced a temporary halt to all rail traffic with Finland, Estonia and Latvia starting July 1, blocking the movement of people, vehicles, goods and cargo at several border crossings, with no explanation or end-date provided. The closures affect crossings at sites including St. Petersburg’s Finland Station, Vyborg, Svetogorsk, Värtsilä, Lütta, Pechory and Pytalovo, and come amid broader Russian military buildup along borders with NATO.
Two major storms, Mekkhala and Higos, pummeled western and central Japan with heavy rain, causing floods and landslides, damaging roads and disrupting rail and air travel; at least one person died and several were injured as homes flooded across Nara, Osaka, Hiroshima and surrounding areas.
Rail drivers across Spain started a three-day nationwide strike to protest safety guarantees after two deadly crashes in January, urging more staff, maintenance, and investment as investigations point to track faults and infrastructure concerns; the government defends existing investments amid parliamentary scrutiny.
Canada and Mexico are enhancing their trade infrastructure by increasing railway and port capacities, developing energy corridors, and seeking to bypass U.S. tariffs through improved transportation links, including a focus on rail and port investments and potential innovative ideas like cargo airships, to strengthen economic ties amid U.S. trade disruptions.
California has passed new rules to limit emissions from diesel-fueled locomotive engines, requiring the phase-out of inefficient locomotive engines more than 23 years old by 2030, increasing the use of zero-emissions technology to transport freight from ports and throughout rail yards, and banning diesel-spewing engines from idling for longer than 30 minutes. Diesel emissions are responsible for some 70% of Californians’ cancer risk from toxic air pollution. The rule would also drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions from locomotives by an amount akin to removing all heavy-duty trucks from the state by 2030.
Rail workers in Germany went on strike demanding a pay rise to match inflation, while the Verdi union organized a strike at five airports. The strike led to the cancellation of around 700 flights at three airports on Thursday and spread to others on Friday. The EVG union is negotiating on behalf of 230,000 workers and is seeking a 12% wage increase, while Deutsche Bahn has put forth a pay increase of 5%. Germany has witnessed some of its most disruptive strikes in decades over the past several months.