Railway Engineering: Technical Innovation In Modern Systems (Essay Sample)

RAILWAY SYSTEM ENGINEERING
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The Name of the School (University) The City and State
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Executive Summary
The Moorland & City railway company has plans to become part of the new Leek and Alton Tower stations. However, there are numerous factors influencing the development of the railway industry. As a result, engineering works in this industry is multifaceted. The complex nature of the railway engineering process calls for an analysis of subsystems including mechanical engineering, technological network design, electrical engineering, civil engineering and systems integration. This is the application of advanced technological and scientific principles in the planning, functional, operation and management practices. The Moorland & City railway company is a private company seeking investments in a public transport system. It needs to look at convenience, safety, cost, comfort, and other customer needs. This report delves into the railway-engineering field to unveil the contemporary changes in customer demands and the capability of the sector in meeting these needs. This infrastructural development project highlights the increasing demand for innovative transport systems that meets the consumer needs. The railway transport system comprises of the stations, freight facilities, track development and locomotive power. The urban systems such as the underground and high-speed rail networks require constant improvements in order to meet the massive demands.
Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Executive Summary PAGEREF _Toc496269929 \h 21.1.Proposed Development PAGEREF _Toc496269930 \h 52.0 Literature Review PAGEREF _Toc496269931 \h 62.1 Demand in Interurban Connection PAGEREF _Toc496269932 \h 72.1.1 Proximity factors PAGEREF _Toc496269933 \h 72.1.2 Scheduling PAGEREF _Toc496269934 \h 72.1.3 Congestion PAGEREF _Toc496269935 \h 82.1.4 Reliability PAGEREF _Toc496269936 \h 92.1.5 Relevance PAGEREF _Toc496269937 \h 102.1.6 Efficiency PAGEREF _Toc496269938 \h 112.2 Enhancing the Capability of the Railway System PAGEREF _Toc496269939 \h 122.2.1 Terminal PAGEREF _Toc496269940 \h 132.2.2 Station PAGEREF _Toc496269941 \h 132.2.4 Track capacity PAGEREF _Toc496269942 \h 152.2.5 Train PAGEREF _Toc496269943 \h 162. 2. 5 Junction PAGEREF _Toc496269944 \h 173.0Stakeholder challenges PAGEREF _Toc496269945 \h 183.1 Private and Public Stakeholders PAGEREF _Toc496269946 \h 193.2The Aging Rail PAGEREF _Toc496269947 \h 203.3 Advanced Technology PAGEREF _Toc496269948 \h 213.4 Operational efficiency PAGEREF _Toc496269949 \h 223.4 Implementation of capacity and commuter preferences PAGEREF _Toc496269950 \h 243.6 Constraints PAGEREF _Toc496269951 \h 244.0 Environmental Impact PAGEREF _Toc496269952 \h 255.0 Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc496269953 \h 26Bibliography PAGEREF _Toc496269954 \h 27
1.0 Introduction
The UK rail industry is a dominant public service because of its demand and supply factors CITATION Wat12 \l 1033 (Watson, et al., 2012). Everyday thousands of commuters make use of the railway network to access the region. Home to popular global cities, the system connects users to Birmingham, London, Manchester Kingsley and other major cities in the region. Smaller towns such Crewe and Holiday Village also benefit from this network. With increased passengers comes freight management challenges. Whether travelling for business or leisure, passengers have specific demands, which the network has to fulfil. This steers the rail industry to adopt modern approaches in order to meet the changing needs of the contemporary market. As one of the leading rail networks in the world, the UK railway serves both local and international needs. Therefore, its engineering projects consider advantages and disadvantages of building and reinstating the railway. Environmental factors raise the question of sustainability and stakeholders identify the need for new changes in the infrastructural system. Operational performance in the rail transport supports a cost effective and sustainable service delivery process. This makes capacity and demand inseparable factors for innovation in a highly competitive environmentCITATION Bat13 \l 1033 (Bataille & Steinmetz, 2013). These determine the industry’s profitability.
1 Proposed Development
Moorland & City is seeking to redevelop the railway freight in the UK. Started in 2009, the company has a 150-year contract in Leek. Among its agenda is to refurbish heritage services in the Network rail. It has a background in the management of steam and diesel engines. Through innovative approaches, the company seeks to grow its services through contemporary freight and commuter trains. Its plan is to connect Leek to suburbs and villages through the rail network CITATION Moo13 \l 1033 (Moorland & City Railway, 2013). By doing this, the company plans to transform the Alton station into a terminus. In order to succeed in its plans, the company needs a reliable approach and support from the local government and the community.
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 1: Site location showing connection between Aston and Leeks CITATION The17 \l 1033 (Theme Parks UK, 2017)
Privatization spearheads growth in a public service sector like railway transport. Although the government manages the plan and standardization, the company has a sole responsibility as an investor to deliver the transport service in line with customer demands. Growth in the industry has a focus on increasing the number of passengers as well as the freight. Profitability, sustainability and global competiveness also influence this plan. Moorland & City has the objective to improve:
* Efficiency
* Reliability
* Customer care ( passenger/freight experience)
* Fleet management
Taking full advantage of the current infrastructure, Moorland & City sets out to develop the enhanced lines in Leek and Alton Tower stations.
2.0 Literature Review
Urban transport systems characterised by an intermodal transport infrastructure has its pros and cons CITATION Kyr12 \l 1033 (Kyriakidis, et al., 2012). Route planning ensures the optimization of the rail and alternative transport for analysing demand approach CITATION Gul14 \l 1033 (Guler, 2014). Demand elements such as cost influence the customer’s willingness to use the rail transport. These also determine the design standards adopted for improved customer experience in railway management and engineering CITATION Pro14 \l 1033 (Profilidis, 2014). Capacity supply is also a significant factor for this growth in the railway industry.
2.1 Demand in Interurban Connection
2.1.1 Proximity factors
Industrial centers such as Stroke-on Trent depend on public transport to access its distribution centers. The central location of its railway station serves passengers travelling to Fenton, Burslem, Turnstall, and Longton. These are major commercial centers with mining industries and educational centers. The town is also home to sports and cultural facilities. Situated in a valley, its geographical features represent lowlands and midlands. In order to support its economic activities, the rail network designs and maintenance considers its energy needs connection to port services and business traveller’s needs. Managing a transport system includes making geometric improvements on the rail networks, intersections, stations and operations CITATION Gul14 \l 1033 (Guler, 2014).the rail and bus system as a solution to traffic congestion implies that the r
Ail transport system needs an effective plan with a vision to improve from the past to contemporary modes.
2.1.2 Scheduling
Major quality issues in the railway industry revolve around speed, comfort, convenience, travel time and safety issues. In order to control the traffic in urban centers, management authorities invest in innovative freight control methods. This is evident in Birmingham, London and Manchester where capacity management is a major concern. Timetable rescheduling needs an algorithm that capitalizes on mixed formulation CITATION Sat13 \l 1033 (Sato, et al., 2013). As a risk management factor, time scheduling in line with the customer demands reduces inconveniences. The game theory algorithm provides a model for pricing and timing strategies using distribution mechanisms. The use of these helps to determine the peak hours and arrangement by demand hours. This also defines the load graph for the users
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2: Rescheduling flow chart model for the contemporary rail industry using game theoryCITATION Rek16 \l 1033 (Reka & Ramesh, 2016)
2.1.3 Congestion
Commuters going to work are keen on the time factor. This implies that commuting towards major cities in the peak hours is a challenge to the system. The model needs effective changes for growing towns such as Cheddleton and Leek. In such a case, rescheduling traveling to Brook, Endon, and Froghall from Manchester becomes a priority in the new plan. Urban freight management using event based simulation modelling is ideal for the urban metro and technology based freight systems CITATION Mot12 \l 1033 (Motraghi & Marinov, 2012). In order to ease crowding and congestion changes in frequency is necessary to control the travel times and passenger operations. A long-term solution includes improvements in railway capacity and the creation of new systems. Capacity enhancement provides one opportunity of improving the solution. Aston and Leeks location have capacity for expansion and improvements for multilevel structures but the design needs to be in line with the landscape expectations. The urban railway network involves the development of a high occupancy vehicle (HOV). The figure below shows a strategy that the company could use CITATION USD17 \l 1033 (US Department of Transportation, 2017).
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 3: Capacity improve...