C4R Project Increases Rail Capacity without Laying Down New Tracks

AbstractRail freight transport is today characterized by inefficiencies in the use of the existing infrastructure while the growing demand is activated by giant containers vessels handling thousands of units in the ports. Lack of industrialization prevents gaining from economies of scale while bottlenecks penalize the optimization of the network use. The rail freight transport market share remains low whereas for environmental reasons immediate progress is required. Capacity4Rail intends to analyze the key factors enabling rail freight market share to increase on the most promising segments.The innovations planned by Capacity4Rail are concentrated on three macro-areas from the concept to simulations and tests: wagon structure design, wagon equipment technology and train maneuverability.For the wagon structure, the project focuses on the new design giving direct efficiency: better payload, less deadweight, extended usable length, maintenance cost reduction. With a reduced weight due to the use of new materials the design evolution allows to make the best use of the gauge profile.For the wagon equipment technology a continuous electric line carrying a bus of information all along the train and bringing energy to the wagon allows placing various sensors increasing safety and reliability. With this new wagon connectivity, predictive maintenance is developed but also accurate real time information are available for the customers enhancing the planning efficiency of the next supply chain evolution. The wagons are equipped with an electric command of the pneumatic brakes for an instant and simultaneous braking and releasing. The brakes of all wagons reduces drastically the longitudinal forces in the couplings enabling progressive lengthening of the train reducing operational costs and network capacity consumption per ton transported.For the train, this new braking system improves its maneuverability, giving access to better paths aiming to reduce the wear of the wheels created by the new brake composite shoes imposed for noise reduction.All these potential progress are researched and checked in terms of affordability taking into account not only the global added value created but an equitable reward of all the stakeholders having invested for such innovations. Proposed roadmaps incorporate viable business models for a progressive implementation on the basis of simulations. A virtuous circle is initiated improving the use of assets, reducing noise, informing customers more efficiently, reducing maintenance and operational costs in an affordable way

Rail freight research: How market trends and customers' needs drive technology innovation

The article presents an investigation of current market trends and customers’ requirements, which have driven research aimed at developing a novel wagon concept that integrates innovative solutions relating to the identified major challenges for the freight vehicles of the future. These challenges are: i. Freight condition monitoring; ii. Lightweight wagon design; and iii. Predictive maintenance. This research was initiated by the INNOWAG project, which is funded by the Shift2Rail Joint Undertaking under the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The major challenges in rail freight competitiveness relate to the increasing complexity and sophistication of supply chains, increasing transport capacity and logistic capability, as well as improving RAMS and lowering LCC. Therefore, the goal is to develop intelligent cargo monitoring and predictive maintenance solutions integrated on a novel concept of lightweight wagon

Efficacy of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PBS067, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BL050, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRH020 in the Amelioration of Vaginal Microbiota in Post-Menopausal Women: A Prospective Observational Clinical Trial

The menopausal transition marks a significant physiological shift in women. Menopause-related symptoms can significantly affect a woman's quality of life and probiotics have emerged as a promising avenue. This study aims to investigate the benefits of probiotics in improving vaginal well-being and microbiota composition in post-menopausal women. A prospective observational clinical trial was carried out enrolling 50 post-menopausal healthy women, aged between 45 and 65 years old, taking a supplement containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum PBS067, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BL050, and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LRH020 (3B CFU/day) for 28 days. Vaginal swabs were collected to evaluate microbiota fluctuation and the inflammatory pattern was recorded. A Vaginal Health Index was provided to evaluate vaginal well-being throughout the trial. Clinical outcomes revealed a decrease in menopausal symptoms. Significant improvements were observed across various parameters: a 50% enhancement in the VHI score (p < 0.0001), alongside substantial reductions in inflammatory cytokine levels. An 87.8% decrease in IL-6, 57.6% in IL-1 beta, and 40.8% in TNF-alpha was observed (p < 0.05). Moreover, the probiotic intervention facilitated the restoration of vaginal microbiota, evidenced by an increase in lactobacilli abundance. In conclusion, the combination of these specific probiotic strains, previously clinically tested in childbearing-age women, showed to be effective also for post-menopausal women

Facing up the Congestion and Environmental Challenges of Europe

AbstractIn Europe transport is characterized by growing demand of freight services versus constrained infrastructures. Rail freight has difficulties in satisfying the customers’ needs. The Ports of entry into the Union are strategic points. The container vessels of more than 12.000 TEUs, are totally deployed on the maritime lanes calling at a fewer number of ports where a higher number of movements are handled. The maritime traffic doubled from 2000 to 2007 while no changes have occurred on the overland infrastructure both road and rail. Congestion is a common feature in Europe.The citizens awareness on environmental issues is growing making the quality of life the focus for any future planning. A more sustainable mobility is necessary making modal shift from road to Rail a necessary step change. Major infrastructure expansion due to budget and construction timings cannot be an immediate solution generating the need of extracting maximum performance from the available resources. TIGER and MARATHON are European funded projects, implementing concepts based on port decongestion, dry ports and hinterland distribution by rail together with transport industrialization through faster, longer and heavier trains. Despite all efforts, Rail freight has not attracted new market share. A profound modernization of the rail economy based on lower costs and better services is necessary for responding to environmental changes. TIGER and MARATHON are addressing in an holistic way all these issues developing in practice the following dimensions:• Longer, heavier, faster trains adoptions on existing lines.• New technologies in equipment and management systems.• Rail transport industrialization between ports/hubs reducing costs increasing the overland transport capacity to maritime traffic volumes.• Cooperation between key actors in the Rail transport chain by sharing the benefits deriving from the increased rail competitive profile.• Completion of rail bottlenecks elimination

The Marathon Handbook

After NEWOPERA Project the precursor of the European Rail Network for Competitive Freight, TIGER and TIGER DEMO introducing new techniques and technologies for industrializing Rail Freight Transportation to/from the Sea Ports to the inland Dry Ports, the MARATHON Project with its 1500m trains opened up a completely new horizon on European Rail Freight scenario by operating a new generation of longer, faster and heavier trains. The leadership of the MARATHON Project during the various stages of its development, the challenges, the problem solving, the technological achievements, the discoveries up to the train physical testing, delivered emotions and sense of achievement for having proved in a real market environment a technological conquest capable of changing the European rail Freight commercial game. This Hand Book is dedicated to us the MARATHON Project initiator, to all the Project partners and the European Commission for having believed in this innovative and challenging initiative and for bringing it to a positive conclusion. The market exploitation results for Rail Freight will be far reaching contributing to the fulfillment of the EU Commission ambitious European Mobility policies. A special recognition is due to the technology providers for developing the MARATHON Kit, the two equipment locomotive manufacturers and the French partners who were fundamental in organizing the operational theatre for testing these MARATHON trains. The MARATHON trains technological discoveries open up new horizon for Rail Intermodality and Rail Freight in general contributing to keep in EUROPE the Rail Global leadership.Maratho