[{"command":"openDialog","selector":"#drupal-modal","settings":null,"data":"\u003Cdiv id=\u0022republish_modal_form\u0022\u003E\u003Cform class=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form ecl-form\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 action=\u0022\/en\/article\/modal\/8801\u0022 method=\u0022post\u0022 id=\u0022modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 accept-charset=\u0022UTF-8\u0022\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHorizon articles can be republished for free under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EYou must give appropriate credit. We ask you to do this by:\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 1) Using the original journalist\u0027s byline\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 2) Linking back to our original story\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n 3) Using the following text in the footer: This article was originally published in \u003Ca href=\u0027#\u0027\u003EHorizon, the EU Research and Innovation magazine\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003ESee our full republication guidelines \u003Ca href=\u0027\/horizon-magazine\/republish-our-stories\u0027\u003Ehere\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EHTML for this article, including the attribution and page view counter, is below:\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-form-item form-item js-form-type-textarea form-item-body-content js-form-item-body-content ecl-form-group ecl-form-group--text-area form-no-label ecl-u-mv-m\u0022\u003E\n \n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Ctextarea data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 aria-describedby=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 id=\u0022edit-body-content\u0022 name=\u0022body_content\u0022 rows=\u00225\u0022 cols=\u002260\u0022 class=\u0022form-textarea ecl-text-area\u0022\u003E\u003Ch2\u003EHow future trains could be less noisy\u003C\/h2\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018We have a lot of resistance from people (living) beside the tracks who are against all construction and upgrades of the lines,\u2019 said Rudiger Garburg, senior consultant for noise and vibrations technology at German railway company Deutsche Bahn AG. \u2018It really is a bottleneck, (when) we speak about transforming transport and transferring traffic from road to rail.\u2019\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EGreenhouse gas emissions from transport in Europe increased in 2018 and 2019, according to the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.eea.europa.eu\/data-and-maps\/indicators\/transport-emissions-of-greenhouse-gases-7\/assessment\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEuropean Environment Agency\u003C\/a\u003E, and road transport was responsible for almost three-quarters of those emissions. In its\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/transport\/themes\/mobilitystrategy_en\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E \u2018Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy\u2019\u003C\/a\u003E, the European Commission aims to shift traffic from road to rail and double its high-speed passenger rail traffic across Europe by 2030 and double rail freight by 2050.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003ETo get community buy-in, however, governments and rail companies need to reduce rail noise. \u2018Noise is always a problem of the system, not just the train,\u2019 said Garburg,\u0026nbsp;who is\u0026nbsp;a member of Shift2Rail\u0027s\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/881791\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFINE 1\u003C\/a\u003E and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/881791\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFINE 2\u003C\/a\u003E projects to reduce noise, vibrations and energy use. A railway system includes the trains, their wheels, the rails, and the tracks that support them.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFor passenger and freight trains, which move at between 60km and 200km per hour, the noise is mainly generated between the wheels and the rail. However, it is very difficult to determine which part of the system is making the noise.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/730818\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EFINE 1\u003C\/a\u003E, which involved partners in rail, mobility and automation, was a broad project to curb excess noise and energy from trains. It looked to model and predict noise sources, among other objectives. This information is vital for both regulators and for train manufacturers.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe project, for example, was able to simulate the noise both inside and outside the train made by cast iron brake blocks compared to composite brake blocks. \u2018In the past, trains used a cast-iron braking system for the wheels,\u2019 Garburg explained. While good for braking, the iron sheared over time, making the wheels very rough \u2013 and noisy. \u2018In past years, we\u2019ve worked very hard to find more braking blocks (made out of) composite materials, not cast iron.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELimit\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.era.europa.eu\/sites\/default\/files\/events-news\/docs\/martos_pravdik_grr_issue6_2019_en.pdf\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E2019\u003C\/a\u003E, Europe\u2019s revised train noise regulation, part of a larger suite of\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.era.europa.eu\/activities\/technical-specifications-interoperability_en\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E rail specifications\u003C\/a\u003E, came into force. Unlike cars,\u0026nbsp;where manufacturers produce thousands of vehicles, train manufacturers only produce a limited number. \u2018You cannot build a prototype, test it, and work on it,\u2019 explained Garburg. \u2018If you build a new train, you have to guarantee that your train adheres to this noise limit, as with air pollution\u0026nbsp;and so on.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAs part of FINE 1, project members developed verifiable, realistic requirements to characterise noise sources. These specifications are important to create standards for manufacturers to follow, and ultimately make trains quieter. Its successor, FINE 2, plans to take this research even further and fine-tune its noise source prediction models.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018In FINE 2, we have special measurement procedures,\u2019 Garburg said. The team uses an \u2018acoustic camera\u2019, an array of 30-40 microphones, to capture the sound of the rail system. He likens it to a thermal camera, in which \u2018you see yellow, red and green parts of a building\u2019 to create a heat map. \u2018We will use such procedures for the noise to get pictures that show you clearly where the main noise sources are,\u2019 he said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBetter models could also enable train manufacturers to possibly obtain virtual certification for their trains to show that they adhere to the EU standards. All trains need to be certified by regulatory authorities before they are allowed on the track, but this process can be expensive and time-consuming.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EIn Shift2Rail\u0027s\u0026nbsp;partner project \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/881771\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETRANSIT\u003C\/a\u003E, virtual certification is the \u2018dream on the horizon\u2019, says Ines Lopez Arteaga, a professor of mechanical engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. \u2018It would save a lot of money and time and resources to be able to do it based on calculations.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBut there are many research milestones to reach first, said Prof. Lopez Arteaga, who is \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cordis.europa.eu\/project\/id\/881771\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ETRANSIT\u003C\/a\u003E project leader. We have tools to predict where train noise originates, but they could be improved, she says.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cblockquote class=\u0022tw-text-center tw-text-blue tw-font-bold tw-text-2xl lg:tw-w-1\/2 tw-border-2 tw-border-blue tw-p-12 tw-my-8 lg:tw-m-12 lg:tw--ml-16 tw-float-left\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022tw-text-5xl tw-rotate-180\u0022\u003E\u201c\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cp class=\u0022tw-font-serif tw-italic\u0022\u003E\u2018Noise is always a problem of the system, not just the train.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n \u003Cfooter\u003E\n \u003Ccite class=\u0022tw-not-italic tw-font-normal tw-text-sm tw-text-black\u0022\u003ERudiger Garburg, Deutsche Bahn AG\u003C\/cite\u003E\n \u003C\/footer\u003E\n\u003C\/blockquote\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECertified\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAt the moment, she says it is possible to measure the overall noise a train makes on the tracks, but the estimation of the separate components needs to be more accurate. With this information, it would be possible to not only make trains quieter, but make it easier to get new trains certified.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EBut trains also need to be tested on a specific type of track \u2013 one whose smoothness would not handicap or give overly positive noise measurements. She likens trains on the track to a child playing with marbles. \u2018If you roll a marble on a table, it makes noise. With trains, it\u2019s the wheels on the track. You get a different noise depending on the roughness of the table, if it\u2019s stainless steel or wooden, for example,\u2019 she said.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018It is not easy to find the right track,\u2019 explained Prof. Lopez Arteaga. \u2018You would expect that with so many thousands of kilometres of rail in Europe that it shouldn\u2019t be such a problem, but it is.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of the project\u2019s goals is to translate the noise measurements from one track to another. \u2018That would be a really big advantage,\u2019 she said. \u2018That would reduce the constraints on the type of track you can test on.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ENoise\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are also other components, aside from the wheels and rails, that add to the noise a train makes when it passes.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, older trains had their air conditioning units underneath the carriage, but modern trains have been lowered to allow people with less mobility to enter and exit the carriage more easily. As a result, air conditioning units are now on top of the carriage, where they add to the train noise.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u2018The models we are developing with help from manufacturers aim to establish better requirements for their equipment,\u2019 said Prof. Lopez Arteaga.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe aspect of the project that she is particularly excited about is modelling\u0026nbsp;is the identification of\u0026nbsp;noise sources on high-speed trains. \u2018They want us to identify the noise, but also the direction it\u2019s going. That\u2019s really, really a challenge.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EOnce the TRANSIT team has its results, it will share them with FINE 2 to evaluate in order to verify their findings, Prof. Lopez Arteaga says.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EAll of these are \u2018small steps\u2019 on the way to characterising the behaviour of the whole rail system, she says. \u2018I love trains; they are a really interesting system. The whole railway \u2013 the network, the system, the trains \u2013 is so complex, there\u0027s much more than meets the eye.\u2019\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThe research in this article was funded by the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/shift2rail.org\/\u0022 rel=\u0022noopener noreferrer\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EShift2Rail initiative\u003C\/a\u003E. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on social media.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cem\u003EThis article was originally published on 31 August 2021.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003C\/textarea\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003Cdiv id=\u0022edit-body-content--description\u0022 class=\u0022ecl-help-block description\u0022\u003E\n Please copy the above code and embed it onto your website to republish.\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003Cinput autocomplete=\u0022off\u0022 data-drupal-selector=\u0022form-n7dxzmdigzziek7oxkpqzefl76b-jx0eftro0drsxns\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_build_id\u0022 value=\u0022form-N7dXzmDiGZZIeK7OXkpQZefL76b-JX0EFtro0drsXns\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003Cinput data-drupal-selector=\u0022edit-modal-form-example-modal-form\u0022 type=\u0022hidden\u0022 name=\u0022form_id\u0022 value=\u0022modal_form_example_modal_form\u0022 \/\u003E\n\u003C\/form\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E","dialogOptions":{"width":"800","modal":true,"title":"Republish this content"}}]