How to build a robust railway

What improvements are being implemented to increase railway safety and efficiency, for instance during an earthquake?

It is worth reminding that earthquakes affect all modes of transport, but most notably railway service networks. With the United Nations-sponsored Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program, an international project was designed to help countries prepare for future earthquakes and take steps to mitigate potential damage and reduce injury and deaths. For the first time, we were able to assemble a consistent worldwide map of earthquake zones. Assembled by a team of scientists, it provides the “magnitude” of the earthquake issue that many countries face all over the world.

How to address an earthquake has always been a major concern for the railway system. In fact, the subject has long been on the rail radar in ISO/TC 269 for railway applications, but it became centre stage when a new work item proposal (NWIP) on earthquake risk assessment was submitted by JISC, ISO’s member for Japan. Designed to help and support the rail network and its stakeholders, including authorities, infrastructure managers and railway supervisors, the standard, which was published earlier this year, gives a set of procedures to ensure that all the risks, during and after an earthquake-shaking occurrence, have been considered, assessed and mitigated.

ISO 22888, Railway applications – Concepts and basic requirements for the planning of railway operation in the event of earthquakes, provides the means and basic requirements for planning railway operations in order to reduce the risks in the event of an earthquake. Its aim is to mitigate the adverse effects, including damages, injuries and fatalities, on train services, which results from adequate control of train running during a seismic incident, and to predict operations and reduction of downtime, both of which are facilitated by adequate inspection and early operation.

How can ISO standards help to overcome any potential barriers?

Our world is getting progressively smaller thanks to the power of digitalization and new interconnected networks, as high-speed trains deliver more passengers to their destinations faster than ever before. More recently, the current sanitary emergency demonstrates that our world has become the “common home of the citizens”. In this global village, standardized strategies will have some significant benefits.

Globally speaking, the positive effects of standardization are well known and recognized. As part of a transport innovation policy, standards promote cutting-edge and sustainable technical solutions for the railway industry – from digital communications to electrification schemes – that will help to increase its competitiveness in years to come. ISO standards are therefore a powerful means of removing any “barriers” that may have existed for a long time and are still present in some cases.

ISO/TC 269 and its subcommittees are committed to developing standards that are essential to the rail sector. Essential to build state-of-the-art trains and rail infrastructure. And essential to build trains and rail infrastructure that comply with common requirements for a more competitive railway system.

We are witnessing a revival in railway, for both commuters and freight. What are the trends to look out for in the coming years?

It is well known that, all over the world, the railway systems, including urban transport, are seeing prominent and huge investments in order to improve railway services. It is worth mentioning that the European Commission has proposed designating 2021 as the “European Year of Railways” to support the achievement of the objectives of the European Green Deal in the transport sector. It will promote railways as a sustainable, innovative and safe mode of transport in 2021 and, in so doing, highlight the benefits generated for its citizens, the economy and, above all, the climate. Even in the US where, traditionally, air transport has always prevailed over rail, significant investments have been launched to improve the railway systems.

Let’s also remember the role that the railroad network has played in the current development of China, which, in the last 20 years, has come to cover 139 000 km, of which 35 000 with high-speed lines – that’s 5 000 km more than those estimated in the 2020 plan (30 000 km). Moreover, in April 2020, the first full-length container trains started their scheduled runs between China and Europe. Since then, 17 trains in total have been handled on the network.

It is certainly not a coincidence that ISO 22888 was proposed by Japan, a country where the railway system is acknowledged for its efficiency, capacity, punctuality and technology through continuous improvements. Its high-speed trains – and technological innovations – are known the world over. Take, for instance, the grand opening in 1964 of the first Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka. Since then, the high-speed lines, together with even conventional railway services, have been developed extensively.
 

What are your goals and hopes for the future of safe railway applications and the development of such standards?

Undeniably, standards are a powerful means to foster the liberalization, interoperability, digitalization and sustainability of the railway sector. These will provide a valuable advantage to consumers in terms of accessible prices, reduced pollution and increased comfort.

ISO/TC 269 works with other ISO committees to contribute to the rail cause, including ISO/TC 268 and ISO/TC 204. These committees are dealing with topics such as smart cities, intelligent transport systems and digitalization, which will enable increasingly integrated services for consumers. Together, we’ll make the global railway transport system work better for every citizen in every country around the world.

Last, but not least, we’re looking at the “green deal”, the new frontier which envisages the “zero climate impact by 2050”. This could leverage standardization to support the ambitious plans aimed to provide solutions for the climate, smart mobility, zero pollution and alternative energy sources (e.g. hydrogen, batteries, hybrid, etc.).

Without doubt, the future of rail is going to be elevated as a mode of transport that reduces the energy use and environmental impacts associated with transport. Whatever happens, passengers are on track to benefit from standards.