Pictured: Innovative steel-track
construction prototype by Tata-Steel,
on which the Institute of Railway
Research was closely involved,
developed from the EU-backed INNOTRACK project.
Institute of Railway Research to play key role in the
CAPACITY4RAIL project to develop modular, all-steel track sections embedded
with fibre optics
SINCE the advent of railways in the 1800s, tracks have been
laid by fixing individual rails to individual sleepers on a bed of
ballast. Now, a team of University of
Huddersfield researchers is to break with tradition and work on the development
of modular, all-steel track sections that can be laid quickly and embedded with
fibre optic technology, which provides instant safety alerts. This could lead to massive cost savings and
gains in efficiency.