Journal articles on the topic 'Piqua Electric Railway Company'

The main goal of this work is the evaluation of the energy saving achievable in railway drive when using the coasting technique extensively, with reference to a practical case of the Italian railway network taken as an example. This technique consists in exploiting the kinetic energy accumulated by the running train whenever possible. To implement a driving style on purpose, the only driver contribution is not enough; indeed, it is necessary to provide an embedded automatic calculation control system. In the paper, an algorithm has been developed to evaluate the energy absorption of railway locomotives during the normal service and validated on a real railway line. The proposed hardware and software system could be implemented aboard the train, allowing motion data processing in real-time. Speed, time intervals and power absorption for a given path are calculated; then, the best coasting parameters are estimated to maximize the energy savings. In particular, the case study presented in the paper showed that the fast-run strategy, always adopted by the railway company to recover an unexpected delay, can lead to a negligible time recovery with respect to the coasting strategy, while determining a significantly larger energy consumption.

To fulfill the demand for a number of railroad products, the national railroad industry, in this case PT. INKA as a train integrator industry in Indonesia still has to import components. TKDN electric train is still low. For this reason, it is time to prepare the industrial development of the national railway propulsion system components and even have a very urgent nature. Railway propulsion systems can be classified into three groups, namely: Electric propulsion systems, Diesel Electric propulsion systems and Diesel Hydraulic propulsion systems. Import dependence, of course, cannot be allowed to continue because it will weaken the competitiveness of the national railroad industry. From the results of the analysis using the "Porter Diamond Condition" method various internal and external factors were identified through the SWOT method to formulate alternative policy formulations for the development of the railroad electric propulsion system industry in Indonesia. Qualitative SWOT data are developed quantitatively through the calculation of SWOT Analysis so that the exact position of the organization is known. From the results of the analysis, and calculations using the SWOT Method, the position of the railway propulation system industry is in the Quadrant IV position, so it is best to use a Defensive Strategy. In this position the Company faces a very unfavorable situation, the company faces various threats and internal weaknesses. For this reason, it is necessary to prioritize strengthening strategies in the Matrix (W-T). Key Words: Electric propulsion; Industrial development; Strategy

This study aims to demonstrate the significance of assessing corporate success in terms of economic value added (EVA). Economic value added is widely recognized as a reliable metric for assessing the performance of private firms. Four organizations were chosen, and their performance was assessed using the EVA approach from 2016 through 2022. The following outcomes were found as a consequence of the analysis: National Electric Company (NEC), Congo National Railway Company (NRCC), and Port Transportation Company (CCPT). A positive EVA, on the other hand, represents value creation for a Water Distribution Company (WDC). Endogenous variables such as the steady fall in factor returns to labor, poor operating performance, and low capital profitability cause value destruction. Yet, ethics and openness are essential for attaining success. Corporate success in terms of economic value added (EVA). Economic value added is widely recognized as a reliable metric for assessing the performance of private firms. Four organizations were chosen, and their performance was assessed using the EVA approach from 2016 through 2021. The following outcomes were found as a consequence of the analysis: National Electric Company (NEC), Congo National Railway Company (NRCC), and Port Transportation Company (CCPT). A positive EVA, on the other hand, represents value creation for a Water Distribution Company (WDC). Endogenous variables such as the steady fall in factor returns to labor, poor operating performance, and low capital profitability cause value destruction. Yet, ethics and openness are essential for attaining success.

Increasing the efficiency of cargo transportation by rail is not only one of the main directions of the company JSC “Russian Railways” but also one of the main tasks of our country in order to achieve sustainable economic growth. Electric rolling stock is the largest consumer of electric energy in the company, that’s why its effective and failure-free operation is the way to solve the set tasks. The paper deals with studies related to the operation modes of a freight electric rolling stock of direct current for the purpose of determining the requirements for electric energy storage device, since it is the electric rolling stock that determines the daily schedule of electric load. The order of the analysis of experimental trips of freight electric locomotives of a direct current on the basis of cartridges of recorders of traffic parameters installed on the locomotive is determined. On the basis of the analysis of conducted trips, the main requirements for the energy storage device were obtained with a single running of electric DC rolling stock, namely the average duration of the operation modes of the electric locomotive, the maximum, minimum, and average values of voltage and current, the average value of the electric energy returned to the contact network, time of charge/discharge, and the useful energy intensity of the electric energy storage device. The studies were carried out with the support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research for the project No 17-20-01148 ofi_m_RZD/17.

Stocks and bonds issued by industrial companies listed and traded on the stock exchange belong to industrial stocks. For example: electric power, steel, automobile, food, beverage, wine, textile, pharmaceutical, and other enterprises engaged in product manufacturing stocks, bonds and other securities. In the United States, industrial stocks make up a large proportion of the economy. In the process, investors can make a lot of profits. Despite more than a century of growth in such industries, there is still a lot of potential. Industrial stocks are among the areas with the longest shelf life in the United States and the world. This paper analyses the selected three companies in industrial sector the three aspects of risk, profitability and market ratio to predict basic trend in this area. Three companies are Canadian National Railway Company (CNI), Caterpillar Inc. (CAT), FedEx Corporation (FDX). The results show Canadian National Railway Company is less risky and FedEx Corporation is least profitable. The findings in this paper may benefit the different investors in financial markets on investment decisions.

The article provides a retrospective analysis of the historical experience and problems of corporatization of the Dnipropetrovsk electric locomotive plant – a leading domestic manufacturer of industrial electric vehicles and railway rolling stock. The author traces historical circumstances of development and preconditions of diversification of production activity of the enterprise on the background of market economy in Ukraine and decrease in demand for narrowly specialized products. It was found out that during the 1990s–2000s the staff of SPA «DEVZ», having a promising research and production potential, mastered a wide range of production of mainline equipment to meet the needs of railways for innovative electric vehicles. However, due to low product quality and inefficient management system, the company is currently on the verge of bankruptcy, and its outdated design and technological improvements are not able to ensure competitiveness in the global railway market. It is proved that given the strategic importance of SE «DEVZ» for the national economy as the last profile locomotive company, its corporatization can be a real alternative to privatization, providing effective capitalization, financial and technological recovery and improving the culture of production with a state guarantee of preservation of the enterprise, as well as obtaining additional funds through the placement of securities on stock exchanges, and attracting private investment and innovation from international manufacturers. Further research on the historical aspects of the development of domestic engineering enterprises and their impact on the fleet of JSC «Ukrzaliznytsia» should be carried out taking into account the achievements of domestic science on the problems of structural adjustment of the economy and the use of modern strategic management tools.

Regional cooperation in rail transport can help participating countries diversify their trade patterns. Improved rail transport can also help attract foreign direct investment, increase participation in global production networks and the scale of related trade in manufactured goods, and diversify exports. Improved rail infrastructure will increase global competitiveness and spur economic development. In addition, improved rail infrastructure will help regional cooperation and integration through improved connectivity between people, goods and services. The operation is carried out by a railway company, providing transport between train stations or freight customer facilities. Power is provided by locomotives which either draw electric power from a railway electrification system or produce their own power, usually by diesel engines or, historically, steam engines. Most tracks are accompanied by a signalling system. Railways are a safe land transport system when compared to other forms of transport. Railway transport is capable of high levels of passenger and cargo utilisation and energy efficiency but is often less flexible and more capital-intensive than road transport, when lower traffic levels are considered. Railways are a climate-smart and efficient way to move people and freight. Keywords: railway, transport, improvement, transportation, transit, passenger, development, delivery, traffic, technology, vehicles.

Abstract For many years the most advanced railway propulsion systems have been based on the use of electric motors. Compared to the other available solutions, these are characterized by greater operating economy and less environmental pollution. In order to operate as efficiently as possible and to guarantee the high standards of electromechanical reliability, these propulsion technologies need adequate cooling systems to operate in controlled temperature conditions. Considering this, the implementation of increasingly accurate and performing simulation models can represent a significant advantage and provide great support in the optimization phase of cooling systems, in terms of reduction of dimensions and weight, rapid and low-cost experimentation, prediction of critical scenarios and choice of the best solution strategies to be taken. In this regard, in the context of the collaboration between the University of Naples Federico II, University of Sannio and the company Hitachi Rail STS S.p.A., several lumped parameter models of power converter cooling systems for railway electric propulsion were developed in the Simcenter AMESim environment. These models allowed to validate specific design choices from thermal and hydraulic perspectives, aimed at higher energy efficiency of the system, and to perform the so-called Last Mile predictive analysis, in order to evaluate the possibility of removing a vehicle from the railway line as consequence of a fault of specific components.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the results of the application of various models to estimate the reliability in railway repairable systems. Design/methodology/approach The methodology proposed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), using homogeneous Poisson process (HPP) and non-homogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) models, is adopted. Additionally, renewal process (RP) models, not covered by the IEC, are used, with a complementary analysis to characterize the failure intensity thereby obtained. Findings The findings show the impact of the recurrent failures in the times between failures (TBF) for rejection of the HPP and NHPP models. For systems not exhibiting a trend, RP models are presented, with TBF described by three-parameter lognormal or generalized logistic distributions, together with a methodology for generating clusters. Research limitations/implications For those systems that do not exhibit a trend, TBF is assumed to be independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.), and therefore, RP models of “perfect repair” have to be used. Practical implications Maintenance managers must refocus their efforts to study the reliability of individual repairable systems and their recurrent failures, instead of collections, in order to customize maintenance to the needs of each system. Originality/value The stochastic process models were applied for the first time to electric traction systems in 23 trains and to 40 escalators with ten years of operating data in a railway company. A practical application of the IEC models is presented for the first time.

Introduction. The article presents the results of a survey of employees of the railway industry and volunteers of various professions on their attitude to the possibility of employment of women as a locomotive driver and assistant driver. The aim of study is to determine the socio-psychological aspects of allowing women to work as a driver and assistant driver of an electric train among employees of various professions, including in the railway industry. Materials and methods. Anonymous online survey conducted among 112 people: 60 women aged 29.9±7.9 years (from 19 to 55 years), and 52 men aged 29.6±8.4 years (from 15 to 53 years). Results. There is an ambiguous attitude to the prospects of allowing women to work as a driver and assistant driver of an electric train. The most urgent problems of an organizational nature that accompany changes in labor legislation are noted: the abolition of allowances "for harm", the increase in the retirement age, inconveniences in holiday homes that are currently designed exclusively for men. There are also positive prospects for these changes: the possibility of healthy professional competition and the emergence of new areas of professional growth for women, as well as increasing the prestige of OAS "Russian Railways" by creating an image of a company that provides candidates with equal rights regardless of gender. Conclusions. The appearance (although it would be more accurate to say "return") of women to work as drivers and assistant drivers is not a forced measure, as it was in wartime, but the result of the modernization of rolling stock and railway infrastructure, bringing to the fore the assessment of professionally important operator qualities, regardless of the gender of candidates. However, gender characteristics cannot be ignored in the socio-psychological context - for example, when recruiting locomotive crews with mixed composition or when creating a favorable psychological climate in a locomotive depot.

Today, green transport is a growing trend in terms of transport costs, CO2 emissions and satisfaction with logistics services. Green logistics is an environmentally friendly and sustainable logistics system that encompasses activities affecting logistics functions and processes, promoting the environment and the development of a circular economy. Rail transport is considered to be one of the least polluting modes of transport, but the fact that only electrified rail represents the concept of green logistics has been underemphasised, as the fleet consisting of diesel trains is a major challenge. This article aims to investigate the implementation of green logistics in railway transport in the case of Lithuania. The scientific literature, SWOT analysis, expert evaluation and parameter correlation methods were used to achieve this goal. An analysis of the internal and external factors of Lithuanian Railways in terms of green logistics has identified the main strengths of rail transport. These are environmental friendliness, electric trains reducing CO2 emissions, a strong focus on circular economy and others. The main weaknesses include the more extensive use of diesel trains, competition, etc. The external factors of the company show that the main opportunities are the reduction in net CO2 emissions to zero, the acquisition of more electric locomotives and others, while the main threats include an increase in energy costs or the complexity of implementing new technologies. An analysis of these factors has led to the construction of a SWOT matrix, which shows that the company’s strategy in the field of green logistics is quite strong, with more strengths than weaknesses. The results made it possible to identify the links between the individual implementation principles of green logistics in railway transport and provide strategic guidelines for the successful integration of green logistic principles into railway transport in Lithuania.

The structure-borne sound coming from the drive system defines especially for transient train manoeuvres the experienced interior noise of modern railway traction vehicles. A deeper look at the origin and the transmission of structure-borne sound is therefore of great importance to increase passenger comfort in newly developed trains. The possibility of modelling the vibration behaviour of an electric multiple unit train up to the acoustic frequency range using elastic multi-body simulation (EMBS) has been investigated in a joint research project of the Chair of Dynamics and Mechanism Design at TU Dresden and the company Alstom. Through usage of reduced order models of elastic bodies, the EMBS can be carried out in time domain in a computationally effi-cient way and non-linear system properties during motor run-up can be easily taken into account. Key research findings with regard to model structure and necessary level of detail of individual components (e.g. tooth contact, electric motor, roller bearings, elastic bodies, hydraulic dampers) of the elastic multi-body model can be shown. For validation purposes, measurements on individual parts, a motor-gear-unit test bench and the electric multiple unit on track have been carried out, results and comparison to simulation results can be presented.

The proportion of high speed railway vehicles in the rolling stock of national carriers providing public transport services is constantly increasing. Currently, Alstom vehicles run at the highest speed on railway lines in Poland. The paper attempts to identify the acoustic signature of high speed railway vehicles. There are many works and studies aimed at identifying or defining the acoustic signature of high speed railway vehicles. However, the authors of these works carried out their research in a rather narrow scope, i.e. the measurement cross-section had only 1 or 2 measure-ment points with one microphone at each point. As part of the conducted experimental research, the location of testing grounds was determined, the measurement apparatus was selected and the methodology for carrying out measurements including the assessment of noise emission on curve and straight line were specified for electric multiple units. The object of the tests were railway vehicles of Alstom company, type ETR610, series ED250, the so-called Pendolino, moving on a selected measuring route without stops at a speed of 200 km/h. Measurements were carried out on the railway line no. 4 Grodzisk Mazowiecki – Zawiercie, section Grodzisk Mazowiecki - Idzikowice at kilometre 18+600 (curve) and 21+300 (straight section). When measuring the acoustic signals with a microphone array (4x2), 8 meas-urement microphones operating in the audible range were used. The microphones were placed at a distance of 5 m, 10 m, 20 m and 40 m from the track centre, at a height of 4 m (from the rail head) and at the rail head (approx. 0.8 m from the ground surface). In addition, an acoustic camera with 112 directional microphones was used to locate the main noise sources, which was located at a distance of approximately 20 m from the track centreline. The identification of the main noise sources for high speed railway vehicles, basig on actual acoustic measurements, made it possible to isolate the dominant noise sources, as well as to find out the amplitude-frequency characteristics in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, divided into one third octave bands.

Recently, much research is being developed to improve sustainability in the transportation sector due to its impact on carbon dioxide (CO2) production, climate change, and fossil fuel resources. Railways in the world have started to use solar power assistance to improve sustainability in the transportation sector. The Brazilian Company of Urban Trains operates a Brazilian Light Rail Vehicle (BLRV) for passenger transportation in Brazil. This article is a study on the potential of environmental and economic benefits of the installation of solar panels in the BLRV roof, operated in the urban metropolitan area of João Pessoa, to provide assistance on electric load. The results show that the installation of photovoltaic system in the roofs of the total fleet of BLRVs operated in João Pessoa railway can save about R$ 800,000.00 and reduce the emission of 540 tons of CO2 in 10 years.

A brief history of the development of high-speed passenger traffic in the countries of the world is shown, it is shown that the length of high-speed highways (SMM) in the world is 44 thousand km. Despite the fact that Ukraine is not included in the list of 28 countries with the SMM, a two-system electric train ECR1 "Tarpan" was created on the basis of the PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY "KRYUKOVSKY RAILWAY CAR BUILDING WORKS" (PJSC "KVBZ") for the speed of movement of more than 200 km / h. A description of the electric train and the peculiarities of the brake system are given. It is shown that the brake system corresponds to world counterparts for high-speed trains about what evidence test results, which, due to the lack of ATS, were carried out for a speed of 160 km / h. The results of the settlement research, using the mathematical model and the results of the driving brake tests, showed that the braking pathway of the electric train at a speed of 200 km / h is 1539 m, and at a speed of 300 km / h - 3172 m. The obtained brake path values comply with the technical requirements of the European Union TSI . Studies confirm that Ukraine has high-speed rolling stock for speeds up to 300 km / h. Key words: high-speed rolling stock, electric train, brake system, brake path, speed

Electric energy quality criteria relating to a DC supply system concern the circuits from the rectifiers installed in traction substations till the vehicle's current collector. Energy Law and related implementing provisions unequivocally state that an electrified transport system as the energy recipient shall fulfil the requirements regarding energy consumption, which are defined in the agreement. It imposes certain requirements for the railway power supply company. Introduction into traffic of the traction vehicles that are equipped with converter power electronics drive systems increased requirements regarding voltage quality in a DC catenary. At the same time, increase in share of non-linear recipients causes the increase of distortion in AC voltage supplying traction substations, and they also transfer to the DC side. Both these factors caused a change in operational conditions of the resonance smoothing filters hitherto used in rectifier traction substations supplied by AC medium voltage power lines. This paper presents a research and a case study of the problem of effectiveness of functioning of the used filters, from measurements allowing for problem identification to results of the studies of the proposed new solution of a filter and the results of observed exploitation of a prototype with the application of digital monitoring and diagnostics system.

Abstract Since its establishment by the German East Africa Railway Company in 1906, Dar es Salaam’s electricity infrastructure has been functioning precariously. Tanzania’s national power company (Tanesco) collaborated with donors to ameliorate these problems, but to no avail. Tanzania’s cities continued to experience both cascading and rolling blackouts, and such breakdowns of infrastructure became critical, especially from the 1980s onward, making electricity consumers vulnerable. This article illustrates that the failure of Tanesco’s systems does not mean that inhabitants in the city have remained passively exposed to the consequences of power breakdowns. Based on interviews, a literature review, and archival material, it demonstrates that electricians have become part and parcel of a socio-technical landscape that has enhanced household resilience—the ability to survive in a country partly plagued by failing critical infrastructure. The article reveals the active role played by formally and informally trained electricians (mafundi) in forging alternative solutions, increasing electricity users’ ability to cope with power outages. Employing innovative skills to repair electrical appliances and tinker with Tanesco’s infrastructure, street electricians increased the resilience of residential electricity users in the face of recurrent power failures. The author argues that urban resilience studies in African cities like Dar es Salaam need to consider street technicians to gain a full understanding of households’ responses to vulnerable electric infrastructure.

Electric trains (KRL) provide services to residents living in Jabodetabek, one of the world's most significant regions. Although KRL is used daily by about 973,366 residents to carry out their activities, some factors influence its usage. Therefore, this study aims to identify the critical elements that affect train services and the patterns of relationships amongst actors to construct a model for long-term sustainability. This study was carried out using the Micmac and Mactor methods. Micmac is a causal structural matrix that can investigate the relationship between parameters in a system. The Mactor technique, on the other hand, is applied to a variety of tactics involving many actors and a set of related interests and goals. The results showed five critical variables for sustainable urban rail service, namely Safety, Capital, Eco monitoring and evaluation, Eco plan, and COVID control are needed. Meanwhile, The General Administration of Railways, Ministry of Transport, and Indonesian commuter train company are two institutions or actors that are very influential in mobilizing the safety of KRL users amid a pandemic to ensure the continuity of train services. This study also finds that critical variables, key actors, and rail destinations strongly influence the sustainability of social, economic, and environmental aspects of urban rail transportation services. In conclusion, this study provides new insight into developing a sustainable urban rail service model in Jabodetabek KRL.

The article describes the study of welding processes with the subsequent control of cooling of full-profile rail joints, produced by passing alternating electric current pulses after welding. The influence of welding modes on the quality of welded joint was investigated. Welding was carried out on a resistance butt welding machine MCP-6301 in conditions of the rail welding company LLC “RSP-M” (RSP-29). For research, the samples of P65 type full-profile rails of DT350 category 600 mm long were cut out. The isothermal holding conditions after welding were controlled using a personal computer with a change in the program of the SIMATIC S7-300 industrial controller and the software SIMATIC STEP 7, which allows modes of controlled cooling to be set. The control program was written in the LAD graphic language. To search for optimal modes of controlled cooling, a complete factor experiment N = 2k was carried out. Non-heat-treated joints were tested for three-point static bending according to the state standard STO RZD 1.08.002 – 2009 “Railway rails, welded by electric contact method”. Static bending tests were carried out on the press of PMS-320 type. Values of the force arising during bending Pbend and the bend deflection fpr at which the control sample is destroyed, were determined, as well as maximum values of these indicators if the sample was not destroyed during the tests. During the experiments, regression models were obtained for output parameters of the bending force and bend deflection. Macrostructure of the samples and distribution of the metal hardness on rolling surface of the rails welded joint were studied. A new method of resistance butt welding was developed, which makes it possible to obtain a welded connection of P65 type rails of DT350 category with properties that exceed the technical requirements of the mentioned state standard.

Violations in operation of receiving equipment of safety locomotive major devices due to the hindering effect of electromagnetic interference (failures) are a rather frequent phenomenon on the railway network of the Open Joint Stock Company «Russian Railways» in the conditions of electromagnetic environment that has changed dramatically with active introduction of modern electric rolling stock. On the one hand, failures are the result of discrepancy of own parameters and operation algorithm of receiving equipment of safety locomotive major devices opposite interference, existing in inductive coupling channel of automatic locomotive signaling. On the other hand, it is a consequence of the lack of regulatory documentation with uniform established requirements for interference parameters under the influence of which, safety locomotive major devices, primarily built on a relay element base, shall provide for regular operation. Over the past decades, numerous and different by their technical essence attempts have been made to resolve these antagonistic contradictions. This work is one of the first attempts to generalize and analyze the results of pursued research and developments. The work is based on the results of a patent study conducted by the authors in order to identify trends in technical measure development to improve noise immunity in operation of safety locomotive major devices. On their basis, the authors proposed, described in detail and substantiated main technical methods for reducing failure number in the operation of safety locomotive major devices. The obtained results may be of interest to specialists involved in technical servicing, repairment, development and improvement of safety locomotive major devices and will be used further in the development of the theory of locomotive automatic signaling numerical code.

In the modern world, the priority is the development of clean urban electric transport. The constructive solutions used in the construction of the tram wheel in the past years are outdated and do not meet modern requirements. One of these problems is the destruction of asphalt coating in the places of road coverage to tram rails, which worsens the operational characteristics of tram crossings. The reasons for this problem can be attributed to the following: Not enough asphalt concrete near the rails; low adhesion of asphalt and metal from which rails are made; dynamic loads and vibrations arising from trams and motor transport; bad base of tram train and others. One of the options for increasing reliability and durability is to use as a road covering of tram plates. This solution is used in Ukraine and the European Union. German company RailBeton developed solutions for railway crossings - BetoCross. This system is a modular construction of reinforced concrete slabs, which are pulled together by steel strips. With the help of a system of fastenings and bearings, the flooring is fastened to rails, which provides vertical and horizontal stability of their position and stabilization under the influence of loading. To reduce the dynamic influence, the plates are based on reinforced concrete sleepers through the intermediate layers of the elastostomer. The load from the automobile transport is transferred to the broken beam. In addition to the positive features, the BetoCross system, due to the large number of connections, ties and bearings, requires frequent maintenance and maintenance. The Ukrainian state enterprise "Starokostiantyniv plant ZBSH" developed a similar technology, reinforced concrete plates with the help of a screw fastening through rubber gasket fixed to a special bridge type wallpaper. At a step of wallpaper 0,6 m the plate is attached to each wallpaper from two sides, with the length of the plate itself is 2,7 m. that is, on one plate there are five points of fastening on each side. Loads from the automobile transport, similar to the German technology, are transferred to the rubble balast and the basis. These technological solutions have found their application on railway crossings, and need some improvement for use in urban electric transport. The article reviews the constructive decision on the organization of the mentioned site, which is proposed by RS ENGINEERING in Kharkov. In the proposed solution instead of the crushed balast used monolithic reinforced concrete slab with supporting elements. The arising loads from the rolling stock and transport are transferred through the supporting elements to the concrete slab, which redistributes them on the rubble basis. As a road cover are used reinforced concrete plates covering RS-Slab. The plates are divided into 3 types: Road, interroad and external, which in turn have several sizes. The plates are bound to the supporting elements by means of screws in four points. To reduce dynamic influence between the film and the reference element, a rubber elastomer is laid. Depending on the size of the plates have different number of cutting sites. Also because of the design features possible option when the slab simultaneously relies not on all the supporting sites, these options should be taken into account when calculating the scale and choosing a class of concrete. This solution allows to solve the problems of road surface destruction on the side of the rails, keeps more load from transport, compared to asphalt. At the same time, there are factors that need to be studied in detail when designing and before implementing the solution in mass production. These include: Investigation of the influence of violation of standard assembly plates on the stress-deformed state of the element; determination of thickness and acceptable physical characteristics of the gasket on the plate supports; detailed development of a node for fixing plates. The use of reinforced concrete plates as a road coating has a number of advantages before asphalt concrete: Resistance to destruction on the rails; installation regardless of weather and temperature conditions; resistance to loads from trucks. At the same time, this decision has certain peculiarities that require detailed study, which is a branch of further research.

In the new issue, our scientific journal offers you thirteen scientific articles. As always, we try to offer a wide variety of topics and areas and follow current trends in the history of science and technology. In the article by Olha Chumachenko, оn the basis of a wide base of sources, the article highlights and analyzes the development of research work of aircraft engine companies in Zaporizhzhia during the 1970s. The existence of a single system of functioning of the Zaporizhzhia production association “Motorobudivnyk” (now the Public Joint Stock Company “Motor Sich”) and the Zaporizhzhia Machine-Building Design Bureau “Progress” (now the State Enterprise “Ivchenko – Progress”) has been taken into account. Leonid Griffen and Nadiia Ryzheva present their vision of the essence of technology as a socio-historical phenomenon. The article reveals the authors' vision of the essence of the technology as a sociohistorical phenomenon. It is based on the idea that technology is not only a set of technical devices but a segment of the general system – a society – located between a social medium and its natural surroundings in the form of a peculiar social technosphere, which simultaneously separates and connects them. Definitely the article by Denis Kislov, which examines the period from the end of the XVII century to the beginning of the XIX century, is also of interest, when on the basis of deep philosophical concepts, a new vision of the development of statehood and human values raised. At this time, a certain re-thinking of the management and communication ideas of Antiquity and the Renaissance took place, which outlined the main promising trends in the statehood evolution, which to one degree or another were embodied in practice in the 19th and 20th centuries. A systematic approach and a comparative analysis of the causes and consequences of those years’ achievements for the present and the immediate future of the 21st century served as the methodological basis for a comprehensive review of the studies of that period. The article by Serhii Paliienko is devoted to an exploration of archaeological theory issues at the Institute of archaeology AS UkrSSR in the 1960s. This period is one of the worst studied in the history of Soviet archaeology. But it was the time when in the USSR archaeological researches reached the summit, quantitative methods and methods of natural sciences were applied and interest in theoretical issues had grown in archaeology. Now there are a lot of publications dedicated to theoretical discussions between archaeologists from Leningrad but the same researches about Kyiv scholars are still unknown The legacy of St. Luke in medical science, authors from Greece - this study aims to highlight key elements of the life of Valentyn Feliksovych Voino-Yasenetskyi and his scientific contribution to medicine. Among the scientists of European greatness, who at the turn of the XIX and XX centuries showed interest to the folklore of Galicia (Halychyna) and Galician Ukrainians, contributed to their national and cultural revival, one of the leading places is occupied by the outstanding Ukrainian scientist Ivan Verkhratskyi. He was both naturalist and philologist, as well as folklorist and ethnographer, organizer of scientific work, publisher and popularizer of Ukrainian literature, translator, publicist and famous public figure. I. H. Verkhratskyi was also an outstanding researcher of plants and animals of Eastern Galicia, a connoisseur of insects, especially butterflies, the author of the first school textbooks on natural science written in Ukrainian. A new emerging field that has seen the application of the drone technology is the healthcare sector. Over the years, the health sector has increasingly relied on the device for timely transportation of essential articles across the globe. Since its introduction in health, scholars have attempted to address the impact of drones on healthcare across Africa and the world at large. Among other things, it has been reported by scholars that the device has the ability to overcome the menace of weather constraints, inadequate personnel and inaccessible roads within the healthcare sector. This notwithstanding, data on drones and drone application in Ghana and her healthcare sector in particular appears to be little within the drone literature. Also, little attempt has been made by scholars to highlight the use of drones in African countries. By using a narrative review approach, the current study attempts to address the gap above. By this approach, a thorough literature search was performed to locate and assess scientific materials involving the application of drones in the military field and in the medical systems of Africans and Ghanaians in particular. The paper by Artemii Bernatskyi and Vladyslav Khaskin is devoted to the analysis of the history of the laser creation as one of the greatest technical inventions of the 20th century. This paper focuses on establishing a relation between the periodization of the stages of creation and implementation of certain types of lasers, with their influence on the invention of certain types of equipment and industrial technologies for processing the materials, the development of certain branches of the economy, and scientific-technological progress as a whole. The paper discusses the stages of: invention of the first laser; creation of the first commercial lasers; development of the first applications of lasers in industrial technologies for processing the materials. Special attention is paid to the “patent wars” that accompanied different stages of the creation of lasers. A comparative analysis of the market development for laser technology from the stage of creation to the present has been carried out. Nineteenth-century world exhibitions were platforms to demonstrate technical and technological changes that witnessed the modernization and industrialization of the world. World exhibitions have contributed to the promotion of new inventions and the popularization of already known, as well as the emergence of art objects of world importance. One of the most important world events at the turn of the century was the 1900 World's Fair in Paris. Thus, the author has tried to analyze the participation of representatives of the sugar industry in the World's Fair in 1900 and to define the role of exhibitions as indicators of economic development, to show the importance and influence of private entrepreneurs, especially from Ukraine, on the sugar industry and international contacts. The article by Viktor Verhunov highlights the life and creative path of the outstanding domestic scientist, theorist, methodologist and practitioner of agricultural engineering K. G. Schindler, associated with the formation of agricultural mechanics in Ukraine. The methodological foundation of the research is the principles of historicism, scientific nature and objectivity in reproducing the phenomena of the past based on the complex use of general scientific, special, interdisciplinary methods. For the first time a number of documents from Russian and Ukrainian archives, which reflect some facts of the professional biography of the scientist, were introduced into scientific circulation. The authors from Kremenchuk National University named after Mykhailo Ostrohradskyi presented a fascinating study of a bayonet fragment with severe damages of metal found in the city Kremenchuk (Ukraine) in one of the canals on the outskirts of the city, near the Dnipro River. Theoretical research to study blade weapons of the World War I period and the typology of the bayonets of that period, which made it possible to put forward an assumption about the possible identification of the object as a modified bayonet to the Mauser rifle has been carried out. Metal science expert examination was based on X-ray fluorescence spectrometry to determine the concentration of elements in the sample from the cleaned part of the blade. In the article by Mykola Ruban and Vadym Ponomarenko on the basis of the complex analysis of sources and scientific literature the attempt to investigate historical circumstances of development and construction of shunting electric locomotives at the Dnipropetrovsk electric locomotive plant has been made. The next scientific article continues the series of publications devoted to the assessment of activities of the heads of the Ministry of Railways of the Russian Empire. In this article, the authors have attempted to systematize and analyze historical data on the activities of Klavdii Semyonovych Nemeshaev as the Minister of Railways of the Russian Empire. The article also assesses the development and construction of railway network in the Russian Empire during Nemeshaev's office, in particular, of the Amur Line and Moscow Encircle Railway, as well as the increase in the capacity of the Trans-Siberian Railway. The article discusses K. S. Nemeshaev's contribution to the development of technology and the introduction of a new type of freight steam locomotive for state-owned railways. We hope that everyone will find interesting useful information in the new issue. And, of course, we welcome your new submissions.

Abstrak Pengertian dari FMECA (Failure Mode Effect and Criticality Analysis) adalah suatu metode untuk mengevaluasi ataupun mendesain dari komponen pada suatu sistem dengan cara meneliti potensi modus kegagalannya untuk menentukan dampak yang akan terjadi pada komponen atau sistem kerja. Setiap potensi dari suatu modus kegagalan diklasifikasikan berdasarkan dampak yang dapat ditimbulkan pada keberhasilan sistem tersebut ataupun pada keselamatan pengguna dan peralatan, sehingga dapat diketahui kemungkinan kondisi paling kritis pada komponen yang akan terjadi. Alat transportasi batubara yang terbaru dengan rangkaian gerbong yang digerakkan oleh sistem penggerak luar yaitu konveyor rel. Dalam aplikasinya yang akan digunakan untuk mengangkut batubara di area tambang dari sebuah perusahaan tambang nasional dengan jarak antara loading station dan unloading station sekitar 2,3 km. Konveyor rel terdiri dari 8 sub sistem, salah satunya adalah drive station yang merupakan komponen penggerak dari Konveyor rel yang dipasang pada lokasi-lokasi tertentu. Drive Station sendiri terdiri dari 5 komponen utama, yaitu panel daya listrik, sistem kontrol, unit penggerak, mekanisme pendorong dan rem mekanik. Rem mekanik sebagai komponen utama diharapkan memiliki sub komponen yang memadai. Untuk itu, jurnal ini akan membahas nilai kekritisan pada setiap sub komponen dari rem mekanik dengan menggunakan pendekatan FMECA. Pengumpulan data sebagai awal dari analisis dimulai dengan rancangan dasar dan cara kerja komponen-komponen utama. Tahap selanjutnya adalah penerapan metode FMECA, yang menggabungkan prosedur FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) dan CA (Criticality Analysis). Prosedur FMEA terdiri dari penentuan sistem yang akan dianalisis, membuat diagram blok fungsi sistem, mengidentifikasi modus-modus kegagalan dan mengidentifikasi effect yang ditimbulkan oleh modus kegagalan tersebut. Sedangkan prosedur CA terdiri dari dua prosedur, yaitu perhitungan nilai kekritisan dan melakukan pemeringkatan berdasarkan modus kegagalan. Hasil analisis dari 6 sub komponen dari komponen rem mekanik, didapatkan 1 sub komponen yang memiliki nilai kekritisan tertinggi, yaitu pompa rem mekanik dengan nilai kekritisan sebesar 0,633. Kata kunci : Konveyor rel, Drive Station, FMECA, FMEA, CA. Abstract Understanding of FMECA (Failure Mode Effect and Critical Analysis) is a method for evaluating or designing components on a system by examining the potential of Failure Mode to determine the impact that will occur on components or work systems. Every potential of a failure mode is classified based on the impact that can be caused on the success of the system or on the safety of users and equipment, so that the most critical possible conditions in the component will be known. The latest coal transportation with railway coach and driven by an external drive system, rail conveyors. In the application that will be used to transport coal in the mine area from a national mining company with a distance between loading station and unloading station around 2.3 km. Rail conveyors consist of 8 sub-systems, one of the sub-system is a drive station which is a driving component of rail conveyors installed in certain locations. The Drive Station itself consists of 5 main components, namely the electric power panel, control system, drive unit, driving mechanism and mechanical brake. Mechanical brakes as the main component are expected to have adequate sub-components. For this reason, this journal will discuss the critical value of each sub-component of a mechanical brake using the FMECA approach. Data collection as the beginning of the analysis begins with the basic design and workings of the main components. The next stage is the application of the FMECA method, which combines the procedures of FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) and CA (Critical Analysis). The FMEA procedure consists of determining the system to be analyzed, making block diagrams of system functions, identifying failure modes and identifying the effects caused by the failure mode. While the CA procedure consists of two procedures, namely the calculation of critical values ??and ranking according to failure mode. The results of the analysis of 6 sub-components of the mechanical brake component, obtained 1 sub-component that has the highest critical value, namely the pump with a critical value of 0.633. Keywords : Konveyor rel, Drive Station, FMECA, FMEA, CA.

In this issue of Journal of Disaster Research, we introduce nine papers on societal responses to recent catastrophic disasters with special focus on long-term recovery processes in Japan and the United States. As disaster impacts increase, we also find that recovery times take longer and the processes for recovery become more complicated. On January 17th of 1995, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit the Hanshin and Awaji regions of Japan, resulting in the largest disaster in Japan in 50 years. In this disaster which we call the Kobe earthquake hereafter, over 6,000 people were killed and the damage and losses totaled more than 100 billion US dollars. The long-term recovery from the Kobe earthquake disaster took more than ten years to complete. One of the most important responsibilities of disaster researchers has been to scientifically monitor and record the long-term recovery process following this unprecedented disaster and discern the lessons that can be applied to future disasters. The first seven papers in this issue present some of the key lessons our research team learned from the studying the long-term recovery following the Kobe earthquake disaster. We have two additional papers that deal with two recent disasters in the United States – the terrorist attacks on World Trade Center in New York on September 11 of 2001 and the devastation of New Orleans by the 2005 Hurricane Katrina and subsequent levee failures. These disasters have raised a number of new research questions about long-term recovery that US researchers are studying because of the unprecedented size and nature of these disasters’ impacts. Mr. Mammen’s paper reviews the long-term recovery processes observed at and around the World Trade Center site over the last six years. Ms. Johnson’s paper provides a detailed account of the protracted reconstruction planning efforts in the city of New Orleans to illustrate a set of sufficient and necessary conditions for successful recovery. All nine papers in this issue share a theoretical framework for long-term recovery processes which we developed based first upon the lessons learned from the Kobe earthquake and later expanded through observations made following other recent disasters in the world. The following sections provide a brief description of each paper as an introduction to this special issue. 1. The Need for Multiple Recovery Goals After the 1995 Kobe earthquake, the long-term recovery process began with the formulation of disaster recovery plans by the City of Kobe – the most severely impacted municipality – and an overarching plan by Hyogo Prefecture which coordinated 20 impacted municipalities; this planning effort took six months. Before the Kobe earthquake, as indicated in Mr. Maki’s paper in this issue, Japanese theories about, and approaches to, recovery focused mainly on physical recovery, particularly: the redevelopment plans for destroyed areas; the location and standards for housing and building reconstruction; and, the repair and rehabilitation of utility systems. But the lingering problems of some of the recent catastrophes in Japan and elsewhere indicate that there are multiple dimensions of recovery that must be considered. We propose that two other key dimensions are economic recovery and life recovery. The goal of economic recovery is the revitalization of the local disaster impacted economy, including both major industries and small businesses. The goal of life recovery is the restoration of the livelihoods of disaster victims. The recovery plans formulated following the 1995 Kobe earthquake, including the City of Kobe’s and Hyogo Prefecture’s plans, all stressed these two dimensions in addition to physical recovery. The basic structure of both the City of Kobe’s and Hyogo Prefecture’s recovery plans are summarized in Fig. 1. Each plan has three elements that work simultaneously. The first and most basic element of recovery is the restoration of damaged infrastructure. This helps both physical recovery and economic recovery. Once homes and work places are recovered, Life recovery of the impacted people can be achieved as the final goal of recovery. Figure 2 provides a “recovery report card” of the progress made by 2006 – 11 years into Kobe’s recovery. Infrastructure was restored in two years, which was probably the fastest infrastructure restoration ever, after such a major disaster; it astonished the world. Within five years, more than 140,000 housing units were constructed using a variety of financial means and ownership patterns, and exceeding the number of demolished housing units. Governments at all levels – municipal, prefectural, and national – provided affordable public rental apartments. Private developers, both local and national, also built condominiums and apartments. Disaster victims themselves also invested a lot to reconstruct their homes. Eleven major redevelopment projects were undertaken and all were completed in 10 years. In sum, the physical recovery following the 1995 Kobe earthquake was extensive and has been viewed as a major success. In contrast, economic recovery and life recovery are still underway more than 13 years later. Before the Kobe earthquake, Japan’s policy approaches to recovery assumed that economic recovery and life recovery would be achieved by infusing ample amounts of public funding for physical recovery into the disaster area. Even though the City of Kobe’s and Hyogo Prefecture’s recovery plans set economic recovery and life recovery as key goals, there was not clear policy guidance to accomplish them. Without a clear articulation of the desired end-state, economic recovery programs for both large and small businesses were ill-timed and ill-matched to the needs of these businesses trying to recover amidst a prolonged slump in the overall Japanese economy that began in 1997. “Life recovery” programs implemented as part of Kobe’s recovery were essentially social welfare programs for low-income and/or senior citizens. 2. Requirements for Successful Physical Recovery Why was the physical recovery following the 1995 Kobe earthquake so successful in terms of infrastructure restoration, the replacement of damaged housing units, and completion of urban redevelopment projects? There are at least three key success factors that can be applied to other disaster recovery efforts: 1) citizen participation in recovery planning efforts, 2) strong local leadership, and 3) the establishment of numerical targets for recovery. Citizen participation As pointed out in the three papers on recovery planning processes by Mr. Maki, Mr. Mammen, and Ms. Johnson, citizen participation is one of the indispensable factors for successful recovery plans. Thousands of citizens participated in planning workshops organized by America Speaks as part of both the World Trade Center and City of New Orleans recovery planning efforts. Although no such workshops were held as part of the City of Kobe’s recovery planning process, citizen participation had been part of the City of Kobe’s general plan update that had occurred shortly before the earthquake. The City of Kobe’s recovery plan is, in large part, an adaptation of the 1995-2005 general plan. On January 13 of 1995, the City of Kobe formally approved its new, 1995-2005 general plan which had been developed over the course of three years with full of citizen participation. City officials, responsible for drafting the City of Kobe’s recovery plan, have later admitted that they were able to prepare the city’s recovery plan in six months because they had the preceding three years of planning for the new general plan with citizen participation. Based on this lesson, Odiya City compiled its recovery plan based on the recommendations obtained from a series of five stakeholder workshops after the 2004 Niigata Chuetsu earthquake. <strong>Fig. 1. </strong> Basic structure of recovery plans from the 1995 Kobe earthquake. <strong>Fig. 2. </strong> “Disaster recovery report card” of the progress made by 2006. Strong leadership In the aftermath of the Kobe earthquake, local leadership had a defining role in the recovery process. Kobe’s former Mayor, Mr. Yukitoshi Sasayama, was hired to work in Kobe City government as an urban planner, rebuilding Kobe following World War II. He knew the city intimately. When he saw damage in one area on his way to the City Hall right after the earthquake, he knew what levels of damage to expect in other parts of the city. It was he who called for the two-month moratorium on rebuilding in Kobe city on the day of the earthquake. The moratorium provided time for the city to formulate a vision and policies to guide the various levels of government, private investors, and residents in rebuilding. It was a quite unpopular policy when Mayor Sasayama announced it. Citizens expected the city to be focusing on shelters and mass care, not a ban on reconstruction. Based on his experience in rebuilding Kobe following WWII, he was determined not to allow haphazard reconstruction in the city. It took several years before Kobe citizens appreciated the moratorium. Numerical targets Former Governor Mr. Toshitami Kaihara provided some key numerical targets for recovery which were announced in the prefecture and municipal recovery plans. They were: 1) Hyogo Prefecture would rebuild all the damaged housing units in three years, 2) all the temporary housing would be removed within five years, and 3) physical recovery would be completed in ten years. All of these numerical targets were achieved. Having numerical targets was critical to directing and motivating all the stakeholders including the national government’s investment, and it proved to be the foundation for Japan’s fundamental approach to recovery following the 1995 earthquake. 3. Economic Recovery as the Prime Goal of Disaster Recovery In Japan, it is the responsibility of the national government to supply the financial support to restore damaged infrastructure and public facilities in the impacted area as soon as possible. The long-term recovery following the Kobe earthquake is the first time, in Japan’s modern history, that a major rebuilding effort occurred during a time when there was not also strong national economic growth. In contrast, between 1945 and 1990, Japan enjoyed a high level of national economic growth which helped facilitate the recoveries following WWII and other large fires. In the first year after the Kobe earthquake, Japan’s national government invested more than US$ 80 billion in recovery. These funds went mainly towards the repair and reconstruction of infrastructure and public facilities. Now, looking back, we can also see that these investments also nearly crushed the local economy. Too much money flowed into the local economy over too short a period of time and it also did not have the “trickle-down” effect that might have been intended. To accomplish numerical targets for physical recovery, the national government awarded contracts to large companies from Osaka and Tokyo. But, these large out-of-town contractors also tended to have their own labor and supply chains already intact, and did not use local resources and labor, as might have been expected. Essentially, ten years of housing supply was completed in less than three years, which led to a significant local economic slump. Large amounts of public investment for recovery are not necessarily a panacea for local businesses, and local economic recovery, as shown in the following two examples from the Kobe earthquake. A significant national investment was made to rebuild the Port of Kobe to a higher seismic standard, but both its foreign export and import trade never recovered to pre-disaster levels. While the Kobe Port was out of business, both the Yokohama Port and the Osaka Port increased their business, even though many economists initially predicted that the Kaohsiung Port in Chinese Taipei or the Pusan Port in Korea would capture this business. Business stayed at all of these ports even after the reopening of the Kobe Port. Similarly, the Hanshin Railway was severely damaged and it took half a year to resume its operation, but it never regained its pre-disaster readership. In this case, two other local railway services, the JR and Hankyu lines, maintained their increased readership even after the Hanshin railway resumed operation. As illustrated by these examples, pre-disaster customers who relied on previous economic output could not necessarily afford to wait for local industries to recover and may have had to take their business elsewhere. Our research suggests that the significant recovery investment made by Japan’s national government may have been a disincentive for new economic development in the impacted area. Government may have been the only significant financial risk-taker in the impacted area during the national economic slow-down. But, its focus was on restoring what had been lost rather than promoting new or emerging economic development. Thus, there may have been a missed opportunity to provide incentives or put pressure on major businesses and industries to develop new businesses and attract new customers in return for the public investment. The significant recovery investment by Japan’s national government may have also created an over-reliance of individuals on public spending and government support. As indicated in Ms. Karatani’s paper, individual savings of Kobe’s residents has continued to rise since the earthquake and the number of individuals on social welfare has also decreased below pre-disaster levels. Based on our research on economic recovery from the Kobe earthquake, at least two lessons emerge: 1) Successful economic recovery requires coordination among all three recovery goals – Economic, Physical and Life Recovery, and 2) “Recovery indices” are needed to better chart recovery progress in real-time and help ensure that the recovery investments are being used effectively. Economic recovery as the prime goal of recovery Physical recovery, especially the restoration of infrastructure and public facilities, may be the most direct and socially accepted provision of outside financial assistance into an impacted area. However, lessons learned from the Kobe earthquake suggest that the sheer amount of such assistance may not be effective as it should be. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, economic recovery should be the top priority goal for recovery among the three goals and serve as a guiding force for physical recovery and life recovery. Physical recovery can be a powerful facilitator of post-disaster economic development by upgrading social infrastructure and public facilities in compliance with economic recovery plans. In this way, it is possible to turn a disaster into an opportunity for future sustainable development. Life recovery may also be achieved with a healthy economic recovery that increases tax revenue in the impacted area. In order to achieve this coordination among all three recovery goals, municipalities in the impacted areas should have access to flexible forms of post-disaster financing. The community development block grant program that has been used after several large disasters in the United States, provide impacted municipalities with a more flexible form of funding and the ability to better determine what to do and when. The participation of key stakeholders is also an indispensable element of success that enables block grant programs to transform local needs into concrete businesses. In sum, an effective economic recovery combines good coordination of national support to restore infrastructure and public facilities and local initiatives that promote community recovery. Developing Recovery Indices Long-term recovery takes time. As Mr. Tatsuki’s paper explains, periodical social survey data indicates that it took ten years before the initial impacts of the Kobe earthquake were no longer affecting the well-being of disaster victims and the recovery was completed. In order to manage this long-term recovery process effectively, it is important to have some indices to visualize the recovery processes. In this issue, three papers by Mr. Takashima, Ms. Karatani, and Mr. Kimura define three different kinds of recovery indices that can be used to continually monitor the progress of the recovery. Mr. Takashima focuses on electric power consumption in the impacted area as an index for impact and recovery. Chronological change in electric power consumption can be obtained from the monthly reports of power company branches. Daily estimates can also be made by tracking changes in city lights using a satellite called DMSP. Changes in city lights can be a very useful recovery measure especially at the early stages since it can be updated daily for anywhere in the world. Ms. Karatani focuses on the chronological patterns of monthly macro-statistics that prefecture and city governments collect as part of their routine monitoring of services and operations. For researchers, it is extremely costly and virtually impossible to launch post-disaster projects that collect recovery data continuously for ten years. It is more practical for researchers to utilize data that is already being collected by local governments or other agencies and use this data to create disaster impact and recovery indices. Ms. Karatani found three basic patterns of disaster impact and recovery in the local government data that she studied: 1) Some activities increased soon after the disaster event and then slumped, such as housing construction; 2) Some activities reduced sharply for a period of time after the disaster and then rebounded to previous levels, such as grocery consumption; and 3) Some activities reduced sharply for a while and never returned to previous levels, such as the Kobe Port and Hanshin Railway. Mr. Kimura focuses on the psychology of disaster victims. He developed a “recovery and reconstruction calendar” that clarifies the process that disaster victims undergo in rebuilding their shattered lives. His work is based on the results of random surveys. Despite differences in disaster size and locality, survey data from the 1995 Kobe earthquake and the 2004 Niigata-ken Chuetsu earthquake indicate that the recovery and reconstruction calendar is highly reliable and stable in clarifying the recovery and reconstruction process. <strong>Fig. 3.</strong> Integrated plan of disaster recovery. 4. Life Recovery as the Ultimate Goal of Disaster Recovery Life recovery starts with the identification of the disaster victims. In Japan, local governments in the impacted area issue a “damage certificate” to disaster victims by household, recording the extent of each victim’s housing damage. After the Kobe earthquake, a total of 500,000 certificates were issued. These certificates, in turn, were used by both public and private organizations to determine victim’s eligibility for individual assistance programs. However, about 30% of those victims who received certificates after the Kobe earthquake were dissatisfied with the results of assessment. This caused long and severe disputes for more than three years. Based on the lessons learned from the Kobe earthquake, Mr. Horie’s paper presents (1) a standardized procedure for building damage assessment and (2) an inspector training system. This system has been adopted as the official building damage assessment system for issuing damage certificates to victims of the 2004 Niigata-ken Chuetsu earthquake, the 2007 Noto-Peninsula earthquake, and the 2007 Niigata-ken Chuetsu Oki earthquake. Personal and family recovery, which we term life recovery, was one of the explicit goals of the recovery plan from the Kobe earthquake, but it was unclear in both recovery theory and practice as to how this would be measured and accomplished. Now, after studying the recovery in Kobe and other regions, Ms. Tamura’s paper proposes that there are seven elements that define the meaning of life recovery for disaster victims. She recently tested this model in a workshop with Kobe disaster victims. The seven elements and victims’ rankings are shown in Fig. 4. Regaining housing and restoring social networks were, by far, the top recovery indicators for victims. Restoration of neighborhood character ranked third. Demographic shifts and redevelopment plans implemented following the Kobe earthquake forced significant neighborhood changes upon many victims. Next in line were: having a sense of being better prepared and reducing their vulnerability to future disasters; regaining their physical and mental health; and restoration of their income, job, and the economy. The provision of government assistance also provided victims with a sense of life recovery. Mr. Tatsuki’s paper summarizes the results of four random-sample surveys of residents within the most severely impacted areas of Hyogo Prefecture. These surveys were conducted biannually since 1999,. Based on the results of survey data from 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005, it is our conclusion that life recovery took ten years for victims in the area impacted significantly by the Kobe earthquake. Fig. 5 shows that by comparing the two structural equation models of disaster recovery (from 2003 and 2005), damage caused by the Kobe earthquake was no longer a determinant of life recovery in the 2005 model. It was still one of the major determinants in the 2003 model as it was in 1999 and 2001. This is the first time in the history of disaster research that the entire recovery process has been scientifically described. It can be utilized as a resource and provide benchmarks for monitoring the recovery from future disasters. <strong>Fig. 4.</strong> Ethnographical meaning of “life recovery” obtained from the 5th year review of the Kobe earthquake by the City of Kobe. <strong>Fig. 5.</strong> Life recovery models of 2003 and 2005. 6. The Need for an Integrated Recovery Plan The recovery lessons from Kobe and other regions suggest that we need more integrated recovery plans that use physical recovery as a tool for economic recovery, which in turn helps disaster victims. Furthermore, we believe that economic recovery should be the top priority for recovery, and physical recovery should be regarded as a tool for stimulating economic recovery and upgrading social infrastructure (as shown in Fig. 6). With this approach, disaster recovery can help build the foundation for a long-lasting and sustainable community. Figure 6 proposes a more detailed model for a more holistic recovery process. The ultimate goal of any recovery process should be achieving life recovery for all disaster victims. We believe that to get there, both direct and indirect approaches must be taken. Direct approaches include: the provision of funds and goods for victims, for physical and mental health care, and for housing reconstruction. Indirect approaches for life recovery are those which facilitate economic recovery, which also has both direct and indirect approaches. Direct approaches to economic recovery include: subsidies, loans, and tax exemptions. Indirect approaches to economic recovery include, most significantly, the direct projects to restore infrastructure and public buildings. More subtle approaches include: setting new regulations or deregulations, providing technical support, and creating new businesses. A holistic recovery process needs to strategically combine all of these approaches, and there must be collaborative implementation by all the key stakeholders, including local governments, non-profit and non-governmental organizations (NPOs and NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), and the private sector. Therefore, community and stakeholder participation in the planning process is essential to achieve buy-in for the vision and desired outcomes of the recovery plan. Securing the required financial resources is also critical to successful implementation. In thinking of stakeholders, it is important to differentiate between supporting entities and operating agencies. Supporting entities are those organizations that supply the necessary funding for recovery. Both Japan’s national government and the federal government in the U.S. are the prime supporting entities in the recovery from the 1995 Kobe earthquake and the 2001 World Trade Center recovery. In Taiwan, the Buddhist organization and the national government of Taiwan were major supporting entities in the recovery from the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake. Operating agencies are those organizations that implement various recovery measures. In Japan, local governments in the impacted area are operating agencies, while the national government is a supporting entity. In the United States, community development block grants provide an opportunity for many operating agencies to implement various recovery measures. As Mr. Mammen’ paper describes, many NPOs, NGOs, and/or CBOs in addition to local governments have had major roles in implementing various kinds programs funded by block grants as part of the World Trade Center recovery. No one, single organization can provide effective help for all kinds of disaster victims individually or collectively. The needs of disaster victims may be conflicting with each other because of their diversity. Their divergent needs can be successfully met by the diversity of operating agencies that have responsibility for implementing recovery measures. In a similar context, block grants made to individual households, such as microfinance, has been a vital recovery mechanism for victims in Thailand who suffered from the 2004 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami disaster. Both disaster victims and government officers at all levels strongly supported the microfinance so that disaster victims themselves would become operating agencies for recovery. Empowering individuals in sustainable life recovery is indeed the ultimate goal of recovery. <strong>Fig. 6.</strong> A holistic recovery policy model.

While frictional braking is an intuitive method by which to slow vehicles, it is also a costly braking method due to the fact that frictional brakes wear down due to frequent use and high quantities of friction. On trains, this problem is worse because of their constant use and because heavier objects require stronger braking forces. The objective is to improve locomotive performance by developing a braking system that utilizes non-frictional braking technology to cut these costs and yield safer, more durable brakes. This project is directed towards dieselelectric3 locomotives with air brakes, as engineers can design blended braking systems that integrate non-frictional braking into these braking systems. The candidate solutions include regenerative, rheostatic, and hydrodynamic braking, two of which use magnetic fields, and the third of which uses fluid drag forces. Regenerative braking is the proposed solution due to its ability to harness and use electricity during braking. Project success would contribute to railway company success by reducing expenses spent on air brakes; it would also contribute to locomotive manufacturer success because the product will likely become a popular technology. Finally, it would benefit the environment by reducing the external energy required by the railway network. Keywords: Locomotive, braking, non-frictional, regenerative, rheostatic, hydrodynamic, diesel-electric

Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC (Oncor) is planning to construct the Owl Hills—Tunstill 138-kV Transmission Line Route in Culberson, Reeves and Loving Counties, Texas. Oncor contracted with Halff Associates, Inc. to conduct an intensive pedestrian survey of 18.5 miles of new 138-kV transmission line on private property. The survey was conducted January 20-24, 2020 and a total of 102 shovel tests were excavated in areas where buried archeological deposits where expected, and two 15-meter (32.8-foot) transects underwent pedestrian survey within the 70-foot (21.3-meter) wide survey corridor, which measures approximately 157 acres. Three archeological sites (41RV208, 41RV209 and 41RV213) were identified and recorded during the archeological survey. Site 41RV208 is a prehistoric occupation containing a surface deposit of 12 lithic debitage, 6 flake tools, 6 cores, 2 groundstone fragments and 40 fire cracked rocks (FCR). The site is situated on a gravelly and deflated upland that forms the western rim of the Pecos River valley. Site 41RV209 consists of a prehistoric occupation containing a surface deposit of 12 FCR, 6 lithic debitage, 3 flake tools, 2 cores, 1 uniface, and 1 biface. This site is situated on the heavily eroded west bank of Salt Creek and has been disturbed by construction activities associated with an adjacent pipeline corridor. Site 41RV213 is an abandoned section of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (ATSF) Railway that parallels U.S. Highway 285 to the east. The section of railroad in the surveyed area has undergone extensive disturbance and consists of a narrow linear piling of fill, railroad gravels and non-descript metal debris. It is Halff’s recommendation that sites 41RV208, 41RV209 and 41RV213 are ineligible for National Register of Historic Places consideration in the surveyed area and no further cultural resources investigations are warranted for the project. While shovel testing within the lower terraces of the Pecos River valley floor resulted in negative findings, most of the shovel tests in this area did not encounter restrictive deposits soil or geologic deposits that antedate the Holocene. Therefore, the installation of the transmission line poles located along the lower alluvial terraces of the Pecos River was recommended for archeological monitoring. Halff recommends that construction of the remainder of the proposed transmission line route be allowed to proceed and that no additional archaeological investigations are recommended outside of the monitoring area. However, if the proposed transmission line route alignment changes, additional archeological survey may be necessary. In addition, should any cultural resources be discovered during the construction or maintenance activities associated with the project, work in the immediate area shall cease and the Texas Historical Commission be notified of the discovery.