Academic literature on the topic 'Train surfing'

We introduce a two-stream model to use reflexive eye movements for smart mobile device authentication. Our model is based on two pre-trained neural networks, iTracker and PredNet, targeting two independent tasks: (i) gaze tracking and (ii) future frame prediction. We design a procedure to randomly generate the visual stimulus on the screen of mobile device, and the frontal camera will simultaneously capture head motions of the user as one watches it. Then, iTracker calculates the gaze-coordinates error which is treated as a static feature. To solve the imprecise gaze-coordinates caused by the low resolution of the frontal camera, we further take advantage of PredNet to extract the dynamic features between consecutive frames. In order to resist traditional attacks (shoulder surfing and impersonation attacks) during the procedure of mobile device authentication, we innovatively combine static features and dynamic features to train a 2-class support vector machine (SVM) classifier. The experiment results show that the classifier achieves accuracy of 98.6% to authenticate the user identity of mobile devices.

This paper introduces an interactive Memex-like application using a self-modifiable Petri Net model — Self-modifiable Color Petri Net (SCPN). The Memex ("memory extender") device proposed by Vannevar Bush in 1945 focused on the problems of "locating relevant information in the published records and recording how that information is intellectually connected". The important features of Memex include associative indexing and retrieval. In this paper, the self-modifiable functions of SCPN are used to achieve trail recording and retrieval. A place in SCPN represents a website and an arc indicates the trail direction. Each time when a new website is visited, a place corresponding to this website will be added. After a trail is built, users can use it to retrieve the websites they have visited. Besides, useful user interactions are supported by SCPN to achieve Memex functions. The types of user interactions include the following — forward, backward, history, search, etc. A simulator has been built to demonstrate that the SCPN model can realize Memex functions. Petri net instances can be designed to model trail record, back, and forward operations using this simulator. Furthermore, a client-server based application system has been built. Using this system, a user can surf online and record his surfing history on the server according to different topics and share them with other users.

Visitor activities in parks often have a heavy impact on the soil, vegetation, water and wildlife. In front country areas, the most extreme damage is concentrated on and adjacent to recreational trails. Aside from controlling the numbers, activities and behaviours of trail users, managers may choose to make trails more resistant to impact through surfacing. Unfortunately, surfacing may have negative influences on park visitors' enjoyment of trails by limiting access or detracting from the primitive setting. In addition, some surfaces may be ineffective in certain environmental conditions such as wet ground or steep slopes. Finally, the wide variety in construction and maintenance costs may make some surface types economically unfeasible. The goals of this research are to investigate the role of trail surfacing in the management of impacts from outdoor recreation; to develop better understanding of the social, economic and environmental aspects of trail surfacing decisions; and to explore a comprehensive framework for incorporating these three factors in trail management. It is hoped that this research can assist park managers in selecting surfacing options to reduce visitor impact without excessively compromising recreational experience or organizational limitations, such as financial resources. In addition to a comprehensive review of literature on visitor impact management on trails and surfacing techniques, this research employs three methods to further investigate the social, environmental and economic aspects of trail surfacing: a trail user survey, manager survey and trail condition assessment. The trail user survey was conducted at two well-used natural areas in southwestern Ontario, Canada: Presqu'ile Provincial Park and Belfountain Conservation Area. Surveys at each area explored trail users' perceptions and preferences of trail surfacing techniques in late summer 1999. The managers' survey provided insight into organizational approaches to surfacing, including construction cost and observations on recreational or environmental effectiveness. Finally, the trail condition assessment explored an approach to determining environmental effectiveness of trail surfacing techniques, but was limited by the physical and recreational variation between trails. Seven recommendations for trail managers are presented, tying in several conceptual frameworks of visitor impact management and trail surfacing decisions developed in the thesis. First, trail managers are recommended to develop a full understanding of trail design principles and alternative visitor impact management techniques. If surfacing is selected as the best impact management technique, trail managers should obtain as much information on user characteristics, environmental conditions and organizational limitations as possible. Despite the benefits and drawbacks for all surfaces, road base gravel (or angular screenings with fines) merits special attention as an excellent surface, while asphalt and concrete are not recommended for front country, semi-primitive recreation. Finally, trail managers are encouraged to share information on surfacing more freely and open surfacing decision processes to affected trail users. Overall, trail managers are provided with an approach to surfacing decisions that considers the social, environmental and economic aspects of trail surfacing, with the goal of working toward more enjoyable, environmentally responsible and cost-effective trail solutions.

A Research Report submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Community Based-Counselling Psychology in the Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand
Train surfing or staff riding has been a part of the South African working-class economic fabric since the initiation of segregation under apartheid. Now within contemporary society the activity has gained great media attention due to the fatalities that are so commonly associated with it. Despite it being a globally and locally longstanding activity it is still an area that is under-researched. The current study was aimed at exploring the growing phenomenon and how it is constructed by youth in Soweto. A total of 32 adolescent boys and girls between the ages of 18 and 21 were recruited from a public secondary school in Orlando West, Soweto, to take part in one of four focus groups. The participants’ responses from the focus group discussions were recorded then analysed using thematic content analysis. Emerging themes, including what it means to be an adolescent living in Soweto postapartheid, what adolescents now consider having fun, and what they consider to be risky behaviour, were explored in the data analysis. In addition, alternative growing phenomena within Soweto were identified, namely biking and drag-racing. Evident from the analysis was the pressure felt and experienced by adolescents, especially by male adolescents within society and the school environment to fit in to popular constructions of a growing adult and the constructions of hegemonic masculinity in contemporary South Africa. It was also found that the train surfing participants used the practice as a means to define their identity as young, black males living in South Africa. However, as much as some of the accounts of the reasons behind risky behaviours were in line with hegemonic constructions of masculinity, also revealed were the alternative and opposing voices which appeared to be tense with emotional, personal and social sacrifices. This fluidity of identity was explored through the various components of identity such as race, class and gender that all interact within the context of Soweto and results in differing adolescent identity constructions, such as, the ambitious and inspired, as well as the risk-taking train surfers who are described as being ‘in limbo’. The research concludes by shifting contemporary understanding of the phenomenon from one of thrill seeking to a performance of identity and masculinity that is influenced by race, class, and gender.

Train-Surfing is a high-risk phenomenon that has in recent years, become a trend affecting black male youths in South Africa. This study aimed at examining the motives behind the phenomenon. It also aimed at exploring the role that train-surfing plays in constructing a black, South African, masculine identity and what it means to be a train-surfer. A broader aim of the study was to explore the constructions of masculinity and their influence on high-risk behaviours in men. The reason for the choice of topic was that although train-surfing is not a recent phenomenon it appears to be a growing phenomenon in South Africa. Scientific publications are limited thus far with regard to international and local literature on this issue. This exploratory study used the social constructionist theory as a theoretical framework and presents qualitative research findings based on in-depth interviews of six juvenile train-surfers who reside in Soweto, Gauteng. Thematic Content Analysis was used to analyse the data. The study found that train-surfers tend to show evidence of family discord and are inclined to rely on support from their train-surfing peers. All of the participants lacked a substantial father figure, however many of them showed evidence of consistent support from mother figures. Reasons for participation in train-surfing include impressing young females, a desire for status and fame and peer pressure. Some participants perceived the activity as a sport or hobby, whilst others used symbols of addiction in describing the phenomenon. It was also found that the train-surfing participants used train-surfing as a means to define their identity as young, black males living in South Africa. Train-surfing was found to be associated with other high-risk activities such as taking drugs, drinking alcohol and gang-related behaviours. These findings are important as they highlight the role of high-risk behaviour in adolescents and uncover much needed research regarding men and masculinities in South Africa.
Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

This dissertation aims to position train surfing as a visual spectacle that is practised by Sowetan train surfers within the context of post-authoritarian Johannesburg. The author argues that train surfing is a visual and spatial phenomenon that is theoretically under-researched. As such, this study aims to decode seven train surfing videos to establish what train surfing looks like, where train surfing occurs and why individuals participate in such a high risk activity. This study, furthermore, aims to frame train surfing as a spectacle by investigating the similarities between train surfing and rites of passage (initiation rites). The author also regards train surfing as a very specific form of storytelling. The narratives conveyed in the seven videos are, therefore, interpreted to establish that train surfing is practised to ‘voice’ fatalistic feelings, societal as well as individual crises. After establishing the visual aspects of train surfing, the author focuses on the spatial context of train surfing. Johannesburg is described as both an authoritarian and post-authoritarian construct by tracing the spatial and political history of the city. When the discussion turns to the post-authoritarian city, townships and squatter settlements are analysed as being both marginal and hybrid spaces. It is argued that townships are marginal spaces due to their location, they are inhabited by the underclass and they are formed by processes of capitalism and urbanisation, and as a result of these factors, township residents might have fatalistic mindsets (Gulick 1989). The author, however, contends that township space is an ambivalent construct, and as such, it can also be read as hybrid space. Here, hybrid space is interpreted as a platform from which township residents can resist oppressing spatial and political ideologies. In this context, train surfing is regarded as one way in which train surfers use hybrid space to express tactics of resistance. After establishing the spatial context of train surfing, the socio-economic and material living conditions of train surfers are investigated. The discussion firstly, explores the underclass, as theorised by Jencks and Peterson (1990), and thereafter highlights why train surfers can be classified as being part of this sub-category. It is, furthermore, argued that Sowetan train surfers are part of a new lost generation due to high unemployment rates, the HIV/AIDS pandemic and bleak future outlooks. The author aims to establish that, as a result of their socio-economic status and material living conditions, train surfers are fatalistic, and practice an extreme activity to exert control over one area of their lives, namely their bodies. Lastly, the dissertation aims to explore train surfing as being both a risk-taking activity and a new spatial practice. The dynamics of adolescent risk-taking behaviour is explored by emphasising the psychological motivations behind high risk activities. The author argues that alienating space can be regarded as an additional factor that usher adolescents into risk-taking activities. As such, the place(s) and space(s) inhabited by train surfers, namely Johannesburg, Soweto and township train stations, are discussed as alienating spaces. Moreover, it is argued that alienating spaces create opportunities for resistance (following the power-resistance dialectic inherent to space), and as such, train surfing is interpreted as a de-alienating spatial practice that enables the marginalised train surfer to exert control over his surroundings.
Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2012.
Visual Arts
unrestricted

This paper discusses general High Speed Rail (HSR) track geometry, construction and maintenance practices and tolerances. The discussion will reference several key international projects and highlight different construction methods and the track geometry assessments used to establish and ensure serviceability of a typical HSR system. Historically, established tighter tolerances of “Express” HSR (i.e. operating speeds greater than 240 km/h or 150 mph) systems have favored the use of slab track systems over ballasted track systems. Slab track systems offer greater inherent stability while ballasted track systems generally require more frequent track geometry assessments and anomaly-correcting surfacing operations. The decisions related to which system to use for a given application involve numerous considerations discussed only briefly in this paper. In many cases, the optimal solution may include both track forms. Rolling stock considerations and their influence on track infrastructure design are considered beyond the scope of this paper. This paper will focus predominantly on two slab track systems widely used in international HSR projects: the Japanese J-slab track system; and the German Rheda slab track system. The French track system will be referenced as the typical ballasted track HSR design. The practices discussed in this paper generally apply to systems which are either primarily or exclusively passenger rail systems. In the U.S., these types of systems will necessarily exclude the systems the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) refers to as “Emerging” or “Regional” HSR systems which include passenger train traffic to share trackage on, what are otherwise considered, primarily freight lines.

Two different remedies to reduce track stiffness and increase track damping for the track on the bridges were implemented for two separate ballast deck bridges with standard concrete ties located on a high tonnage heavy haul revenue service route. One remedy used concrete ties fitted with rubber pads on the bottom surface and the other used ballast mats between the ballast layer and bridge deck. The ballast sections were increased to a minimum depth of 12 inches below the bottom of the ties, and drainage improvement was made to ensure that water would not accumulate on the bridges or in the approaches. The two bridge locations were selected in September 2007 and June 2009, for remediation and long-term monitoring of performance as part of the heavy axle load revenue service mega site testing program conducted by Transportation Technology Center, Inc. and Union Pacific Railroad. Before remediation, these two locations experienced excessive track geometry degradation, mud pumping, and track component failure that required localized maintenance work on a quarterly basis (approximately 63 MGT). After remediation, no localized maintenance (except yearly surfacing operations for the entire line) has been required for more than 1,000 MGT. The main root causes of these problems were determined to be high track stiffness and low track damping for the track on the bridges, which adversely affected dynamic vehicle-track interaction when differential track settlement started to occur at the bridge approaches. Some of these ballast deck bridges with concrete ties had track modulus measured at 12,000 lb/in/in, which is considered too high to accommodate dynamic vehicle-track interaction. Long-term performance of these remedies has been excellent, resulting in significant benefits from reduction of slow orders, train delays, and major track maintenance activities.