Lighter, faster trains could transform rural lines
Financial Times: September 19 2006
By Robert Wright, Transport Correspondent
The financial viability of the country's beleaguered rural railway lines could be transformed if the government agreed to introduce lighter, faster trains, a senior figure at Network Rail has said.
Iain Coucher, deputy chief executive, said the company, which owns and operates the rail infrastructure, was speaking to ministers and safety authorities about the potential move, which would require an easing of rules on trains' ability to withstand head-on collisions. Protective structures are heavy, slow trains down and increase energy consumption and wear on track.