The methodology developed by the authors refers to designing, calculating, and optimising transport nodes based on the original systemic approach as a main method. The use of the methodology will make it possible to design transport nodes more rationally and to evaluate their development projects more correctly.

A «system» is understood as a general natural form of structuring organised substance, which enables it to function stably in a changeable environment. The basic principles are formulated as follows: the system consists of elements, each of which is also a system; active self-maintenance is developed in the system, that is, active actions are counteracting external adverse influences; it is shown that self-maintenance is provided by adaptability, and in transport systems the self-maintenance is particularly provided by adaptive technology.

A contradiction (a dialectical one) arises: on the one hand, the elements are independent systems that have their own system parameters and mechanisms for their active maintenance, and on the other hand, they are subordinate creatures capable of flexibly changing their work to maintain the parameters of the supersystem. It is necessary to find harmony between the levels of development of these opposite properties. Transport nodes are also considered from these systemic positions. Exposition of several definitions of nodes by leading national scientists is followed by a statement showing that they all contradict the new systemic approach.

Suggested system definition of a node describes it as a set of stations. The authors also propose a new classification of transport nodes, formulate criteria for their rational design depending on the classes, and propose correct design and optimisation principles. 

Modern railway rolling stock should meet requirements regarding comfort (maximum travel speed with minimum vibrations of wagons, noiselessness of movement, etc.).

To eliminate the influence of dynamic loads, rolling stock is equipped with vibration dampers. The objective of the work is to select the parameters of the vibration dampers of rolling stock, depending on its characteristics, to ensure the due indicators of comfort and safety of transportation of passengers and goods by rail. To achieve this objective, applied methods of mathematical modelling were based on numerical programming of operation of dynamic systems. The indicators of vibration dampers are evaluated according to the results of studies of the dynamics of the rolling stock (in particular, of vibration protection rates).

Assessment of dynamic state of the rolling stock implies application of methods of mathematical and physical modelling, which include the development of a physical and mathematical model, a calculation algorithm, and computer programming. The study of the mathematical model by numerical methods makes it possible to carry out a multifactorial experiment using a large number of input parameters (factors) and to select the characteristics of vibration dampers that are optimal for the conditions under consideration.

To solve dynamic problems, the harmonic perturbation model, which is the most widespread, was specified in the form of a sinusoid with a period corresponding to the rail length.

A quantitative assessment of the vibration process (frequency, amplitude) makes it possible to identify the main processes occurring in the system under consideration under various types of external load. The introduced assumptions related to rigidity, mobility and geometric immutability of the system allow determining the methods for obtaining a mathematical model and considering the vibrations as flat ones.

The equations were solved in MathCad Prime 4.0 package using the Runge–Kutta method with automatic step selection. The subsequent study of the properties of the dynamic system was carried out by changing the resistance parameter of dampers of the first stage of spring suspension, while recording the values of the amplitude of the vibrations of the system and the period.

The analysis of the results has shown that the vibration period of the body and bogies under any changes in the resistance parameter of the damper remains unchanged, while rational parameters of resistance of axle box dampers have been revealed for specified indicators. Hydraulic vibration dampers with the revealed parameters used on rolling stock help to reduce wear and damageability of running gears, improve ride comfort and traffic safety, as well as to reduce repair and maintenance costs. 

Reliability of transport artificial structures and transit of trains at sanctioned speed should be provided with the necessary and sufficient load-bearing capacity, strength, rigidity, and stability of engineering structures.

The objective of this work was to substantiate the possibility of using well-known methods for controlling the stress-strain state of structures using automated systems of structural health monitoring of bridge spans.

It is extremely important regarding operation of transport artificial structures designed according to the standards of the first half of the 20th century.

Under these conditions, the experimental determination of the stress-strain state of bearing structures of bridges becomes the most important component of the task of a comprehensive assessment of physical wear and tear as well as of operational reliability of the structures. Monitoring the structural health and technical condition of bridges and planning of timely measures aimed at the repair, strengthening or reconstruction of spans will extend their service life and ensure safety during operation.

Maximum permissible deflections of spans under a movable temporary vertical load have been revealed since to ensure smooth movement of vehicles it is necessary to control horizontal longitudinal and transverse displacements of the top of the bridge piers, as well as vertical settlements.

The paper suggests methods of interpreting data measured by inclinometers and electric strain gauges, tensiometers to use them in an automated system for monitoring the structural health of railway bridges. The method of strain measurement is described in detail in the proposed options for installing resistance strain gauges on structures to measure tensile-compression stresses and longitudinal forces due to a temporary vertical load.

Monitoring the technical condition of bridge structures, using the methods for measuring deflections and deformations proposed by the authors in this article, will make it possible to assess the change in bearing capacity of the structure over the entire period of operation. The study used regulations and experience of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan. 

Developments in adaptive systems for maintenance and repair of automotive vehicles set the task of monitoring the conditions of their operation. One of the main factors determining these conditions is the type of road surface.

The article describes the results of identification of the type (and condition) of the road surface obtained by theoretical and experimental methods based on the analysis of vertical accelerations recorded on the vehicle body.

The purpose of research was to provide a possibility of continuous monitoring of the type of road surface on which a vehicle is driving, with the subsequent application of the obtained data to correct maintenance intervals. The results of experiments have shown the dependence of the vertical acceleration of the body on the micro-profile of the road surface. The described experimentally obtained profiles of vertical accelerations refer to different types of road surface in different conditions. For quantitative assessment, it is proposed to calculate the average level of accelerations as an integral average over a certain time interval.

The results of the experiments have allowed to substantiate the empirical dependence of the average level of accelerations on speed of a vehicle. Based on this dependence, a method is proposed for recalculating the current values of the average levels of accelerations obtained at different speeds into values adjusted to the base speed to ensure the possibility of their comparison.

It is shown that based on the values of average acceleration levels obtained through operation monitoring regarding a previously known type of road surface, it is possible to determine its condition. A short algorithm is formulated for practical implementation and assessment of road conditions of traffic flows. As for hardware, it is proposed not to equip a vehicle with additional sensors but to use operational standard accelerometers as part of in-vehicle emergency call systems, e.g., ERA-GLONASS equipment units. 

The suggested modern approach to modelling of objects and systems allows not only to create models but also to use them to study the main properties of the object (system) with a high degree of clarity and adequacy, as well as to develop most important skills of young engineers in creating and implementing digital models of engineering objects.

The objective of the study is to analyse capacity of one of the modern automated computational design systems as a methodological tool.

The functionality of an automated computational design system is considered for the case of constructing a model of a planetary cycloidal pinion transmission. The resulting model allows visualising the kinematics of the designed mechanism in the form of static or moving graphic images. The model built based on the described approach contains digital images of mechanism parts, which can be transferred without modification to specialised software systems for analysing strength characteristics or manufacturing material models of a product using rapid prototyping methods.

The proposed approach allows to perfect actions referring to the analysis of properties and synthesis of new structures using tools that correspond to the modern level of technology development and to get a visual idea of the process of developing a machine from a mathematical model to its material objectification.

The research methods are based on the fundamental principles of mathematical and simulation modelling, data analysis and processing using powerful automated computational design tools.

The tools used for modelling can be used for different forms of learning, i.e., without reference to specific premises and equipment. 

Currently, Russian international road transport carriers do not have sufficient potential to successfully compete with their foreign partners. The main reasons for this are significant deterioration of the car fleet and its non-compliance to modern environmental requirements, lack of own funds for timely renovation and development of the motor transport fleet, as well as systemic lag in development of transportation technologies and their logistics support.

The objective of the article is to substantiate the choice of rational measures to solve the problem of expanded reproduction of car fleet used in international road haulage. The methodology used in preparation of the article is based on the use of general scientific methods in combination with special methods, including the analysis of statistical data on international road haulage, a comparative analysis of the state of the car fleet of Russian carriers, considering the basic conditions and operational characteristics, classification of the fleet of trucks based on typification of their operational characteristics with subsequent subdivision of this fleet into three main groups, an overview analysis and benchmarking of foreign operating experience and future development of car fleet, an analysis of the economic and legal possibilities of raising funds for renewal of car fleet.

The article examines and studies: a) urgency of solving the problem of renewal and expansion of the car fleet used by Russian carriers in international road transportation; b) foreign experience and trends in development of fleet used for international haulage; c) the main directions of providing economic opportunities for transition to expanded renewal of vehicles; d) analysis of the legal possibilities of providing public support for expanded reproduction of the motor transport fleet of Russian international road carriers including through the use of public-private partnerships.

Based on the results of the study, proposals have been developed aimed at ensuring renewal and expansion of car fleet and increasing the efficiency of international road haulage operations. 

Transport route specification models are used to analyse the need for combined passenger transportation on popular routes in a large urban agglomeration. The problem of managing the travel chains of passengers using public transport (PT) is revealed with the focus on the complexity of applying the principle of multimodality on the route network used by population due to the mismatch of the schemes of transport and users’ routes.

The study of the logistics of passenger transportation with PT introduces the concept of «public transport user (PTU)» which has a variable status relative to the flows of people, pedestrians, passengers, and transport vehicles. The description of the registers of the main parameters of the routes under study serves to create their digital twins.

To manage the travel chains of PTUs, identify related sections of transport routes, it is proposed to highlight within the passenger flow the currents of the same profile which include PTUs that have common transport behaviour.

Models and algorithms of network proximity to transport infrastructure objects, visualisation of digital traces of PTUs and the results of comparing the used and the best route options according to the modelled parameters allow to identify behavioural profiles of PTUs, as well as regulators managing the travel chains. 

The marketing activity of a modern airline is quite diverse. Under the conditions of an oligopoly, airlines develop their business in competition for a passenger.

In modern conditions in Russia, the use of dumping methods of the early 1990s is very ineffective. There are no weak airlines left on the long-distance air transportation market, and in regional markets large companies lose to small regional carriers due to the high cost of performing flights on large-capacity aircrafts of the airline’s fleet.

Generally, non-price methods of competition come out on top. Flexible tariff policy, advertising, and high service in servicing passengers remain leading traditional methods of competing for a passenger.

This article is devoted to the study of another marketing method for attracting passengers, or rather retaining passengers on the airline’s flights, which is development of bonus programs, frequent flyer programs. PJSC Russian Airlines (Aeroflot) was chosen as the object for the study. The subject of the research is the «Aeroflot Bonus» program.

The objective of the study is to study the cost of the program. For research purposes, this is the value of the frequent flyer program point. The problem proposed to be solved is to determine the amount of expenses for implementation of the bonus program of frequent flyers. When solving the problem in its staging part, the assessment is not limited to direct costs associated with the costs of marketing efforts in the form of costs for organising a special advertising department, issuing bonus cards, software, and wages. The estimation refers also to indirect costs in the form of unreceived proceeds from free bonus tickets. Besides, a rough estimate has been made of the airline’s hidden costs due to an unpaid seat on the plane. The study conclusions indicate that hidden costs will be taken into account in calculating the cost of a flight and the bonus program has a right to exist.

The transport accessibility of the Arctic zone is of strategic interest for Russia from the point of view of the possibility of mineral exploration and ensuring further systemic development of this part of the national territory.

The objective of the study is to carry out a spatial analysis of the transport system of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), to identify its topological properties and restrictions that impede providing sufficient logistics services. Based on the method of spatial analysis, the conducted study of the state of the transport system of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) allowed to assess transport provision within its territory for three types of transportation: transport provision of internal regional (local) transportation, transport provision of accessibility (entry and exit) of the territory of the region, and transport provision of transit transportation across the region.

The study showed that air transport is the main mode for passenger transportation, while seasonal water and winter road transportation are the main modes of freight haulage.

The regions of Yakutia with access to traffic arteries and isolated from them have been identified. Calculations based on the Engel’s coefficient allowed to proceed with a mathematical assessment of the transport system of the region, which indicates its insufficient development due to the lack of year-round transportation routes in the areas of the Far North and the Arctic zone. The transport infrastructure of this part of the region are represented by seasonal winter roads and waterways, which prevents from assessing their general year-round potential. For its assessment, it is necessary to consider seasonal availability of each individual section of the network. 

The article considers the features of transport as an object of technological innovation, due, on the one hand, to the service nature of the main activity and the specifics of innovative processes during provision of transport and logistics services, and, on the other hand, to the high capital intensity and technological complexity of the infrastructure transport complex, which is the focus point of technological innovation.

The objective of the article is to substantiate the initial prerequisites for developing an alternative approach to making strategic decisions on development of transport organisations based on technological innovations, which, besides the traditional justification of economic efficiency, considers several non-economic factors. The method of substantiation is a systemic strategic analysis, which allows to study the features of the transport complex in the context of the factors of external environment and their dynamics.

Regarding the Russian Federation, the scale of the national territory, natural and climatic diversity and uneven territorial distribution of the resource and production base determine the special role and place of transport in the national economy, which quite often leads to the need to make decisions on development of the transport complex based on predominantly non-economic factors (such as security, reliability, environmental friendliness, etc.) and on scientific, technical, political and socio-economic forecasts. At the same time, private enterprises (with or without participation of the state) dominate currently almost all transport sectors where they operate on the principles of profitability, investment attractiveness and competitiveness, which leads to inconsistency of internal decision-making criteria in the field of technological strategies.

The ongoing change in the technological paradigm is an additional and significant factor determining trends in transport developments. It is based on the processes of digitalisation and digital transformation of the transport and logistics business. The problems of decision-making in implementation of technological innovations in transport industry, arising from its peculiarities, necessitate a revision of approaches since economic assessments of efficiency are not always able to reflect the real needs and feasibility of choosing mainstream trends in technological development of the transport system.

The analysis of the features of the transport and logistics industry based on universal experience and cases in Russian practices in the context of formation of a new technological paradigm makes it possible to substantiate the methodology for making strategic decisions on implementation of technological innovations. 

Reduction in travel time is one of the eloquent trends in transport developments. It is consistent with the desire of leading transport companies to create conditions to increase traffic speeds.

The objective of the article is to analyse prospects and drivers for development of high-speed rail transportation as of a priority transport segment characterised by best safety rates and environmental friendliness as compared to other types of transportation.

The review of core parameters of HSR is suggested to show features of its global development.

Ecological friendliness, encouragement of labour and other mobility of people, of innovative technology development of railways and interconnected industries are most relevant as universal drivers of HSR development.

Constraints due to substantial investment needs, long payback period, necessity to implement additional side projects to develop interrelated transport infrastructure to obtain more tangible economic and social effects, to provide for sufficient passenger flow at the initial or further stages of HSR operation were considered as main deterrents.

The factors, their parameters, assessment of their priority ranking when making decisions on construction or development of HSR are determined in each country by transport development strategies, current economic conditions, and a set of other factors. 

The current situation of development of the world economy presupposes intense competition in both external and internal markets. Under these conditions, it becomes more and more obvious that the growth of profits and, accordingly, further development of companies will be carried out not so much through expansion, but through improved service for customers, an increase in the range of goods and services offered, a better product quality and a decrease in production costs.

The main role in optimisation of technological processes is currently played by digital transformation of production. The introduction of advanced information technologies is of great importance for all global companies, since the enhanced development of information systems results in improvement of business processes, better safety, and environmental friendliness.

International studies show that the use of modern information technologies in transport industry is necessary to improve traffic safety, reduce environmental impact, increase the efficiency of the transportation process.

The Russian mining and metallurgical sector, along with the oil and gas industry, makes a significant contribution to development of the country. Complex production technology, a large volume of traffic, hazardous and dangerous working conditions for personnel necessitate development of a digital environment to increase labour productivity and the volume of products.

The objective of the research is to study the possibility of using information control and forecasting systems for solving technical, technological, and organisational problems of industrial railways of metallurgical plants.

Based on comparative analysis, general scientific and mathematical research methods and the study of the role of information systems in digital transformation of production process, the authors suggest a methodology for creating a stochastic model for predicting the arrival of unit trains at an enterprise, and consider development trends in digital transformation of industrial transport. 

During the COVID-19, pandemics or worsening virus situation, taxi and regular-route bus drivers are recommended to work in medical masks. However, the quantitative and qualitative influence of wearing protective face masks on safety of driving vehicles has not been previously studied. Therefore, this became the objective of preliminary studies to determine the specifics of the influence of a face protective mask on the change in psychophysiological qualities of a car driver as a factor in safety eventuality under urban traffic conditions.

The method of an open-ended survey of 108 healthy adult drivers was used to obtain a quantitative subjective assessment of the effect of face masks on changing driving safety conditions and a comfortable emotional state while driving. A qualitative analysis of assessment of the level of psychophysiological qualities of drivers wearing and not wearing a face mask was carried out using Meleti hardware-software complex.

A sharp decrease in neuropsychic functions with a simultaneous increase in quality of thinking and visual analysis of the traffic situation was revealed regarding the drivers wearing a face protective mask compared to those driving without a mask while the level of psychomotor reaction remains unchanged regardless of the gender of the driver.

The subjective assessment of survey participants of the effect of a face mask on professionally important, psychophysiological characteristics of drivers revealed a significant (41,7 %) or insignificant (20,4 %) decrease in reaction, while 38 % of drivers did not notice significant changes in driving because of the effect of the mask.

Based on these results, it is assumed that the face mask may serve as a predictor of a road pre-accident situation.

To assess the effect of the face mask on the driver, a coefficient of eventuality of reducing road safety is proposed. It is recommended to use it as an additional factor in a situational pandemic environment when developing recommendations for the use of face masks for car and bus drivers, and when analysing the causes of road accidents. 

The article is devoted to the study of a possibility of designating the boundaries of sanitary zones (distancing) for traffic arteries outside settlements within the right-of-way.

The study was conducted regarding the current Russian laws, projects of possible changes in legislation and draft amendments. It offers definitions of the right-of-way and of sanitary zone and highlights topics that have not yet been regulated.

At the same time, the research methods are of universal character and after introducing other regulatory parameters may be applied for similar research in other countries as well.

Calculations and field studies allowed to find that within the railway right-of-way and with the existing train traffic intensity, equivalent continuous sound pressure level in aggregate does not exceed the established maximum permissible level of 80dBA for personnel performing their labour functions within the railway rightof-way.

A growth in the Leq/LAeq on the right-of-way from 80,0 to 95,0 dBA may lead to an increase in the hazard class (subclass).

An analysis of the actual results of a special assessment of working conditions at JSC Russian Railways showed in the vast majority of cases the acceptability of working conditions evaluated according to noise factor measured at the workplaces of employees working during full or part-time shift on the right-of-way. Hazardous working conditions at the level of some subclasses for certain professions (operator of track measurement, railway track worker) arise rather due to indicators of severity of the labour process. 

According to the author of the article, the appearance of the first railway stations immediately became the most striking image of the time. The history of the architecture of Russian railway stations begins at the same time when the first railway in Russia was built connecting St. Petersburg to Pavlovsk. Previously existing post stations and the so-called road imperial palaces served prototypes for railway stations.

The railway station is, first, a story in which both the most interesting architectural and social plots collide. The railway station offers passengers the most vivid images of our time. The architects who designed the first railway stations had to solve problems that no one had ever encountered before: to cover train sheds by a roof, to design platforms, lighting, ventilation, acoustics... All this made the railway station the most technically enriched architectural genre of its time. And in this sense, the railway station architecture is a very interesting plot, in which everything changes very quickly and where all human relations are very aggravated. Therefore, the railway station is a condensed replica of society. Therefore, at the railway station, you can always very clearly see how society is organised. For example, at imperial railway stations, division of passengers per travel classes was obvious and inherent in the architectural program itself. The imperial pavilions, the imperial rooms also make part of the story... The railway station is, first, an image of modernity, mobility and a history of boundaries between the country and the city. This is especially interesting in the case of metropolitan railway stations. 

News from the archives.

 An article in Rail Business [Zheleznodorozhnoe Delo] introduced 110 years ago to the readers the report of O. A. Struve, presented at the Solemn General Meeting of the members of the Imperial Russian Technical Society on April 15, 1911 on the occasion of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the beginning of railways in Russia, chaired by the Honorary Chairman of the Society His Imperial Highness Grand Prince Alexander Mikhailovich.

The publication of the report will be continued in the next issue.

Obraztsov, P. A. Igor Sikorsky: four wars and two homelands of the famous aircraft designer. Moscow, Molodaya gvardiya publishing house, 2021, 239 [1] p.: ill. (Series of biographies: The life of remarkable people; issue 1875). ISBN 978-5-235-04435-7.

Igor Sikorsky created a family of the world’s best helicopters, which transported marines and doctors during almost all wars of the 20th and 21st centuries, mail and fire extinguishing equipment, oversized cargo, ordinary passengers and even US presidents. In Russia, this Russian-American genius created the world’s first huge multi-engine aircrafts Russky Vityaz [Russian Knight] and Ilya Muromets, and in America, where he was respectfully called Mister Helicopter, extraordinary seaplanes that crossed the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans even before World War II.