“Ours is a brand new world of all-at-onceness. “Time” has ceased,

“space” has vanished. We now live in a global village ... a simultaneous happening.”

Marshall McLuhan

They may be going to work, or visiting friends. Or they may be embarking on a life-changing journey. Whatever they’re doing, to every one of them the railway is bringing an opportunity. And although few may be aware of it, millions of them are enjoying that opportunity thanks to the work of Invensys Rail Group (IRG).

On the following pages we’ve narrowed the 100 million travellers down to just eight, to glimpse the vastly different ways in which trains touch our lives. The characters are fictional.

Their stories echo the experience of millions.

At any given moment, something like 100 million people around the world are travelling on a train.

08:30hrs��GMT�+�1

Before�reaching�the�station�at��Sants,�Antoni�Casals�will�have��cleared�his�inbox,�enjoyed�a�quick�espresso�and�settled�down�to�read��the�‘El�Pais’�newspaper.�The�two��and�a�half�hour�journey�time�-�an�astonishing�improvement�over�the��six�long�hours�it�used�to�take�-��flies�by.

IRG�is�currently�involved�in�no��fewer�than�five�high-speed�ERTMS�projects�throughout�Spain,�with��more�major�lines�planned�in�the��near�future.�By�adapting�and��working�with�the�existing�rail��infrastructure,�the�company�is��delivering�a�cost-effective��solution�that�ensures�Spain’s�rail�network�is�ready�for�the�demands��of�the�future.

Which�is�why�RENFE�now�boasts��one�of�the�world’s�fastest�commuter�lines.�And�Antoni�Casals�never�gets��to�read�the�sports�pages.

Gliding out of Lleida, the Talgo 350 from Madrid heads for Barcelona, soon to hit a cruising speed of 300km/hr.

LOCA

TION

:�Lleida,�S

pain

TEM

PER

ATU

RE:

15°C,�sunny

HU

MID

ITY:�30%

TRAI

N LI

NE:

Renfe�Ave� �

(Alta�Velocidad�Espanola)

Sarah McCarthy arrives on the platform just as the red, white andblue blur of the Central Line train speeds off into the tunnel.

Her gaze rests on a poster promoting a business course at a leading London university. Perhaps it’s time she changed direction in life. But as she rummages for a pen and paper, another train whooshes in. The doors open, and Sarah is again on her way to the city via her favourite coffee shop.

Every weekday, half a million people travel on London Underground’s Central Line. It’s the network’s longest line and one of its busiest, with 72 train movements during peak times. IRG worked alongside London Underground’s own engineers, upgrading the line’s signalling and train management systems without affecting the smooth operation of the service.

Now the Central Line is more reliable and better equipped to maintain the high frequency of services. Sarah McCarthy still takes the same train, but to a different destination: the university.

07:30hrs��GMT

LOCA

TION

:�London,�U

nited�Kingdom

TEM

PER

ATU

RE:

7°C,�light�drizzle

HU

MID

ITY:�60%

TRAI

N LI

NE:

Central�Line,�

London�Underground

14:30hrs GMT�+�7

LOCA

TION

:�Beijing,�China

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RE:

20°C,�sunny

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MID

ITY:�30%

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Beijing�Metro

Liang, 16, threads his way on to Gongzhufen station’s busy, polished marble platform just as the train arrives. He finds a seat and smoothes his hair nervously, using the window as a mirror.

Then he settles back, relishing the comfort and recalling the days when he would certainly have had to stand. On arrival at Tien’anmen West he hurries through the bustling crowds, before emerging into the sunlight. His date LiLi isn’t there yet. But he’s a man of the world; he can wait.

Upgrades to Automatic Train Control (ATC) are now in place on the Beijing metro, reducing headway by a third and increasing passenger capacity by almost 50%. Working closely with Chinese companies, IRG will be involved in the full programme that will introduce six new lines by 2010.

Already the metro is a swifter, more comfortable ride for everyone. And for Liang, it’s a great way to arrive on time for a first date. It’s just a shame LiLi isn’t quite so predictable.

It’s teatime as The Ghan leaves the plateau on the final leg of its journey to the Indian Ocean.

Tennant Creek flashes by as the train crosses the invisible border between desert and tropics. While the waiter pours her tea, Margaret Smith glances out at a sheep transporter truck waiting at a level crossing. She’ll be in Darwin in time for a swim before the sun sets, having travelled 1500km in less than a day.

IRG installed the signalling, the WESTORDER train ordering system and 27 solar powered level crossings on the 1,420km Alice Springs to Darwin railway, across one of the most challenging and demanding environments in the world.

So Margaret will get her swim, and the sheep will cross the line safely. Although when they reach market, things may not turn out so well.

16:00hrs�GMT�+�8:30

LOCA

TION

:�No

rthen�Territory,�Australia

TEM

PER

ATU

RE:

30°C,�sunny

HU

MID

ITY:�90%

TRAI

N LI

NE:

The�Gh

an,�Tennant�Creek

8:30am�GMT�+�1

LOCA

TION

:�Oslo,�N

orway

TEM

PER

ATU

RE:

13°C,�sunny

HU

MID

ITY:�25%

TRAI

N LI

NE:

Norwegian�State�Railw

ays

It is the calm after the storm for Husna Kashani, who has caught the T-bane metro with her grandchildren to drop them at school. Today they have sports and she could barely contain their excitement.

Walking back to Kalbakken station this is the time of the day when she can relax after the usual hectic morning routine, visit her favourite café for a cappuccino before returning home. The trip home is always comfortable; Oslo Sporveier, who manage the trains, ensure that the train carriages are always clean and at this time there are always plenty of seats available. IRG works behind the scenes, ensuring the safety and efficiency of metro networks around the world so that commuters use their journey to think about other things, like what to make for afternoon snacks.

She gets home quickly, and tidies up the breakfast dishes before her friend arrives, having followed the same morning ritual herself with her own grandchildren. Together they go out shopping, for food but also fun, knowing that when 3:00pm rolls around their hands will be full again.

13:00hrs�GMT�+�5.5

LOCA

TION

:�Ne

w�Delhi,�India

TEM

PER

ATU

RE:

30°C,�sunny

HU

MID

ITY:�75%

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india�Railw

ays

With five billion passengers a year, India Railways is the world’s second largest network.

One of the five billion is Rachana Pradhan, who is reminiscing about how her journey used to be whilst boarding a train at New Delhi Station as she hurries back to Indira Gandhi International Airport. She has returned to India on a flying visit to speak at her old University – now made much more accessible thanks to the new metro.

With new high speed rail corridors proposed and major urban rail projects underway, India’s transportation system is being transformed. IRG has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to plan and deliver such comprehensive transportation solutions anywhere in the world.

One result of which is that, the next time Rachana visits, she’ll be able to ride the metro all the way to the airport. And her next young audience will find she’s got time for some questions.

02:30hrs�GMT�-�4

LOCA

TION

:�Cincinnati,

United�States�of�America

TEM

PER

ATU

RE:

-4°C,�clear�skies

HU

MID

ITY:�10%

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NE:

Norfolk�Southern

As the light fades, David Knott waits patiently for the freight train inching its way into the Queensgate Rail Yard. Soon, he and his crew will start transferring its cargo to the waiting road trains.

Two thousand rail cars rumble through the state-of-the-art freight interchange every day, and each Automax transporter carries 26 new automobiles, fresh from the assembly plants of Detroit city.

IRG supplies major North American railroads, of which Norfolk Southern is one, with the maintenance, wiring and inventory management of signals, communications and thousands of kilometres of track. Track that links the gleaming products of the industrial heartlands directly to the American consumer.

Thanks to IRG, Norfolk Southern and the dedicated crews at the Queensgate Yard, car dealers will receive their consignments, customers will get their shiny new cars, and David Knott will return home in his rusty, beaten up Mustang ’68 happy in the knowledge of a job well done.

15:30hrs�GMT�+�8

LOCA

TION

:�Kowloon,�China

TEM

PER

ATU

RE:

29°C,�sunny

HU

MID

ITY:�80%

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NE:

Kowloon�Canton�Rail

Corporation�(KCRC)

On the train back to Guangzhou, Wu Xi Lan pulls down the blind to shade his two young children from the afternoon sun.

His wife sinks contentedly into her seat, delighted with the family excursion to a China Philharmonic Orchestra concert. She knows she and her husband have given their children a cultural experience they will long remember.

IRG has worked in partnership with the Kowloon Canton Rail Corporation (KCRC) to deliver the world’s first fully integrated operations Control Centre System (ICCS) on the Kowloon-Lo Wu line. The system enables over one million passengers to safely travel on the Kowloon Canton railway every day.

Since completion of the project, KCRC has experienced reduced costs and improved performance and safety. Not to mention a 99.98% reliability record. Great news for the children, who will get home just in time to see their favourite pop star on TV.

Copyright © Invensys Rail Group 2007.

Writen and designed by Gyro Internationalwww.gyrointernational.com

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