In this work, the problematic identification of the main sources of noise occurring from the exploitation of railway vehicles moving at a speed of 200 km/h were analyzed. Within the conducted experimental research, the testing fields were appointed, measurement apparatus selected, and a methodology for conducting measurements was defined, including the assessment of noise on a curve and straight track for electric multiple units of the so-called Pendolino, an Alstom type ETR610 series ED25 train. The measurements were made using a microphone camera Bionic S-112 at a distance of 22 m from the track axis. As a result of the conducted experimental research, it was indicated that the noise resulting from vibrations arising at the wheel-rail contact (rolling noise) was the dominant source of sound.

In this paper, an attempt is undertaken to identify the acoustic signature of railway vehicles travelling at 200 km/h. In the framework of conducted experimental research, test fields were determined, measurement apparatus was selected and a methodology for making measurements was specified, including the assessment of noise emission on curved and straight track for electric multiple units of Alstom type ETR610-series ED250, the so-called Pendolino. The measurements were made with the use of an acoustic camera and a 4 × 2 microphone array, including four equipped measurement points and two microphones located at the level of the head of the rail and at a height of 4 m above this level. As a result of the conducted experimental research, the dominant noise sources were identified and amplitude–frequency characteristics for these sources were determined by dividing the spectrum into one-third octave bands in the range from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The paper also considers issues related to the verification of selected models of noise assessment in terms of their most accurate reflection of the phenomenon of propagation in close surroundings. On the basis of conducted experimental studies, the behaviour of selected models describing the change of sound level with frequency division into one-third octave bands as a function of variable distance of observer from the railway line on which high-speed railway vehicles are operated was verified. In addition, the author’s propagation model is presented together with a database built within the scope of the study, containing the actual waveforms in the time and frequency domain.

The hyperloop concept is not new, but for many years it was hard for engineers to believe that it could be economically and technically feasible. Nowadays some technical solutions, which could enable construction and operation of a guided transport system based on hyperloop concept, are much more imaginable. Therefore a number of start-up companies are working on comprehensive proposals and chosen technologies aiming at creating the fifth transport mode thanks to innovative concepts, new technologies, and chosen railway, air transport, and space technologies. As new transport mode is expected to offer transport with high speed nearly equal to the speed of sound its feasibility will strongly depend also on coherency between transport means and transport infrastructure in a scale of a future fifth transport mode continent-wide transport network. To meet this challenge railway and start-up companies work together in two streams – in the formal framework of the European standardisation to prepare future hyperloop related EN standards and in research and development projects. The scale of required wide technical coherency on one side and the diversification of products and existence of different developers/producers/contracting entities providing infrastructure and transport means and creating market on the other side contradict if appropriate rules are not set precisely early enough. Such rules in railway transport are based on interoperability concept supported by agreed stable essential requirements and defined in the Railway Interoperability Directive and Technical Specifications for Interoperability. Paper presents findings regarding poor applicability of the railway interoperability to the hyperloop type transport systems at their early stage of development as well as challenges and proposed approaches for the dedicated hyperloop coherency approach – the hyperoperability as it is being discussed in the framework of the Hypernex European project.