Month: June 2021

Rail Live 2021: A Recap

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Neil Walker - Events, General

Attending the last Rail Live event in 2019, we never thought the events of 2020 were just around the corner and it would be two years on when the next event would take place. The rail industry is one where networking, events and face-to-face relationship building thrives and Rail Live, a key event on the industry calendar, captures this.

In prime position at stand M58 down at Quinton Rail Technology Centre in Warwickshire, we were excited to see our friends and colleagues from the across the industry beyond the screen and face-to-face. The atmosphere was palpable, and it felt like a safe space to be in, with additional safety precautions from hand sanitizing stations and reduced numbers, to keeping a lot of the activity outdoors to advanced PPE; the event felt as Covid secure as possible. Credit must be given to the Rail Live organisers for the hard work that went in to making the event happen and a resounding success.

Our stand was in a fantastic location to meet with our peers from across the rail industry and discuss the latest innovations we are developing at 3Squared. We found there was a significant amount of interest in our PathPlanner system and of course, our RailSmart suite of products. To see interest in our products is always an exciting feeling and it was nice to have the opportunity to build an in-person rapport with the delegates and go into the detail behind how we construct and build our products and services. Given it was the hottest day of the year so far, our slushie machine also went down a treat with delegates flocking to our stand to escape the heat and chat to our team whilst they cooled down!

There was much to see and do at the event, and a particular draw was the innovative and attractive footbridge design unveiled by Network Rail. The circular bridge design is set to revolutionise how bridges are built over railway lines and are made from lightweight Fibre-Reinforced Polymer, which is successfully and widely used in the aerospace and automotive industries. You can read more about this innovative and groundbreaking design here – we can’t wait to see the positive impact this innovative design will have on the network.

Credit must also be given to the fantastic set up by across the Network Rail Village. We felt there was a real appetite from the body to engage with what is going on across the industry and find out about the latest technologies, and it was great to see leading industry figures such as Andrew Haines and Ian Prosser out and about, on the ground at the event.

All in all, attending this year’s event really highlighted to us just how collaborative and engaging the rail industry is to work in. People are at the heart of the industry and events like Rail Live serve to reinforce this. Thanks to those who took the time to visit us down at stand M58 and we cannot wait to see you at more industry events, in-person and virtually, soon.

If you would be interested in hearing more about 3Squared or would like a demo of our tools, then get in touch with a member of our team today.

Our new RailSmart logo to enhance evolving brand identity

Posted on June 15, 2021 by Neil Walker - General, RailSmart, RailSmart EDS

3Squared are pleased to share their new RailSmart logo, which helps to align their new brand identity with the drive towards innovation that runs through the heart of the business.

Designed by Patrick Handley, 3Squared’s multi-talented, in-house Graphic Designer, the logo was created with innovation in mind, and forms the cornerstone to the evolution of the RailSmart brand towards a more accessible, relatable and contemporary brand identity. The new logo also aims to reflect 3Squared’s mission to offer a suite of user-friendly software products for today’s modern businesses, offering services which enable them to be safer, greener and more efficient in their business practices.

Within the design, Patrick and the team have placed a significant focus on the lightbulb icon being the main visual element of the logo, as it is widely associated as being a symbol of innovative thinking. The new icon is also bolder and simpler in its design, to make it more recognisable and to improve legibility at small sizes. The app tile element also provides a contrasting backdrop to the bulb icon, to further support legibility and to give the new logo a more contemporary feel, by tying together their new App Brand Colours into a seamless multicolor gradient, which you can see in further detail below:

RailSmart is an innovative suite of web and mobile applications, which aims to improve efficiency and transparency across the rail sector. It has undoubtedly revolutionised the way in which the rail industry and most of the UK rail freight sector is using the software, to streamline and enhance their operations.

Lucy Prior, Business Engagement Director at 3Squared, commented: “It is fantastic to see the ideas and innovation that exist within RailSmart come to life in the new logo. It is important in today’s digital age that we have a brand identity that showcases the forward-thinking and dynamic way in which we operate and support our clients, and we look forward to seeing how the new logo is received by our friends and colleagues from across the industry and getting the 3Squared and RailSmart brands out there, to new and untapped audiences.”

Find out more information about RailSmart here.

How competency management keeps the railway safe

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Neil Walker - In The Press

Following the publication of the 2019 AHSR, Ali Chegini, RSSB’s Director of System Safety and Health, said: “We can’t lose sight of the importance of essential health and safety management…Especially in an era of major structural and organizational change.”

Our own safety and that of our colleagues, be that line-side or elsewhere is something that must not be compromised, and something that we must all strive to protect. In a recent piece for Rail Professional, James Fox, Commercial Director of 3Squared, explored the intrinsic role that competency management plays in keeping our railways safe, and how 3Squared’s suite of products and services can support the rail network to work seamlessly and efficiently.

Hear more on James’ thoughts on this over on page 73 of Rail Professional’s June edition here.

3Squared set to exhibit at Rail Live 2021

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Neil Walker - Events, RailSmart

The rail industry thrives on events and networking. Rail Live is a particular highlight on the rail industry calendar, and after last year’s cancellation and a year of Zoom meetings and virtual events, we are pleased to announce that we will be exhibiting in-person at this year’s Covid secure event.

Returning Wednesday 16^th – Thursday 17^th June at the Quinton Rail Technology Centre in Warwickshire, Rail Live 2021 will be a much-needed opportunity for the entire rail industry to come together and provide delegates with the real railway environment and in-person engagement that many of us have missed this year.

From live plant demonstrations, rolling stock displays, insights into the latest innovations from across the industry, to hearing from experts on key industry topics and networking, it looks set to be an action-packed two days. We cannot wait to see our friends and colleagues from across the industry at an event that will feel somewhat familiar, but remarkably different.

You can find the 3Squared team on stand M58 and try out our RailSmart software in person. Find out more information about the event here.

Working as a woman in the rail technology industry

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Neil Walker - 3Squared Team, Rail Careers, Recruitment

Amrita Pradhan, Head of Quality Assurance

Everything around us is data. We encounter data in every element of our lives. From doing our weekly shop, to paying the bills, to monitoring our sleep, data is around us every second of the day. On the face of it, rail technology and its associated data may appear to be distinctly different. However, within the bare constructs, it underpins a huge part of our life in getting us safely and seamlessly from A to B. Something, which, when you pause to think about, you might not have considered before.

Experiencing rail in my previous role marked an exciting turning point in my career. The intricacies of the data, the innovative projects and the people that make up the industry, really drew me in and led to me joining 3Squared in April earlier this year. The industry has huge swathes of data to unpick, and we can use this to obtain insights that are beneficial and can truly transform the rail sector. A fantastic example of this can be found in the industry’s reporting, evolving from being paper led into digital. This has been a huge industry undertaking, with an incredible amount of documentation and information to translate and talented minds coming together to provide solutions.

Working with the technical and non-technical team at 3Squared, we use this rich information to develop processes and roadmaps, to help the team to deliver high quality products and services to a market-leading standard. We work collaboratively with our customers to solve challenges and create solutions, taking them on a journey to show them the possibilities that data and technological solutions can provide.

A significant challenge that we often encounter is how to use data streams, unpick the information that is collated, and then how to translate it to create a great product. When developing apps that can have a complex architecture, understanding the system design and data flow helps us to overcome these complex problems.

We are constantly evolving and learning, developing apps that aim to streamline the customer journey; every day there is something new to learn thanks to the advances we have made in technology.

Looking ahead, I look forward to being part of an industry that will continue to use data in increasingly exciting and innovative ways. For example, how far can we leverage the use of GPS transmitters? They have already made waves in terms of better managing train delays and keeping passengers informed. They harbour such rich potential for the industry – it will be exciting to see how they can be harnessed further. We truly can-do wonders with future digitisation and data.

To me, gender does not play a part when working in the rail industry. If you are technically minded enough and love a challenge, then it is the place for you. It is a collaborative and welcoming industry, with a thirst for the future and making a positive change. So, if you are looking to make that leap, then I would say – jump in!

To find out more information about how you can join the 3Squared team, please visit us here.

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