Asia
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In depthJapan: Extending the Hokuriku Shinkansen
JR West and JR East inaugurated a 125 km extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Kanazawa to Tsuruga on March 16. Mike Bent reports.
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Metro Report InternationalDisneyland Resort Line train replacement to create a ‘brand new look’
CHINA: New battery trains and resignalling are included in Hong Kong operator MTR Corp’s plans to create a ‘brand new look’ for the Disneyland Resort Line from 2028.
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Metro Report InternationalLocal elections prompt flurry of Istanbul metro openings
TURKEY: Four extensions to existing metro lines have been opened in Istanbul to coincide with the municipal elections which took place at the end of March. On March 11, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan inaugurated a seven-station southern extension of line M3 from Kirazlı to Bakırköy Sahil on ...
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Metro Report InternationalMalaysian government takes over Penang light rail project
MALAYSIA: Responsibility for the Mutiara Light Rail Transit project has been transferred from the state of Penang to the federal government, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke has announced. The project is to be developed and managed by government-owned MRT Corp. It is to be implemented through ...
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NewsManila passenger services suspended to accelerate commuter rail construction
PHILIPPINES: March 27 marked the last operation of passenger services for five years in the Manila metropolitan area in order to accelerate construction of the North-South Commuter Railway. Philippine National Railways suspended its diesel-worked operations on the Governor Pascual – Manila Tutuban and Tutuban – Alabang ...
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Metro Report InternationalFirst section of Seoul’s GTX Line A opens
SOUTH KOREA: The initial 28 km section of the Great Train Express commuter rail network in the Seoul conurbation, linking Suseo with Dongtan has opened.
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Metro Report InternationalSeoul Metro to operate GTX-A when it opens on March 30
SOUTH KOREA: Seoul Metro has been selected as operator for Line A of the capital’s Great Train Express commuter rail network, ahead of the opening of the first section on March 30. When complete, the 82 km line with 11 stations will link Unjeong in the ...
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NewsSeries E8 enters service on Yamagata mini-Shinkansen
JAPAN: East Japan Railway put its first Series E8 high speed trainsets into revenue service on the Yamagata Shinkansen on March 16.
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NewsTurkish E5000 electric locomotive order signed
TURKEY: An agreement for state-owned locomotive and rolling stock manufacturer Türasaş to supply national operator TCDD Taşımacılık with 95 E5000 electric locomotives was signed on March 15. The prototype E5000 designed by Tübitak and manufactured by Türasaş was unveiled last year. The 5 MW four-axle TSI-compliant ...
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In depthInterview: Korail grows its international footprint
The South Korean national operator is seeking to enhance the visibility of its overseas business activities, with a recent visit by Korail officials to Kyiv acting as a catalyst. Korail President & CEO Han Moon-Hee explains the company’s international strategy to Benjámin Zelki.
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NewsJoint venture to manage upgraded Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway
ASIA: An equally-owned binational joint venture is to be set up to manage the Azeri and Georgian sections of the Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway once current upgrading works are completed. Azerbaijan’s and Georgia’s state railways currently hold sole responsibility for the sections of line ...
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NewsTsuruga joined to Shinkansen network
JAPAN: ‘Today’s opening will touch the hearts of many domestic and international users and move the future forward’ said JR West President Kazuaki Hasegawa at the inauguration of the Kanazawa to Tsuruga extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
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NewsTurkish elections bring rail plan announcements
TURKEY: Plans to develop inter-city and suburban rail lines have been announced by the government ahead of municipal elections on March 31. Speaking in the Black Sea port of Samsun on February 28, Minister of Transport & Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said the government would push ahead ...
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NewsE500 electric locomotives delivered to Taiwan
TAIWAN: The first three of 68 Toshiba E500 mixed-traffic electric locomotives were unloaded at the port of Hualien on March 5. In October 2019 the national railway’s procurement agent Bank of Taiwan awarded Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions a NT$11bn contract to supply the locos and ...
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In depthInterview: Heavy haul line expands Mongolia’s rail capacity
Interviewed about the challenges of building a heavy haul freight line through the Gobi Desert, CEO of Bodi International Dolgormaa Bukhbat highlights the harsh Mongolian climate and the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on logistics and construction.
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Metro Report InternationalMacau LRT East Line contract awarded
CHINA: Macau’s Public Works Bureau has awarded Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Top Builders Macau Co and Hou Chun Construction & Engineering Corp a contract to supply MHI’s Automated Guideway Transit rubber-tyred light metro technology for the Light Rapid Transit East Line. The 3·66bn ...
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In depthComment: Rail is resurgent despite turbulent times
While emerging markets have long held promise, rail investment is now happening in countries where even in the recent past it would have seemed implausible. Nick Kingsley highlights examples from Iraq to Mongolia.
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Metro Report InternationalTaipei metro extension to Keelung approved
TAIWAN: The Ministry of Transportation & Communications has approved plans to extend the Blue Line metro eastwards by 15·6 km from Nangang Exhibition Centre in Taipei to Badu main line station in Keelung. The total project cost is NT$69·7bn, of which the central government would provide ...
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NewsJR Kyushu speeds up track inspection
JAPAN: JR Kyushu is using image processing with AI capabilities to automate high speed line track inspections, replacing the need for staff to go out on foot.
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Metro Report InternationalTenders called to develop Ulaanbaatar metro plan
MONGOLIA: Mayor Khishgeegiin Nyambaatar has announced a US$1·3bn plan to develop a metro to improve connectivity in Ulaanbaatar. Nyambaatar was tasked with solving the problem of traffic jams and reducing air pollution when the government appointed him as Mayor last year. The city’s procurement department has ...