All Railway Gazette International articles in April 1997 – Page 2
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News
Subsidy deal could hit Tunnel freight
CONTRACTS covering the sale of Railfreight Distribution to English Welsh & Scottish Railway were exchanged on March 13, but British Rail cannot hand over its last train operating business until the European Commission has given the all clear. Among other things at issue is SNCF’s complaint that the British government ...
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News
Wisconsin suspends one-person crews
DESPITE well established and safe operation by sister companies of driver-only freight trains in New Zealand and Britain, Wisconsin Central has been ordered by the US Federal Railroad Administration to provide a second crew member except for light locomotives and trains on industrial tracks. Remote operation of unmanned locomotives by ...
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News
Talgo couchettes commissioned
FROM March 1 German Railway put into service the first of a small fleet of Talgo couchette cars on its InterCityNight services. Some of the initial vehicles were tested in the formation of the Berlin - Bonn service during February.The cars are laid out with a series of alcoves with ...
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News
SBB ends catering support
TRUSTING market forces to produce keen prices as rival companies compete for its business, Swiss Federal Railways is withdrawing financial support for train catering. A consortium of Swiss companies SSG Restaurant Car and Rail Gourmet will be vying with Mitropa of Germany for contracts, which SBB hopes will lead to ...
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News
Heavy haul responds to the business challenge
BYLINE: John A ReochChairman, International Heavy Haul AssociationAS THE current Chairman of the International Heavy Haul Association, it is my pleasure and privilege to welcome railway professionals throughout the world to the Sixth International Conference of the IHHA, being held on April 6-10 in Cape Town, South Africa.This year’s event ...
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News
Conrail to be broken up
CONRAIL’s 17700 km network serving the northeast of the USA will be split between rival bidders CSX and Norfolk Southern, following the collapse of merger talks with CSX. Conrail officials confirmed on March 3 that the planned $9·4bn friendly merger had been defeated by a $10·5bn hostile offer from NS. ...
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News
European Rail Catering emerges from British market
HOPING to break into a continental European train catering market which it values at over £500m per year, Britain’s OBS Services has relaunched itself with new branding and a new name, European Rail Catering. Repositioning itself as growing financial pressures on continental operators are squeezing out support for train catering ...
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News
Bordeaux revives light rail
PLANS FOR a three-route light rail network have been given the go-ahead in Bordeaux; on February 28 the Communauté Urbaine voted in favour of a Systra-Sofretu-Sofrerail proposal. Two years ago plans for a VAL mini-metro were abandoned after studies costing FFr370m.The 21·3 km first phase is costed at between Fr2·8bn ...
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News
Valencia calls LRT bids
PREQUALIFICATION BIDS were due at the end of March for construction work on the first phase of a 23 km light rail line in the Venezuelan city of Valencia. CA Metro de Valencia plans to announce a shortlist of approved tenderers in May. One contract covers a 2·3 km section ...
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Extra capacity to Richards Bay at lower cost
INTRO: Spoornet’s coal exports are set to grow - if costs are cut to beat competition. While extra substations are going in, the target of 65 million tonnes a year will mainly be achieved through more efficient operationsBYLINE: Philip van HeerdenSenior Manager (Planning)SpoornetBYLINE: Dave BudlerSenior Manager (Strategic Planning)Excoal, SpoornetSOUTH AFRICA’S ...
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News
DB backtracks on lineside signals
GERMAN Railway’s management board has overturned its November 1996 decision not to provide lineside signals on the 135 km central section of the K
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News
Madrid awards suburban DBOM
ON FEBRUARY 25 the Madrid regional government selected the UTE consortium of Madrid Metro and contractors OCP, Cubiertas & MZOV, Entrecanales and FCC for a concession to design, build, operate and maintain a 20 km suburban railway from Vic
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News
Spoornet moves to automate train health monitoring
INTRO: Condition monitoring of a range of equipment on moving trains can lead to fewer delays, lower maintenance costs and smaller component stocks. The key is to marry detection equipment with automatic vehicle identification so that management knows precisely where and when to target resourcesBYLINE: J J Marais Pr EngSenior ...
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News
CargoSprinter spearheads DB’s attack on the merchandise market
German Railway’s second CargoSprinter prototype was handed to its owners at a colourful ceremony in the test shop of Waggonfabrik Talbot in Aachen on February 27. Klaus Junke from DB Cargo and Dipl-Ing Peter Fabel, Head of Freight Projects in DB’s New Systems Division in Minden, received the crimson-painted unit ...
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News
Adtranz scoops RZD three-phase deal
ON FEBRUARY 14 Russia’s Ministry of Railways signed a contract with ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation (Schweiz) AG for the development of three-phase-motored electric locomotives for the country’s 1524mm gauge network. Adtranz is to provide complete traction packages for an initial build of 21 six-axle locos, worth around SFr80m. Designated Class EP10, ...
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News
BHP puts its ACES on train health monitoring
INTRO: Significant improvements in operating safety and reduced rolling stock maintenance costs have followed the introduction of automated train health monitoring systems on Australia’s Mount Newman iron ore lineBYLINE: Janusz DudekPrincipal EngineerAdvanced Technical Research OrganisationPILBARA heavy-haul railway operator BHP Iron Ore has introduced a whole train condition monitoring system on ...
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Laos signs rail construction accord
LAOS: Trains are set to reach Laos by the end of next year, with the signing of an agreement in mid-February between the government and Thai conglomerate Shaviriya Group. This paves the way for the private sector steel, information technology and property group to develop a network of up ...
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Manila LRT expansion accelerated
PROPOSALS for a fourth light rail line in Manila were formally approved by the Philippines’ Investment Co-ordination Committee on March 6, clearing the way for the Department of Transport & Communications to invite private sector bids for the US$690m project.Line 4 would be a fully-elevated 15·1 km link from ...
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News
Active and semi-active suspensions smooth 300 km/h ride
INTRO: Compressed air controlled by accelerometers restrain sway and yaw of the rear car of JR West’s Series 500; controlled dampers perform a similar function to improve the ride of first class cars and those carrying pantographsBYLINE: Hisashi NorinaoRolling Stock DeptJR WestON MARCH 22, Japan joined the exclusive club of ...
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News
‘Stupendous deal’ nets £1bn for right to revive West Coast fortunes
ON FEBRUARY 19, Virgin Rail was awarded a 15 year franchise to operate InterCity services on Britain’s West Coast Main Line between London, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Glasgow. Handover of the operation took place at 02.00 on March 9. Announcing the details of the award, Franchising Director John O’Brien hailed ...
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