All Railway Gazette International articles in April 2009
All articles published this month.
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NewsSNCB reforms intermodal freight
BELGIUM: As part of the ongoing rationalisation of its freight business unit, SNCB is consolidating the activities of its two intermodal subsidiaries with effect from May 1. Within SNCB Groupe Fret, IFB (Inter Ferry Boats) and TRW (Transport Route Wagon) have operated in parallel for several years, with IFB specialising ...
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NewsEdmonton launches South LRT extension
CANADA: The first 2·3km segment of Edmonton Transit’s C$673m South LRT extension from Health Sciences Centre to South Campus was ceremonially opened on April 25, along with a new intermediate station at McKernan/Belgravia. Construction of the extension began in 2005, and the remaining 5·2 km to Century Park is expected ...
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NewsThe heat is on
AUSTRIA: Reflecting a steady transition from standard grade rails to high-strength premium steel grades, Voestalpine has recently inaugurated a new heat treatment facility at its Leoben rail rolling mill in Austria. According to the supplier, this is the largest dedicated rail mill in Europe, able to produce a broad range ...
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NewsNS may lose its stations
NETHERLANDS: Further reforms are needed to open up the rail market, according to a review commissioned by Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings. A committee chaired by former minister Winnie Sorgdrager was asked to consider the relationship between NS, ProRail and the state. Its report, Over 't Spor, was published on April ...
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NewsDesertXpress consultation starts
USA: Public consultation hearings are taking place this week in California and Nevada into the Environmental Impact Statement for the privately-promoted DesertXpress high speed line linking the southern California region with Las Vegas. The meetings in Las Vegas, Victorville and Barstow follow approval of the Draft EIS by the Federal ...
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NewsJumbo flyover
INDIA: Level crossing accidents remain one of the biggest external safety risks for the rail sector, and last month saw several of the major international railway associations sign up to a European convention on road safety, as part of an awareness campaign aimed at reducing the number of fatalities and ...
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NewsChavez backs expansion drive
VENEZUELA: President Hugo Chavez has confirmed that more than 13 600 km of railway is to be built by 2030 under the National Railway Development Plan. Proposals for a national network have existed since the 1950s, but state-owned IFE currently operates just two isolated 1 435 mm gauge lines totalling ...
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NewsAuckland to install ETCS Level 1
NEW ZEALAND: National infrastructure manager Ontrack has selected Invensys Rail Group to supply and install ETCS Level 1 train control equipment for its Auckland metropolitan area resignalling, in conjunction with the modernisation and electrification of the suburban network. This is the first application of the European Rail Traffic Management System ...
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NewsInfrarail brings logistics expertise to major projects
FRANCE: Through the creation of Infrarail, SNCF is giving its infrastructure services business a more commercial focus as the sector becomes increasingly competitive. Laurent Charlier reports.
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NewsParis – Caen in 90 min by 2020
FRANCE: Secretary of State for Transport Dominique Bussereau has announced the go-ahead for plans to for improve rail services between Paris and Normandie, with €4bn to be invested in the Paris – Caen – Cherbourg route by 2020. A key element is a cut-off between Mantes and Nanterre in the ...
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NewsToronto picks Flexity Outlook
CANADA: Toronto Transit Commission voted unanimously on April 27 to confirm the selection of Bombardier's Flexity Outlook low-floor tram design as the base model for its next generation fleet, following a recommendation by officials the previous week. Toronto is planning to purchase 204 articulated trams to replace its 248 Canadian ...
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NewsA vision of the intelligent railway
AUTOMATION: Communications-based train control is putting more intelligence on board trains, along with high capacity data links that can be harnessed to carry other systems. Invensys Rail Group CEO James Drummond tells Chris Jackson that rail is starting to copy the convergence of technologies seen in other industries.
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NewsWorld rolling stock market April 2009
Argentina: The federal government has given its approval for 10 ex-RENFE Class 593 DMUs to be refurbished for use by TBA on the Mitre and Sarmiento commuter networks in Buenos Aires. Australia: The Victoria state government has awarded Bombardier a €75m contract to supply a further 32 ...
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NewsWorld infrastructure market April 2009
Angola: Chinese firms reconstructing the 903 km CFN line between Moçâmedes and Menongue as part of the government’s National Reconstruction Programme have handed back the 89 km section between Matala and Dongo. A further 505 km is to be completed by July 2010. Argentina: On March 3 the federal government ...
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NewsMoscow - St Petersburg at the height of luxury
RUSSIA: Tickets have gone on sale for the Alexander Nevsky luxury train which is to be launched between St Petersburg and Moscow on April 26. Rolling stock for the service has been refurbished by Oktyabrsky Electric Car Repair Plant. The 'first VIP' car has four convertible compartments, which can ...
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NewsLevel 2 rolls out across the Danish network
DENMARK: Politicians approved funding for Banedanmark to resignal the entire national rail network with ETCS and CBTC in January. Tendering is expected to get underway immediately, with the whole project to be completed by 2021.
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NewsHigh speed stations for a high speed railway
SAUDI ARABIA: A joint venture of Foster + Partners and Buro Happold has been appointed to design four stations for the 444 km Haramain High Speed Railway project. The rapid three-year construction timescale has led to a modular approach to the design of the Makkah, Jeddah, King Abdullah Economic ...
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NewsVossloh to buy KolTram
KOLTRAM: On April 23 Vossloh AG announced it was strengthening its Switch Systems business unit by acquiring a 100% stake in KolTram for €21·8m. KolTram manufactures rail switches and components. Based at Zawadzkie in southwest Poland, its sales in 2008 totalled €20m. 'We are bolstering our core ...
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NewsExtensions to ease Paris saturation
FRANCE: Funding for a 14·5 km extension of Paris tram route T3 around the east of the city from Porte d'Ivry to Porte de la Chapelle was approved on April 16. T3 will gain 26 stations when the extension opens at the end of 2012, providing interchanges with 11 metro ...
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NewsElectrification to cut Zürich – München times
GERMANY: An agreement for electrification and infrastructure upgrades between München and Lindau in Bayern was signed in Memmingen on April 17. Tilting trains will be able to run at 160 km/h, cutting München – Zürich journeys from 4 h 10 min to 3 h 15 m by 2015. Services will ...