All Railway Gazette International articles in April 2021
All articles published this month.
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In depthComment: Balancing survival and ambition
Rail and metro operators face a delicate task of managing short term financial imperatives relating to the pandemic while also positioning themselves to capitalise on longer term megatrends favouring the sector, argues Managing Editor Nick Kingsley.
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In depthIndia: Budget sets ambitious targets
The government has promised record capital investment in India’s rail network as part of its 2021-22 budget, citing the National Rail Plan now in development. However, IR needs to improve its productivity and get its finances back on an even keel, believes Raghu Dayal.
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NewsKyrgyzstan Railways ‘keeping pace with the times’ at modern wagon servicing centre
KYRGYZSTAN: Russian company United Wagon Co has opened an authorised service centre in Bishkek to provide warranty and post-warranty maintenance for modern wagons it has supplied. Repairs will be undertaken by national railway KTJ, which will maintain a warehouse with stocks of components. UWC has designated ...
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NewsLe Train eyes Arcachon – La Rochelle TGVs
FRANCE: Taking advantage of the forthcoming liberalisation of domestic passenger services, open access operator Le Train has applied to transport regulation authority ART for powers to run regional high speed services in the southwest. Envisaged as the first private high speed operator in France, evoking parallels with ...
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Metro Report InternationalSecond metro line opens in Guiyang
CHINA: The second metro line in Guiyang was opened for revenue service on April 28. The 40·6 km Line 2 runs from North Baiyun Road to the north of the city to Longdongbao International Airport to Zhongxing Road in the southeast, interchanging with the west-south Line ...
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Rail Business UKLocal station improvements make a real difference to passengers
Major projects have more glamour, but smaller changes desired by local passengers can have disproportionate impact on the user experience, says Charlie Morse, Senior Chartered Engineer at SNC-Lavalin.
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NewsProgress Rail locomotive on test in Russia
RUSSIA: Yakutia Railway has taken delivery of a Progress Rail EMD 2TE3250 twin-section diesel locomotive for testing in the region’s extreme environment. The locomotive was transported to the US west coast by rail and then by sea to Vladivostok and to Yakutia. ...
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Rail Business UK‘Revolutionary’ wagons join GB Railfreight fleet
UK: Following prototype testing and approval, GB Railfreight has taken delivery of the first of 84 Ecofret2 close-coupled triple-wagon sets which it described as the ‘latest innovation in maritime container transport’ and ‘a revolutionary addition’ to its fleet. The wagons were ordered in two batches through ...
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Rail Business UKUK railway news round-up
This week’s round-up of business news from the UK railway industry
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NewsRail’s market share to rise in Brazil's National Logistics Plan
BRAZIL: Rail’s role in the national transport matrix will increase under proposals set out in the 2035 National Logistics Plan unveiled by the government on April 20. Already made available for consultation by interested parties, the Plan has been prepared to support the establishment of a ...
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Rail Business UKCaledonian Sleeper services return to full timetable
UK: Caledonian Sleeper has confirmed that it will be restoring its full timetable from April 29, after a lengthy period of running a single daily train between London and Inverness via Edinburgh. Both the Lowlander and Highlander services will re-start, albeit with slightly shorter formations for ...
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NewsFinnish ETCS Level 2 test route contract awarded
FINLAND: Transport infrastructure agency Väylävirasto has awarded Thales a contract to design, supply, install and test ETCS Level 2 signalling on the Kouvola – Kotka/Hamina line, with commercial use of the new signalling expected to begin in early 2023. The branch which serves an important port ...
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In depthViewpoint: Unlocking Africa’s economic growth
Railway reform and regulatory stability will help to revitalise Africa’s railways and put them at the heart of sustainable transport strategies across the African Continental Free Trade Area, suggests ARIA Chief Executive Officer Mesela Nhlapo.
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NewsChicago commuter operator seeks battery locomotive proposals
USA: Chicago commuter operator Metra is to issue a request for proposals for the conversion of three EMD F40PH-3 diesel locomotives to zero-emission battery power. It hopes to award a contract this autumn, with the first loco to be delivered around 30 months later. Metra estimates ...
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Metro Report InternationalJakarta metro construction contract awarded
INDONESIA: Operator MRT Jakarta has awarded a joint venture of Hutama Karya and Japan’s Sumitomo Mitsui Construction a 4.6tr rupiah contract to build section CP203 of MRT Phase 2, which comprises a 1·4 km tunnel from Mangga Besar to Kota Tua with two stations at Kota ...
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Metro Report InternationalUrban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector
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NewsTaiwan Railway Administration Class 900 EMUs enter service
TAIWAN: National operator Taiwan Railway Administration has put into service the first of 52 Class 900 suburban EMUs ordered from Hyundai Rotem in June 2018 at a cost of 908·9bn won. The 10-car trainsets for the 1 067 mm gauge national network are being assembled at ...
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Rail Business UKFatigue cracks sideline GWR Class 800s
UK: Great Western Railway has taken some of its Class 800 inter-city trains out of service following the discovery of fatigue cracking in the yaw damper bolsters on a number of vehicles.
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Rail Business UKIsland Line reopening delayed by ‘unforeseen difficulties’ with Class 484 software
UK: The reopening of the Isle of Wight’s Island Line following modernisation work is to be delayed, as a result of ‘complex software issues’ with the Vivarail Class 484 electric multiple-units, South Western Railway has confirmed. The first of the five Class 484 EMUs being produced ...