All Asia articles – Page 6
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NewsADB loan for Uzbekistan Railways locomotive order
UZBEKISTAN: The Asian Development Bank has approved a US$170m loan to support the US$218m procurement of 24 ‘state-of-the-art’ electric locomotives by national railway UTY, along with the modernisation of a depot in Toshkent. ADB said the eight passenger and 16 freight locomotives to be acquired under a modernisation programme running ...
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ADB’s largest ever rail loan to support Manila commuter project
PHILIPPINES: In what the organisation says is its ‘largest single infrastructure project financing’, the Asian Development Bank on May 23 agreed a loan worth US$2·75bn for construction of the Malolos – Clark suburban railway. This long-standing scheme has been revived by the current government in Manila under its ‘build, build, ...
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Baku suburban railway phase one launched
AZERBAIJAN: The first phase of a planned circular suburban railway serving Baku and the Abşeron Peninsula was inaugurated by President Ilham Aliyev on May 21. The first phase uses 13·5 km of modernised route eastwards from Baku’s main station to a new hub at Sabunçu, with three intermediate stations. Sabunçu ...
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600 km/h maglev prototype unveiled
CHINA: Two prototype vehicles intended to support research into a 600 km/h maglev system were unveiled by CRRC Qingdao Sifang on May 23. The 53 m long locally-developed prototype comprises a driving car and an intermediate vehicle. It has been built as part of a five-year maglev development programme announced ...
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‘Intelligent’ bogie manufacturing workshop
CHINA: CRRC Zhuzhou has begun production at what it describes as ‘the world's first intelligent bogie manufacturing workshop’. The manufacturer said this provides ‘30·1% more production efficiency’ with 50% fewer staff and a 35% shorter R&D time compared to traditional manual operation. Automated guided vehicles retrieve and transport materials ...
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Completed ALFA-X test train unveiled
JAPAN: East Japan Railway has formally unveiled its Series 956 ALFA-X high speed test train, which is due to start trial running at up to 400 km/h later this month. The completed 10-car trainset was displayed at its Sendai Shinkansen rolling stock workshops on May 9. Launched in July 2017, ...
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Banks back Turkish railport
TURKEY: Two US$30m loans to finance the US$86m development of a privately-run inland rail terminal in Kocaeli province, to the east of Istanbul, have been agreed by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and majority Chinese-owned Turkish bank ICBC Turkey. The terminal is being developed by a 67:33 joint ...
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Russian Railways to increase electric operation
RUSSIA: Plans to increase the use of electric traction were announced by Russian Railways on May 14, with the national operator saying this would offer environmental benefits compared to the use of diesel or road and air transport. RZD said the electrification of its most heavily used lines and the ...
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Consultants to optimise KL – Singapore high speed rail project
MALAYSIA: The project promoter for the Malaysian section of the planned Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed line has called tenders for the appointment of commercial and technical advisory consultants. On September 5 2018 the governments of Malaysia and Singapore agreed to put construction of the line on hold until ...
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Financing agreed for high speed line PPP
CHINA: A consortium led by the Fosun conglomerate has agreed a 28·1bn yuan loan package with a group of banks to finance the construction of the first high speed line in China to be built and operated under a PPP concession. The 269 km Hangzhou – Shaoxing – Taizhou line ...
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Mongolia’s Northern Railways signs EPC agreement
MONGOLIA: The Northern Railways subsidiary of coking coal mine project developer Aspire Mining Ltd has signed an engineering, procurement and construction agreement for the proposed 547 km Erdenet – Ovoot railway with a joint venture of China Gezhouba International Engineering Co and China Railway 20 Group Corp. The agreement was ...
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Rail agreements reached at the Belt & Road Forum
INTERNATIONAL: Railway projects were included in the ‘283 concrete results’ announced by the hosts following the Second Belt & Road Forum for International Co-operation, which was held in Beijing on April 25-27. The forum was organised by the Chinese government to bring together heads of government and other senior figures ...
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Keio Railway special marks start of Reiwa Era
JAPAN: Among the special events to mark the abdication of Emperor Akihito and the accession of Emperor Naruhito, the Keio Electric Railway running west from the capital operated a commemorative limited express service over the transition from April 30 to May 1. Departing from Tokyo’s Shinjuku station at 23.45, in ...
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Beijing suburban route S5 extended
CHINA: Beijing suburban railway service S5 was extended northeast from Huairou Bei to Gubeikou adding three stations on April 30. The maximum operating speed of trains on the commuter route was increased from 70 to 100 km/h at the same time. Route S5 is now 135 km long with stations ...
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CRRC launches rolling stock finance business
CHINA: CRRC and Tianjin Trust Co have launched a financial leasing subsidiary with the aim of expanding the rolling stock manufacturing group’s export activities and supporting the government’s Belt & Road Initiative. Target market sectors include high speed trainsets, high-power locomotives, wagons and urban rail vehicles. CRRC Financial Leasing Co ...
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Cambodia – Thailand rail link inaugurated by prime ministers
ASIA: The 1·3 km cross-border rail link connecting Poipot with Arayaprathet was officially inaugurated by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-o-Cha with a ceremony on April 22. Public services are expected to start soon. An agreement regulating the operation of international rail services was ...
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Yapı Merkezı enters signalling market
TURKEY: Infrastructure manager TCDD has begun testing signalling equipment developed by Yapı Merkezı Idis, the industrial controls and communications subsidiary of construction group Yapı Merkezı. The company has installed an interlocking, fixed block signals and level crossing control units compatible with future deployment of ERTMS. The equipment was commissioned on ...
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‘National Train’ EMUs on course for delivery this year
TURKEY: State-owned passenger train manufacturer Tüvasaş expects to begin construction of the first of 21 five-car electric multiple-units under the National Train programme ‘within the next two months’. The first trains should be handed to operator TCDD Tasımacılık before the end of the year, the company told Railway Gazette at ...
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East Coast Rail Link back on
MALAYSIA: Construction of the East Coast Rail Link to open up the country’s eastern seaboard is set to resume next month, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced on April 15. Contracts had been awarded in 2017 for China Communications Construction Corp to develop the 530 km ECRL linking Port Klang on ...
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Sri Lanka opens first phase of China-financed Southern Railway line
SRI LANKA: The 26·8 km Matara – Beliatta first phase of the Southern Railway project was officially opened by Minister of Transport & Civil Aviation Arjuna Ranatunga on April 8. The US$278m cost of Phase 1 was financed through a 20-year loan agreed by Export-Import Bank of China and the ...
