Australasia – Page 29
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NewsAustralasian Centre for Rail Innovation launched
AUSTRALIA: The Australasian Centre for Rail Innovation was formally inaugurated at a VIP reception held in Sydney on November 25 to coincide with the opening of the 10th World Congress on Railway Research. To be headquartered in Canberra, ACRI is an independent organisation supported by both the Australasian Railway Association ...
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NewsDouble-deck rail and bus tunnel proposed for Brisbane
AUSTRALIA: The Queensland state government has announced plans for a 5·4 km double-deck tunnel in Brisbane with a twin-track railway on the lower level and a two-lane busway on the upper level. ‘This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform Brisbane into a world city with a public transport system ...
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NewsBombardier consortium wins Queensland's New Generation Rollingstock PPP contract
AUSTRALIA: Queensland's Department of Transport & Main Roads has selected the Bombardier NGR Consortium as preferred bidder to supply and maintain 75 six-car electric multiple-units under the New Generation Rollingstock public-private partnership. The EMUs will be used to cater for an increase in passenger services in southeast Queensland and to ...
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NewsHeavy-duty bogie rotators delivered down under
AUSTRALIA: Heavy lifting equipment manufacturer Mechan has completed its first delivery to Australia, supplying a pair of 10 tonne bogie rotators to Downer Rail's rolling stock maintenance depot at Newport in Victoria. The rotators comprise two independent structures which hold a bogie frame in place while it is rotated through ...
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NewsFremantle Port rail expansion contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: York Civil was awarded a contract to extend the North Quay Rail Terminal at Fremantle Port near Perth on October 23. The A$31m project is funded by the central government, which is contributing A$18·6m, and the state of Western Australia, which is providing A$12·4m. The work will extend ...
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NewsKiwiRail places third order for CNR Dalian locomotives
NEW ZEALAND: KiwiRail awarded CNR Dalian a contract to supply a further eight Class DL diesel locomotives last month, taking its total order to 48. 'We have been very pleased with the performance of these locomotives to date and they are proving their worth on our North Island freight routes', ...
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NewsRoy Hill railway construction contract
AUSTRALIA: Lead contractor Samsung C&T has awarded John Holland a A$257m subcontract covering rail infrastructure and track construction for a 342 km heavy haul railway being developed as part of the Roy Hill Iron Ore Project in Western Australia. The line will be built through remote terrain to link a ...
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NewsMayor unveils first Auckland EMU
NEW ZEALAND: The first of 57 three-car EMUs being built by CAF for the Auckland suburban network was unveiled by the city’s mayor Len Brown at the new Wiri depot on September 12. He was joined at the event by Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee, Auckland Transport Chairman Lester Levy and ...
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NewsPrivate-sector reopening proposed
AUSTRALIA: The government of New South Wales has invited registrations of interest from private-sector groups to restore, operate and maintain the 200 km Cowra Lines between Blayney and Demondrille, on which services have been suspended since 2007. The project is seen as a pilot scheme that could pave the way ...
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NewsQueensland approves Galilee Basin coal railway
AUSTRALIA: Following a review of environmental studies, on August 9 Queensland's Coordinator-General approved Waratah Coal's A$6·4bn project to develop a mine near Alpha and build a heavy haul railway to port facilities at Abbot Point. The state approved the proposal subject to 'strict development and operating conditions'. Federal approval is ...
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NewsMoreton Bay Rail Link construction contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: Queensland's Department of Transport & Main Roads awarded Thiess Contractors a A$650m contract to build the Moreton Bay Rail Link on August 1. The 12·6 km double-track electrified suburban line will connect the growing Moreton Bay region with the greater Brisbane rail network at Petrie. Six stations are to ...
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NewsMerMec inspection cars for New South Wales
AUSTRALIA: Transport for NSW is taking delivery of two Roger 800 track inspection cars from MerMec of Italy. The 22·5 m long steel-bodied vehicles are each powered by a pair of underfloor-mounted 390 kW MTU diesel engines with hydrodynamic transmission, giving a maximum speed of 140 km/h. Axleload is 18 ...
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NewsGovernment backs Auckland City Rail Link project
NEW ZEALAND: The government announced its backing for transport projects including the NZ$2·86bn Auckland City Rail Link on June 26. The 3·4 km route would run through twin tunnels up to 45 m below the surface to connect the current Britomart terminus with the Western Line at Mt Eden, ...
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NewsWabtec wins Australian locomotive order
AUSTRALIA: Wabtec Corp's MotivePower subsidiary announced an order to build a further six standard gauge MP33C locomotives for leasing company CFCLA Rail JV on June 5. Delivery is scheduled for 2014. The joint venture of CFCL Australia and Marubeni Corp previously ordered 10 locomotives in 2010. 'This additional order ...
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NewsGenset demonstrators delivered
AUSTRALIA: National Railway Equipment Co has delivered the first two 3GS24C-DE-AU N-ViroMotive three-engine genset locomotives to Australia. The design is targeted at regional operators requiring low-cost and reliable locomotives. Designated Class 1200, the initial locomotives are standard gauge but could also be supplied for 1067 mm or broad gauge, and ...
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NewsRail boost in 2014-19 Nation Building investment plan
AUSTRALIA: Announcing its 2013-14 budget on May 14, the federal government set out a preliminary schedule for the major rail projects to be undertaken within the next Nation Building five-year investment programme, which will run from July 2014 to 2019. The biggest rail projects are A$3bn for the Melbourne Metro ...
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NewsCompetitive tendering planned for Queensland
AUSTRALIA: The Queensland state government has accepted recommendations to open up the passenger rail operations and infrastructure maintenance markets in its response to the final report of the Queensland Commission of Audit which was set up last year to provide strategic economic advice. In 'A Plan: Better services for Queenslanders', ...
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NewsRio Tinto orders Wabtec ECP braking equipment
AUSTRALIA: On April 30 Wabtec Corp announced an US$15m order to provide electronically-controlled pneumatic braking equipment including software for use on heavy haul locomotives and wagons operated by Rio Tinto in the Pilbara region. Delivery is scheduled for this year. The contract follows on from previous orders to supply ECP ...
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NewsAustralian high speed rail study published
AUSTRALIA: What Minister for Infrastructure & Transport Anthony Albanese called 'the most detailed and comprehensive study ever undertaken into high speed rail in this country' was published on April 11. The study identifies a potential 1 748 km route for a double-track electrified high speed line between Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra ...
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NewsRoy Hill railway contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: Construction of the proposed 342 km railway to serve the Roy Hill iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia is on course for completion by November 2015, following the award of an A$5·9bn contract to Samsung C&T. Under the deal, South Korea’s second largest construction company ...