Europe – Page 132
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NewsInternational rail links in Montenegro‘s national infrastructure plan
MONTENEGRO: Plans for international rail links and other long term improvements to the rail network are included a national infrastructure strategy for 2021-23 which has been adopted by the government. The proposed international links would run from Nikšić towards Bileća in Bosnia & Herzegovina and from ...
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NewsLatvia surveys interest in passenger rail tendering
LATVIA: The Road Transport Administration has launched a survey to gauge market interest in providing domestic passenger rail services. The RTA said this was the first survey of this type in Latvia, and would meet the requirements of EC Regulation 1370/2007 which sets out rules for ...
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NewsEurope’s Rail research initiative launched
EUROPE: The Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking that will co-ordinate EU railway research over the next decade was formally launched in Paris on February 21, during an event organised by SNCF in conjunction with the French Presidency of the European Union.
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Metro Report InternationalSchöneicher-Rüdersdorf Strassenbahn orders low-floor trams
GERMANY: Schöneicher–Rüdersdorf Strassenbahn has awarded Modertrans a contract to supply three low-floor trams for use on Route 87, which connects Berlin-Rahnsdorf S-Bahn station with Woltersdorf, just outside Berlin. The 5·6 km standard gauge line is currently operated using 60-year old Gotha vehicles. The new low-floor trams ...
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NewsPolish operators call for track access charge cut to stem loss of market share
POLAND: The ZNPK federation of independent train operators has called for a ‘serious debate’ on access charges and a ‘radical’ 50% cut in fees, saying infrastructure manager PKP PLK’s current charges for freight trains are amongst the highest in Europe. ZNPK says that PKP PLK’s draft ...
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NewsSpanish EMUs to have ABB traction batteries
SPAIN: Stadler has awarded ABB a US$80m contract to supply traction converters and roof-mounted lithium-ion batteries for 59 double-deck electric multiple-units which RENFE has ordered for use on Madrid and Barcelona commuter services. The EMUs will operate primarily using 3 kV DC overhead, but will be ...
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NewsOberweißbacher Bergbahn operating contract awarded
GERMANY: Thüringen’s Ministry of Infrastructure & Agriculture has directly awarded incumbent DB RegioNetz Verkehrs a contract to continue operating the Oberweißbacher Bergbahn funicular and electric train services for a further 10 years. A market survey determined that it would be impractical to hold a competitive tender ...
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NewsBattery trains on the Baltic coast
GERMANY: Having been named the winner of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Warnow II passenger train operating contract, DB Regio Nordost has ordered Stadler Flirt Akku battery-electric multiple-units to replace diesel multiple-units on two of the routes. The Land announced the award of the Warnow II contract to the incumbent ...
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NewsEU pandemic relief measure for rail extended
EUROPE: Members of the European Parliament have voted to extend a Covid-19 relief measure that allows rail infrastructure access charges to be reduced, waived or deferred.
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NewsRack trainsets enter revenue service
SLOVAKIA: Five rack-and-adhesion trainsets built by Stadler for ŽSSK’s metre gauge rack railway between Štrba and Štrbské Pleso were formally launched into revenue service on February 16. The event was attended by Boris Kollár, Speaker of the National Council, Slovak Minister of Transport & Construction Andrej ...
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NewsČD locomotives to be rebuilt as EffiShunters
CZECH REPUBLIC: National operator ČD has awarded CZ Loko a KC684m contract to produce 14 EffiShunter 1000M diesel locomotives by rebuilding Class 742 locos originally manufactured by ČKD Praha in 1977-86. Only the bogies and frames will be retained. To be used for heavy shunting and ...
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Metro Report InternationalWork to begin on Barcelona tram extension
SPAIN: Work on the long-planned link between the isolated Trambesòs and Trambaix light rail networks in Barcelona is expected to begin in the second week of March, following the award of construction contracts for the first half of the route. Following a series of feasibility studies, ...
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NewsSNCF and Alstom unveil first tri-mode Régiolis conversion
FRANCE: SNCF Voyageurs and Alstom have unveiled the first tri-mode battery-electro-diesel Régiolis train, converted from an existing four-car bi-mode trainset.
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NewsInfranord locos to be equipped with Hitachi ETCS
SWEDEN: Hitachi Rail is to fit ETCS and STM-ATC2 equipment on two Class Tb diesel locomotives operated by state-owned railway construction and maintenance company Infranord. STM-ATC2 enables vehicles equipped with ETCS to operate on lines which have not yet been equipped with ETCS lineside technology. ‘These ...
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NewsTimetable improvements in Frankfurt – Fulda contract
GERMANY: Following a competitive tender, Rhein-Main and Nordhessen transport authorities RMV and NVV have awarded incumbent DB Regio the next contract to operate Kinzigtal services RE50 Frankfurt – Wächtersbach – Fulda – Bebra and RB51 Frankfurt – Wächtersbach from December 14 2025. Planned changes to long-distance ...
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Metro Report InternationalBrandenburg trials elastomer infills to create cycle-safe tramways
GERMANY: Tram operator Verkehrsbetriebe Brandenburg an der Havel is testing bicycle-safe tram line cover profiles to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in the city’s old town.
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NewsStart selects Stadler to supply cross-border EMU fleet
EUROPE: Regionalverkehr Start Deutschland has awarded Stadler a contract to supply 20 Flirt3XL electric multiple-units for use on Maas-Wupper-Express service RE13 between Germany and the Netherlands.
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NewsHeidekrautbahn hydrogen trains ordered
GERMANY: Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn has awarded Siemens Mobility a contract to supply and support six hydrogen fuel cell-powered multiple-units for use on Heidekrautbahn service RB27 to the north of Berlin. Delivery is scheduled by the end of September 2024, for operation from the December 2024 timetable change. ...
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NewsBulgarian train operations reintegrated
BULGARIA: The state rail operations holding company BDZ Holding and its passenger BDZ Ptnicheski Prevozi passenger and BDZ Tovarni Prevozi freight businesses have been reunited as one organisation, Minister of Transport & Communications Nikolay Sabev announced on February 4.
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NewsMore electro-diesel trainsets ordered
POLAND: Zachodniopomorskie voivodship has placed a 100m złoty order for a further five Newag Impuls 2 36WEh electro-diesel multiple-units for use on partially electrified routes. The additional sets have been ordered using an option in an August 2020 contract which covered an initial two units worth ...