Europe – Page 141
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NewsBrenner Base Tunnel exploratory bore reaches the border
ITALY: Celebrations were held in the Brenner Base Tunnel on November 24 to mark tunnel boring machine ‘Serena’ reaching the Austrian border, after completing the 14·1 km exploratory drive on the Italian side of the project over the past 3½ years. Operated by Italian construction contractor ...
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NewsQuantum algorithms to optimise train scheduling
GERMANY: DB Netz and Cambridge Quantum are co-operating to explore the use of quantum computing to optimise train rescheduling at times of disruption. The partnership will combine CQ’s Filtering Variational Quantum Eigensolver with DB’s operations research expertise. ‘We are very excited to be working with Deutsche ...
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NewsETCS takes priority as Bane NOR postpones Brynsbakken expansion
NORWAY: Infrastructure manager Bane NOR confirmed on December 3 that it intends to prioritise the implementation of ETCS around Oslo by 2026, having been forced to postpone the construction of additional tracks through the Brynsbakken district.
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Metro Report InternationalUrban rail grants allocated to Italian cities
ITALY: Urban rail investments in various cities have been allocated funding from national or European sources.
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NewsGermany – Poland cross-border upgrade begins
EUROPE: Work has begin on the first phase of a project to reduce the journey time between Berlin and the Polish city of Szczecin by 20 min to 90 min. A ceremony on November 30 marked the start of work by Deutsche Bahn to upgrade the ...
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NewsEU’s Global Gateway to offer ‘values-driven’ alternative to China’s Belt & Road Initiative
INTERNATIONAL: The European Commission has unveiled its Global Gateway international investment programme, which aims to offer countries around the world a ‘values driven’ alternative to China’s Belt & Road Initiative when they are deciding how to meet their infrastructure development needs. Global Gateway aims to provide ...
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NewsEurope’s Rail takes over railway research portfolio
EUROPE: The Europe’s Rail joint undertaking which is being established under the EU’s Horizon Europe research programme has formally assumed responsibility for railway research, succeeding the Shift2Rail joint undertaking which has led the sector for the past five years. The regulation establishing Europe’s Rail and nine ...
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Metro Report InternationalUppsala council approves tram plan
SWEDEN: Uppsala municipal council has voted in favour of plans to build a tramway to link Uppsala C station and the city centre with the southern suburbs of Gottsunda and Ultuna and a planned new station at Bergsbrunna. The proposed network would total 17 route-km, with ...
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NewsGroundbreaking launches work on German side of Fehmarn Belt tunnel
GERMANY: Construction of the German side of the 18 km Fehmarn Belt immersed tube road and rail tunnel between Germany and Denmark was officially launched with a sod-turning ceremony on Puttgarden on November 29. Attendees included Enak Ferlemann, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of ...
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Metro Report InternationalTSO-Eiffage consortium wins Paris track and electrification contract
FRANCE: Project promoter Société du Grand Paris has awarded the main rail infrastructure contract for Grand Paris Express automated metro Line 16 to a consortium of TSO, TSO Caténaires and Eiffage Rail. Running entirely underground, the 27·5 km Line 16 is due to be completed by ...
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NewsMedway orders more locos and wagons
PORTUGAL: Private freight operator Medway is to invest €93m in the acquisition of 16 new Stadler electric locomotives and 113 Tatravagónka wagons under a procurement supported by the European Investment Bank.
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NewsHerringbone night train coach design concept
RUSSIA: A herringbone pattern concept for a long-distance coach interior which features berths positioned diagonally to the aisle as been presented by rolling stock manufacturer Transmashholding and Russian Railways’ Federal Passenger Co. The concept was developed by 2050.LAB, and is the third in a series of ideas ...
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NewsBattery EMUs ordered to replace diesel on partially electrified network
GERMANY: DB Regio has been awarded two regional passenger train operating contracts in Rheinland-Pfalz, and has placed an order for 44 Stadler Flirt Akku battery-electric multiple-units to meet a requirement for services on the 240 km partially electrified Pfalznetz Lot 1 network to be converted from ...
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NewsSTM launches infrastructure services division
RUSSIA: Sinara Transport Machines has established a Railway Infrastructure Division which will offer services using leased equipment as well as machines produced by its own subsidiary companies. STM is also studying the opportunities for producing further types of high performance track machine, possibly through partnerships with ...
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In depthSmart maintenance: Locomotives find a new lease of life
The delicate economics of rail freight and rapidly changing regulatory conditions have seen the emergence of a healthy market across a swathe of eastern Europe focused on the overhaul, modernisation and life-extension of Soviet-era locomotives. Vladimir Waldin provides an overview.
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NewsRicardo to support delivery of ‘iconic yet also practical’ Latvian EMU fleet
LATVIA: National passenger operator Pasažieru Vilciens has awarded Ricardo a contract to support the delivery, commissioning and introduction of a fleet of 32 dual-system electric multiple-units it has ordered from Škoda Vagonka. The €1·8m contract signed on November 4 runs to the end of 2023 and ...
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NewsNorwegian passenger tendering competitions cancelled
NORWAY: The government confirmed on November 19 that it was cancelling two tendering processes for regional and inter-city passenger services.
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Metro Report InternationalTitagarh Firema metro cars arrive in Catania
Photos: Mobilità Catania ITALY: The first two-car metro trainset to be manufactured by Titagarh Firema for the Catania metro has been delivered to the Sicilian city, ready for the start of test running in the coming weeks. A framework agreement between operator Ferrovie Circumetnea and Titagarh ...
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News‘New era’ as German coalition prioritises rail spending over road
GERMANY: The so-called ‘traffic light coalition’ formed by the Social Democratic, Green and Free Democratic parties as the next federal government has committed to launching a ‘Rapid Capacity Expansion’ to enhance railway infrastructure as part of its wider transport strategy.
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NewsCAF to acquire Alstom multiple-unit ranges and Reichshoffen plant
EUROPE: Alstom has agreed to divest its Coradia Polyvalent and Talent 3 multiple-unit families to CAF, along with the production facilities at Reichshoffen in northern France.













