Features & Analysis – Page 44
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NewsAn open passenger market beckons
The European market for international passenger services will be opened up to competition from January 2010. Murray Hughes investigates what preparations are being made
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Eight aspects of interoperability
MORE THAN a quarter of ERA's permanent staff work in the Interoperability Unit, dealing with the TSIs and other technical aspects, as laid down in articles 12 to 19 of the ERA's founding regulation (Table I). Interoperability Adviser Kai Brandstack says ERA is co-operating closely with the various European and ...
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Grappling with the challenges of ERTMS
THE DECISION in the TSI to make ERA the Systems Authority for the European Rail Traffic Management System was clearly a pragmatic move, although one that was not intended when the agency was set up. 'Of course, ETCS was a long-standing project before ERA was formed', says Pio Guido, ...
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DB's next-generation S-Bahn EMUs arrive
The first of 84 low-floor Class ET422 EMUs for the Rhein-Ruhr S-Bahn are taking shape at Hennigsdorf and Salzgitter. Harry Hondius reports
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Paris pushes urban freight experiment
French supermarket chain Monoprix has started delivering consumer goods to 27 Parisian supermarkets by rail. Laurent Charlier reports
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High speed heads for northern Spain
SPANISH PRIME MINISTER José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero joined Development Minister Magdalena Álvarez to formally open the 179·5 km Madrid - Valladolid high speed line on December 22. The following day, when commercial services began, the ministers opened the final section of new line between Madrid and Málaga, the 54·5 km ...
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NewsTransmash looks to a growing market
Russia’s principal traction and rolling stock builder has spent the last five years updating its production capabilities as it prepares to compete on the world market. TMH Chairman Dmitry Komissarov explains his vision to Chris Jackson
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NewsTransmash: Family of designs continues to evolve
OVER THE past five years, Transmash Holding has been working to develop new locomotive and multiple-unit types for the Russian market, and in some cases to update the more recent designs it inherited when it acquired its various manufacturing plants. The current main line diesel locomotive being produced at Bryansk ...
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Optimising contact wire life on the Hanze Line
Computer modelling studies aimed at optimising life-cycle costs led to modification of the design of the 1·5 kV DC catenary for the Hanze Line between Lelystad and Zwolle, permitting the maximum speed to be increased from 160 to 200 km/h
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Opening up Afghan trade route to Iran
Construction of a 191 km railway from Iran to Herat in Afghanistan, with the prospect of an extension across Afghan territory to Sher Khan Bandar, promises to stimulate trade with Central Asia. Murray Hughes reports
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Networkers get a traction transplant
Working in partnership with HSBC Rail and Brush Traction, Hitachi is replacing key drive components to improve the performance of 97 Networker EMUs used on routes in southeast London and Kent
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RZD adopts long-range development strategy
RUSSIA: An ambitious 25-year plan for the evolution of the Russian rail network was formally adopted on November 24, reports Boris Lukov
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Antwerpen Centraal rebuild complete
Harry Hondius MSc reports on the official completion of railway works at Antwerpen Centraal
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Railways realign in troubled region
The construction of new cross-border links and the introduction of concessioning look set to change the shape of rail operations in the Caucasus over the next few years, reports Chris Jackson
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Armenia looks to the private sector
IN SEPTEMBER, the government of Armenia invited bids for a concession to renovate and operate the country's rail network, following an initial prequalification announcement in June. Armenia is currently implementing a wide range of economic reforms, supported by the US government, the World Bank, the European Union and the Asian ...
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Neu-Ulm goes underground
Construction of a four-track station below ground in the German town of Neu-Ulm heralds the start of work on a new line from Ulm to Stuttgart and releases land for housing and commercial development, reports Ralf Roman Rossberg
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NewsVision of US passenger growth
AMBITIOUS PROPOSALS for expansion of inter-city passenger services in the USA were unveiled in Washington DC on December 6. The 'Vision for the Future' report calls for investment of $357·2bn between now and 2050. The report was compiled by a working party formed of state transport authorities and regional rail ...
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Freight standards need updating
ANY COMPARISON of the prevailing technologies on both sides of the North Atlantic will demonstrate how inadequate are today's rail freight operations in Europe. Let us overlook for now the continuing problem of pathing priorities, which still sees premium freight trains playing second fiddle to secondary passenger services. The low ...
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Energy challenge will drive traction policy
The rail industry must reduce its energy consumption, for both environmental reasons and to contain the increasing cost of energy. Alternative fuels offer few advantages, and the best option may be to capitalise on strategies being adopted by the electricity generation industry to reduce carbon emissions, suggests Professor Roger Kemp
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NewsTraxx locomotive family meets European needs
Rapid liberalisation of Europe's rail sector, and an associated increase in cross-border operations, is challenging operators and suppliers to rethink locomotive design. The flexibility of the Traxx locomotive platform meets a wide range of requirements, and no fewer than 1 226 locomotives have been ordered to date