All Railway Gazette International articles in February 1997
All articles published this month.
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News
Sidetrack
Swiss precisionThieves with perfect timing held up a Swiss Federal Railways service on December 11, making off with 26 mailbags. They appear to have used similar tactics to those employed in Britain’s Great Train Robbery of 1963. At 22.30 two masked men ordered the driver of Train 744, a St ...
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News
Tilburg Wadloper refurbishment
Netherlands Railways is to refurbish its ’Wadloper’ diesel multiple-units for 12m guilders under a programme scheduled for completion by the end of this year. NS says the investment demonstrates its commitment to local services in the Groningen/Leeuwarden area.The DMUs will undergo mid-life internal treatment including the replacement of bench seating ...
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News
Publications
Deutsche Bahn UmweltberichtFor the first time DB has produced a brochure covering its environmental policy and data. Illustrated with colour photographs and graphics, it covers everything from power stations to WC effluents. Useful graphs indicate, among others, DB’s energy consumption and how it compares (very favourably) with road and air. ...
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News
People
Mr Emmanuel Hau has been named Director of Finance & Economics for French National Railways. He replaces Mr Jean-Pierre Leclerc who has become President of Groupe CTT Sceta.Mr Hau studied at the Ecole National d’Administration and joined Electricité de France in 1977. He became Director of Finance & Legal Affairs ...
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News
US operators under pressure on safety
FALLOUT continues from the spate of spectacular train wrecks early in 1996 (RG 4.96 p177) which marred a generally excellent safety record in the USA. In a hearing on December 11, the National Transportation Safety Board spread blame widely for the February 1 1996 runaway down Cajon Pass, California. Investigators ...
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News
News Pointers
n Shortlisting of qualified bidders for the Taipei - Kaohsiung high speed line in Taiwan could be announced this month following close of tenders on January 15. The winner should be announced in November.n South Korea’s Ministry of Transport & Construction is planning to proceed with a 66 km high ...
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News
Metros
China: Shanghai metro Line 1’s extension from Jinjiangleyuan to Xinzhuang opened on December 28. In conjunction with Monotraction Pty Ltd of Australia, a 13 km feeder costing US$300m is proposed from Xinzhuang to Shanghai’s Minhang suburb by 1998.Germany: Rhein-Main Verkehrsverbund has identified a Frankfurt outer ring route for development as ...
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News
Market
Australia: BHP Iron Ore has ordered a wagon dumper from Strachan & Henshaw valued at A$7m for its Port Hedland terminal.Bulgaria: A US$23·8m contract to refurbish 50 BDZ passenger coaches has been awarded to Adtranz and MAV DVJ Kft of Hungary.Czech Republic: Vodni Stavby AS has won a Kcs969m contract ...
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News
Intelligence
CAPTION: CPTM is taking delivery of 11 Series 101 EMUs being refurbished by Mafersa at a total cost of US$29m. The three-car units were originally manufactured for São Paulo suburban routes by Budd of the USA in the 1950sPhoto: E PiresCAPTION: GEC Alsthom’s Aytré factory is due to roll out ...
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News
Intelligence
CAPTION: Amtrak has begun revenue operation of RoadRailer bimodal vehicles designed to run at 160 km/h. Attached to passenger trains, the RoadRailers carry US Mail trafficCAPTION: London Transport Chairman Peter Ford, Jubilee Line Extension Project Director Hugh Doherty and Minister for Transport in London John Bowis (right) rode one of ...
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News
Intelligence
Austria: Work began on December 10 on the 6·5 km Siegberg tunnel on the 13·6 km Haag - St Valentin cut-off on ÖBB’s Wien - Linz main line.China: CR plans to introduce a Shanghai - Hong Kong express before the British colony reverts to Chinese rule on July 1. The ...
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News
Industry
Bulgaria: Bulgarian State Railways and VAE are to establish a joint venture to manufacture points at BDZ’s Sofia works, which is to be modernised at a cost of Lev116m.Czech Republic: CKD and Skoda have signed a co-operation agreement covering foreign and domestic markets.Europe: In conjunction with the management and employees ...
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News
Intelligent use of rail grinding
INTRO: Profiling can prolong rail life, improve ride dynamics and cut maintenance costs if is done carefully; incorrect use of grinding can all too easily have the opposite effects to those intendedBYLINE: Dr Allan M Zarembski PEPresidentZeta-Tech Associates IncMODERN RAIL grinding techniques use carefully applied grinding patterns to profile the ...
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News
Gardermobanen on track to open next year
INTRO: Rails are going down on 66 km of new line that will put Oslo’s Gardermoen airport within 19min of the city’s central station when it opens on October 4 1998BYLINE: Arne SvensøyNSB Gardermobanen ASAS CIVIL WORKS approach completion on the new railway being constructed between Norway’s capital and the ...
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News
SNCF starts to renew the first TGV line
INTRO: A ballast renewal and pointwork replacement programme will raise the quality of track on the Paris - Sud-Est line and extend its lifeBYLINE: André Le BihanChief Engineer, Permanent Way Department, French National RailwaysAFTER 15 years of use by trains running at up to 270 km/h, France’s first high speed ...
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News
Finance
China: The Ministry of Railways has announced plans for a US$422m bond issue to domestic investors including three- and five-year bills. China’s third railway issue would fund completion of the Houma - Yueshan and Nanning - Kunming routes, electrification of the Chengdu - Kunming line and work on the Beijing ...
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News
Subte expansion proposals
BUENOS AIRES plans to call bids later this year for a 9 km addition to the Subte metro. Expected to cost US$360 to US$450m, Line H would improve connections between the predominantly east-west routes, running under Avenida Jujuy and Avenida Pueyrredón before heading up Avenida Córdoba to the Cid Campeador ...
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News
EU to fund Portuguese revival
PORTUGAL’s railway network is to be modernised over the next three years at a cost of Esc600bn, according to plans announced on December 23 by Minister of Planning João Cravinho. To be funded by the government and the European Union, the package will build on the separate infrastructure and operating ...
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News
Economies needed
CANADIAN Pacific President Robert Ritchie announced on December 11 that major cost savings were essential if CP’s new eastern operating subsidiary St Lawrence & Hudson is to stave off the risk of sale or closure. Higher productivity and lower property taxes in Ontario and Québec have been identified as key ...