All Railway Gazette International articles in February 2010 – Page 2

  • tn_fr-TGV-generic_25.jpg
    News

    RFF signs GSM-R concession

    2010-02-19T05:00:00Z

    FRANCE: Réseau Ferré de France signed its first public-private partnership concession agreement on February 18, covering the installation and operation over 15 years of GSM-R communications systems, which are to be rolled out on 14 000 route-km of the core network by 2015. Winning bidder is the Synerail consortium, bringing ...

  • tn_us-amtrak-acela-bombardier_04.jpg
    News

    Amtrak plans fleet renewal programme

    2010-02-18T13:45:00Z

    USA: As part of its annual budget submission to Congress, national passenger operator Amtrak published its long-term fleet renewal strategy on February 15, envisaging total expenditure of around US$23bn over the next 30 years. With the average vehicle age now exceeding 25 years, Amtrak President Joseph Boardman says ‘the need ...

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    News

    High speed funding package agreed

    2010-02-18T13:28:00Z

    MOROCCO: An allocation of 20bn dirhams for a high speed line between Tanger and Casablanca is included in the 2010-15 Contract Programme which ONCF Director General Mohammed Rabie Khlie signed with the government on February 1. During a ceremony presided over by King Mohammed VI, Lakhlie also signed an ...

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    News

    Wagonload alliance launched

    2010-02-18T13:15:00Z

    EUROPE: Representatives from seven major rail freight operators signed an agreement in Zürich on February 18 to establish a new alliance for the operation of international wagonload traffic. The agreement was signed by the chief executives from CD Cargo, CFL Cargo, DB Schenker Rail, Green Cargo, Rail Cargo Austria, SBB ...

  • Bombardier Traxx under construction.
    News

    Chinese firm's European bid unsuccessful

    2010-02-18T05:00:00Z

    POLAND: Warszawa regional operator Koleje Mazowieckie announced that Bombardier Transportation had been selected to supply 11 electric locomotives on February 12, beating low bidder CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive. Bombardier's bid to supply Traxx locomotives for €41m undercut Siemens Mobility's offer of €44m. CSR Zhuzhou had been the lowest bidder at ...

  • tn_ch-leb-rbe48-stadler.jpg
    News

    Low-floor train to boost Lausanne suburban capacity

    2010-02-17T15:27:00Z

    SWITZERLAND: Invited guests rode on the first of six RBe 4/8 electric multiple-units being built for the metre-gauge Lausanne-Echallens-Bercher railway on February 17, just 14 months after Stadler Rail was awarded the SFr41m contract to supply them. They will enter passenger service from May. Over the past 10 years traffic ...

  • tn_ru-sapsan-running_04.jpg
    News

    Russia to announce high speed line plan

    2010-02-17T05:00:00Z

    RUSSIA: Next month Russian Railways will unveil detailed proposals for a 'European standard' high speed line, RZD Vice-President Avtandil Gorgiladze told the EurasiaRail 2010 conference in Istanbul on February 10. The Siemens Velaro RUS trains which have been operating Sapsan services between Moscow and St Petersburg since December were designed ...

  • tn_cn-wagons-in-a-pile_14.jpg
    News

    Wheels on test

    2010-02-16T05:00:00Z

    CHINA: German test equipment supplier NDT AG has delivered its first AURA ultrasonic wheelset testing rig to Chinese Railways. The first rig is being installed in Chengdu in the west of the country. The equipment, which is already used by Deutsche Bahn in Germany, can inspect both sides of a ...

  • tn_hu-mav-flirt-lineup.jpg
    News

    MÁV Flirts all in service

    2010-02-15T13:47:00Z

    HUNGARY: National passenger operator MÁV-Start Zrt put its final Stadler-built Flirt EMU into service on February 12, marking the completion of an order for 60 units. The final set was delivered more than two months ahead of the original contract schedule, according to the Swiss manufacturer. MÁV-Start’s Flirts have already ...

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    News

    UIC signs co-operation accord with World Bank

    2010-02-15T09:13:00Z

    INTERNATIONAL: A co-operation agreement to support railways in developing countries was signed in Washington DC on February 11 by the International Union of Railways and the World Bank Group. Signed by UIC Director-General Jean-Pierre Loubinoux and Jamal Saghir, Director of the Bank’s Energy, Transport & Water Department, in the presence ...

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    News

    World infrastructure market February 2010

    2010-02-15T05:00:00Z

    Argentina: Infrastructure authority ADIF has selected Grupo Roggio, Herso, Ferromel and a joint venture of Comsa, Iecsa and CPC to carry out US$200m of track renewals on 220 km of the Belgrano network. Comsa and Iecsa have begun on a three-year programme to renew track on the Sarmiento ...

  • tn_generic-tracks-electric_62.jpg
    News

    News in Brief

    2010-02-14T05:00:00Z

    Getzner Werkstoffe is to supply 390 000 sleeper base pads to reduce vibration from passing trains in the Gotthard base tunnel. The polyurethane pads are being designed to withstand particularly heavy loads, as the tunnel will carry large volumes of north-south transit freight. The Geomet anti-corrosion coating developed by Dacral ...

  • tn_generic-tracks-cz_34.jpg
    News

    Cushioning the blow

    2010-02-13T05:00:00Z

    VIBRATION: Huntsman Polyurethanes has introduced its Acoustiflex V MDI-based foam in combination with Trackelast pads produced by Edilon Sedra to provide better noise reduction for urban railways. Huntsman's Acoustiflex foam is widely used in a range of vibration-damping applications in the automotive and construction industries, and initial deployment on urban ...

  • tn_fr-sncf-6601.jpg
    News

    Captrain brand to consolidate international freight operations

    2010-02-12T14:00:00Z

    EUROPE: French National Railways’ freight logistics business SNCF Geodis announced on February 11 that it was bringing all of its international rail haulage activities together under a single brand. SNCF Geodis says it now has 50 000 employees and a network covering 120 countries, with an annual turnover of €8bn. ...

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    News

    Eurostar accepts multiple failings

    2010-02-12T11:04:00Z

    EUROPE: The findings of the independent review commissioned to look into the collapse of Eurostar cross-Channel services during the severe snowstorms on December 18-19 were announced in London on February 12. Following pressure from the French transport minister Dominique Bussereau, Eurostar had asked former GNER Chief Executive ...

  • tn_au-SCT-GT46CACe_01.jpg
    News

    SCT tries north-south van trains

    2010-02-12T09:54:00Z

    AUSTRALIA: Open access freight operator SCT Logistics confirmed on February 12 that it had started an experimental rail van service on the primary north-south interstate corridor linking Melbourne and Brisbane. The first trains began running on February 2. SCT specialises in running block trains of general merchandise using conventional wagons ...

  • tn_cn-wagons-in-a-pile_15.jpg
    News

    World rolling stock market February 2010

    2010-02-12T05:00:00Z

    Argentina: Emfer has delivered three double-deck coaches to Buenos Aires commuter operator TBA. Each seating 110 passengers, the cars are equipped with wi-fi and a passenger entertainment system. Austria: ÖBB has awarded Alstom a €90m contract to provide Atlas ERTMS equipment for 332 Class 1016 and 1116 locomotives, 50 ...

  • DART train at Connolly station.
    News

    Dublin Interconnector project launched

    2010-02-11T12:48:00Z

    IRELAND: The formal procurement process for the proposed cross-city rail tunnel in Dublin was launched on February 9 with the publication of an OJEU Period Information Notice. Iarnród Éireann is seeking responses from potential PPP partners ahead of lodging a formal application next month for the Railway Order giving powers ...

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    News

    Exceptional load on the move

    2010-02-11T10:45:00Z

    GERMANY: DB Schenker Rail has organised 34 special trains to deliver 407 concrete bridge beams from Neumarkt to Frankfurt airport on behalf of construction firm Max Bögl. The beams are up to 38 m long and weigh 92 tonnes, significantly outside DB's usual weight and size parameters and thus necessitating ...

  • KTX-II on test in Seoul.
    News

    KTX-II ready to enter service

    2010-02-11T10:20:00Z

    SOUTH KOREA: Following a successful passenger-carrying preview run with its first KTX-II high speed trainset, Korail announced on February 10 that the trains will enter revenue service on March 2. Tickets for the new services are due to go on sale from February 23. The state-owned operator plans to introduce ...