All Railway Gazette International articles in February 2016
All articles published this month.
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NewsEuropean disaster exercise simulates Underground station collapse
UK: What the London Fire Brigade describes as ‘Europe’s biggest ever disaster training exercise’ began on February 29, with emergency response personnel from London being joined by firefighters from Italy, Hungary and Cyprus in a four-day simulation based on a scenario where a building collapses onto a London Underground station. ...
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NewsDC Streetcar opens
USA: Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser was on the inaugural journey of the DC Streetcar on February 27 at 10.00. The 3·3 km mixed-traffic route with eight stops links Union Station with Oklahoma Avenue/Benning Road. Services operate every 15 min every day except Sunday. Frequencies are expected to increase ...
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NewsIncheon suburban extension opens
SOUTH KOREA: A northwest extension of the Suin Line in Incheon opened on February 27. The 7·3 km section links Songdo with Incheon station on metro Line 1. The extension adds five stations, including one at Hagik that is due to open in 2019. The Suin Line was rebuilt ...
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NewsVertex launches wagon leasing business
USA: Vertex Railcar Corp has launched Vertex Rail Leasing, a wholly-owned subsidiary offering wagons manufactured at its Wilmington plant for lease. ‘With the launch of Vertex Rail Leasing, Vertex is well positioned to address the railcar needs across the full spectrum of customers in the market - those who prefer ...
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NewsTime to get ahead of the game
With her review of Network Rail's structure and financing expected to be published in March, HS1 CEO Nicola Shaw outlined her thinking to the Railway Study Association in London.
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NewsIsle of Wight light rail conversion proposed
UK: Next month Isle of Wight Council is due to consider a report into the future of the Ryde – Shanklin railway which has been prepared by former GNER Chief Executive Christopher Garnett following meetings with stakeholders. The 13·7 km Island Line is currently operated as part of the much ...
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NewsTram extension opens in Linz
AUSTRIA: The first section of Linz’s StadtRegio-Tram project opened on February 25, extending the 900 mm gauge Line 3 southwest from Doblerholz to Trauner Kreuzung. The 2·7 km extension has five stops, including one serving the PlusCity shopping centre in Pasching. A further 1·8 km to Schloss Traun is ...
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NewsIndian Railways to meet ‘desires of common man’ by 2020
INDIA: Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhu set out a three-pronged strategy of ‘new revenues, new norms and new structures’ when he presented the 2016-17 Indian Railways budget on February 25. Rather than announcing ambitious new projects, Prabhu focused on ongoing programmes, optimising capacity and improving services. He said IR ...
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NewsWork starts on München tram extension
GERMANY: A groundbreaking ceremony on February 26 marked the start of work on the Steinhausen extension of München’s tram network. Lord Mayor Dieter Reiter, MVG General Manager Herbert König and Managing Director of publishing business Süddeutsche Verlag Stefan Hilscher officially launched the work at the site of the future turning ...
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NewsExercise tests Schuman — Josaphat tunnel
BELGIUM: An exercise to test safety equipment and emergency planning was held during the early hours of February 26 in the tunnel connecting Schuman and Josaphat stations in Brussels, involving the police and emergency services as well as infrastructure manager Infrabel and train operator SNCB. The exercise simulated the evacuation ...
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NewsHonolulu breaks ground on first metro station
USA: Construction of the first Honolulu Rail Transit station officially started with a groundbreaking ceremony on February 25. Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit and contractor Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co were joined by city and state officials at West Loch station. Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co is building West Loch under ...
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NewsMelbourne Metro Rail preliminary works shortlist
AUSTRALIA: Victoria Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan announced the shortlist for the Early Works package of the Melbourne Metro Rail project on February 24. The bidders shortlisted to undertake preliminary works are: CPB Contractors;a joint venture of John Holland Group and KBR;a joint venture of Lend Lease Engineering ...
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NewsIndustry success celebrated at Rail Business Awards 2015
UK: The UK rail industry gathered at the London Hilton on Park Lane on February 25 for the 18th annual Rail Business Awards. Hosted by The Apprentice co-star Nick Hewer, the awards recognised the very best of the industry across 18 categories. The Rail Business Awards 2015 were the ...
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NewsBiarri Group launches dedicated rail business
AUSTRALIA: Software and analytical tool developer Biarri Group has launched a dedicated business serving the railway industry. Biarri has supplied asset, maintenance and resource planning and operations software to companies including Kansas City Southern, Aurizon, Pacific National, ARTC and Rio Tinto, and has worked with GE Transportation and Oliver ...
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NewsMünchen airport peoplemover completes test run
GERMANY: A test run of an automated peoplemover between München airport Terminal 2 and a future satellite facility was carried out on February 23. Bombardier has supplied 12 Innovia 300 vehicles under an €89m contract awarded in November 2011. The scope also includes supply of Cityflo 650 automatic train ...
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NewsCommuter operator c2c launches automatic delay repay
UK: Essex to London commuter operator c2c announced the launch of its automatic delay repay scheme on February 25, enabling passengers using its smartcard to receive automatic compensation for delays without needing to apply for it. Passengers can check their journey record and how much compensation they are owed on ...
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NewsUIC and OSJD sign co-operation agreement
EUROPE: International Union of Railways Director-General Jean-Pierre Loubinoux and Organisation for Co-operation between Railways Chairman Tadeusz Szozda signed a memorandum of co-operation covering the period 2016-20 on February 23. UIC said co-operation with OSJD would focus on the creation of an ‘interoperable rail transport system’ in the Eurasian region. ...
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NewsDolomite rail link to be studied
ITALY: A feasibility study for the construction of a rail link between Calalzo, Cortina d’Ampezzo and Toblach (Dobbiaco) is to be undertaken within three years, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding by the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige regional authorities on February 13. Calalzo is the terminus station of ...
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NewsFRA awards level crossing upgrading grants
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration has awarded nearly $10m in grants for nine projects to increase the safety of level crossings on routes used by oil trains. ‘Today's grants will upgrade the warning systems at critical crossings and close others where crude oil and other energy products are transported’, said ...
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NewsBudapest suburban line ownership change
HUNGARY: Budapest Mayor István Tarlós and Minister of National Development Miklós Seszták have agreed that national rail operator MÁV is to take over operation of all HÉV suburban lines that run beyond the city boundary. This will follow the government taking over all operating costs of these lines, currently financed ...