All Railway Gazette International articles in February 2020 – Page 10
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Metro Report InternationalBogotá Metro changes metro and BRT lines
COLOMBIA: The Mayor of Bogotá Claudia López has announced a new transport plan for the city, including the extension of the future Bogotá Metro’s first line and a change of the proposed Transmilenio bus rapid transit route. The 4·1km metro extension would run from Calle 72 to ...
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Metro Report InternationalPorto to introduce contactless ticketing this year
PORTUGAL: Porto is to begin the rollout of contactless ticketing this year, enabling holders of EMV bank cards to touch a validator and travel without needing to use the local Andante smart card. The TIP group of transport operators is working with Visa CyberSource, financial services company ...
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NewsConversion of local railway into a busway to be studied
Source: Lokaltog DENMARK: A feasibility study for converting the Østbanen local railway in eastern Sjælland into a busway is to be undertaken following an agreement between Minister of Transport Benny Engelbrecht and the regional council. The jointly-funded DKr3·5m study is to be undertaken in parallel with ...
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In depthMajor Projects: Software challenge blows Crossrail off course
For a decade, construction of London’s east-west cross-city tunnel seemed set for completion on time in late 2018. But this deadline has slipped as project promoter Crossrail Ltd grapples with the emerging complexity of delivering a new railway centred on digital technology. Alan Hannaford* reflects on the challenges faced.
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NewsAustralind DMU design revealed
AUSTRALIA: The design of the diesel multiple-units ordered for Transwa’s twice-daily Australind service has been unveiled by Premier of Western Australia Mark McGowan. ‘The sleek new design will make the journey between Perth and Bunbury more comfortable for residents and tourists alike, encouraging more people to ...
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Rail Business UKVP plc awarded £257m Network Rail portable plant contract
UK: Network Rail has awarded VP plc a contract worth up to £257m for the hire, supply and maintenance of all small plant powered by external means. This includes rail drills, torque wrenches, chainsaws and handheld tamping machines, as well as related consumables such as oil, and ...
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Rail Business UKBicester – Bedford railway reinstatement approved
UK: The Secretary of State for Transport has approved Network Rail’s application for a Transport & Works Act Order granting legal powers for work to begin on the Bicester – Bedford section of the East West Rail project to develop a rail corridor between Oxford and ...
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Metro Report InternationalDetroit People Mover runs counter-clockwise for first time in 11 years
USA: The Detroit People Mover is operating counter-clockwise for the first time since 2008. According to the Detroit Transportation Corp, a major rail replacement on the circular line led to a reverse direction operational testing in December 2019. The testing ‘determined that there is an advantage to ...
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NewsCanadian Pacific aims to outpace its peers in 2020
CANADA: Canadian Pacific Railway has announced record revenue of C$7·79bn for 2019, a 7% year-on-year increase. Diluted earnings per share increased 29% to a record C$17·52. The operating ratio was 59·9, an improvement from 61·3 the previous year. ‘Global economic uncertainty caused by geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges ...
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Metro Report InternationalFTA approves $4·55bn of transport grants
USA: The Federal Transit Administration has awarded grants totalling $4·55bn to 22 projects. The FTA has granted $18m to various operators in Colorado for projects including the construction of of a bus maintenance facility in Denver and the purchase of a fleet of electric buses and charging ...
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NewsEurostar confirms start date for Amsterdam – London through services
EUROPE: Cross-Channel high speed train operator Eurostar has announced the start dates for through services between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and London. This follows an agreement between the governments of the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands enabling the operation of juxtaposed border controls at the Dutch departure stations, ...
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NewsRegioJet to develop central maintenance depot
CZECH REPUBLIC: Independent operator RegioJet is to develop a central rolling stock maintaince depot for its fleet on a former scrap metal yard site which it has acquired in Praha’s eastern suburb of Dolní Měcholupy, close to Praha-Hostivař station. The site will be available for use by ...
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In depthMore action needed to secure Alpine freight modal shift
With the imminent completion of a corridor able to carry 4 m high lorries on trains through Switzerland, the Swiss government has outlined measures to ensure that transit freight continues to switch from road to rail, but operators believe that these will not suffice. MurrayHughes investigates.
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Metro Report InternationalCubic Interactive aims to incentivise public transport use
LOYALTY: Cubic Transportation Systems has launched a loyalty platform which is designed to enable transport agencies to incentivise the use of public transport, to reward passengers for engaging with advertising in transport apps and to encourage travel outside the peaks. The first customer for Cubic Interactive is ...
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NewsPolarteknik acquires Train Door Solutions
EUROPE: Finnish door and partition wall manufacturer Polarteknik Oy has acquired UK pneumatic and electrical door systems servicing specialist Train Door Solutions Ltd under a deal completed on January 31. Established in 1999, Milton Keynes based Train Door Systems was previously owned by Nigel Mason, Vanessa Mason ...
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Metro Report InternationalBarcelona Metro opens first elevated station
SPAIN: On February 1, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona inaugurated a 1·6 km southern extension of metro Line 10 containing its first elevated station. The new €40m Zona Franca stop is located in the industrial district of Sants-Montjuïc and is expected to serve 3 600 passengers daily. Barcelona’s ...
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NewsRail and air associations to co-operate on ticketing
INTERNATIONAL: The International Union of Railways and the International Air Transport Association have signed a memorandum of understanding covering co-operation in standard setting and interoperability, with a focus on data exchange to support intermodal travel. Areas for co-operation include: journey planning; reservations; ticketing, including irregular operations ...
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Metro Report InternationalTorino starts self-driving shuttle trials
ITALY: The city of Torino has started trials for its first self-driving shuttle programme. The trial will last for four months and will provide transport services within the United Nations International Training Center’s ILO campus in the city. The Olli electric vehicles are supplied by Arizona-based Local ...
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Metro Report InternationalPune Metro achieves financial closure
INDIA: Maharashtra Metro Corp has secured financing for its Pune Metro line from AFD France and the European Investment Bank. The international investors will co-finance the debt of the project, estimated at Rs58·3bn. The total value of the project is estimated at Rs113·2bn. The loans money will ...
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NewsÖBB places final order under 200-EMU framework
AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways has placed a firm order for Siemens Mobility to supply a further 11 Desiro ML Cityjet electric multiple-units by the end of 2021. The order announced on January 31 is the last to be placed under a 2010 framework contract covering up to ...