French railway news – Page 13
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Metro Report InternationalGrand Paris Express trains combine ‘capacity, fluidity and comfort’
FRANCE: Alstom says ‘capacity, fluidity and comfort for passengers’ will be offered by the 37 automated metro trainsets that it is to supply for the future Grand Paris Express Line 18. The interior design unveiled on February 15 was developed by Alstom’s Advanced & Creative Design ...
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Metro Report InternationalAlstom unveils next-generation Nantes tram
FRANCE: The first of 61 Citadis X05 trams that Alstom is building for Nantes Métropole is unveiled at the supplier’s La Rochelle plant.
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NewsResearch to make wagon maintenance more efficient
FRANCE: The Maintenance 4·0 project to improve the efficiency of condition-based and predictive wagon maintenance has been launched by manufacturer Inveho, leasing company Ermewa and French research institute IRT Railenium, building on an agreement signed at InnoTrans in September last year. Maintenance 4·0 aims to combine ...
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In depthFrance: Developing concepts to revive rural lines
France’s policy of abandoning rural lines has been halted and the stage is set for a revival of lightly used or closed routes. Driven partly by efforts to decarbonise the economy, several low-cost operating and maintenance concepts are being developed with state support, reports Reinhard Christeller.
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In depthFrance: Start-ups energise the passenger market
Open access passenger operators have so far had limited success in penetrating the French market, but a medley of ambitious entrepreneurs is now tackling the task. Jérémie Anne reports.
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NewsRENFE to create French subsidiary
FRANCE: The board of Spain’s national operator RENFE is to seek Spanish government approval for the formation of a French subsidiary to take advantage of the ongoing liberalisation of that market. Announcing its plan to set up a French business on February 2, RENFE said it ...
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NewsFranco-Swiss TGV partnership extended for five more years
EUROPE: The TGV Lyria cross-border passenger train partnership of France’s SNCF Voyageurs (74%) and Switzerland’s SBB (26%) has been extended for a further five years. The co-operation dates back 30 years. There are 17 return trips per day across the Genève – Paris, Lausanne – Paris ...
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NewsAmsterdam – Barcelona night train plan
EUROPE: Night train start-up European Sleeper has announced details of its proposed Amsterdam – Barcelona service, which has won the backing of the European Commission. The night train is one of 10 proposals selected for a pilot programme which aims to break down practical barriers to ...
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Metro Report InternationalWork starts on third Toulouse metro line
FRANCE: Toulouse transport operator Tisséo has begun work on the city’s third metro line with a construction of a 30 m deep evacuation shaft in the Sept-Deniers district. Previously referred as Aerospace Express and now designated as Line C, the automated line from Colomiers railway station ...
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NewsRolling stock climate test chamber opens
FRANCE: A rolling stock climate testing chamber which can provide temperatures from -45°C to 70°C and humidity from 5% to 95% has been built at the Centre d’Essais Ferroviaires centre in Valenciennes. This will provide additional testing capacity, as high demand means France’s existing facility at ...
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NewsHauts-de-France unveils Premium EMU
FRANCE: The first of 19 Omneo Premium double-deck inter-city electric multiple-units ordered by the Hauts-de-France région for the Paris – Amiens and Paris – Saint Quentin – Cambrai/Maubeuge ‘Picardie Y’ routes has been rolled out at Alstom’s Crespin plant.
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NewsMerged Eurostar and Thalys branding revealed
EUROPE: The branding for the merged Eurostar and Thalys high speed rail businesses was unveiled in Brussels on January 24.
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NewsLe Train selects 330 km/h Talgo trainsets for French open access services
FRANCE: Le Train Managing Director Alain Gétraud tells Railway Gazette International about the open access start-up’s plans to acquire a fleet of 330 km/h Talgo Avril S106 high speed trains customised to its requirements.
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NewsEuropean Commission investigates state aid to Fret SNCF
FRANCE: The European Commission has begun a detailed investigation into measures taken by the French government in 2007-19 to provide financial support to Fret SNCF, the rail freight subsidiary of Rail Logistics Europe, itself a subsidiary of national operator SNCF. The objective is to determine whether ...
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NewsRENFE starts tests before relaunching cross-border high speed services to France
EUROPE: Spanish national operator RENFE is preparing to revive international inter-city services between Madrid, Barcelona, Lyon and Marseille, which ceased in December last year.
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In depthTrack Technology: Modular elements could offer cheaper and more flexible slab trackform
Field trials are expected to start near Marseille in the coming months of a lower-cost modular slab trackform developed by Systra and construction group Stradal as a potential replacement for conventional ballasted track. Technical consultant Jean-Claude Zabée explains the concept to Nick Kingsley.
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NewsMarguerite enters service on Mont-Blanc mountain railway
FRANCE: The last of the four metre-gauge electric multiple-units supplied by Stadler to re-equip the Tramway du Mont-Blanc mountain railway entered service on December 21.
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Metro Report InternationalParis ticket machines to be replaced
FRANCE: Paris transport operator RATP has awarded the Easier subsidiary of Bolloré Group a six-year contract to supply and maintain customised ticket vending machines across its urban rail network. Replacement of the 2 400 ticket machines at RER and metro stations is set to begin in ...
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Metro Report InternationalKeolis awarded Dijon multimodal transport contract
FRANCE: Dijon municipality has awarded incumbent Keolis a new contract to operate transport services under the DiviaMobilités brand.
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NewsFreight future in doubt as energy costs soar
FRANCE: Rail freight operators are facing a catastrophic future if the government does not offer help with a massive rise in energy costs, according to industry body Fret Ferroviaire Français du Futur.