German railway news – Page 30
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NewsOperators target more wagonload freight
GERMANY: A group of 11 private freight operators and publicly-owned DB Cargo have announced plans to promote and foster the wagonload business. Unveiling the proposals on May 11, the founder members of Netzwerk Zukunft Einzelwagenverkehr (Network Future Wagonload Traffic) said co-operation would be needed if the ...
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NewsVia Vindobona deal promises 4 h Berlin – Wien timing
GERMANY: Plans for a dramatic acceleration of inter-city passenger services between the capital cities of Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria were outlined at the third German Rail Summit held virtually on May 17. Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer highlighted plans agreed by the three countries in ...
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NewsFlixTrain to launch new routes and night trains
EUROPE: Having launched its first FlixTrain services in Sweden on May 6, FlixMobility announced on May 11 that it intends to launch two additional inter-city routes in Germany over the coming months, as part of an expansion programme aiming to double the number of open access services.
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NewsIndustrial espionage concerns raised over third-party train maintenance contract
GERMANY: Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler has raised concerns about the potential for industrial espionage after Go-Ahead awarded the international subsidiary of Transmashholding a contract to maintain a fleet of electric multiple-units ordered for use on E-Netz Allgäu services in Bayern. Stadler is worried that its ...
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NewsHydrogen trains for the Heidekrautbahn
GERMANY: Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer has authorised investment of €25m in a project to introduce hydrogen fuel cell trains in the Land of Brandenburg. Announcing the grant at Basdorf station on the Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn on May 3, Scheuer said this would be ‘a giant step ...
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NewsDirect award planned for Germany – Poland services
EUROPE: Berlin-Brandenburg transport authority VBB has annouced its intention to negotiate a directly-awarded contract for DB Regio to continue to operate cross-border regional passenger services to Poland. The contract would include services RB91 Frankfurt (Oder) – Rzepin, RB92 Guben – Zielona Góra and RB66/RE66 (Berlin–) Angermünde ...
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NewsAccess charge reductions fairer than direct support, says ERFA
Duisburg (Photo: DB). EUROPE: The European Rail Freight Association has reiterated its belief that reducing track access charges would be the best way of supporting the rail freight sector through the pandemic in a transparent and non-discriminatory manner, rather than providing direct support for individual operators. ...
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NewsSnälltåget will not bid for Stockholm – Brussels night train contract
EUROPE: Open access operator Snälltåget has decided not to bid for the contract to operate the Swedish government’s proposed overnight service between Stockholm, Malmö, Hamburg, Köln and Brussels.
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NewsHANS retains operating contract
GERMANY: Sachsen-Anhalt transport authority NASA and its Berlin-Brandenburg counterpart VBB have awarded Hanseatische Eisenbahn a contract to operate Elbe-Altmark II passenger services for six years from the December 2022 timetable change. The contract covers local services RB 34 Stendal – Rathenow and RB33 Stendal –Tangermünde. The ...
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NewsBrenner northern approach alignment selected
EUROPE: The preferred alignment for the cross-border northern approach route to the Brenner Base Tunnel has been announced by Deutsche Bahn, Austrian Federal Railways and Germany’s Ministry of Transport & Digital Infrastructure. Five alignments had been proposed, with the Violet Route option selected following a comprehensive ...
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In depthInterview: Digital becomes tangible
There is a window of opportunity to combine increased public funding with the demonstrable operational benefits of digital technology in order to drive modal shift to rail after the pandemic, Knorr-Bremse’s Board Member for Rail Systems Dr Jürgen Wilder explains to Nick Kingsley.
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In depthMünchen – Zürich: an island no longer
Electrification of a 155 km section of the München – Zürich corridor and the rerouting of inter-city trains to bypass the island in Lindau has reduced journey times between the two cities to 4 h, with hopes of further cuts to come, reports Toma Bačić.
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NewsBentheimer Eisenbahn awarded 15-year contract to operate revived passenger service
GERMANY: Following a European tender, Niedersachsen transport authority LNVG has awarded incumbent and sole bidder Bentheimer Eisenbahn a contract to contiune operating the RB56 Regiopa Express service on the Bad Bentheim – Nordhorn – Neuenhaus route for 15 years from December 12 2021. ‘We are very ...
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NewsGrowth is essential, says wagon leasing company
GERMANY: Wascosa has handed over 45 Eamnos open wagons to Havelländische Eisenbahn, which will use them primarily for transporting building materials The wagons were manufactured by Greenbrier in Poland. ‘As the fourth largest lessor of freight wagons, Wascosa will continue its vigorous ...
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NewsFamily trust to provide continuity at Knorr-Bremse and Vossloh
GERMANY: The stakes in Knorr-Bremse and Vossloh which were held by the late Heinz Hermann Thiele are to be transferred to a family trust under the terms of his will. ‘Thiele’s wish was to secure his life’s work for the future’, said his executor and long-time ...
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Metro Report InternationalFrankfurt studies cargo tram opportunities
GERMANY: A project to investigate the possibility of introducing a freight tram service in Frankfurt has been awarded funding by the Land of Hessen. The project is being undertaken by Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, in co-operation with city transport operator VGF and parcel delivery service ...
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NewsCar-carrying wagon contract
GERMANY: Waggonbau Niesky and Slovak partner ŽOS Trnava are to produce 130 four-axle Laaers double-deck car-carrying wagons for use by DB Cargo. The order is worth €7m, and there are options for additional wagons. ŽOS Trnava is to supply components for the wagons to Germany between ...
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NewsMedway to launch daily intermodal train linking Portugal with Germany
EUROPE: Private freight operator Medway plans to launch a direct daily intermodal train branded Vasco de Gama from terminals in Portugal to Stuttgart in Germany in the fourth quarter of this year. Initially the train carrying general freight shipments will run via the break of gauge ...
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NewsDigital interlocking contracts awarded
GERMANY: Infrastructure manager DB Netz has selected seven manufacturers to install and commission digital interlockings as part of its Digitale Schiene Deutschland strategy.
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NewsTests suggest 30% cost saving using distributed power with LTE
EUROPE: Initial results have confirmed the feasibility of operating long freight trains with distributed power using LTE technology, and the potential for significant cost savings.