High speed rail industry news – Page 41
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NewsRotterdam Centraal station to be modified for Eurostar services
NETHERLANDS: Work to adapt Rotterdam Centraal station to accommodate Eurostar’s future Amsterdam – London services has begun, VolkerRail announced on January 31. The work is being undertaken by VolkerRail and Arcadis on behalf of infrastructure manager ProRail. During a nine-week possession tracks will be realigned and a platform which currently ...
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NewsHS2 slab track, electrification and tunnel equipment contacts tendered
UK: The process of appointing contractors to supply slab track, electrification and tunnel ventilation systems for the Phase 1 London – Birmingham and Phase 2a Birmingham – Crewe sections of High Speed 2 was formally launched by project promoter HS2 Ltd on January 30. The Lot 1 Track & Overhead ...
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NewsRENFE launches high speed to Castelló
SPAIN: National operator RENFE began operating high speed services between Madrid and Castelló de la Plana on January 23. Running over the high speed line from Madrid Atocha to Valencia and then on the 1 668 mm gauge Mediterranean Corridor to Castelló where a third rail has been laid on ...
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NewsAshford International modified for use by Eurostar e320 trainsets
UK: Network Rail is undertaking work to equip the international platform tracks at Ashford International station with the KVB warning system used on High Speed 1, and is also altering the platform edges to the UIC-B loading gauge. This will enable the station to be served by Eurostar’s Siemens Velaro ...
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NewsSNCF plans TGV efficiency drive to compete with air and bus
FRANCE: National rail operator SNCF is planning to restructure its high speed operations over the next three years to improve fleet utilisation and facilitate the withdrawal of its oldest TGV trainsets. According to the head of Voyages SNCF Rachel Picard, the changes are expected to reduce operating costs by between ...
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NewsSocial impact of Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed line to be studied
MALAYSIA: Project promoter MyHSR Corp has awarded ERE Consulting Group a contract to carry out a social and heritage impact assessment for the Malaysian section of the planned Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed line. 'The appointed consultant will be responsible to assess the possible social impact arising from the ...
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NewsInaugural run on Haramain high speed line
SAUDI ARABIA: An inaugural train ran between Madinah and Makkah over the Haramain high speed railway on December 31. Completing the 450 km trip in 2 h 52 min, the train conveyed Saudi Transport Minister Dr Nabil bin Mohammed Al-Amoudi and Spanish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Álvaro Iranzo, along with ...
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NewsWinter Olympic KTX line inaugurated
SOUTH KOREA: Revenue operations began on December 22 of the Seoul – Gangneung high speed railway, following an inauguration ceremony at Gangneung the previous day attended by Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon and officials from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure & Transport and the Ministry of Sports, Culture & Tourism. Linking ...
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NewsKuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed rail AssetsCo tender called
ASIA: A joint tender for the appointment of the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed rail Assets Company was jointly called by Malaysia and Singapore’s government-owned Infrastructure Companies MyHSR Corp and SG HSR on December 20. The AssetsCo would be responsible for designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining rolling stock ...
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NewsOntario high speed rail study terms of reference tendered
CANADA: Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation has issued a request for bids for a contract to develop terms of reference for the environmental assessment process for the Kitchener-Waterloo – London section of the proposed Toronto – Windsor high speed line. The terms of reference would provide a framework for the planning ...
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NewsNîmes – Montpellier bypass carries first freight
FRANCE: A pair of Class 27000 Alstom Prima dual-voltage freight locomotives hauled the first commercial freight train over the Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier on December 10. The 60 km bypass line has been built by contractor Oc’Via under a 25-year concession starting in 2012. Test trains were diagrammed over the ...
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NewsCrack found in Shinkansen trainset bogie
JAPAN: The Japan Transport Safety Board has begun an investigation following the discovery of a crack in a West Japan Railway N700 trainset bogie, in what is the first incident affecting a high speed train to be designated as ‘serious’ under a classification system established by the government in 2001. ...
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NewsICE4 enters regular service
GERMANY: After nearly 12 months of trials in commercial service on the Hamburg – München route, Deutsche Bahn has put the first of its fleet of ICE4 trainsets into regular operation. From the timetable change on December 10 five Class 412 trainsets were introduced on services from Hamburg to München ...
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NewsMerkel inaugurates München - Berlin Unity Project 8
GERMANY: Special trains from München and Nürnberg, celebrations in multiple cities and a spectacular arrival in Berlin Hauptbahnhof marked the inauguration on December 8 of the railway known as German Unity Project VDE8. Commemorative events had been staged in Nürnberg, Erfurt, Leipzig and Wittenberg to mark the formal opening of ...
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NewsXi’an – Chengdu high speed railway opened throughout
CHINA: Revenue services on the 511 km Xi’an – Jiangyou section of the 663 km Xi’an – Chengdu Passenger-Dedicated Line began on December 6, with the first train leaving Xi’an at 08:22. The maximum operating speed on the line is 250 km/h. The 153 km first phase between Chengdu and ...
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NewsNTV confirms Italo Evo debut
ITALY: High speed open access operator Nuovo Transporto Viaggiatori announced on November 29 that the first four of its fleet of 17 italo Evo trainsets will officially enter service on December 7, just before the start of the winter timetable three days later. The announcement was made at a presentation ...
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NewsMakkah – Madinah high speed line demonstration service planned
SAUDI ARABIA: A demonstration service on the 450 km Haramain High Speed Rail line between Makkah, Jeddah and Madinah is planned by the end of the year. There would be two trips in each direction for invited guests on Fridays and Saturdays. With the planned opening date of March 15 ...
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NewsNTV to order more Pendolinos
ITALY: High speed open access operator Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori is to order a further five non-tilting Alstom Pendolino trainsets. The company’s board of management approved a decision to exercise an option for the seven-car trainsets on November 9. This follows an earlier option for four trainsets, and will take the ...
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NewsHS2 Ltd reveals rolling stock contract shortlist
UK: Five bidders have been shortlisted for the contract to supply ‘at least 54’ trainsets for High Speed 2, project promoter HS2 Ltd announced on November 2. They are Alstom Transport, Bombardier Transportation UK, Hitachi Rail Europe, Patentes Talgo and Siemens. HS2 Ltd expects to issue invitations to tender ...
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NewsUniversities to develop railway monitoring technology
CHINA: An agreement to establish a joint innovation centre was signed by Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Southwest Jiaotong University on October 27. The centre would develop real-time monitoring systems and diagnostic technology for high speed rail infrastructure, rolling stock and components. ‘The signing of the agreement means closer ...