High speed rail industry news – Page 22
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NewsTalgo to supply 330 km/h ‘Dr Avril’ inspection train
SPAIN: Infrastructure manager ADIF has selected Talgo to supply a gauge-convertible inspection train able to operate at up to 330 km/h on the high speed rail network as well as at lower speeds on conventional lines. The train has been informally named ‘Dr Avril’ by the manufacturer, ...
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NewsOuigo to link centres of Paris and Lyon from June 2020
FRANCE: SNCF will launch Ouigo low-cost high speed services between the city centres of Paris and Lyon in June 2020. Until now Ouigo passengers between the two cities have been obliged to use trains that either start or finish outside the city centre of Paris or Lyon. ...
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NewsThalys-Eurostar merger planned under Green Speed initiative
EUROPE: SNCF, SNCB and the Patina Rail investment vehicle announced on September 27 their intention to combine the Eurostar and Thalys high speed rail operations, reporting that outline proposals were being presented to their respective boards. The proposed merger is being taken forward under a project ...
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Metro Report InternationalBeijing Daxing airport opens with high speed rail and metro links
CHINA: Two rail links to Beijing’s second international airport were opened for revenue services on September 26, the same day that commercial passenger flights began using Beijing Daxing Airport. This followed official inauguration of the airport by President Xi Jinping the previous day. ...
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NewsAmsterdam – London through train agreement to be signed shortly
EUROPE: The international agreement which would permit the operation of through passenger services between the Netherlands and the UK is expected to be signed in October, State Secretary for Justice & Security Ankie Broekers-Knol told the Dutch parliament’s lower house on September 25. Eurostar told Railway Gazette ...
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NewsAlstom to supply ETCS for Paris – Lyon high speed line
FRANCE: SNCF Réseau has awarded a framework contract to Alstom for the development, installation and maintenance of ERTMS equipment on LGV Sud-Est between Paris and Lyon. Valued at €52·5m, the contract announced on September 25 was awarded following a negotiated procedure and a prior call for competition. ...
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NewsHigh speed trains’ electrical equipment to be replaced
TAIWAN: Toshiba Infrastructure Systems & Solutions Corp has been awarded a contract to supply replacement electrical equipment for Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp’s fleet of 30 Series 700T trainsets. TISS will manufacture the equipment at its Fuchu site in Japan for delivery from the first half of ...
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NewsAlstom to equip international ICE3 fleet with ETCS
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn has awarded Alstom a €30m contract to retrofit its Atlas ETCS onboard equipment to 17 Class 407 Velaro D ICE3 high speed trainsets used on international services. Approval will be progressively obtained for the ETCS Baseline 3 Release 2 equipment to be used in ...
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NewsFirst ETR1000 trainsets arrive in France for testing
Photo: Christophe Masse FRANCE: The first of two Trenitalia ETR1000 Frecciarossa trainsets arrived in France on September 19 for type approval tests in Bretagne. Trenitalia plans to launch a Paris – Milano high speed service in summer 2020 using a fleet of five ETR1000 trainsets modified for ...
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NewsDB to order more high speed trains as government cuts VAT on fares
Photo: DB AG/Georg Wagner GERMANY: Rail spending is to be increased significantly as part of a €54bn package of measures to mitigate the effects of climate change, which was announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel on September 20. In order to reduce the environmental impact of transport and ...
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NewsTexas Central targets financial close by next year
USA: Dallas – Houston high speed project promoter Texas Central says it is optimistic of securing financial close by the end of next year, which would enable construction to begin. Worth an indicative $20bn, the privately funded high speed railway is intended to link Dallas with Houston ...
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NewsFrecciargento 700 to serve Bari from September 29
ITALY: Trenitalia’s Frecciargento trainsets will begin serving Bari from the end of September, working two trains a day between Milano and Bari via the Adriatic corridor. Presenting the new trains to local decision makers at Bari Centrale on September 19, Trenitalia’s Director, Long Haul, Paolo Attanasio explained ...
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NewsChongqing – Kunming Passenger-Dedicated Line approved
CHINA: The National Development & Reform Commission has given the go-ahead for construction of the 699 km Chongqing – Kunming Passenger-Dedicated Line. This corridor includes 681 km of new route plus 18 km of the Zigong to Yibin PDL which is already under construction. The package also ...
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NewsKLM replaces plane with high speed train
Thalys EUROPE: KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is to replace one of its five daily flights between Brussels and Amsterdam Schiphol with reserved seat capacity on a Thalys high speed train service from March 29 2020. This is intended as the first step in a programme to gradually ...
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NewsBrakes and HVAC ordered for next-generation TGV
FRANCE: Alstom has awarded Knorr-Bremse a contract to supply the braking systems and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning for SNCF’s next generation of high speed trainsets In 2015 SNCF and Alstom formed a taskforce with preferred suppliers including Knorr-Bremse to develop the double-deck Avelia Horizon trainsets under the ...
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Rail Business UKHS2 benefits ‘substantially undervalued’ amid rising costs
UK: The Chairman of High Speed 2 Ltd Allan Cook believes that ‘the benefits of the current scheme are substantially undervalued’, according to a ‘stocktake report’ presented to the House of Commons by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps on September 3. Updating Parliament on progress ...
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Rail Business UKWest Coast Partnership contract signed
UK: The West Coast Partnership contract was formally signed by the Department for Transport and First Trenitalia West Coast Rail Ltd on August 28. The 70:30 joint venture of transport group FirstGroup plc and the Trenitalia UK Ltd subsidiary of Italy’s national railway holding group FS had ...
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Rail Business UKReview to consider whether and how to proceed with High Speed 2
UK: The terms of reference and timeline for an independently-led government review of whether and how to proceed with the High Speed 2 project were published by Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps on August 21. The ‘independent, thorough and objective’ review is to be chaired by Douglas ...
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Rail Business UKFirst Trenitalia awarded West Coast Partnership
UK: The consortium of FirstGroup (70%) and Trenitalia (30%) has been selected for the West Coast Partnership franchise to operate intercity services on the West Coast Main Line and the first phase of High Speed 2, the Department for Transport announced on August 14. Final award is ...
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NewsRidership surge prompts SNCF to order more TGVs
FRANCE: SNCF Mobilités announced an order for 12 double-deck TGVs on July 31 as part of its fleet renewal strategy. Branded TGV Océane by the operator, the Avelia Euroduplex trainsets are to be supplied by Alstom for use on routes between Paris and Metz and Nancy in eastern ...