High speed rail industry news – Page 26
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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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SNCF 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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Social 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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Inaugural 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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Winter 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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Kuala 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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Ontario 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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Nîmes – 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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Crack 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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ICE4 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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Merkel 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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Xi’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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NTV 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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Makkah – 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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NTV 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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HS2 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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Universities 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 ...
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Ontario to establish High Speed Rail Planning Advisory Board
CANADA: Plans to establish a High Speed Rail Planning Advisory Board to support the development of proposals for a 250 km/h electrified passenger service on the Windsor – Toronto corridor were announced by the Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne on October 23. The High Speed Rail Planning Advisory Board would ...
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High speed rail station concepts inspired by culture, people and identity
MALAYSIA: Architectural design concepts for the stations on the Malaysian section of the future Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed line were unveiled at the MyStations - Transforming Malaysia event on October 17. Project promoter MyHSR Corp said the designs were ‘inspired by the dynamism of culture, people and identity’ ...
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UK training hubs open
UK: Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening officially opened the Doncaster campus of the National College for High Speed Rail on October 9, with its partner facility in Birmingham opening on October 16. The largest of five new national colleges being created by the government ‘to ensure British workers ...
