High speed rail industry news – Page 28
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NewsMorocco’s Al Boraq high speed service to launch by year end
MOROCCO: Africa’s first high speed railway is now expected to open for traffic by the end of the year as commissioning trials continue. LGV Maroc comprises a 183 km high speed line between Tanger and Kénitra which is being built for operation at up to 320 km/h, as well as ...
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NewsSNCF confirms TGV of the Future order
FRANCE: SNCF Mobilités confirmed an order for Alstom to supply 100 high speed trainsets under the TGV of the Future programme at a board meeting on July 26. Branded Avelia Horizon by Alstom, the double-deck trains will be acquired at a cost of €25m per trainset, which SNCF says ...
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NewsCo-ordinated roll-out of ERTMS between London, Paris and Brussels agreed
EUROPE: The co-ordinated deployment of ERTMS on the high speed rail routes linking London, Paris and Brussels was agreed by the four infrastructure managers at a meeting in Paris on July 19. Channel Tunnel operator Getlink, the UK’s High Speed 1, France’s SNCF Réseau and Belgium’s Infrabel have committed to ...
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Rail Business UKCAF joins HS2 shortlist as train building market consolidates
UK: High Speed 2 project promoter HS2 Ltd has invited CAF to join the list of suppliers shortlisted to bid for the contract to supply at least 54 trainsets. HS2 Ltd took the decision in response to consolidation in the global rolling stock supply market, and the decision of Bombardier ...
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Rail Business UKJoint venture to bid for HS2 rolling stock contract
UK: Bombardier Transportation and Hitachi Rail Europe have agreed to submit a joint bid for the contract to supply a fleet of high speed trainsets for High Speed 2, the companies confirmed on July 4. In November 2017 project promoter HS2 Ltd shortlisted Alstom, Bombardier Transportation UK, Hitachi Rail Europe, ...
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NewsEU audit condemns ‘ineffective patchwork’ of high speed lines
EUROPE: A lack of cross-border co-ordination between member states has reduced the effectiveness of European Union investment in high speed rail, according to a report published by the European Court of Auditors on June 26. Suggesting that ‘there is no European high speed rail network’, the report concludes that there ...
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NewsSiemens reveals Velaro Novo 360 km/h train concept
GERMANY: Siemens unveiled its Velaro Novo concept for the next generation of high speed train on June 13, saying the first sets could be in service in 2023. The 8 MW Velaro Novo is designed for operating speeds of between 250 and 360 km/h, and would set ‘new ...
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NewsNational plan backs 320 km/h target
SWEDEN: The government intends to develop future high speed lines for a top speed of 320 km/h, Infrastructure Minister Tomas Eneroth and Environment Minister Isabella Lövin confirmed on June 4. Presenting the government’s national development plan for 2018-29, they confirmed SKr148bn of rail spending, including three sections of new line. ...
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NewsKuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed project faces cancellation
ASIA: Recently elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad vowed on May 28 to cancel the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed rail project, with the Chinese-backed East Coast Rail Link also set to be dropped. Mahathir told local media that a number of major projects would come under immediate review ...
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Rail Business UKUniversity alliance to promote high speed rail
INTERNATIONAL: The International Union of Railways has moved to strengthen its nascent network of academic institutions which are intended to work together to promote the development of high speed rail. UIC first announced plans for its alliance of universities at the World Congress on High Speed Rail in Tokyo in ...
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NewsHigh speed line tunnel breakthrough in China
CHINA: Boring on the Qifengshan tunnel was completed on May 16. China Railway No 5 Engineering Group was responsible for boring the 5·2 km tunnel in Fangcheng county in Henan province, which forms part of the 818 km Zhengzhou – Wanzhou high speed line. The 118bn yuan project to ...
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NewsCompetition is key as high speed rail keeps growing
Global ridership has surged by 40% in the three years since UIC last staged its World Congress on High Speed Rail. Yet operators and policymakers must work hard to keep the rail mode ahead as competition grows both in and for the market. Benjámin Zelki reports from the latest summit ...
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NewsHaramain High Speed Rail may open in August
SAUDI ARABIA: August 31 has been suggested as the new target date for the start of commercial services on the Haramain high speed line between Makkah and Madinah. Opening had previously been expected in mid-March, but it became clear in February that delays to the completion of five of the ...
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NewsHigh speed services from London to Bordeaux, Frankfurt and Genève under discussion
EUROPE: ‘Advanced planning’ is being undertaken to facilitate the possible launch of a direct London – Bordeaux high speed rail service, HS1 Ltd confirmed on April 30. The manager of the high speed line between London and the Channel Tunnel also confirmed it was in very early stage discussions for ...
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NewsEU funding supports ETCS on LGV Sud Est
FRANCE: The European Union is to provide €117m from the Connecting Europe Facility to support the installation of ETCS Level 2 on LGV Sud-Est between Paris and Lyon, under a financing agreement signed on April 25 at the TEN-T Days conference in Ljubljana, attended by European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc ...
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NewsEuskotren planning high speed commuter services
SPAIN: Basque regional operator Euskotren is planning to launch high speed commuter trains over the 1 435 mm gauge ‘Basque Y’ high speed network linking San Sebastián, Gasteiz-Vitoría and Bilbao. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Metro & Light Rail Congress in Bilbao on April 19, Euskotren Chief Executive ...
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NewsHaramain High Speed Rail market study commissioned
SAUDI ARABIA: Haramain High Speed Rail project concessionaire Al-Shoula Consortium has appointed Royal HaskoningDHV to carry out a detailed market study for the line. This is intended to help Saudi Railways Organization predict passenger numbers and needs, and support the development of targeted operations strategies to offer the most ...
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NewsTCDD signs high speed train contract
TURKEY: National operator TCDD Taşımacılık has formally signed a contract for preferred bidder Siemens to supply a further 10 Velaro high-speed trainsets. The contract announced on April 13 is worth around €340m, including three years of maintenance, repair and cleaning. The latest order will take TCDD’s Velaro fleet to 17 ...
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NewsEurostar’s first Amsterdam service an ‘exciting and momentous day’ for high speed rail
EUROPE: ‘It is an exciting and momentous day, not just for Eurostar but the story of high speed travel across Europe’, Eurostar Chief Executive Mike Cooper told Railway Gazette International on the cross-Channel operator’s first revenue service from London to Amsterdam on April 4. The service runs twice daily ...
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NewsHigh speed trainset to be converted for freight
ITALY: National freight operator Mercitalia has revealed plans to convert an ETR500 high speed trainset to carry freight. The Mercitalia Fast service would be aimed at the market for time-sensitive shipments, with customers expected to include couriers, logistics operators, manufacturers and distributors. The ETR500 would be equipped for the rapid ...