High speed rail industry news – Page 33
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NewsSNCF opens two high speed lines in one day
FRANCE: More than 500 km of new high speed line were officially opened on July 1, when SNCF operated special trains on LGV Sud Europe Atlantique and LGV Bretagne – Pays de la Loire, ahead of the start of commercial services the following day. Taking part in the events were ...
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NewsFuxing China standard high speed trainsets enter service
CHINA: Two designs of China Standard Electric Multiple-Unit officially entered service on the Beijing – Shanghai high speed line on June 26, following an extensive programme of test running. Services were launched when a CRRC Sifang CR400AF Blue Dolphin trainset departed from Beijing South station at 11.05 while a CRRC ...
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NewsIndian Railways to order 25 high speed trains
INDIA: A 10-car variant of JR East’s Series E5 Shinkansen trainset has been selected to operate the country’s first high speed line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, according to the Ministry of Railways. Indian Railways is expected to order an initial build of 25 trains at an estimated cost Rs50bn. Construction ...
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NewsSNCB does not expect DB to run to London
EUROPE: Deutsche Bahn has effectively deferred its high-profile plan to run direct high speed trains between Germany and London. Reports in the French press last week had quoted Birgit Bohle, Managing Director of DB Fernverkehr, suggesting that the German operator had no desire to compete directly with its French counterpart ...
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NewsThalys aims for full trains and happy customers
EUROPE: High speed operator Thalys is to introduce a new fares structure and onboard service proposition on September 12. The current Comfort 1 and Comfort 2 classes of travel are to be replaced with Standard, Comfort and Premium, improving flexibility and increasing the proportion of discounted fares on offer from ...
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NewsPrime Minister inaugurates Napoli Afragola station
ITALY: The landmark high speed station at Napoli Afragola, designed by the late Zaha Hadid, was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni on June 6, ahead of the start of regular services on June 11. Arriving on a Freccciarossa 1000 high speed train, Gentiloni was accompanied by Minister of ...
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NewsRENFE orders gauge-changing high speed trainsets
SPAIN: A firm order for a further 15 Talgo Avril high speed trainsets was approved by the RENFE board on May 31. They will have gauge-changing equipment to enable them to operate on 1 668 mm routes as well as 1 435 mm gauge lines, and will be equipped for ...
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NewsSNCF to rebrand TGV services as ‘inOui’
FRANCE: On May 26 SNCF confirmed local media reports that its TGV network of high speed passenger services is to be rebranded as ‘inOui’. SNCF will progressively introduce the inOui brand across its legacy TGV services by 2020, starting with those on the Paris – Bordeaux route from July 2, ...
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NewsWork starts on ‘metropolitan’ high speed link in Beijing
CHINA: Construction work started on May 21 on a Passenger-Dedicated Line linking Beijing with Bazhou, 80 km to the south. The route is one of several ‘metropolitan’ high speed railways planned around the conurbations of Beijing and Tianjin. With a view to future extensions to the south which would relieve ...
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NewsHitachi unveils AT400 ‘British Bullet Train’ concept
UK: A prominent feature at the front of the Hitachi Rail Europe stand at Railtex 2017 is a model of its AT400 ‘British Bullet Train’ concept. Hitachi said this 'vision' builds on the company's 'rich history in creating iconic high speed rolling stock' ranging from Shinkansen trainsets in Japan to ...
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NewsCRC orders more CRH1A-A high speed trainsets
CHINA: China Railway Corp’s Nanning Railway Bureau has placed an order for 40 CRH1A-A high speed train cars with Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation Ltd.Bombardier says that the order is intended to support the ongoing integration of Guangxi's regional high speed routes into the national network of Passenger-Dedicated Lines. The contract ...
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NewsStagecoach and SNCF lead Virgin-branded bid for HS2 operations
UK: On April 24 a consortium led by Stagecoach Group with SNCF and Virgin Holdings as minority partners submitted a formal expression of interest in bidding for the Department for Transport’s upcoming West Coast Partnership franchise.The WCP franchise is scheduled to begin in May 2019. The winner will take over ...
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NewsHS2 rolling stock procurement moves forward
UK: The competition for a £2·75bn contract to design, build and maintain trainsets for High Speed 2 was formally launched by project promoter HS2 Ltd on April 20, with the despatch of an OJEU tender notice. The winning bidder would work with HS2 Ltd to develop ‘around 60’ trainsets suitable ...
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NewsRENFE poised to join Virgin’s HS2 franchise bid
UK: Spanish national operator RENFE is understood to be the front runner to join the Virgin Rail Group joint venture of Stagecoach and Virgin Holdings to bid for the government’s upcoming West Coast Partnership franchise.Currently Virgin (51%) and Stagecoach (49%) operate inter-city services under the Virgin Trains brand on the ...
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NewsOperators from five countries interested in California high speed rail contract
USA: California High-Speed Rail Authority has received five responses to its request for qualifications for the contract to provide early train operator services to assist with the development and management of the initial phase of the high speed line. By the April 4 deadline, statements of qualifications had been submitted ...
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NewsJakarta – Bandung construction contract signed
INDONESIA: The engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 142 km Chinese-backed high speed railway between Jakarta and Bandung was signed in the capital on April 4.The contracts was signed between a consortium of Chinese and local companies at a ceremony held at the headquarters of state-owned engineering group Wijaya ...
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NewsKuala Lumpur – Singapore design consultants appointed
MALAYSIA: Promoter MyHSR Corp has selected a mix of international and domestic firms to work as Reference Design Consultants on the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed line project, the company announced on April 3. The consultants will be responsible for preparing the reference designs for the infrastructure alignment and ...
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NewsFirst refurbished Alfa Pendular trainset handed back
PORTUGAL: The first refurbished Alfa Pendular tilting trainset was handed over to national operator CP by maintenance business EMEF on March 24.EMEF is refurbishing all 10 of CP’s premium inter-city trains under a contract worth €18m. The trains were supplied in 1999-2000 by a consortium led by Fiat Ferroviaria and ...
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NewsLaunch customer orders 10 six-axle electro-diesel locos
GERMANY: Freight operator Havelländische Eisenbahn has become the first customer for a six-axle electro-diesel locomotive developed by Stadler Rail Valencia for the European market. The contract for Stadler to supply and maintain 10 six-axle Eurodual locomotives equipped for use under 15 kV 16·7 Hz and 25 kV 50 Hz electrification ...
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NewsConstruction of PPP-funded high speed line begins
CHINA: Construction of the first Passenger-Dedicated Line to be financed through a public-private partnership arrangement officially began on March 9. The 331 km high speed line linking the cities of Hangzhou and Wenzhou in the eastern Zhejiang province is scheduled for completion in 2021, cutting the journey time from 2 ...