High speed rail industry news – Page 37
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NewsCalifornia Rail Builders consortium to build next section of high speed line
USA: California High Speed Rail Authority has selected the California Rail Builders special purpose vehicle of Ferrovial Agroman US Corp, Euroestudios and Othon for the Construction Package 4 design-build contract, which covers a 35 km section of the planned route through the Central Valley from 1·6 km north of the ...
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NewsHakodate Liner is ready to roll
JAPAN: JR Hokkaido has unveiled the first of its Series 733-1000 EMUs for the Hakodate Liner shuttle service, which will be introduced on March 26 to coincide with the opening of the first phase of the Hokkaido Shinkansen. Four three-car sets are being built to operate the shuttle which will ...
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NewsHigh speed station opens in Shenzhen
CHINA: A further 15 km section of the Guangzhou – Shenzhen – Hong Kong high speed line was opened for revenue service on December 29, when China Railway Corp extended its high speed services from Shenzhen North to Futian, close to Shenzhen’s central business district and the border with the ...
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NewsSpeedInnov to develop future TGV
FRANCE: The ministries responsible for transport, research and industry announced on December 17 the creation of SpeedInnov, a joint venture that is to develop ‘the TGV of the future’. The new joint venture also includes Alstom and ADEME, a government agency providing funding for projects aiming to reduce environmental impact ...
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NewsChina orders more high speed sleeper trainsets
CHINA: A €152m contract to supply China Railway Corp with a further five 250 km/h CRH1E-250 sleeper trainsets was announced by the Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation joint venture on December 18. This is the second order for the 16-car sleeper train design, after a 2007 contract for 20 sets which ...
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NewsFaster to Salamanca and Zamora
SPAIN: On December 17 national operator RENFE introduced Alvia services from Madrid to Salamanca and Zamora, following the completion of high speed infrastructure between Olmedo near Medina del Campo and Zamora, as well as upgrading and electrification of the conventional route between Medina del Campo and Salamanca. The fastest journey ...
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NewsNTV unveils ‘futuristic’ Pendolino styling
ITALY: Open access operator NTV has revealed the appearance of the eight 250 km/h Pendolino trainsets which it ordered from Alstom in October. Deliveries are scheduled for late 2017 and entry into service for early 2018. The design was created by Alstom's Design & Styling Centre, which was responsible ...
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NewsIndia and Japan sign high speed rail memorandum
INDIA: Memoranda of understanding for the possible development of a Mumbai – Ahmedabad high speed line using Japanese technology as well as technical co-operation in the rail sector were signed by the governments of India and Japan on December 11-12, during an official visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. ...
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NewsContractors shortlisted for HS2 enabling works
UK: On December 10 project delivery company HS2 Ltd announced the contractors shortlisted to carry out enabling works on the London – Birmingham Phase 1 of High Speed 2. An invitation to tender is expected early next year, with contracts worth £900m to be awarded later in 2016. ‘Today’s ...
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NewsErfurt – Leipzig opening will cut journey times
GERMANY: With the parallel operation of two special trains, Deutsche Bahn officially inaugurated 123 km of new high speed line between Erfurt, Halle and Leipzig on December 9. DB expects to launch commercial services over the route with the timetable change on December 13. DB Chairman Rüdiger Grube and other ...
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NewsICx becomes ICE 4
GERMANY: ‘The ICE 4 will launch a new era for inter-city travel’, said Deutsche Bahn CEO Dr Rüdiger Grube on December 4, at a ceremony at Berlin Südkreuz to unveil the first pre-series ICx trainset. He was joined by federal transport minister Alexander Dobrindt and Siemens Mobility CEO Dr Jochen ...
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NewsFourth Follo Line civil works package awarded
NORWAY: Infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket has awarded two contracts worth in excess of NKr2bn for civil and railway remodelling works as part of the Follo Line project to build a 22 km cut-off to enhance capacity between Oslo and Ski. Running largely in tunnel, the Follo Line is scheduled for completion ...
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NewsJR Central considers Texas Central investment
USA: Central Japan Railway confirmed on November 23 that it was considering whether to take a financial stake in Texas Central Partners, which is promoting a privately-financed 386 km high speed line between Dallas and Houston. JR Central has been working closely with the promoters, and is acting as technology ...
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NewsHS2 to reach Crewe in 2027
UK: Construction of a further section of the planned High Speed 2 route to Manchester is to be brought forward, with the Crewe – Birmingham link now expected to open in 2027, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced on November 30. This is six years ahead of the original ...
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News2·8tr yuan rail spend in Chinese five-year plan
CHINA: Proposals for a total investment of 2·8tr yuan (US$438bn) in new railway construction have been included in the country’s 13th Five Year Plan covering the 2016-20 period, the Economic Information Daily announced on November 27. More than 23 000 km of new line would be constructed, with priority going ...
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NewsStrong interest in Kuala Lumpur - Singapore high speed line
ASIA: The land transport authorities of Malaysia and Singapore received 98 responses to their request for information for the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore High Speed Rail project, SPAD and LTA jointly announced on November 25. The proposed 330 km line would offer a 90 min journey time. The RFI was ...
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NewsRENFE seeks 30 high speed trains
SPAIN: National operator RENFE has invited expressions of interest in a contract to supply up to 30 high speed trainsets, setting a budget of €2⋅64bn including maintenance over 40 years. It is hoped to award the contract before June 2016, enabling the new fleet to enter service ‘as soon as ...
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NewsEurostar e320 enters service
EUROPE: The first of Eurostar’s 17 Siemens-built Velaro e320 trainsets began operating in limited commercial service on November 20, having been authorised for passenger operation through the Channel Tunnel the previous day. According to Eurostar, ‘we received the final piece of safety authorisation earlier than expected’, allowing the company to ...
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NewsLate braking caused TGV derailment, says SNCF
FRANCE: SNCF President Guillaume Pepy emphasised the ‘over-riding importance of organisational and human factors’ following the publication on November 19 of an initial report into the fatal derailment near Strasbourg on November 14 of a TGV during commissioning trials for Phase 2 of LGV Est-Européenne. The accident claimed the lives ...
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NewsTest train catastrophe on LGV Est
FRANCE: Opening of the 106 km second section of LGV Est-Européenne between Baudrecourt and Vendenheim for commercial services is likely to be delayed, following the high speed derailment of a TGV test train on November 14. SNCF Réseau President Jacques Rapoport told local media that it was ‘reasonable to expect’ ...