High speed rail industry news – Page 44
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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 ...
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NewsiDTGV brand to disappear
FRANCE: The iDTGV brand for high speed services which can only be booked online is to be phased out, SNCF announced on March 7. The brand will first be withdrawn on routes from Paris to Bretagne and the southwest with the opening of the LGV Bretagne Pays de la Loire ...
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NewsCRC orders 250 km/h trains for Diamond Economic Circle
CHINA: China Railway Corp has awarded the Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation joint venture a contract to supply 18 eight-car CRH1A-A high speed trainsets. The 250 km/h trainsets designated Zefiro 250NG by the manufacturer are to be operated by the Chengdu and Kunming railway bureaux in the ‘Diamond Economic Circle’ region ...
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NewsPresidential inauguration for LGV Sud Europe Atlantique
FRANCE: The LGV Sud Europe Atlantique high speed line between Tours and Bordeaux was inaugurated on February 28 in the presence of President François Hollande, SNCF Réseau President Patrick Jeantet and Laurent Cavrois, President of the LISEA consortium which has built and part-financed the new line under a 50-year concession. ...
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NewsBlue Dolphin enters revenue service
CHINA: The first CRH400AF China Standard EMU prototype developed by CRRC Qingdao Sifang was officially put into revenue service on the Beijing – Guangzhou high speed line on February 25, the company has confirmed to Railway Gazette. Code-named Blue Dolphin, the eight-car trainset had successfully completed more than 600 000 ...
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NewsSaudi Railway Co launches first passenger services
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Railway Co began operating its first regular passenger service between Riyadh and Al-Qassim on February 26, using one of its CAF-built diesel trainsets which can operate at up to 200 km/h. Until April 1 the service will run five days a week, leaving the terminus close to ...
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NewsHS2 Phase 1 bill receives Royal Assent
UK: The parliamentary bill for the first phase of the High Speed 2 project received Royal Assent on February 23, marking the final legislative step before full civil works can begin.‘HS2 will be the world’s most advanced passenger railway and the backbone of our rail network’, said Transport Secretary Chris ...
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NewsKuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed rail joint development partner appointed
ASIA: Project promoters MyHSR Corp of Malaysia and Land Transport Authority of Singapore have awarded the joint development partner contract for the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed rail project to a consortium of WSP Engineering Malaysia, Mott MacDonald Malaysia and Ernst & Young Advisory Services. There were eight bids ...