High speed rail industry news – Page 56
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NewsCuvillier confirms high speed alignments to Toulouse and Dax
FRANCE: Noting that his government ‘would prioritise the everyday transport needs of the French people without turning its back on high speed rail’, Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier confirmed on October 23 the government’s intention to build two new high speed lines under the 410 km Grand Projet Ferroviaire du Sud-Ouest. ...
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NewsCalifornia High Speed Rail Authority invites interest in second construction package
USA: On October 10 California High Speed Rail Authority invited requests to qualify for the second design and build contract for the Initial Operating Section of the San Francisco - Los Angeles high speed line. Estimated to cost $1·5bn to $2bn, Construction Package 2-3 covers the 96 km section south ...
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NewsFeasibility study for Mumbai - Ahmedabad high speed line agreed
INDIA: A memorandum of understanding agreeing to undertake a joint feasibility study for a Mumbai - Ahmedabad high speed line was signed by the Ministry of Railways and Japan International Cooperation Agency on October 7. Expected to cost Rs630bn, the line would be around 540 km long and suitable for ...
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NewsEurostar confirms launch of London – Amsterdam services in December 2016
EUROPE: Eurostar, the Dutch government and Dutch national passenger operator NS have signed an agreement for the launch of direct services between London and Amsterdam Centraal in December 2016. This forms part of a programme to enhance services on HSL-Zuid which was announced by State Secretary for Infrastructure & ...
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NewsDB International awarded Haramain High Speed Rail contract
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Railways Organization has formally awarded Deutsche Bahn's consultancy business DB International a 'mid double-digit million euro' contract to support the construction of the 444 km Haramain High Speed Rail project. The scope of the work includes reviewing conceptual, preliminary and detailed designs for the railway systems, including ...
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NewsMaglev testing extended
JAPAN: Trials resumed on August 29 at the magnetic levitation test facility in Yamanashi prefecture following completion of work to extend the guideway. Transport Minister Akihiro Ota and JR Central Chairman Yoshiyuki Kasai were on board a demonstration run that day which attained a speed of 505 km/h. Tests on ...
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NewsBrazilian high speed rail tendering postponed
BRAZIL: A one-year postponement of tendering to supply railway systems for the 510 km Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo - Campinas high speed line was announced by Transport Minister César Borges on August 12. Bids for the Trem de Alta Velocidade contract were due to be submitted this month ...
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NewsSNCF orders double-deck TGVs
FRANCE: SNCF confirmed a €300m order for a further 10 Alstom Euroduplex double-deck high speed trainsets on July 25. This is the final order to be placed under June 2007 framework contract which covered an initial 55 trainsets with options for 40 more to be delivered in 2015-19; a ...
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NewsOverspeed suspected in Santiago de Compostela derailment
SPAIN: At 20.41 on July 24 a Madrid - Ferrol Alvia service derailed on a curve on the approach to Santiago de Compostela. Formed of a Class 730 gauge-convertible electro-diesel Talgo trainset, the 15.00 from Madrid was carrying 218 passengers, according to a joint statement from Spanish train operator RENFE and infrastructure manager ADIF.
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NewsThalys restructuring approved by partners
EUROPE: The boards of Belgian national operator SNCB and France’s SNCF have approved a restructuring of international high speed operator Thalys by 2015 to create a single corporate entity. Thalys operates high speed services between various destinations in France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, although its prime route is the ...
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NewsSouth Korea aims to become 'global railway powerhouse'
SOUTH KOREA: Following a review of the structure of the national railway, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure & Transport has put forward plans for the restructuring of Korail as a holding company. MOLIT has also set out ambitions for the rail supply industry to replicate the success of the ...
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NewsTurkey orders Siemens Velaro high speed trainsets
TURKEY: National railway TCDD has placed an order for seven Velaro high speed trainsets, Siemens has confirmed. The contract is worth €285m, including seven years of maintenance by the manufacturer. Jochen Eickholt, CEO of Siemens' Rail Systems Division, said the Turkish contract marked its entry into a promising growth market. ...
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NewsFrecciarossa 1000 high speed train ready for testing
ITALY: The first Frecciarossa 1000 high speed train for national operator Trenitalia was displayed to invited guests at Bombardier Transportation's Vado Ligure plant on July 3, having completed its first run under its own power and ahead of the start of testing between Genova and Savona. Testing is expected ...
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NewsTwo high speed lines open in China
CHINA: The fastest Nanjing - Hangzhou journey times were almost halved with the opening of the Passenger-Dedicated Line between the cities on July 1, the same day as the opening of the Hangzhou - Ningbo PDL. Construction of the 249 km Nanjing - Hangzhou high speed line began in December ...
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NewsWorld Speed Survey 2013: China sprints out in front
INTERNATIONAL: China continues to set the pace in the global rail speed stakes, with its fastest trains achieving average point-to-point speeds better than any other country, according to Railway Gazette’s latest World Speed Survey. Authored this year by Jeremy Hartill of the UK’s Railway Performance Society, the biennial survey appears ...
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NewsTaiwan high speed rail extension contract signed
TAIWAN: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Toshiba, in co-operation with Mitsui & Co, have signed a ¥20bn turnkey contract with Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp to provide trackwork and E&M systems for the Nangang extension, it was announced on June 24. The extension will connect Taipei Main station with Nangang, ...
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NewsETCS overlay for Tours - Bordeaux high speed line
FRANCE: Ansaldo STS has been awarded a €13m contract to supply an ETCS Level 2 overlay for the signalling on the LGV Sud-Europe Atlantique high speed line. In 2011 Ansaldo STS was awarded a €47m contract to provide TVM430 cab signalling for the line. The latest ETCS contract awarded ...
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NewsHigh speed line opens to Alacant
SPAIN: The 165 km of high speed infrastructure between Albacete and Alacant entered service on June 18, having been officially opened the day before by the Prince of Asturias, heir to the Spanish throne. Prince Felipe was accompanied by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, as well as Development Minister Ana ...
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NewsEIB increases Ankara – Istanbul high speed funding
TURKEY: The European Investment Bank has announced that it is to provide a further €200m in funding for the Ankara – Istanbul high speed line project, which is due for completion next year. The funding agreement was signed at a ceremony in Ankara on June 10 attended by EIB President ...
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NewsBologna and Reggio Emilia stations join the AV network
ITALY: President Giorgio Napolitano and his wife Clio were amongst the first passengers to use the underground high speed line station at Bologna Centrale, which opened for revenue service on June 9. Accompanied by FS Chief Executive Mauro Moretti, who had unveiled the station to local dignitaries the previous ...