Infrastructure news – Page 19
-
In depthMexico: Tren Maya is up and running
Regular inter-city passenger services have returned to Mexico with the launch of Alstom’s Tren Maya fleet across five states in the Yucatán Peninsula.
-
NewsUAE – Oman railway systems integration contract awarded
ASIA: Hassan Allam Construction has appointed Italian certification and engineering company RINA to provided system engineering and integration services for the Hafeet Rail project to build a 303 km mixed-traffic line linking the port of Sohar in Oman with Abu Dhabi in the UAE. In April ...
-
Rail Business UKPlatform scans to facilitate level boarding of new trains
UK: Cordel has installed Lidar sensors on two Network Rail maintenance units to make accurate measurements of platforms which will help to maximise the opportunities for level boarding of Southeastern’s next generation of London suburban trains. Platform heights, shapes and curvature vary ...
-
In depthInterview: It is time to embrace open source software
Set up by UIC and three national railways, the recently formed Open Rail Association is seeking to grow its membership to drive adoption of open source software in the rail market, as Swiss Federal Railways’ CIO Jochen Decker and Nicole Göbel, Chief Executive of Deutsche Bahn’s information technology arm DB Systel, explain to Nick Kingsley.
-
In depthRegional Railways: A reversal of fortunes in Catalunya
Threatened with closure in the mid-1980s, Catalunya’s Lleida – La Pobla de Segur branch has been revitalised by the regional government over the past two decades. Targeted investment is paying off with steadily increasing ridership, reports Mike Bent.
-
NewsHigh speed bypass line contract awarded
SPAIN: High speed rail infrastructure manager ADIF Alta Velocidad has awarded Sacyr Construcción a €49m contract to build 6·3 km of the future 19 km Loja bypass on the high speed line from Antequera to Granada. The double-track bypass will start near Los Abades service area on ...
-
In depthRegional Railways: Technology offers hope of secondary line revival
Around 17 000 km of abandoned or poorly used lines in France and Germany could be revived using small, frequent or on-demand vehicles as part of a decarbonisation drive. Thanks to rapidly progressing technologies with minimal investment and low operating costs, there is an opportunity to tap political support to make them a reality. Reinhard Christeller reports.
-
In depthSoutheast Europe: Recovery fund provides a belated catalyst for Romania
The European Union’s Recovery & Resilience Fund is the latest opportunity to fund much-needed improvements in the Romanian rail network, but the looming deadline for project completion is proving tough to meet. Toma Bačić explains.
-
NewsChina – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan railway construction officially launched
ASIA: President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and representatives of the Chinese and Uzbek governments officially launched construction of the US$8bn China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan railway with a ceremony at Tosh-Kutchu in the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan on December 27. Main works are to begin in ...
-
NewsAmtrak track renewals train ready for delivery
USA: Swiss plant manufacturer Matisa is ready to deliver a novel track renewals train to Amtrak to support work to modernise the US national passenger operator’s upgrading of the 735 km Northeast Corridor between Boston and Washington DC. Matisa says the diesel-powered P95 machine will be ...
-
NewsVinkovci – Vukovar line electrified
CROATIA: Minister of the Sea, Transport & Infrastructure Oleg Butković attended a ceremony on December 18 to mark the completion of work to renew and electrify the Vinkovci – Vukovar line. The €61m project 85% co-financed by the EU included modernisation of the 18·7 km single ...
-
NewsSwiss trains switch to 100% renewable electricity
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways trains are using electricity entirely from renewable sources from January 1.
-
In depthSoutheast Europe: EU funding underpins Bulgarian route modernisation schemes
Financial support from Brussels is lending much-needed momentum to a long-running programme of route modernisation on the key rail axes linking Bulgaria with neighbouring countries and serving its major ports. Toma Bačić reports.
-
In depthOperations: Shadow operators help to optimise commercial service
Early operator engagement is essential to ensure the success of rail projects, particularly those that are highly complex in terms of planning, contracting approach and implementation.
-
In depthStations: Glass supports safer hubs
Once regarded as a fragile material, modern glazing products are increasingly being used to enhance the safety characteristics of major transport hubs.
-
In depthJapan: Understanding when to replace electronic signalling equipment
Using estimates for the service life of electronic signalling components, Japan’s Railway Technical Research Institute has developed a method for choosing the ideal time to replace them.
-
In depthSoutheast Europe: Reforms offer a route to Georgian revival
After a long period of neglect, railways in Georgia are undergoing reform at a time when they stand to benefit from east-west trade moving via the Transcaucasian route between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.
-
NewsGovernment accelerates environmental licensing of major projects
BRAZIL: The Ministry of Transport has issued a directive to Infra SA to accelerate the licensing process for strategic rail projects. Signed by the National Secretariat for Rail Transport and the Secretariat of Sustainability, this provides for the federal government to take over the environmental licensing ...
-
NewsEuropean Commission approves Dutch ETCS grants to promote modal shift
NETHERLANDS: The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules a €41m Dutch scheme to promote the shift of freight from road to rail by providing direct grants for the installation of upgraded versions of ETCS onboard equipment. The scheme will run from January 1 2025 ...
-
NewsBrazilian government to assess flood-hit Malha Sul network
BRAZIL: The federal government has established a working party to review options for rehabilitation of the Malha Sul network currently operated by Rumo Logística, whose concession awarded in 1997 is due to expire in 2027. The 7 223 km Malha Sul network is located in the ...