Infrastructure news – Page 256
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NewsHard as rails
USA: BNSF has taken delivery of JFE Steel's first shipment of 600 tonnes of Super Pearlite Type 3 rail from Japan. In -service tests which were carried out for more than a year in Nebraska and Idaho predict that SP3 will offer a 10% longer life than previous head hardened ...
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NewsTrains talk to avoid collisions
GERMANY: Trials are being undertaken at the Wegberg-Wildenrath test centre near Düsseldorf with a collision avoidance technique based on short-distance train-to-train transmission. The trials are being led by aerospace research agency Deutches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, which is providing researchers from its institutes for Transportation Systems, Communications & Navigation ...
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News10-year KiwiRail turnaround plan approved
NEW ZEALAND: On May 18 the government gave its backing to KiwiRail's NZ$4·6bn 10-year turn-around plan, providing the long-term commitment needed to retain the network and make rail 'relevant' to freight shippers. The government has allocated NZ$250m this year and agreed to a three-year package worth NZ$750m, subject to individual ...
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NewsChina's rail expansion continues
CHINA: The rapid expansion of the Chinese rail network continues, with a series of significant openings in recent weeks. Two years to the day after a devastating earthquake hit Sichuan province, a 65 km high speed link between Chengdu and Dujiangyan was opened on May 12. The 13bn yuan ...
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NewsFederal funds for faster freight
AUSTRALIA: The 2010-11 Commonwealth budget presented by the government on May 11 allocates A$1bn for capital investment by Australian Rail Track Corp, in addition to A$1·2bn provided under the Nation Building economic stimulus package in 2008. The money will be used on projects which ARTC has identified as being able ...
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NewsWorld infrastructure market May 2010
Australia: QR has awarded the Coal Stream Alliance consortium a A$90m contract for civil works on the Goonyella to Abbot Point project. Brazil: Harsco Rail is to supply Egesa Engenharia with a laser-guided tamping machine. China: MTR Corp has awarded the Gammon-Nishimatsu WIL Joint Venture a HK$4·75bn contract ...
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NewsLa Sagrera contracts awarded
SPAIN: ADIF has awarded two contracts worth a total of €5892m for the construction of a new station at La Sagrera in Barcelona, located on the high speed line to the French border. Also served by regional and suburban trains and with parking space for 2500 cars, it is expected ...
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NewsPortuguese high speed concession signed
PORTUGAL: Minister of Public Works, Transport & Communications António Mendoça participated in ceremonies on May 8 to mark the formal signing of the 40-year PPP concession contract covering construction of the country’s first high speed line. He was joined by Assistant Secretary of State Paulo Campas, Transport Secretary Correia da ...
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NewsPrivate finance to the rescue
SPAIN: Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero joined Development Minister José Blanco at Madrid Chamartín station last month to unveil an emergency infrastructure plan that aims to revive the national economy and create jobs by investing €17bn in 2010-11. Rail is expected to account for 70% of this spending. Tendering ...
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NewsTransnet five year plan
SOUTH AFRICA: State-owned rail, port and pipeline group Transnet set out proposals to invest R52bn in rail under its R93bn 2010-15 business plan. The biggest challenge is moving greater volumes of iron ore, manganese and coal, said acting CEO Chris Wells. Ore capacity will be increased from 47 to 60 ...
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NewsLahore - Karachi resignalling advances
PAKISTAN: The consortium of Bombardier Transportation and China Railway Signal & Communication Corp which is resignalling the 328 km Bin Qasim - Mirpur Mathelo section of the Karachi - Lahore main line has been awarded two additional contracts. Consortium leader Bombardier has a €46m share of the €102m value of ...
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NewsHigh Plateau railway construction contract
ALGERIA: Railway development agency ANESRIF has awarded a joint venture of Spanish firm FCC and local company ETRHB Haddad a contract worth almost €1bn to built a 185 km section of the High Plateau line between Relizane, Tiaret and Tissemsilt. The single track route is to be built for 160 ...
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NewsConsortium appointed to monitor GSM-R implementation
FRANCE: A consortium of Systra, Bureau Veritas and Algoe has been awarded a five-year contract to provide Réseau Ferré de France with expertise to ensure the technical compliance of the GSM-R network being rolled out under the €1bn PPP contract signed by the infrastructure manager and Synerail in February. RFF ...
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NewsNîmes – Montpellier bids go in
FRANCE: Three groups led by Bouygues TP, Eiffage and Vinci Concessions submitted their initial offers for the PPP concession to build, manage and maintain the Nîmes – Montpellier bypass route to Réseau Ferré de France on May 5. This is the first step in a three-stage bidding process launched on ...
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NewsJoint venture to set up Turkish turnout plant
TURKEY: An agreement was signed on May 4 under which Voestalpine's VAE Group and local partners will establish a modern turnout factory close to state railway TCDD's existing plant in Cankiri province, central Turkey. Minister of Transport & Communication Binali Yildirim attended the signing of the joint venture agreement between ...
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NewsHigh speed project manager appointed
MOROCCO: National railway ONCF has appointed a consortium led by French consultancy Systra and including a number of local firms as civil engineering project manager for the southern section of the 200 km Tanger - Kénitra line, which is to be built as part of the Tanger - Casablanca high ...
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NewsInvensys supplies signalling for Malaysian route upgrade
MALAYSIA: Invensys Rail announced a A$44m contract to supply signalling and Westrace interlockings for the Seremban - Gemas line on April 28. The 100 km route is being modernised by Indian firm IRCON as part of a 3·4bn ringgit project funded jointly by the Indian and Malaysian governments. This is ...
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NewsLGV Bretagne negotiations move forward
FRANCE: Infrastructure manager RFF announced on April 27 that it had invited final offers from the three consortia bidding for the contract to build and maintain LGV Bretagne-Pays-de-la-Loire, with a view to naming a preferred bidder by the end of this year. Expected to cost around €3·4bn at current prices, ...
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NewsFuzhou - Xiamen high speed passenger services begin
CHINA: Passenger services on the 275 km railway paralleling the coast between Fuzhou and Xiamen in Fujian province began on April 26, following from the start of freight services on December 31. The 15·3bn yuan direct line is much shorter than the previous inland rail route, and the CRH2 trains ...
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NewsRites to run North-South line
SAUDI ARABIA: India's state owned-railway consultancy RITES has signed an agreement to operate the 1 500 km North-South Railway on behalf of project promoter Saudi Railway Company. The contract runs to the end of 2013, when passenger services are due to be launched. The total value is linked to the ...