Infrastructure news – Page 279
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NewsBanverket to pilot ERTMS Regional
PROSPECTS for the installation of interoperable signalling on secondary routes moved ahead in May, when the International Union of Railways approved the Functional Requirements Specification for a simplified version of ETCS known as ERTMS Regional. UIC estimates that between 15% and 40% of the European rail network carries a low ...
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Private line to serve Zambian mines
THE ZAMBIAN government has formalised an agreement with the private-sector Northwest Railways Ltd to build a new line serving the country's Northwest province. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on April 25 by Communications & Transport Minister Abel Chambeshi and former Vice-President Enoch Kavindele, now Chairman of Woodgate Holdings and ...
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Kashmir through train launched
THE FIRST section of India's rail link to Kashmir was officially inaugurated on April 13, when Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh flagged off the first Uttar Sampark Kranti Express from Delhi. The 54·8 km broad gauge line from Jammu Tawi to Udhampur has cost Rs5·2bn to build over the past ...
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Civils and signals block speed-up on world's fastest line
PRESENTING a report to the Spanish Parliament on difficulties encountered with the Madrid - Lleida section of the Madrid - Barcelona high speed line, Development Minister Magdalena Álvarez said last month that the assessment confirmed 'the impossibility of operating the line with the features for which it was designed and ...
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NewsCrossrail bill introduced
A BILL to authorise construction of the east-west Crossrail Line 1 under central London was introduced to Parliament on February 22. Unlike an earlier private bill that failed in May 1994, the new hybrid bill is backed by the government. Transport Secretary Alistair Darling told MPs 'the case for ...
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NewsMoU puts ERTMS on course for delivery
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in Brussels on March 17 paves the way for rapid deployment of ETCS on priority corridors across Europe
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Thanlwin river road and rail bridge inaugurated
MYANMAR: The inauguration of Myanmar's longest bridge on February 5 has completed Myanma Railways' long coastal route serving Mon state in the southeast of the country. Linking Moktama and Mawlamyine over the Thanlwin river, the 27-span road and rail bridge is 2346m long, with approaches each side bringing the total ...
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Istanbul railway upgrading bids in
TURKEY: Eight consortia have submitted prequalification bids for a contract to upgrade TCDD's existing railways in Istanbul as part of the Marmaray cross-Bosporus project (RG 5.04 p251). Five bidders are due to be shortlisted this month to tender for Contract CR1, which covers upgrading of the Sirkeci - Halkali and ...
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Shinkansen construction to be stepped up in 2005-06
AN AGREEMENT announced on December 16 between the government and ruling coalition parties means that investment in the construction of Shinkansen lines will rise by ´2bn in the fiscal year commencing April 1 2005. In the three previous years from 2001-02 to 2004-05 the trend has been downwards. Total ...
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Making progress across Europe
Seven case studies provide examples of the many ETCS projects now underway in different countries.
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Khromtau - Altynsarino link completed
KAZAKHSTAN: Ceremonies were held at Arka on November 30 to mark the opening of the Khromtau - Altynsarino line by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who dispatched the first grain train over the route. The 403·9 km line between Donskoye and Krasno-Octyabrskyi connects KTZ's northern and western routes, paralleling the Russian ...
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African links could bring peace and stability
GOLD, DIAMONDS, oil, uranium and other minerals in southern Sudan could be used to fund an ambitious plan to build a 4100 km network of standard-gauge lines joining the country to Uganda and Kenya. Promoted by German rail welding specialist Thormählen Schweisstechnik, the proposals hinged initially on what the company ...
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Trans-Kazakhstan link will complete standard-gauge transcontinental artery
An international consortium is to be formed to close the gap between the standard-gauge networks of China and Europe, and construction of an initial 320 km section has already started
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Algerian initatives spur modernisation
WORK IS due to start early this month on the long-planned project to build a 360 km standard gauge line between Méchéria and Béchar in western Algeria. To be laid parallel to Algerian Railways' existing 1055mm gauge alignment, which it will ultimately replace, the line is intended primarily for oil ...
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President Goh inaugurates KTX
'ON APRIL 1 Korea will speed up with KTX' announced the huge banners decking Seoul station on March 30. Hundreds of invited guests from across the world joined in the celebrations when South Korea's Acting President Goh Kun formally inaugurated the world's eighth high speed railway. Following the inauguration ceremony ...
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Bosporus tunnel construction to start
TURKEY: Construction of the long-planned rail tunnel under the Bosporus is expected to start in June, following the signing of a turnkey construction contract in early April. This was due to be followed by ratification of the financing package before the end of the month. Japan Bank for International Co-operation ...
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Countdown to the launch of KTX
This month South Korea joins the elite club of railways operating commercial services at 300 km/h when a fleet of 46 TGV trainsets will transform travel on Korail's prime inter-city route between Seoul and Pusan. Reporting from Seoul, Murray Hughes finds that it has not been an easy ride for ...
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Rebuilding Iraq's ravaged railways
Bechtel is co-ordinating reconstruction on Iraqi Republic Railways, which conflict and lack of maintenance have left in a poor condition. Following a rapid assessment of the infrastructure, work has begun on a major upgrade of the route from Um Qasr to Shouaiba Junction
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Northwestern mineral line awaits results of a ’bankable’ study
PROPOSALS to build a heavy haul freight line conencting Saudi Railways Organisation's existing main line with mineral deposits in the northwest of Saudi Arabia have been gestating for some time. The Communications Ministry approved in principle the construction of a new line following a World Bank study in 2000. But ...
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NewsCzech station lease signed
AN AGREEMENT has been signed for Grandi Stazioni SpA to manage commercial and retail space at three major Czech stations. Under the terms of the 30-year lease the Italian firm will carry out refurbishment work at Praha Hlavni, Karlovy Vary and Marianske Lazne. It is to spend KC658m upgrading ...