Infrastructure news – Page 67
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NewsInvasion of Ukraine ‘has increased the geopolitical relevance of Rail Baltica’
EUROPE: ‘The Russian invasion of Ukraine reaffirms the need to connect the Baltic states to the rest of Europe’, said Catherine Trautmann, the European Commission’s co-ordinator for the North Sea – Baltic TEN-T corridor, on April 13, when Rail Baltica project promoter RB Rail set out ...
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Metro Report InternationalSão Paulo suburban line upgrading contracts awarded
BRAZIL: São Paulo suburban lines 8 (Diamante) and 9 (Esmeralda) operating and maintenance concessionaire ViaMobilidade Linhas 8 e 9 has awarded Siemens Mobility two contracts to modernise the signalling and electrical systems. For the 41·6 km Line 8, Siemens Mobility will design, supply and install an ...
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In depthGermany: FRMCS testbed takes shape
As part of the national Digitale Schiene Deutschland programme, Nokia and Kontron are working together to build a 5G-based communication network in the Erzgebirge mountains to test the Future Railway Mobile Communication System.
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NewsEU accelerates funding for military transport projects
EUROPE: The European Commission has brought forward the awarding of EU grants to co-fund projects to support military mobility, explaining that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has increased the urgency of making Europe’s transport infrastructure fit for dual civilian and defence use. The first Military Mobility ...
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In depthDigitalisation: Keeping the trains on track
Funding has been allocated in the 2022-23 national budget to roll out the locally developed Kavach train collision avoidance system on more than 2 000 route-km of Indian Railways. Raghu Dayal investigates.
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In depthSpain: ‘Basque Y’ inches ahead
Located in a mountainous area presenting formidable engineering challenges, the Y-shaped 1 435 mm gauge high speed network linking San Sebastián, Vitoria-Gasteiz and Bilbao in Spain’s Basque region has been designed to handle both passenger and freight trains. Mike Bent reports.
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NewsElectrification islands to charge battery train fleet
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn is to install discontinuous 15 kV 16·& Hz electrification ‘islands’ on regional routes in Schleswig-Holstein by December 2023, enabling battery-electric multiple-units to replace diesel traction. In 2019 Land transport authority NAH.SH awarded Stadler a contract to supply 55 Flirt Akku battery-electric multiple-units. These ...
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Rail Business UKComposite mast aims to cut electrification costs
UK: A prototype composite mast designed to reduce the costs and carbon emissions of railway electrification projects has been unveiled, ahead of extensive testing to understand the full scope of its capabilities. Branded IMAGE (Innovative composite MAst for Green Electrification), the mast ...
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NewsSix options in Santander – Bilbao railway study
SPAIN: The Ministry of Transport, Mobility & the Urban Agenda has published details of its ‘Informative Study’ for a new railway line between Santander and Bilbao. Prepared by WSP Spain-Apia and Sener Ingeniería y Sistemas under a €1∙2m contract awarded in September 2020, the study puts ...
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NewsLiberian railway extension and access negotiations make progress
LIBERIA: Mine development company High Power Exploration and the Liberian government have signed an amended framework agreement for the Nimba Iron Ore Project in southeast Guinea to make use of existing and expanded rail and port infrastructure in Liberia. The framework announced on March 31 sets ...
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NewsPortren workshop construction gets underway
URUGUAY: Nascent rail freight operator Portren has begun construction of a US$25m workshop and operations centre near Juanicó where it will maintain its growing rolling stock fleet Portren is a three-way joint venture formed by Deutsche Bahn International Operations, Christophersen of Uruguay and the Spanish company ...
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Rail Business UKAlstom awarded London Victoria Area Re-signalling Programme Phase 5 contract
UK: Network Rail has awarded Alstom a £69m contract to deliver Phase 5 of the Victoria Area Re-signalling Programme, covering an area from London Victoria to Sydenham Hill, Elephant & Castle and Ravensbourne. The announcement on March 30 follows the £37m Phase ...
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News‘Beautiful but usable’ proposal wins Budapest Nyugati station design competition
HUNGARY: A team led by architects Grimshaw has been selected to design the redevelopment of Budapest Nyugati station, following an international architectural contest organised by the Budapest Development Agency, BFK. The plans envisage a 13-track surface station with a new hall, and ...
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NewsThessaloniki – Idomeni line upgrading contract awarded
GREECE: The national railway group’s major projects division Ergose has awarded a joint venture of Alstom and Avax a €41m contract to modernise signalling, track and electrification to enable 160 km/h operation on the 70 km section of Pan-European Corridor X between Thessaloniki and Idomeni on ...
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NewsChannel Tunnel track contracts awarded
EUROPE: Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel has awarded Colas Rail two contracts for maintenance and renewal of the 200 km of track at its two terminals and in the tunnel. One contract covers routine maintenance and is worth €2·5m over three years, with an option for a ...
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In depthSoutheast Asia: Philippines’ slow revival gathers pace
Development of the North-South Commuter Railway in Manila has lent fresh momentum to plans for rail and metro projects both in Luzon and elsewhere in the Philippines. David Carmona investigates.
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NewsRegionerate Rail selected to build Gowrie – Kagaru section of Inland Rail corridor
AUSTRALIA: Australian Rail Track Corp has selected the Regionerate Rail consortium as preferred bidder for a PPP contract to build and maintain the 128 km Gowrie – Kagaru section of the 1 700 km Inland Rail corridor. Regionerate Rail comprises Clough, GS Engineering & Construction, Webuild, ...
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NewsCFR studies electrification of secondary route to Bulgaria
ROMANIA: CFR Infrastructură has awarded a nine-month contract worth €586 000 to Consis Proiect to conduct a feasibility study into the electrification of the Videle – Giurgiu railway line. It is estimated that it will cost €46m to electrify the line from Rădulești to Giurgiu Nord ...
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NewsBeograd – Novi Sad line reopens following 200 km/h upgrade
SERBIA: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attended a ceremony on March 19 to mark the completion of the modernisation of the 77·6 km Beograd – Novi Sad route, and the launch of 200 km/h inter-city services on this section of the ...
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NewsUK export financing to support completion of Ankara – Izmir high speed corridor
TURKEY: UK Export Finance has agreed to guarantee £1·8bn through its Buyer Credit Scheme to support construction of the Polatlı – Izmir high speed line, which will create a more direct route between the capital and Turkey’s third largest city.