Infrastructure news – Page 5
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NewsKiwiRail orders track inspection car
NEW ZEALAND: KiwiRail has awarded MerMec a contract to supply a replacement track evaluation car. MerMec said the vehicle would provide ‘exhaustive’ real-time track analysis using 12 inspection and measurement systems including lasers, cameras and others sensors. MerMec CEO Luca Necchi Ghiri said the contract announced ...
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In depthTrack Maintenance: Modular welding offers smoother running
Following service testing with the latest evolution of its proven APT 1500 R flash-butt welding head, Plasser & Theurer is now developing a modular range of carrier vehicles to optimise both design and utilisation.
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In depthTrack Maintenance: Intelligent wheel-rail conditioning can reduce noise and wear
Advances in the control of wheel-rail conditioning are helping to facilitate a transition from stand-alone wayside and onboard applicators to an intelligent network that continually optimises the management of both friction and noise.
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NewsLuzon inter-regional railway study underway
PHILIPPINES: The Department of Transport and the national PPP Center have commissioned Systra and PwC Philippines/Isla Lipana & Co to undertake studies for the North Long Haul Inter-Regional Railway Project.
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NewsWork begins on third Kazakhstan – China railway
KAZAKHSTAN: Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov has formally launched the construction of a third cross-border railway link to China. The 272 km double-track line from Ayagoz to Bakhty and a new border crossing near Tacheng in northern Xinjiang is scheduled to open in 2027. It would connect ...
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NewsGround-penetrating radar helps pre-empt track problems
AUSTRALIA: Queensland Rail and Zetica have begun analysing ground-penetrating radar data to map the condition of unseen parts of the state’s 4 600 km railway network. The GPR equipment was mounted on a Queensland Rail vehicle during a measuring campaign which ran February to April 2023. ...
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NewsEIB backs Madrid station enhancements
SPAIN: The European Investment Bank has approved a €550m loan to infrastructure manager ADIF to finance works to increase capacity at Madrid’s Atocha station. The loan approved in December forms part of a €740m framework package agreed in 2021 for works at the capital’s Atocha and ...
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NewsNetwork Rail Consulting awarded California high speed rail contract
USA: The consultancy arm of British infrastructure manager Network Rail has been awarded a $73·2m contract to provide rail systems engineering services to the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Network Rail Consulting will be supported by subconsultants Egis and Ricardo, as well as local companies C2PM DR ...
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NewsJR Central develops automated Shinkansen overhead line checks
JAPAN: Central Japan Railway has developed an automated overhead line inspection system that can be fitted to series-built trains used on the Tokaido Shinkansen. Able to check the position of wires and the condition of fittings while trains are travelling at up to 300 km/h, the ...
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NewsDeutsche Bahn’s financial recovery remains elusive
GERMANY: Rail services in Germany were badly disrupted by industrial action over pay by the train drivers’ trade union GD during the week commencing January 8. On January 10 Deutsche Bahn said that about 20% of long-distance passenger services were running, with the number of regional ...
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NewsIsrael plans more railway network expansion
ISRAEL: The government has backed plans for expansion of the rail network and works to increase capacity and speeds on existing lines. On December 24 the government approved the quadrupling of the coastal line between Tel Aviv and Haifa, with two fast tracks suitable for 250 ...
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NewsMelbourne Suburban Rail Loop tunnelling contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: The government of Victoria has awarded the Suburban Connect consortium of Acciona, CPB Contractors and Ghella the first major tunnelling contract for the Melbourne Suburban Rail Loop East project. The A$3·6bn Tunnels South contract covers the construction of the 16 km Cheltenham to Glen Waverley ...
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In depthBrazil: National Railway Plan will reset project agenda
Government efforts to inject fresh impetus into the rail business and increase its share of the freight market continue, but reliance is being placed on the private sector to fund new projects. Murray Hughes reports.
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NewsFirst section of Mexico’s Trans-Isthmus Railway opens
MEXICO: The newly rebuilt ‘Line Z’ of the Interoceanic Railway of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec was inaugurated on December 22.
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In depthData systems: Managing the transition to next-generation communications
The emergence of packet-based MPLS-TP data networks offers infrastructure managers a means to move away from legacy technology such as Time Division Multiplex, enabling them to keep pace with demands for an increasingly digital railway.
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NewsEIB provides more support to Koper second track project
SLOVENIA: The European Investment Bank has signed a €250m loan agreement with project promoter 2TDK to co-finance the ongoing construction of the second rail track to the port of Koper. A 27 km single-track line on a new alignment will add capacity in conjunction with the ...
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NewsJoint border crossing to speed up Balkan rail transport
EUROPE: The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development and the European Union are to fund a joint border crossing on the Corridor X rail route between North Macedonia and Serbia. The new and upgraded facilities will be shared by the two countries, to improve efficiency, reduce ...
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NewsPort link and Trans-Siberian tunnel inaugurated
RUSSIA: A 49·7 km railway line to the port of Lavna, and a 926 m long double-track tunnel on the Trans-Siberian railway line were inaugurated on December 15. The inauguration events were attended by President Vladimir Putin via a video stream. Port link The newly built ...
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In depthResilient Infrastructure: Reducing rail noise with acoustically optimised crossings
The noise generated by trains passing over turnouts can pose problems for railways, particularly in residential areas. Laboratory trials have shown the potential benefits of high-damping polyurethane composites, and a field test is currently underway on the ÖBB network in Austria.
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In depthJapan: Rural railways struggle against a changing climate
Recent storms have caused huge damage in parts of Japan, wrecking some rural railways and forcing others to close. Mike Bent examines how local lines can be revived against the odds.