All Railway Gazette International articles in January 2008 – Page 2

  • News

    SCT Logistics locos on test

    2008-01-08T15:47:00Z

    CURRENTLY undergoing acceptance trials in Australia are the first of 11 GT46Ce locomotives ordered from Downer EDI Rail by SCT Logistics for use on Melbourne - Perth freight services. Photo: Mark Carter The first private interstate rail freight operator, SCT currently hauls around one-third of Australia's east-west traffic, using ...

  • News

    Cross-acceptance moves closer

    2008-01-09T06:24:00Z

    DRAFT legislation to recast the Technical Specifications for Interoperability in a revised directive has been agreed by the European Parliament. In a first reading on December 11, MEPs voted by a large majority to accept the proposals, the key objective of which is to streamline acceptance procedures for traction and ...

  • News

    Freight standards need updating

    2008-01-09T11:22:00Z

    ANY COMPARISON of the prevailing technologies on both sides of the North Atlantic will demonstrate how inadequate are today's rail freight operations in Europe. Let us overlook for now the continuing problem of pathing priorities, which still sees premium freight trains playing second fiddle to secondary passenger services. The low ...

  • News

    Sweden - Germany through freight launched

    2008-01-09T11:59:00Z

    HECTOR Rail began operating through freight trains between Sweden and Germany via the Øresund bridge and Denmark on January 4. The Swedish-based open access operator is running five trains a week between Norrköping and Herne in the Ruhr area under a contract signed with Dutch logistics firm Van Dieren Maritime ...

  • News

    Charlotte Lynx launched

    2008-01-10T05:23:00Z

    REVENUE SERVICES on the 15·4 km Lynx Blue Line in Charlotte, North Carolina, began on November 26, following a formal dedication ceremony with local officials a week earlier. Charlotte Area Transit System offered free rides over the weekend of November 24-25, attracting more than 100 000 people, and leading to ...

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    News

    Vision of US passenger growth

    2008-01-10T06:14:00Z

    AMBITIOUS PROPOSALS for expansion of inter-city passenger services in the USA were unveiled in Washington DC on December 6. The 'Vision for the Future' report calls for investment of $357·2bn between now and 2050. The report was compiled by a working party formed of state transport authorities and regional rail ...

  • News

    Brenner base tunnel wins TEN-T funding

    2008-01-11T05:00:00Z

    RAIL projects have secured nearly 75% of the €5·1bn of funds which the European Commission has allocated to support Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) projects in 2007-13. Among the largest allocations announced by Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot on November 21 is €786m towards the cost of studies and works for the ...

  • News

    Chennai suburban expansion

    2008-01-11T06:30:00Z

    MRTS suburban services in Chennai have been extended from Tiruvanmiyur to Velachery, following inauguration of the line by Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister Dr Kalaignar M Karunanidhi on November 19. Completed as Phase II of the MRTS project, the 11 km extension has cost Rs7·7bn to build. The broad-gauge line is ...

  • News

    People in the News

    2008-01-12T06:48:00Z

    The general assembly of the Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies has confirmed the appointment of Netherlands Railways Chief Executive Aad Veenman to a second term as Chairman. CEO of Slovak infrastructure manager ZSR, Dalibor Zeleny, was elected Vice-Chairman, while Antoine Hurel, Deputy CEO of Veolia Transport, and Mauro ...

  • News

    ETCS Development & Implementation in Italy

    2008-01-13T05:06:00Z

    Book review

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    News

    Fortescue spends to make up lost time

    2008-01-14T05:02:00Z

    AUSTRALIA'S Fortescue Metals Group is due to receive shortly the last of 820 wagons ordered from China to carry iron ore on the 310 km heavy haul railway that it is building between its mine at Cloud Break and Port Hedland in the Pilbara region. The last wagon was due ...

  • News

    City News in Brief

    2008-01-14T12:42:00Z

    In the presence of presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and Abdelaziz Bouteflika, RATP President Pierre Mongin signed a €130m contract with Alger metro company EMA on December 4, under which the Paris operator will run Line 1 for eight years after it opens in 2009. The 9 km line with 10 stations ...

  • News

    Calgary C-Train expands

    2008-01-15T05:22:00Z

    AN EXTENSION of Calgary's Northeast light rail line from Whitehorn to McKnight-Westwinds opened for revenue service on December 17. Built at a cost of C$75m, the 2·7 km extension will serve one of the city's fastest-growing suburbs, and a maintenance facility just beyond the new terminus costing a further C$100m. ...

  • News

    Neu-Ulm goes underground

    2008-01-15T06:59:00Z

    Construction of a four-track station below ground in the German town of Neu-Ulm heralds the start of work on a new line from Ulm to Stuttgart and releases land for housing and commercial development, reports Ralf Roman Rossberg

  • News

    Armenia looks to the private sector

    2008-01-15T09:29:00Z

    IN SEPTEMBER, the government of Armenia invited bids for a concession to renovate and operate the country's rail network, following an initial prequalification announcement in June. Armenia is currently implementing a wide range of economic reforms, supported by the US government, the World Bank, the European Union and the Asian ...

  • News

    Manila North Avenue bids fail

    2008-01-16T05:24:00Z

    ONLY ONE consortium has prequalified for work on the North Avenue Extension light rail project in Manila. LRTA Administrator Melquiades Robles announced on November 24 that the grouping of DMCI, EEI and First Balfour had prequalified to tender for the electrical and mechanical works contract, known as Package C, which ...

  • News

    Railways realign in troubled region

    2008-01-16T06:20:00Z

    The construction of new cross-border links and the introduction of concessioning look set to change the shape of rail operations in the Caucasus over the next few years, reports Chris Jackson

  • News

    Pointers January 2008

    2008-01-16T06:27:00Z

    Addressing the African Union Rail Conference in Gauteng on November 20, South Africa's Minister of Transport Jeff Radebe announced that talks have begun with the long-term goal of building a railway linking Lesotho with Durban and Port Elizabeth. The only railway into the mountain kingdom runs to the capital, Maseru, ...

  • News

    Antwerpen Centraal rebuild complete

    2008-01-17T05:02:00Z

    Harry Hondius MSc reports on the official completion of railway works at Antwerpen Centraal

  • News

    EIB loan for Charleroi light metro

    2008-01-17T05:25:00Z

    THE EUROPEAN INVESTMENT Bank is lending €75m to Belgian public transport operator SRWT to fund completion of the light metro system in Charleroi. The loan agreement was signed by EIB President Philippe Maystadt, SRWT Deputy Managing Director Jean-Marc Vandenbroucke and André Antoine, Transport Minister of the Walloon Region. The project ...