All Railway Gazette International articles in January 2017 – Page 7
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NewsDaugavpils selects Belkommunmash trams
LATVIA: Belkommunmash has submitted the best offer to supply trams for Daugavpils, city tram operator Daugavpils Satiksme announced on January 5. The Belarusian manufacturer is to supply eight single-section trams for a total cost of €2·1m. In 2014 Daugavpils Satiksme ordered eight single-section trams and four three-section trams ...
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NewsNS completes green energy transition
NETHERLANDS: National passenger operator NS is now operating all of its electric trains using wind-generated power, following a three-year transition in association with natural gas, electricity and heat supplier Eneco. According to a personal video message from CEO Roger van Boxtel, NS is the first railway in the world to ...
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NewsAlstom to maintain Ferromex locomotives
MEXICO: Ferromex has awarded Alstom a five-year contract to maintain 219 EMD and GE diesel freight locomotives The contract announced on January 9 includes condition-based and predictive maintenance which will include oil and vibration analysis and remote monitoring. This is expected to bring a reduction in operating costs. ...
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NewsElaine Chao
Elaine Chao has been selected as US Secretary of Transportation by President-elect Donald Trump.
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NewsChangsha – Zhuzhou – Xiangtan Intercity Railway opens
CHINA: The Changsha – Zhuzhou – Xiangtan Intercity Railway in Hunan Province opened for passenger services on December 26. There are 21 stations on the 95·5 km Y-shared route from Changsha to the two termini. Services are operated using eight-car CRH6F electric trainsets from CRRC Qingdao Sifang. The alignment ...
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NewsTenders called for first tram-train project in Hungary
HUNGARY: Tenders have been called for a tram-train route to be developed between Szeged and Hódmezővásárhely in the south of the country. The cost of infrastructure is estimated at HF13·25bn and rolling stock at HF10bn, and the project will be fully financed by the EU. The route will incorporate ...
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NewsToshiba targets European hybrid locomotive market
GERMANY: Japan’s Toshiba and DB Cargo have agreed to undertake a feasibility study for the joint development and subsequent purchase of an initial 100 battery-diesel hybrid locomotives for shunting and short-distance freight operations. Test vehicles are expected to be available by the end of 2019. The value of the deal ...
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Metro Report InternationalMelbourne seeks to develop a connected transport living lab
AUSTRALIA: The University of Melbourne’s School of Engineering signed memoranda of understanding on January 6 with public and private-sector partners to develop a ‘connected transport living lab’. A 1·2 km2 area on the edge of Melbourne’s central business district will be fitted with sensors to collect data from motor ...
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NewsPassenger locomotives for Nigeria unveiled
NIGERIA: The first two diesel locomotives built to haul passenger trains on the Abuja – Kaduna line have been rolled out at the CRRC Dalian factory in China. The 1 435 mm gauge Type CDD3B1 locomotives have a maximum speed of 150 km/h, and are designed to cope with local ...
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NewsFirst Uithoflijn tram delivered to Utrecht
NETHERLANDS: The first tram for the Uithoflijn in Utrecht has been delivered from CAF’s factory in Spain to the Nieuwegein sneltram depot. Haulage company Van der Vlist used a 40 m bespoke trailer to transport the 32 m long tram through Spain, France, Germany and the Netherlands. A specially ...
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Metro Report InternationalTokyo Metro puts ‘translation megaphones’ into service
JAPAN: Tokyo Metro staff at Meiji Jingumae station have started using megaphones that play messages in English, Chinese and Korean. The station on the Chiyoda and Fukutoshin lines is close to several tourist attractions. The Megaphone Translator, developed by Panasonic, plays back pre-recorded phrases automatically following a phrase in ...
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Metro Report InternationalFuzhou metro expands
CHINA: The second section of the Fuzhou metro opened for regular passenger service on January 6, following the start of passenger-carrying trials on December 25. Running north from Sanchajie to Xiangfeng, the 15·1 km section has 12 stations, including an interchange with the future Line 2 at Nanmendou. ...
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NewsChinese locomotives for Serbia rolled out
SERBIA: Two electric locomotives which the state electricity generator ordered last year have been rolled out at CRRC Zhuzhou’s plant in China. The contract was awarded following an international tender and was the first rolling stock order won by CRRC in Serbia. The 7 MW locomotives have a maximum speed ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
After returning to Earth at the Siziwang landing ground in Inner Mongolia following 33 days in orbit, the Shenzhou 11 re-entry capsule from China’s sixth manned space mission was transported to Beijing on a China Railway Corp flat wagon with special brackets. G3 Global Holdings has appointed Peter Kiewit Infrastructure ...
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Metro Report InternationalIran develops domestic metro supply industry
IRAN: Significant steps have been taken towards establishing a domestic urban rail supply chain, Tehran Urban & Suburban Railway Operation Co’s Chief Executive Dr Ahmadi Bafandeh told the inaugural conference of the Iranian metro supply industry. The event held in the capital during December attracted representatives from ...
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NewsAstra wagons delivered to DB Cargo UK
UK: DB Cargo UK has begun taking delivery of 85 open wagons being supplied by leasing company VTG Rail UK which ordered then from Romanian manufacturer Astra Rail Industries. The Type JNA four-axle wagons will be used to carry construction materials. According to VTG the vehicles have a ‘unique and ...
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NewsGermany – China parcels train to run this year
INTERNATIONAL: A pilot eastbound postal service between Duisburg in Germany and Chongqing in China is to be operated in early 2017, after a westbound demonstrator which ran last year showed that rail could be a viable option for the parcels sector. As well as being cheaper than air and faster ...
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NewsIzmir trams start test running
TURKEY: Trams started test running on a 4·3 km section of the Karşıyaka Line in Izmir on December 28, with Mayor Aziz Kocaoğlu on the initial ride. Tests are taking place between Ataşehir and Bostanlı. The whole 8·8 km line is 95% complete, with opening expected in March. Kocaoğlu ...
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NewsAmtrak streamlines management structure
USA: Federal passenger company Amtrak announced on January 5 that it would be rationalising its senior management structure as part of efforts to ‘position itself for an even more competitive future’.President & CEO Wick Moorman has reduced by half the senior management team to create six reporting lines. These are: ...
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NewsComprehensive mobility cuts the mustard
FRANCE: A new operations contract for the Divia public transport network in Greater Dijon came into effect on January 1, with an expanded scope. In addition to managing the bus and tram networks, Keolis will be responsible for cycle hire and car parking. Keolis says that this ‘comprehensive mobility approach’ ...