All Railway Gazette International articles in July 2012
All articles published this month.
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NewsMiami International Airport metro extension opens
USA: Miami-Dade Transit's Orange Line was launched on July 28, extending Metrorail metro services to Miami International Airport. The groundbreaking for the AirportLink Metrorail Extension was held in May 2009. The 3·8 km elevated branch starts at Earlington Heights station on the existing Green Line, and terminates at Miami Intermodal ...
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NewsWork starts on LGV Bretagne
FRANCE: RFF President Hubert du Mesnil joined Eiffage Managing Director Pierre Berger, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and the presidents of the Bretagne and Pays de la Loire regions at Etrelles on July 27 to officially mark the start of work on the 132 km high-speed line that will connect ...
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NewsHigh speed centre of excellence established
UK: High speed rail lobby group Greengauge 21 has announced the formation of an HSR Industry Leaders Group to bring together companies with expertise in all aspects of high speed rail implementation including engineering, operations, planning and delivery. Founder members Atkins, Bechtel, Carillion, CH2M Hill, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Siemens and the ...
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NewsPrototype shunter rolls out
CZECH REPUBLIC: CZ Loko has rolled out a prototype diesel-electric locomotive for shunting and light mainline duties. The Class 744 Bo-Bo loco has asynchronous traction motors and a 1 MW Caterpillar 3508C engine meeting the EU Stage IIIA emissions standards. Maximum speed is 100 km/h. The 72 tonne locomotive ...
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NewsTata Steel invests €12m to make longer heat-treated rails
FRANCE: Tata Steel is to more than double annual production of heat-treated rail at its Hayange mill from 55 000 to 120 000 tonnes, under a €12m investment plan announced on July 25. The project is scheduled to be completed by autumn 2013, and will equip the ...
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NewsQatar Foundation awards €100m Doha tram contract
QATAR: Siemens Rail Systems has been awarded a turnkey contract valued at more than €100m for the development of a 11·5 km catenary-free tramway in Doha for opening in late 2015. The contract announced on July 30 has been awarded by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science & Community Development, ...
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NewsEtihad Rail issues Stage Two invitations to tender
UAE: Railway project promoter Etihad Rail has issued invitations to tender for the first three contracts for Stage Two of the planned national rail network. Prequalified companies have been invited to bid for two construction contracts, and a third contract covering railway systems and commissioning. The lines to be ...
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NewsPesa DMU brings international standards to local service
KAZAKHSTAN: National railway KTZ has deployed a diesel multiple-unit supplied by Polish manufacturer Pesa on a daily return working between Turkestan and Shymkent. The new unit is intended to bring 'international standards' of passenger comfort to 19 minor stations where long-distance trains do not stop. Similar to the ...
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NewsStadler Rail looks to new markets
STADLER RAIL: The past year’s results were dominated by the falling value of the euro against the Swiss franc and the EU debt crisis, Stadler Rail announced on June 15. Although orders received in 2011 were below the average of the past few years, the high levels of orders received ...
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NewsSmall, light and efficient transformer
TRANSFORMER: ABB has developed a traction transformer that uses power electronics to reduce size and weight while increasing energy efficiency. The Power Electronic Traction Transformer is based on multi-level converter topology that uses IGBT power semiconductors and medium-frequency transformers to replace the conventional transformer and inverter combination. The medium-frequency transformer ...
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NewsPhoenix West light rail extension route approved
USA: The Maricopa Association of Governments approved the route for the proposed Phoenix West light rail extension on July 25. Environmental assessment and preliminary design work can now begin, with opening envisaged by 2023. The 18 km route starts at the existing Metro light rail line in central Phoenix, running ...
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NewsCapita Symonds to develop passenger counts database
UK: The Department for Transport has awarded Capita Symonds a £1·9m contract to develop and manage a Rail Passenger Counts Database. This will collate and report data from train operators, providing an insight into usage and identifying trends to enable expenditure to be targeted more effectively. Counts will initially ...
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NewsEurorunner reaches the finish line
EUROPE: Siemens announced the sale of its final Eurorunner ER20 diesel locomotive on July 26. The design has now been replaced in the manufacturer's range by the Vectron DE, which incorporates customer feedback from the Eurorunner, has improved braking and fuel consumption and meets the latest standards for crashworthiness ...
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NewsVladivostok airport rail link opens
RUSSIA: Airport shuttle operator Aeroexpress launched a passenger service between Vladivostok and the city's international airport at Knevichi on July 20. The project has involved the construction of a 4 km link to a new station at the airport, as well as upgrading existing track, electrification equipment and stations. ...
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NewsRail reform tackles Spanish debt crisis
SPAIN: The government is embarking on a programme of reform in order to ensure the future sustainability of the railway system, improve service quality and make the best use of the network, according to Development Minister Ana Pastor. She was speaking on July 24 during a parliamentary debate on ...
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News
Krzysztof Dyl
Krzysztof Dyl has been appointed Chairman of Polish rail regulator UTK. He has held the post in an interim capacity since his predecessor Krzysztof Jaroszynski was dismissed in January.
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NewsAgility Trains signs Intercity Express Programme contract
UK: Signing of the Intercity Express Programme contract to supply and maintain the next generation of 200 km/h inter-city trains was announced by the Department for Transport and Agility Trains on July 25. The overall package is valued at £4·5bn. Financial close has been reached for IEP Phase 1, which ...
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NewsPiura railway feasibility study
PERU: A feasibility study for a new railway to carry freight and passenger traffic between Piura and Lambayeque is due to be completed by the end of this year, according to José Antonio Sebastián, Managing Director of the International business at Spanish metre-gauge operator FEVE. On July 19 at the ...
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NewsEuroporte to operate Port of Bordeaux rail network
FRANCE: The Port of Bordeaux authority has awarded the Socorail business of Eurotunnel's Europorte subsidiary an eight-year contract to operate and maintain the 20 km of rail infrastructure at its Bassens and Le Verdon sites. Europorte has previously won similar contracts at the ports of Dunkerque, Nantes Saint-Nazaire, Le Havre, ...
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NewsSalzburger Lokalbahn goes low-floor
AUSTRIA: Salzburger Lokalbahn has unveiled the first of its ET40 two-car electric multiple-units to be rebuilt with the insertion of a low-floor centre car. The low-floor section is 350 mm above rail level, making the articulated vehicles more accessible to passengers with reduce mobility. There will be two wheelchair spaces, ...