All Railway Gazette International articles in June 2011 – Page 4
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NewsPartial privatisation planned for Spanish freight
SPAIN: The board of state operator RENFE has approved a restructuring programme for its Freight & Logistics business that would see the private sector offered up to 45% of four trading companies operating in distinct market sectors. The programme aims to strengthen RENFE's competitive position in the liberalised freight ...
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NewsChuo maglev station sites named
JAPAN: JR Central has identified potential sites for intermediate stations on the proposed Chuo maglev route between Tokyo and Osaka, although these are subject to further investigation and environmental assessment. Early proposals had envisaged that the line would have stations only at Shinagawa in Tokyo, Nagoya and Shin-Osaka. However, local ...
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NewsERA publishes EU Railway Safety Performance report 2011
EUROPE: Rail remains one of the safest modes of transport, according to 'Railway Safety Performance in the European Union', the European Railway Agency's fourth annual report on safety published on June 7. There has been an overall improvement since 2006, and most fatalities are unauthorised persons and level crossing users. ...
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NewsBeware of the road/rail interface
LEVEL CROSSINGS: The second International Level Crossing Awareness Day on June 9 is intended to raise public awareness, explains Isabelle Fonverne, Projects Officer, Safety & Interoperability at the International Union of Railways.
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NewsSeven-year tank wagon lease
RUSSIA: Petrochemical company Sibur has signed a seven-year agreement to lease 550 Type 15-1780 propane and butane gas tank wagons from Brunswick Rail. The first 20 wagons were delivered in April, with the rest to follow by October. ‘Long-term co-operation with such clients is a key element of Brunswick Rail’s ...
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NewsLake Oswego streetcar
USA: The Portland and Lake Oswego city councils have voted to move ahead with a $458m streetcar route linking the two communities, which includes a junction with Portland’s existing streetcar network on the South Waterfront. Once initial approvals are received from Multnomah County, Clackamas County, the regional Metro Council and ...
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NewsDual gauge to enable high speed to Madrid Airport
SPAIN: The cabinet has given its approval for the Ministry of Development to spend €15·86m on equipping the rail link to Barajas Airport in Madrid for dual-gauge operation, enabling high speed services to use the new €190m route from Chamartín. Following the completion of upgrading work on 4·1 km of ...
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NewsCarbon credits fund Tallinn tram fleet renewal
ESTONIA: The government intends to spend €45m raised through the sale of surplus carbon credits to purchase up to 16 trams for use in Tallinn. The sale of an undisclosed number of Assigned Amount Units to Spain was approved during a cabinet meeting on May 5. The new vehicles could ...
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NewsDenver commuter rail design
USA: The Federal Transit Administration has granted a Record of Decision to the largely-unfunded 29 km North Metro commuter line in Denver, clearing the way for final design to begin. The route would follow BNSF Railway and former Union Pacific rights-of-way from Denver Union Station to 162nd Avenue in Thornton. ...
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NewsMurcia tram line 1 inaugurated
SPAIN: Tranvía de Murcia launched services on its 17·5 km V-shaped light rail network on May 28.The main route has 24 stops and runs from Estadio Nueva Condomina in the northeast to the University of Murcia campus in the northwest, via the city centre. A branch with four stops connects ...
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NewsScomi wins Line 17 monorail project in São Paulo
BRAZIL: Metro São Paulo awarded the Monotrilho Integracao consortium of Scomi, Andrade Gutierrez, CR Almeida and Montagens e Projetos Especiais a R$1·4bn turnkey contract to build the Line 17 monorail on June 2.The 18 km elevated Gold Line with 18 stations will link São Paulo-Morumbi on Line 4 with Jabaquara, ...
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NewsSolar tunnel turned on
BELGIUM: A 50 000m2 installation of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of a 3·4 km covered way where the Brussels - Amsterdam line passes through protected woodlands north of Antwerpen was inaugurated on June 6. The €14·5m installation has been undertaken by SPS Fin, a public-private partnership ...
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NewsCrossrail Tunnelling & Underground Construction Academy topped out
UK: A topping out ceremony was held in Aldersbrook, east London, on May 16 to mark completion of the superstructure for the Crossrail Tunnelling & Underground Construction Academy. Intended to open in September, the £13·5m, 3600 m2 facility designed by architects Capita Symonds is primarily designed to train staff to ...
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NewsRevenue share port line opens
INDIA: The first line built under the government's Railways Infrastructure for Industry Initiative to attract private finance for rail projects opened on May 8, when a train of Australian coal left the new Port of Dhamra for Tata Steel's Jamshedpur plant. The 62 km single track line serving the east ...
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NewsToronto Rockets to enter service in June
CANADA: The first of 420 new Rocket subway cars being built for Toronto Transit Commission by Bombardier will enter revenue service on the Yonge-University line in June, according to TTC. The first four cars have been undergoing testing for several months, and more are now being delivered from Bombardier’s ...
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News'Reliable and economical' Russian EMU to roll out next year
RUSSIA: Following Alstom's acquisition of a 25% stake in Transmashholding, on June 6 the companies confirmed details of their ongoing project to develop a 'reliable and economical' electric multiple-unit for the Russian market. The ED10 modular EMU platform will offer a range of regional and suburban options combining modern ...
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NewsSiemens wins København S-bane signalling contract
DENMARK: Infrastructure authority Banedenmark has selected Siemens to install its Trainguard MT communications-based train control on the København S-bane network. Due to be confirmed later this month, the CBTC deal is the first of four major contracts for resignalling the entire Danish rail network. The other three, a framework contract ...
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NewsSerbian Railways restructured
SERBIA: The government formally converted Serbian Railways into a joint stock company 100% owned by the state on May 26. ZS is now a holding company for four subsidiaries which are responsible for infrastructure, property, passenger operations & rolling stock maintenance and freight operations & rolling stock maintenance. Interaction ...
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NewsPassenger rolling stock braking joint venture formed
CHINA: The launch of Hunan CSR Wabtec Railway Transportation Technology Co to manufacture and service braking equipment for the Chinese passenger rolling stock market was announced by Wabtec and Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric Co on June 1. The companies have formed the joint venture after previously working together in what ...
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