Latest news
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NewsBulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania sign rail corridor memorandum
EUROPE: Ministers from Bulgaria, Albania and North Macedonia have signed a memorandum covering plans to complete the missing rail links between their countries by 2030, but cautioned that this will require signficant investment. Bulgaria is to complete the upgrading of the Sofia – Pernik – Radomir ...
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In depth
Europe: Mont Cenis base tunnel takes shape
The award of civil works contracts earlier this summer to build the 57 km base tunnel across the Franco-Italian border has given new impetus to plans to complete a high-capacity corridor between Lyon and Torino. Toma Bačić reports.
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Rail Business UK
HS2 Phase 2a Design & Delivery Partner shortlist
UK: High Speed 2 project promoter HS2 Ltd has shortlisted three bidders for the £500m Phase 2a Design & Delivery Partner contract. This covers management and co-ordination of contracts for the detailed design and construction of the 58 km route from the northern end of Phase ...
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News
Battery rather than hydrogen trains suggested in Sachsen study
GERMANY: The use of battery rather than hydrogen traction is recommended in a study into options for replacing diesel multiple-units on regional routes around Dresden where electrification is unlikely in the short to medium term. The study found that hydrogen and battery power would each be ...
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News
Thales awarded Lisboa signalling contracts
PORTUGAL: Infraestruturas de Portugal has awarded Thales three contracts to modernise the signalling systems at Lisboa’s Santa Apolónia station and on the Cascais and Oeste lines. The contracts include the supply of PIPC Generation 3 electronic interlockings, ETCS Level 2 for the standalone Cascais suburban ...
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News
Tunnel to enable double-tracking of Neuchâtel – Biel/Bienne line
SWITZERLAND: Work has begun to double the last single-track section of the Neuchâtel – Biel/Bienne line, following approval for construction of the 2 130 m long Ligerz tunnel which will replace the existing alignment on the shore of Lake Biel. Work to ...
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News
Autonomous train trials and green power planned at Velim test track
CZECH REPUBLIC: The VUZ railway research institute has announced plans for investment to facilitate the testing of autonomous urban and suburban trains at the Velim test centre, and measures to lower the site’s emissions and produce green hydrogen for fuelling trains. ‘We ...
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News
Modernisation of Hungarian section of Budapest – Beograd line launched
HUNGARY: Work to modernise and double-track the Hungarian section of the Budapest – Beograd corridor was formally launched with a groundbreaking ceremony at Kiskunhalas on October 15. The upgrade of the line between Soroksár near Budapest and Kelebia on the Serbian border will reduce the journey ...
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News
Battery trains ordered for Hermann-Hesse-Bahn
GERMANY: Baden-Württemberg’s rolling stock owning body SFBW has ordered three Mireo Plus B battery-electric multiple-units from Siemens Mobility for use on Hermann-Hesse-Bahn services from December 2023. The BEMUs will use the 15 kV 16·7 Hz overhead electrification for power and to charge their batteries between Renningen ...
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News
SilkWay Transit orders Black Granite locomotives
KAZAKHSTAN: Freight operator SilkWay Transit has ordered 22 twin-section 2ES7 Black Granite electric locomotives from Sinara Transport Machines’ Ural Locomotives plant. The 8·8 MW locomotives with asynchronous traction motors are designed to haul heavy freight trains of up to 9 000 tonnes on AC electrified lines ...
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News
Tanzanian electric locomotive contract finalised
TANZANIA: Hyundai Rotem has awarded Škoda Transportation a Kc580m contract to supply the electrical equipment for 17 passenger locomotives which Tanzania Railways Corp has ordered for use on the 546 km 25 kV 50 Hz electrified standard gauge line under construction between Dar es Salaam, Morogoro and Makutopora.
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Rail Business UK
SE Trains takes over Southeastern services
UK: Southeastern services were transferred to the SE Trains subsidiary of the Department for Transport’s Operator of Last Resort when the directly-awarded management contract held by Govia’s London South Eastern Railway expired at 02.00 on October 17. DfT had an option to extend the contract to ...
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News
Battery train fast charging station tested
GERMANY: A prototype Voltap rapid charging station for battery trains has been tested under real-world conditions for the first time Voltap has been developed by railway electrification technology specialist Furrer+Frey and Tübingen municipal utilities company SWT. The aim is to produce a ...
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News
Wabtec opens Indian engineering hub
INDIA: Wabtec has opened a ‘world-class’ rail component design and performance lab at Bengaluru. The facility includes a test area, operations centre and office space with more than 30 custom-built mechanical, electrical and propulsion test rigs which will be used characterise performance, understand failures, predict the ...
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In depth
Finland: a positive shock in the far north
As the Finnish rail market opens further to competition, national railway VR Group remains committed to growing its passenger and freight business despite the impact of the pandemic as its Senior Vice-President for Strategy & Corporate Development Ilkka Heiskanen explains to Nick Kingsley.
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News
Helsinki – Turku high speed planning gets underway
tn_fi-helsinki-station-exterior_01.jpg FINLAND: Responsibility for the development of plans for a high speed line between Helsinki and Turku has been transferred from the national transport infrastructure agency Väylävirasto to the dedicated project body which was established to oversee the project through to completion. Turun Tunnin Juna Oy, ...
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News
Volga-Don Canal bridge opened
RUSSIA: A 155 m long bridge across the Volga-Don Canal near Volgograd has been officially opened, carrying a second track to increase the capacity of the Gornopolyansky – Kanalnaya line to 154 trains each way per day. Minister of Transport Vitaly Savelyev ...
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News
Wabtec to transfer production from German site to Italy and India
WABTEC: Plans to transfer production activities from Wabtec’s Bochum site in Germany to Poli in Italy and Hosur in India have been announced, with the loss of around 200 jobs expected by the end of 2023. The brake and coupler manufacturing and maintenance factory at Bochum ...
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In depth
Denmark: Getting the passengers back
With a substantial investment strategy in place and negotiations for a new operating contract underway, Denmark’s state passenger operator is positioning itself to drive modal shift in a post-Covid recovery, DSB Chief Executive Flemming Jensen tells Chris Jackson.
