Latest news – Page 844
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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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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’ ...
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NewsDiyarbakır tram project approved
TURKEY: Prime minister Binali Yıldırım has approved the construction of a tram line in Diyarbakır. The city in eastern Turkey has 930 000 inhabitants, with more than 1·5 million in the metropolitan area, but no tram lines. The planned route would link Dağkapı on the edge of the historic ...
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NewsMatterhorn Gotthard Bahn renews shunting locomotive fleet
SWITZERLAND: Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn has awarded Stadler a SFr23m contract to supply seven locomotives of three types for shunting and hauling infrastructure trains. This will enable the metre-gauge operator to retire its older diesel locomotives, standardise its non-passenger fleet and reduce noise and emissions. The contract signed on December 23 ...
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NewsRailway supply industry news round-up
In an interview with Schweiz am Sonntag published on January 1, Stadler Rail owner and CEO Peter Spuhler said he was considering a return to Swiss politics and how to go about securing the long-term future of the company. This could include the sale of a stake in the business ...
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NewsAnkara metro Line M4 opens
TURKEY: Line M4 of the Ankara metro network entered passenger service at 14.00 on January 5. The 9·2 km route from Gazino to Atatürk Kültür Merkezi has nine stations. Construction began in 2004 and test running started in August 2016. A further 1·4 km section running south ...
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NewsRevised ERTMS Deployment Plan adopted
EUROPE: A new timetable for the roll-out of the European Rail Traffic Management System has been put in place by the European Commission, with the adoption on January 5 of an implementing regulation. The revised ERTMS European Deployment Plan has been drawn up over the past two years by ERTMS ...
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Metro Report InternationalLos Angeles metro extension secures more federal funding
USA: The Department of Transportation announced on January 4 that it is to provide $1·6bn in federal grants and loans to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, to be used towards the $2·5bn Westside Purple Line Extension Section 2 project. The funds will be provided over 12 years. ...
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NewsDSB seeks smoother border checks to halt slump in Øresund traffic
EUROPE: Identity checks for rail passengers travelling across the Øresund fixed link between Denmark and Sweden are to be simplified with effect from January 30, Danish national operator DSB has announced. In response to the European migrant crisis, with effect from January 4 2016 the Swedish government brought in a ...
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Metro Report InternationalSiemens wins Lima metro electrification upgrade contract
PERU: Siemens announced on January 4 that it is to provide a power supply upgrade to the first section of Lima metro Line 1. The work will be carried out without interruption to services. Electrification equipment on the 9 km between Villa El Salvador and Atocongo dates from 1995. ...
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NewsElevated metro line to be built in Toshkent
UZBEKISTAN: The government has announced plans to build an elevated metro line in Toshkent. To be built by national railway UTY, the 8 km Sergili Line would run around 6 m above Choshtepa, Mirzo Tursunzoda and Qipchoq streets, serving six stations. The government is to contribute US$170·1m towards ...
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NewsWork starts to reopen Guarda – Covilhã link
PORTUGAL: Minister of Planning & Infrastructure Pedro Marques has announced the start of work to rehabilitate the Guarda – Covilhã section of the Beira Baixa route by mid-2019. To be completed within a budget of €88m, rehabilitation of the railway, which has been out of use since 2009, would provide ...
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NewsDonghae Line opens
SOUTH KOREA: The first phase of the Donghae Line opened on December 30, linking Busan with Ilgwang. Services use an existing alignment north from Bujeon station in Busan, serving 14 stations along a 28·5 km route. Interchanges are provided with the Busan metro at Geoje, Busan National University of ...
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NewsAlfaro to head RENFE Operadora
Spain’s Minister of Development, Iñigo de la Serna Hernáiz, has selected Juan Alfaro to replace Pablo Vázquez as President of national operator RENFE Operadora. Alfaro has served as Managing Director of transport infrastructure funding body SEITT since 2012. Alfaro has in turn appointed Francisco Minayo to succeed Berta Barrero as ...