Latest news – Page 1245
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NewsPassenger operating contract winners named
GERMANY: A 10-year contract to operate Weser-/Lammetalbahn passenger services was awarded to NordWestBahn by the Westfalen-Lippe and Niedersachsen transport authorities on February 3. NWB will take over from Keolis with the December timetable change, operating around 1·35 million train-km a year using 11 Lint 41 DMUs owned by Land transport ...
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NewsHigh Plateau construction contract
ALGERIA: Railway development agency Anesrif has awarded a €417m design and build contract for the Saida - Tiaret section of the High Plateau line to a joint venture in which Italian contracting firm Astaldi has a 60% stake. Work is set to begin shortly for completion within 36 months. The ...
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NewsNews in Brief
Indian Railways is to establish four biodiesel plants of 30 tonne/day capacity at a cost of Rs1·2bn, and will also undertake trials with natural gas powered locomotives. TransNamib has launched a N$9·4m upgrading programme with the start of work to relay 13 km of the 240 km Windhoek – ...
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NewsHouston buys Siemens Avantos
USA: Harris County Metropolitan Transit Authority on February 24 allocated up to $83m to purchase an additional 19 Siemens S70 Avanto light rail vehicles, supplementing its existing fleet of 18. The 29 m long 70% low-floor cars will be part of a 180-unit option on a base order of 77 ...
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NewsCommuter spin off
RUSSIA: RZD's ongoing structural reform programme will see its suburban passenger activities spun off into separate businesses this year, along with the end of cross-subsidy from freight. By the end the year RZD will have 27 commuter rail subsidiaries including Moscow airport train operator Aeroexpress, up from 22 ...
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NewsMRS Logística awards CBTC contract
BRAZIL: MRS Logística has awarded a US$165m contract for the design and installation of communications-based train control across its 1 674 route-km network by the end of 2013. Operating in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and São Paulo, the railway handles substantial flows of iron ore, ...
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NewsGrowth to continue
CHINA: The Ministry of Railways announced on February 15 that 850bn yuan will be invested in rail during 2011, including 700bn yuan for new construction, 126bn yuan for the purchase of rolling stock, and 24bn yuan for renovation and upgrading. This is up from 837bn yuan in 2010. Yunnan province ...
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News
Tim Dugher
Tim Dugher, Chief Operating Officer of Angel Trains, will retire in March. His successor has been named as Commercial Director Kevin Tribley.
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NewsPKP Cargo privatisation strategy approved
POLAND: On March 1 the Prime Minister’s office confirmed that the government intends to press ahead with plans to privatise the national state-owned rail freight operator PKP Cargo As with other freight operators across Europe, PKP Cargo was hit hard by economic slowdown, reporting an operating loss of 497m złoty ...
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NewsJR Central inaugurates Nagoya museum
JAPAN: JR Central Chief Executive Yoshiomi Yamada officially inaugurated the company’s new railway museum at Kinjo-futo in Nagoya on March 1. Constructed over the past two years, the SC Maglev & Railway Park is due to be opened to the public on March 14. The museum brings together 39 items ...
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NewsGreat Western electrification and IEP approved
UK: Speaking in the House of Commons on March 1, Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond announced the go-ahead for the second stage of the Great Western Main Line electrification, which will extend the 25 kV 50 Hz electrification from Didcot to Bristol and through the Severn Tunnel to ...
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NewsTülomsas rolls out Turkish PowerHaul
TURKEY: Celebrations in Eskisehir on February 28 marked the rollout of the first PowerHaul diesel locomotive to be assembled in Turkey. The locomotive has been assembled by Tülomsas using components manufactured at GE Transportation’s plant in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. The locomotive will run on the TCDD network for testing and ...
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NewsMetrolinx orders DMUs to work airport rail link
CANADA: The Metrolinx board of directors has approved the purchase of 12 two-car diesel multiple units for Toronto’s future airport rail link from Sumitomo Corp and its partner Nippon Sharyo Inc for C$53m. The DMUs will be similar to the 18 cars ordered by Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Authority to ...
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NewsNorfolk Southern sets out 2011 spending plan
USA: Norfolk Southern is planning capital investment of $2·2bn in 2011. 'Baseline' investment of $1·74bn is up 19% on last year, and includes $300m for track and terminal expansion. Resumption of its coal wagon replacement programme will see the purchase of 1500 vehicles, a level which is expected to ...
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Metro Report InternationalHawaiian blessing marks start of Honolulu light rail project
USA: A 90 min ceremony complete with a hula and a traditional Hawaiian blessing marked the official groundbreaking for the 32 km high-capacity light rail line linking East Kapolei with Ala Moana Center on February 22. State and local officials and supporters from the business community were ...
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News30-year railway master plan
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Railways Organization is compiling a 30-year master plan which SRO President Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al-Hokail said would provide 'an integrated and clear future vision' for a 'safer, better and bigger railway'. A joint venture of Fayez Zuhair and Germany's GTZ and Dornier has been awarded a ...
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NewsEast London Line reaches Highbury and Islington
UK: The latest phase of Transport for London’s East London Line extension programme was completed on February 28 when London Overground services began carrying passengers over the 2∙1 km between Dalston Junction and Highbury & Islington. Restoring a connection removed in the 1980s, the £50m project has also involved the ...
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NewsHS2 consultation launched
UK: The government launched a public consultation process for construction of the proposed London – West Midlands high speed line on February 28. The consultation, which runs until July 29, will take the form of a series of public meetings and events along the planned 190 km route that is ...
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NewsWabtec buys Brush Traction
UK: Wabtec Corp of the USA announced on February 28 that it had acquired Brush Traction for US$31m. Operating from plants in Loughborough and Kilmarnock, Brush Traction has built electric locomotives for customers including Eurotunnel and more recently has been active in the locomotive overhaul and refurbishment ...
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NewsIndian Railways faces testing times, says minister
INDIA: Presenting the Indian Railways budget for 2011-12 to Parliament on February 25, Minister of Railways Mamata Banerjee warned that IR was facing a ‘testing time’, citing a significant jump in fuel costs, and wage increases imposed following a review by the Pay Commission. With 1·4 million employees and 1·2 ...