Main line rail industry news – Page 1005
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NewsShanghai Line 8 extension open for business
CHINA: The second phase of Shanghai metro Line 8 entered service at 08.00 on July 5 when the first train left Lianhang Road station. On board were 220 local residents who had been invited to join the inaugural trip along the extended route, which is now 37·5 km long ...
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NewsElectric shunter delivered to SBB
SWITZERLAND: The first of 21 Stadler Ee 922 electric shunting locomotives ordered by Swiss Federal Railways was formally handed over on July 3. The locomotives will be deployed shunting passenger stock at seven major stations by the end of 2010, replacing Ee 3/3 locomotives dating back as far as the ...
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NewsCatalan cargo shuttle
SPAIN: Cargometro launched a swap body shuttle carrying car parts between the Port of Barcelona and the SEAT plant in Martorell on June 4, using the 17·5 km dual-gauge freight route between Can Tunis and Castellbisbal built under the Madrid – Barcelona high speed programme. This is expected to remove ...
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NewsPassenger revival
ARGENTINA: The federal government has taken delivery of the latest batch of second-hand stock from Spain. Transport Secretary Ricardo Jaime said the 10 Class 319 diesel locomotives would be deployed on the Sarmiento and Roca commuter networks in Buenos Aires, and to haul long-distance services between Buenos Aires ...
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NewsLinz orders more Cityrunners
AUSTRIA: Bombardier Transportation has received a €69m order from transport operator Linz Linien GmbH to supply a further 23 Flexity Outlook trams. They will be a development of the 33 Cityrunners which have been in service in Linz since 2001, and were the first 100% low-floor trams with conventional wheelset ...
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NewsAlstom to supply Athens metro extensions
GREECE: Alstom Transport and Athens metro operator Attiko Metro signed a €15m contract on June 26 for the supply of Iconis automatic train supervision and passenger information equipment for extensions of lines 2 and 3. These projects form part of the development plan to link the metro to the ...
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NewsAnother attempt at restructuring Eurostar
EUROPE: The UK government, SNCF and SNCB are negotiating the transformation of Eurostar's tri-national structure into a single company, Secretary of State for Transport Lord Adonis told the upper house of the UK parliament on June 25. An agreement is expected later this year. There have been several previous ...
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NewsPresident opens Astana locomotive plant
KAZAKHSTAN: President Nursultan Nazarbayev inaugurated GE Transportation’s locomotive assembly plant in Astana on July 3. Later this year staff at the 43000 m² plant will begin assembling 300 Evolution Series locomotives for state railway KTZ using parts supplied from the USA under a US$650m order for a total ...
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NewsCan you hear me?
INFORMATION: As the extent of station public address coverage has increased, so have complaints from residents living nearby. Technology is available to automatically sample background noise before an announcement is made and adjust the volume to ensure it is heard without causing too much disturbance beyond the station, but many ...
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NewsPöyry wins São Paulo metro Line 4 project management
BRAZIL: Pöyry has been awarded a €3m contract by the São Paulo Metro to provide project management for Phase II of the city’s fully automated driverless Line 4. The company is already supervising construction of Phase I. The contract scope includes project management, technical and financial assistance, and providing tools ...
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NewsPaint firms agrees business transfer
ANCR: Vehicle paint manufacturer AkzoNobel Car Refinishes has announced the transfer of its European rail activities to Mäder Group. ANCR's Italian activities will become part of Isva-Mäder, a joint venture between Isva Vernici and Mäder Group, while its Spanish arm will be transferred to France-based Soficor-Mäder. Financial terms of ...
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NewsDSB agrees Desiro DMU framework contract
DENMARK: DSB and Siemens Mobility have reached a framework agreement for the supply of up to 100 Desiro Classic regional diesel multiple-units. DSB placed a firm order for an initial eight two-car units on July 2, and has options for a further 92 units. The price is not being disclosed. ...
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NewsDublin Metro North shortlist announced
IRELAND: The Railway Procurement Agency has shortlisted two tenderers to proceed to the final stage of the procurement competition for the 18 km Metro North light rail line, following the receipt of four bids for the PPP contract in February. The remaining bidders are Celtic Metro Group and Metro ...
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NewsEuroMaint wins Arlanda Express refurbishment
SWEDEN: EuroMaint Rail has won a SKr100m contract to refurbish the Arlanda Express trainsets. 'The fleet of seven Arlanda Express trains is to be given a brand new, modern design', said Per Thorstenson, Chief Executive of A-Train, operator of the dedicated shuttle service from Stockholm C to the capital's main ...
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NewsEurotunnel looking at High Speed 1 bid
EUROPE: Eurotunnel Chairman & Chief Executive Jacques Gounon has revealed that the company is 'looking carefully' at submitting a bid for High Speed 1 when the UK government puts it on the market following the break-up of London & Continental Railways. Eurotunnel believes it will be in a strong ...
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NewsNews in Brief
BC Iron has signed an agreement to use Fortescue Metals Group’s railway and port infrastructure in the development of iron ore mining at Nullagine. The Pilbara Infrastructure subsidiary of FMG will provide rail haulage.Last month the European commission cleared DB’s purchase of PCC Logistics, the largest private-sector rail freight operator ...
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News'Buy America' tram unveiled
USA: Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood was in Portland on July 1 for the formal unveiling of United Streetcar's prototype 10 T3 tram. A subsidiary of commercial fabricator and defence contractor Oregon Iron Works Inc, United Streetcar has developed the light rail vehicle to be compliant with the 'Buy America' ...
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NewsTours tramway project manager appointed
FRANCE: Tours transport authority SITCAT has appointed a consortium led by Systra as project manager for the city’s first tram line. Studies began last month and construction is scheduled to begin in June 2010, ready for services to be launched on September 1 2013. The consortium includes infrastructure consultants ...
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NewsFreightliner Australia begins with cotton contract
AUSTRALIA: Freightliner Australia ran its first train on June 30, using leased locomotives to haul containerised processed cotton in New South Wales under a contract with Namoi Cotton Co-operative. 'Freightliner have been exploring a number of overseas opportunities, and we are delighted to have commenced a long-term partnership with ...