Main line rail industry news – Page 1087
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World rail market December 2007
Africa: Plasser & Theurer has won orders to supply ATP 500-C flash butt welding machines to Oncfm in Morocco and the Transgabonais Railway which carries manganese ore in Gabon. China: Nokia Siemens Networks is to provide GSM-R communications on the 166 km Passenger-Dedicated Line under construction between Hefei and Nanjing ...
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Argentine tram-train bids in
THE GOVERNMENT of the Argentinian province of Mendoza has received a total of seven bids for a contract to undertake civils, track, electrification, signalling and telecommunications work for the first phase of a tram-train network serving the provincial capital (RG 2.07 p60). This would run from for 12 km from ...
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Network Rail says it needs £5bn more
IN ITS Strategic Business Plan published on November 1, Network Rail details the funding it requires to operate, maintain, renew and enhance the UK's national rail infrastructure over the five years commencing April 1 2009. This suggests that there will be a shortfall of £5bn in the public subsidy that ...
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North - South upgrade will boost rail's market share
An extensive upgrade of rail infrastructure in the North - South corridor between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, on course for completion in June 2009, is intended to make rail freight operators more competitive in terms of price, availability and reliability
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Airport link on the way
BUCURESTI Municipal Council approved a feasibility study on October 12 for a metro line to connect Piata Victoriei in the city cenre with Henri Coanda airport at Otopeni. The 15·8 km line will serve 19 stations and include a dedicated depot. All of the stations will be built below ground. ...
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NewsBombardier to run GO Transit
GREATER TORONTO Transit Authority has awarded Bombardier Transportation a five-year contract to operate GO Transit commuter rail services, valued at C$131·3m. GTTA announced on November 9 that Bombardier's bid had been selected over tenders from SNC-Lavalin and Veolia Transportation Rail. From June 2008 the company will be responsible for providing ...
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Inter-city overhaul continues as operators change
LAST MONTH outgoing InterCity East Coast franchisee GNER expected to return to service the fourth of its 13 diesel High Speed Train sets to be refurbished by Wabtec Rail in Doncaster. The £45m modernisation of the Class 43 power cars and MkIII coaches is being funded by the train's owners ...
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Pointers December 2007
The government of Queensland has begun consultation on the creation of a transit authority to co-ordinate rail, bus and ferry services in the southeast of the Australian state by July 2008. QR's passenger services would be structurally separated from freight operations. A feasibility study is being conducted into a proposed ...
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Algerian tram contracts placed
ENTREPRISE du Métro d'Alger has selected two consortia including Alstom Transport to undertake the turnkey construction of light rail lines in Oran and Constantine. The French supplier announced on November 13 that its share of the contracts totalling €660m was expected to be around €300m. Oran will get an 18 ...
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Inner Mongolia coal link starts
NOVEMBER 10 saw the formal start of construction of a new line in northeast China which will eventually form a second trans-Mongolian link with Russia. Dubbed the 'energy line', the project is being promoted by the Liaoning Chuncheng Industry & Trade Group. It will initially be used to carry coal ...
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Condition monitoring agreement
A JOINT project to develop automated rolling stock condition monitoring integrated with braking systems has been established by bearing and lubrication specialist SKF and brake manufacturer Knorr-Bremse. Signed in Göteborg on October 31 by SKF Service Division President Phil Knights and Knorr-Bremse Director Wolfgang Schlosser, the agreement covers the development ...
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Bern order signals Combino comeback
SIEMENS has won an order for 21 Combino Classic 100% low-floor trams to run in the Swiss capital. Transport authority Bernmobil will use the vehicles on Line 9 to Wabern and on the 6·8 km Tram Bern West project that was approved in August after extensive revision of earlier proposals. ...
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NewsNigeria's grand plan back on hold
FOR MANY years we have been tracking plans to develop a standard gauge network in Nigeria. Earlier this year it looked as if progress was imminent, with the signing of an agreement for China Civil Engineering & Construction Co to build a double-track line from Lagos to Abuja and Kano ...
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NewsTaiwan's high speed line takes off
A celebration on October 24 marked the formal completion of the high speed line between Taipei and Kaohsiung. THSRC Chairman Nita Ing talks to Chris Jackson about the challenges of transforming the company from a builder to an operator and paying off the US$16bn cost of the world's biggest BOT ...
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An international partnership
THE TAIWAN high speed line has been a truly international project, according to THSRC Chief Executive Dr Ou Chin-Der. Over the past decade engineers, contractors and consultants of more than 40 nationalities were involved in the design, construction and commissioning of the railway. 'We have enjoyed more than a contractual ...
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First Italian region calls bids to run local transport
TENDERS will be called early in 2008 for a concession to run transport services in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northern Italy from January 2011 to December 2019. The region is the first in Italy to call open tenders for public transport services, according to Regional Councillor for ...
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Civia IV ordered for suburban growth
SPANISH national operator RENFE announced on October 30 that it had awarded contracts for the supply of 60 Civia EMUs, taking to 237 the number of these commuter trains ordered since 2000. Under a contract worth €233·1m including maintenance over 14 years, CAF and Siemens are to supply 30 five-car ...
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NewsMÁV Cargo tender won by RCA-GySEV
HUNGARY'S Ministry of Economy & Transport announced on November 27 that a consortium of Rail Cargo Austria and GySEV had submitted the best bid for the privatisation of MÁV Cargo. The Ministry's statement said negotiations with the winning consortium would start 'as soon as possible, so the contract might ...
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Battle for Oakajee
COMPETITION to build rail and port infrastructure serving iron ore mines in the Mid West region of Western Australia is hotting up as rival groups vie for the right to develop the planned deep-water port at Oakajee north of Geraldton. After WestNet Rail unveiled proposals for a single dual-gauge route ...
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CD Cargo leaves the nest
THE ESTABLISHMENT of CD Cargo as an independent freight train operator will take effect on December 1, according to Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek. Separation of Czech Railways' freight business into a wholly-owned subsidiary was finally approved by the government on October 22. The cabinet had approved the plans in ...