Main line rail industry news – Page 1147
-
News
Anchors don’t weigh
DEBRIS control netting on embankments and cuttings requires anchoring on thrust blocks. These are conventionally made from heavy pre-cast concrete, but are difficult to install when steep slopes and inaccessible locations make the use of appropriate plant difficult. Expanded polystyrene maker Cordek and specialist access contractor CAN Geotechnical have developed ...
-
News
Training in Brief
Ptarmigan Transport Solutions, Maxim Learning and the UKAssociation of Train Operating Companies have developed a modular course totalling 2h to train ticket sellers in selling passengers additional services such as first class travel, railcards and through bus ticketing.Rail Training International has established a partnership with UK train operator Southern to ...
-
News
Bought by the neighbours
AMERICAN Railcar Industries acquired the Custom Steel subsidiary of Steel Technologies with effect from April 1.Under the deal announced on March 27, ARI paid approximately $13m for the Custom Steel business, plus $5m for its inventory. Custom Steel operates a rolling stock component fabrication facility in Kennett, Missouri, which primarily ...
-
News
Automation is the way to go
Fully-automatic metro operation looks set to be widely adopted over the next two decades, if feedback from delegates at the Metro Rail 2006 conference is anything to go by. Organised by Terrapinn in Barcelona on March 28-30, the event drew a wide mix of operators, suppliers and consultants from cities ...
-
News
Siemens wins in Ottawa
A CONSORTIUM led by Siemens has been selected as preferred bidder for a DBOM contract to develop Ottawa's 31 km north-south light rail line linking the Rideau Centre to Barrhaven. The winning team includes Siemens Canada, PCL Constructors Canada, Dufferin Construction and local architects Griffiths Rankin Cook. Two other ...
-
NewsBahn 2000 follow-on programme agreed
SWISS Federal Railways and the Federal Transport Ministry have agreed a further programme of enhancements to the national rail network (RG 12.05 p771). Details were announced by a government-SBB planning committee on April 7. Known as ZEB (Zukünftige Entwicklung der Bahnprojekte - Future Development of Rail Projects), the plan envisages ...
-
NewsRisks inherent in open access
TO MARK the opening up of the domestic rail freight market on March 31, six French transport unions declared a 'day of action' on May 5 to protest against 'the European project to deregulate passenger transport by road and rail'. Experience since the Trans-European Rail Freight Network was opened up ...
-
News
FasTracks route by route
West Corridor ($508·2m) This will be the first of the new projects to start. Final design is now underway, and construction will start in 2009 for opening at the end of 2013. The 19·5 km light rail line will link Auraria West station in Denver with Lakewood and the Jefferson ...
-
NewsFasTracks will drive smart growth
Colorado's mile-high city has embarked on an ambitious 12-year programme of rail expansion which will shape economic development over the next 30 years. RTD General Manager Cal Marsella explains to Chris Jackson why a fiercely Republican community bought into spending $4·7bn on public transport
-
News
Finished railway is waiting for trains
WHEN the second section of HSL-Zuid is completed at the end of this year, passengers hoping to ride over the new line will have some time to wait.Neither the Thalys trainsets nor the V250 EMUs ordered from AnsaldoBreda for services between Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Brussels will be ready to run ...
-
News
Overland upgrade announced
VICTORIAN Transport Minister Peter Batchelor announced a A$2·4m refurbishment of the Adelaide - Melbourne Overland on February 28. New seating will be installed and the cafe and lounge cars modernised by early 2007. Joint funding has been agreed with Great Southern Railway and the South Australian government for the work, ...
-
News
Reflections help see underground
RADAR reflective strips are laminated into the Terram PW5 geotextile, enabling ground-penetrating radar to be used to confirm that the correct depth of ballast is present after a track renewal project. The non-woven material was developed by Terram in collaboration with Network Rail, and after tests in the UK it ...
-
News
Railcar sales on the climb
AMERICAN Railcar Industries’ sales for the year to December 31 2005 were $608·2m, with net earnings attributable to common stock of $1·5 million, or $0·14 per diluted share. This was up from 2004 sales of $355·1m and a net loss attributable to common stock of $11·3m or $1·12 per diluted ...
-
News
Finance April 2006
Africa: The Indian government is donating US$500m towards the US$1·5bn Project Africarail scheme to extend a railway from Benin northwards to Niger, and to link Togo's railways to Burkina Faso. France: The Pays de la Loire region has allocated €66m in its 2006 budget to fund the acquisition of 11 ...
-
News
Balfour Beatty rail profits down
PROFIT before exceptional items in Balfour Beatty’s Rail Engineering & Services sector fell by 27% to £32m in the year to December 31 2005, affected by Network Rail taking maintenance work in-house during 2004. The fine incurred by Balfour Beatty Rail Infrastructure Services in respect of the Hatfield rail accident ...
-
News
Industry News in Brief
Oregon Iron Works and Skoda Transportation have signed an agreement for the US firm to produce tram components under licence (RG 9.05 p574).The CXT subsidiary of L B Foster Co is to build a concrete sleeper plant in Tucson, Arizona, with Grimbergen long-line manufacturing equipment. Production will begin this summer, ...
-
News
Pointers
AFE has appointed Andean Development Corp to assist with structuring the tender process that will see a public-private partnership established to upgrade the national network in Uruguay (RG 12.05 p750). Minister of Transport & Public Works Victor Rossi has said that at least US$35m will be required for rolling stock ...
-
News
Maintenance
CAPTION: Tianjin Metro is using three-car train lifting jacks supplied by Windhoff and CNR Sifang Rolling Stock Research Institute. The steel structure was built locally, using components and controls produced in Germany
-
News
City News in Brief
Ottawa city officials are expected to announce on April 21 a preferred bidder for the C$725m project to develop a 31 km light rail line between Rideau Centre and Barrhaven, serving 34 stops. SNC Lavalin/Bombardier, Kiewit-Ellisdon/ Kinki Sharyo, and PCL/Dufferin Construction/Siemens submitted financial offers on March 3, having lodged technical ...
-
NewsDeveloping local capabilities in Malaysia
ELECTROCUTED monkeys are rarely a problem on German commuter railways, but Kuala Lumpur’s Express Rail Link and the operators of similar trains and infrastructure in Europe do have other sources of disruption in common. Sharing knowledge has brought performance benefits. ERL’s four-car articulated ET425M Desiro EMUs ...