Main line rail industry news – Page 1153
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Tunnel bids invited
EXPRESSIONS of Interest have been called for design teams to undertake engineering services on the proposed Trans-Hudson Express tunnel. New Jersey Transit hopes to have preliminary engineering completed during 2007, with the aim of having the link ready for revenue service in 2015. The winning bidder may also be ...
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Crossing closures
ON FEBRUARY 7 Israel Railways awarded a US$12m contract for grade separation of three level crossings on the Kiryat Gat - Be'er Sheva line by the end of 2007. This marked the start of a US$530m programme to eliminate most of ISR's level crossings within three years, approved by ...
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Siemens wins Railjet order
THE BOARD of Austrian Federal Railways voted on February 9 to authorise a contract for supply of high speed inter-city trains valued at between €250m and €300m.ÖBB has selected Siemens to provide the trains for its Railjet programme. Over the next two years, the manufacturer is to supply 23 seven-car ...
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BNSF spends on capacity expansion
UNVEILING a $2·4bn capital programme for 2006 on January 24, BNSF Chairman, President & CEO Matthew K Rose said the railway was planning to invest 10% more than it did in 2005. 'We are increasing our capital investment programme to meet anticipated future volumes because we are confident that our ...
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Slovak shortlist
THIS MONTH is expected to see the announcement of the preferred bidder to take over ZSSK Cargo. Privatisation of the Slovakian freight operator began last year after train operator ZSSK was split into separate freight and passenger business units (RG 5.05 p241). The government hopes to raise at least KS15bn ...
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Transport for London to take over suburban services
UK: The Department for Transport confirmed on February 14 that it had reached agreement to transfer responsibility for four suburban rail services to Transport for London on November 11 2007. TfL London Rail is to start work shortly on 'procuring a concession' to run the Silverlink Metro inner suburban routes: ...
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The virtuous circle remains elusive
’CURRENT market prices are not compatible with an economically sound roll-out.’ Not only that, but they are ’much too high to encourage a rapid migration’. Taken from a UIC-CER-EIM declaration, these phrases leave little doubt over the scale of the problem facing Europe’s railways and their suppliers as they grapple ...
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Toll and Patrick step up the fight
HAVING received no assurance that Toll Holdings will respect its decision to block Toll’s hostile takeover bid for Patrick Corp, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission launched Federal Court proceedings against the firm on February 9.ACCC is seeking an injunction against Toll acquiring any further interest in Patrick, or taking ...
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Fleet tendering underway in Santo Domingo
THE DOMINICAN Republic’s transport agency Opret announced on January 25 that bids to supply rolling stock for the Santo Domingo metro (RG 12.05 p754) had been received from Alstom, CAF and Siemens. Ansaldobreda and Bombardier were also expected to submit offers.A fleet of 53 cars formed as 17 trainsets is ...
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Modular EMU plan
BIDS are being sought for around 400 EMUs to operate regional services in Germany. DB wants the trains to be fully modular, with standard component interfaces permitting equipment from different suppliers to be exchanged.Intended to meet the higher standards specified in tenders for regional services, the trains will need a ...
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French freight ferment
WITH THE French government required to open up its domestic rail freight market by March 31 (RG 2.05 p58), operators are lining up to compete with Fret SNCF.After filing an application in November 2004, rail4chem announced on February 13 that it had received a safety certificate from the transport ministry ...
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Tuy Medio line to open in October
IAFE President Ángel García announced at the end of January that the 41·4 km Tuy Medio suburban line between Caracas and Cúa in Venezuela will open on October 15. Named the Ezequiel Zamora Railway after a federalist general born in Cúa in 1817, the route has cost US$2·5bn to build. ...
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Olympic VAL inaugurated
ITALY’S first automatic metro was formally opened on February 4 by Transport Minister Pietro Lunardi and Torino Mayor Sergio Chiamparino.Torino residents had their first look at the new line on February 5, when celebrations were held in the Piazza XVIII Dicembre near Porta Susa and the stations were opened to ...
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Beijing starts work on airport link
CONSTRUCTION work began in January on the 27·3 km metro line to Beijing Capital International Airport, which is due to be completed in June 2008.Expected to cost 5·4bn yuan, the line is being built by a consortium of five Chinese companies. It will start from an interchange with Beijing Metro ...
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Tehran tenders
REQUESTS for prequalification for two major rolling stock orders were issued by Tehran Urban & Suburban Railway Co at the end of January, with initial responses required by February 19.TUSRC is seeking an extra 455 cars for use on metro Lines 1 and 2, formed into 65 seven-car trainsets. To ...
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Bush budget backs new rail starts
TRANSPORT funding totalling $65·6bn is included in the Bush administration’s budget proposals for the 2007 fiscal year, which were announced on February 6.The budget allocates $8·9bn for the Federal Transit Administration, including $1·5bn for work on 23 existing projects and five more approved for federal funding in the annual New ...
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Capitol streetcars
PLANS are taking shape for a light rail line in the heart of Washington DC as work forges ahead on a 4·3 km pilot project in the suburb of Anacostia. Director of the District of Columbia's Department of Transportation Dan Tangherlini expects to have light rail services running between ...
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Spanish tenders
THE SPANISH Ministry of Development has been authorised to call tenders for further works on the emerging high speed network in the northeast of the country.Tenders are to be called for civil works on two sections of the connection between the Valencia - Barcelona route at Vandell
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Belgrano investment proposal
A CONSORTIUM of motorway concessionaire Sideco and Sanhe Hopeful Grain & Oil Group of China has submitted to the Argentinian government a proposal for reviving the 1000mm gauge Belgrano Cargas network. The plan involves a total investment of 2·46bn pesos over a period of 24 years. Taking a 73% stake ...