Main line rail industry news – Page 1160
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A network code for Europe
True interoperability demands much more than ERTMS and common operating rules. A unified code defining the rights and responsibilities of infrastructure managers and their clients is vital if Europe is ever to match the scale and efficiency of North American freight operators, says Tom Winsor
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Cross-city line will transform Praha
Now in full swing, construction of a high-capacity line joining the main stations in Praha promises major improvements for local and long-distance services
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Chinese EMUs take shape in Italy
Assembly of a fleet of 200 km/h trainsets for Chinese Railways has started in the Savigliano factory of Alstom Transport
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North-South Railway project management deal
AN INTERNATIONAL consortium led by the US-based Louis Berger Group is to undertake detailed design and manage the construction of a 1800 km heavy haul network serving mineral reserves in northern Saudi Arabia. Other members of the consortium are Systra, Canarail and the Saudi Consolidated Engineering Co. Worth 512m riyals ...
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Fleet renewal plans
SWISS FEDERAL Railways unveiled its first RABe514 EMU at Zürich on December 2 (RG 12.05 p770), presaging the launch of the 35 Siemens-built double-deck sets on the city’s growing S-Bahn network.Following commissioning trials, the units are expected to start entering service in April. SBB is planning to exercise an option ...
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Three franchises awarded
THE UK Department for Transport has awarded three more replacement franchises which will start on April 1. They cover three London commuter networks plus long-distance services to the west of England and South Wales.On November 30 DfT confirmed that the Govia joint venture of Go-Ahead and Keolis had won the ...
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Faster by design
FRENCH consultancy Systra announced on December 12 that it had won a contract to assist with the construction of the Beijing - Tianjin high speed line.Working in partnership with the China Academy of Railway Sciences, Systra will review the design of the 117 km route, which is the first line ...
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Grain hopper fleet sale agreed
CANADIAN Transport Minister Jean-C Lapierre and Finance Minister Ralph Goodale announced on November 24 that terms had been agreed for the sale of the government-owned grain hopper fleet, which totals around 12000 vehicles. The hoppers are used at no cost to the major Canadian railways for the movement of export ...
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PPP upgrading
FINNISH infrastructure authority RHK has decided to undertake the upgrading of its eastern main line from Lahti to the Russian border at Vainikkala using a public-private partnership.Work on the 152 km route is due to start in 2007 as part of the Helsinki - St Petersburg high speed project, which ...
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Trinidad tenders called
THE GOVERNMENT of Trinidad & Tobago has invited expressions of interest for the construction of two new rail routes in Trinidad, which it plans to offer as a DBOM contract. Frequent passenger services are planned to try and overcome growing congestion on the island's principal road corridors (RG 9.05 p527). ...
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Speedway upgrade
KANSAS CITY SOUTHERN and Norfolk Southern have agreed to form a joint venture to improve the 515 km KCS route between Meridian, Mississippi, and Shreveport, Louisiana. Under the `Meridian Speedway’ project, KCS, which retains operational control, will transfer the line to the joint venture for a 70% stake. NS will ...
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Rebuild to uprate SA locos
NOW nearing completion in Transwerk’s Bloemfontein factory in South Africa is the prototype for a fleet of rebuilt Class 34 diesel locomotives. To be known as Class 39, the rebuilt Co-Co units will offer a 15% increase in available traction power to give a nominal rating of nearly 2500hp.EMD 16-645 ...
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Railway Directory 2006
WITH the addition of maps of the networks in Madagascar, the Philippines and Venezuela, we are pleased to announce that Railway Directory now offers a complete suite of four-colour geographical maps of the world’s main line railways.Compiled and edited by Chris Bushell, with maps drawn by Andy Hellawell, the 111th ...
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Passengers return to Puerto Montt
CHILEAN President Ricardo Lagos was on board EFE’s inaugural Victoria - Puerto Montt service on December 6, marking the completion of a $44m upgrade that has restored passenger services on the 388·8 km Temuco - Puerto Montt route (RG 9.05 p520). The service frequency was due to be increased to ...
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Boost for Concepción commuters
AS PART OF the US$155m Biovías programme to improve public transport in the greater Concepción area, Chilean State Railways (EFE) launched its Biotrén commuter network on November 24.EFE has acquired seven Class 440 EMUs from Renfe of Spain for Biotrén, which runs up to 82 trains a day on routes ...
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Contracts renegotiated
ON NOVEMBER 29 the Renfe board approved the last three of six contracts for new rolling stock that have been renegotiated since they were awarded in 2004. Renegotiation of the first three contracts was completed in July 2005 (RG 8.05 p461), and Renfe will now acquire a total of 126 ...
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SEITT to attract private finance
THE SPANISH Ministry of Development announced on November 30 the creation of a new state-owned company that will be responsible for the government’s land transport infrastructure projects. In addition, SEITT is to act as a conduit for private finance by raising debt on the capital markets. SEITT has been formed ...
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High speed go-ahead
FORMAL approval for construction of two high speed lines in Portugal was announced on December 13. Prime Minister José Sócrates said they would help to bind the country closer into the European Union and the Iberian peninsula.Detailed design is already well advanced, and civil works are expected to get underway ...
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Acoustic monitoring of wheel squeal
EQUIPMENT is being trialled at Heathfield on ARTC’s Adelaide - Melbourne main line to detect and measure wheel squeal.Trains negotiating this sharply-curved and steeply-graded section generate high levels of squeal and flanging noise in a densely-populated area, and investigations suggest that a large percentage of wheels with high noise emission ...
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Crashworthy cab cars
SOUTHERN California Regional Rail Authority is planning to replace its 42 Metrolink push-pull driving trailers with new cars, following a number of collisions with road vehicles on level crossings, one of which killed 11 people in January 2005. Part of an order for 80 to 100 cars likely to be ...