Main line rail industry news – Page 1184
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News
Chennai launches metro plan
PLANS to develop a three-line metro network in the Indian city of Chennai were unveiled on April 12 by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Ms J Jayalalithaa.She told the state assembly that Delhi Metro Rail Corp had completed an initial feasibility study, and has now been asked to prepare ...
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NYCT to start ATO
NEW YORK City Transit expected to introduce automatic train operation last month on its L Canarsie line, which has been re-equipped with communications-based train control by Siemens as a pilot for resignalling the subway network. The four-car trains formed of Kawasaki R143 stock have a train operator to supervise ...
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Ring line funded
ON APRIL 4 København City Council announced a €600m funding boost for the Danish capital’s planned metro ring line. The money will come from the recently-completed sale of the municipal power company København Energi to Dansk Olje & Naturgas, which raised €1·5bn.Plans for the 14 km Ring line were unveiled ...
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Cuts in prospect
AFTER several months of consultation, Finland’s Ministry of Transport confirmed on March 27 that it had instructed state-owned operator VR to review the viability of its unprofitable passenger services.Some services could be suspended indefinitely, and other routes closed completely. ’We cannot continue with the present situation where subsidies are paid ...
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Fret spirals down
WITH the European Commission watching closely following its approval of the French government’s €1·5bn aid package (RG 4.05 p181), SNCF Freight Director Marc Véron is anxious to make progress in turning round his business. Also looking over his shoulder is hopeful operator CFTA Cargo and other private-sector companies waiting for ...
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No duty to promote the use of rail
ONCE AGAIN the exigencies of politics have dictated railway policy in the UK. Once again, the policy is ill-conceived, with the state taking more direct control over what is nominally a private industry (RG 3.05 p115). And once again the stage has been set for cuts in services and possible ...
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Bahn 2000 is working
EARLY REPORTS suggest that Switzerland’s ambitious Bahn 2000 programme with its nationwide interconnecting timetable has led to a 10% increase in passenger traffic on main line services. While this still awaits formal confirmation, it is clear that Swiss Federal Railways was already well placed to make progress even before the ...
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Coal line PPP
EIGHT public and private-sector organisations in China signed an agreement on April 6 to build a 200 km coal railway.The 4·1bn yuan scheme is one of the first to make use of provisions agreed in 2004 to accelerate investment in the 70000 km rail network as a means of raising ...
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Bill blizzard sends mixed signals
THREE SEPARATE bills were introduced into the US Congress on April 14, offering widely-different prospects for the future of the US passenger rail network.The government’s Passenger Rail Investment Reform Act proposes to hand responsibility for various routes to individual states while converting Amtrak into a private-sector train operator. `This legislation ...
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Third Railway Package creeps forward
APRIL 19 saw the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport & Tourism vote on the four-part Third Railway Package.The proposed regulation on the quality of freight services was overwhelmingly rejected, prompting CER Executive Director Johannes Ludewig to comment that ’quality in the rail freight market comes through competition and good rail ...
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Industry leaders to debate the future of railway technology
INTRO: Renowned railway operators, suppliers and research engineers from around the world will be speaking at the Railway Gazette Centenary Congress on July 1THE Railway Gazette Centenary Congress on July 1 offers an unrivalled opportunity to meet the world railway industry’s top engineers, technical decision-makers, and leading experts from all ...
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Changing the perception of inter-city
THE FLEET of 120 inter-city diesel multiple-unit vehicles ordered in January represents a new departure for Iarnród Éireann, which currently uses loco-hauled vehicles on long-distance services. Funded by the government's National Development Plan, the €262m contract for the trains was signed with Japanese trading group Mitsui at a ceremony in ...
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NewsInvestment brings Ireland's railways back from the brink
Pat Mangan, Assistant Secretary at Ireland’s Department of Transport, told Andrew Grantham how a 10-year strategic plan will rectify decades of under-investment
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Iran plans 50% network expansion as Mashhad - Bafgh line opens
Faced with growing demand for transit freight between the Central Asian republics and the Indian Ocean, RAI needs to modernise motive power and freight operations if it is to handle major flows of high-value traffic and containers. David Brice reports
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NewsCan Europe's railways win back their lost freight market share?
Globalisation and changing patterns of world trade mean that Europe's railways can expect zero growth in their traditional markets. They must accept a different role in the logistics chain and adapt to new markets and demands to survive Alain PoinssotConsultant, AXEP Consulting THE QUESTION posed in the title of this ...
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CAF profits increase
SPANISH train builder CAF made a pre-tax profit of €17·4m in 2004, an increase of 21% on 2003. EBITDA was €32·6m, and net profit was €14m. Sales in 2004 totalled €578m, up 16·8% on the previous year, with the Spanish domestic market accounting for 44% of sales. Contracts awarded during ...
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Step-by-step training
ROYAL Navy training facilities are to be used in a £30m Advanced Apprenticeship Scheme launched by Network Rail.The company is to recruit 200 school leavers each year over five years for the three-year courses, which include a residential first year. The courses will be based at a purpose-built centre within ...
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Industry News in Brief
ABB has reported earnings before interest and taxes of $1·1bn for 2004, up from $537m in 2003. Income was $201m, $980m up on 2003.Icon Polymer Group has invested £75000 in a Berstoff Rotocure machine which can produce rubber sheets up to 1·6 m wide for gangway diaphragms.CKD Kutn
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Tracks and trains on TGV Est
Sir - Nabla fastenings will not be used on TGV Est (RG 3.04 p147). Since the end of 2003 RFF’s policy has been to use the Pandrol Fastclip as its standard fastening for both new lines and renewals. The high capacity tracklaying trains have been modified to lay Fastclips.Nabla is ...
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Passenger News in Brief
Indian Railways Catering & Tourism Corp and Intrex India have introduced Itz Cash pre-payment cards to provide access to on-line booking to customers without credit cards. FS launched its second TrenOK low-cost passenger service (RG 1.05 p13) on March 15, with tickets for the 5h trip between Roma and Bari ...