Main line rail industry news – Page 1194
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Spain opens up
AS WELL AS separating infrastructure authority ADIF from train operator Renfe Operadora with effect from January 1, three decrees approved by the cabinet on December 30 transposed EU directives 2001/12, 13 and 14 into Spanish law. Since January 1 routes within Spain forming part of the Trans-European Rail Freight Network ...
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More gauge conversion in Spain
SPANISH Development Minister Magdalena Álvarez has unveiled a Strategic Infrastructure & Transport Plan (PEIT) for the period from 2005 to 2020.The plan anticipates total investment of €241·4bn, of which €103·4bn would be spent on rail. From the 1031 km of high speed infrastructure currently in service, PEIT aims to create ...
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European Bulls charge into the ring
JANUARY 13 saw the launch in Rotterdam of an alliance of private rail freight operators known as European Bulls. The alliance is modelled on airline groupings such as the Star Alliance, which the Chairman of European Bulls Matthias Raith cited in his address as guaranteeing 'high quality over the entire ...
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Catastrophe on the coast
NEVER BEFORE have so many people perished in an accident on a railway as on December 26 2004. We will never know how many died because of the Indian Ocean tsunami, nor is it likely that we shall learn how many passengers lost their lives on Sri Lanka Railways’ Train ...
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Lyon awards T4 and Lea contracts
FRENCH engineering consultancy Systra announced on January 14 that it had been awarded a contract for project management on the first two sections of Lyon tram line T4. Totalling 9·5 km, these sections are expected to cost €177m.The contract has been awarded by Lyon transport authority Sytral. Detailed design is ...
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Still growing
SHANGHAI Metro Corp opened the northern extension of Line 1 on December 28, adding 12·4 km and nine stations.Linking Shanghai Main station to Gong Fu Xin Cun, the line runs underground for the first 4·2 km serving three stations, and then on elevated alignment. SMC offers 3min headways on the ...
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Trams to Lancy
DECEMBER 12 saw the opening of a further extension of the Genève tram network and the introduction of a new route.Serving six stops, the 2·1 km branch diverges from the existing network at Plainpalais and runs along the Route des Acacias to the SBB station at Lancy-Pont-Rouge, where interchange will ...
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Delhi goes underground
INDIAN Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh formally opened the first section of Delhi Metro’s underground Line 2 on December 19, when he was presented with the first copy of a new book commemorating construction of the network over the past six years.Delhi Metro Rail Corp began revenue services on Line ...
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Singapore extends
ON DECEMBER 29 Singapore’s Land Transit Authority announced the go-ahead for a further extension of the island’s existing east-west metro line.Serving the Jurong West town area and Tuas industrial estate, the 3·8 km Boon Lay Extension will be elevated throughout. There will be two new stations at Jurong West Street ...
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Traffic to treble again
RECORDS have been shattered again as Israel Railways Ltd clocks up yet another huge increase in passenger travel. Our correspondent reports that the total of 23 million passengers carried in 2004 was 15·3% higher than in 2003, exactly as predicted. At a press conference called to announce the 2004 figures, ...
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Line 2 expands
CATALUNYA REGIONAL government’s construction authority GISA has awarded a contract worth €31m for civil works, tracklaying and electrification on the extension of Barcelona metro Line 2 from Pep Ventura to Badalona Centre. Work is due to start in the first quarter of 2005 for completion within 26 months. Signalling, station ...
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FGC plans €602·9m spend
CATALAN regional operator FGC has unveiled a 2005-07 investment plan costed at €602·9m. On its main network serving Barcelona, €387m is to be spent on infrastructure by the regional government’s public works department, while half of the €166m allocated to operations has been earmarked for new trains and rolling stock ...
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Madrid lets light metro contracts
MADRID regional government has awarded two contracts worth €131m for construction of a 5·3 km ’light metro’ from Pinar de Chamartín to Las Tablas. Expected to take 20 months to complete, construction will be undertaken by a consortium of Comsa and Ortiz and a second grouping of Comsa and Corviam. ...
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Work starts on trans-Andean link
THEARGENTINIAN province of Neuquén has started work on the first 13 km of a route from Zapala that it hopes will form part of a 220 km southern rail crossing of the Andes to Lonquimay in Chile. Construction is being undertaken by Patagonia Ferrocanal SA, formed and funded by the ...
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JR Central to go fully private
FACED with a yawning gap in the state budget, the Japanese government is looking to sell off its remaining 39·56% stake in Central Japan Railway during the financial year starting in April.If the sale goes ahead, it will complete the process of privatising the three JR companies on Honshu: JR ...
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AlpTransit costs rise as tracklaying starts
IN THE next few weeks tunnellers working on the 34·6 km L
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Free riders
FROM the start of this year private-sector companies throughout Belgium have been allowed to set up arrangements for their employees to travel to and from work without charge. This option had previously been open only to public-sector enterprises.As many as 500 firms signed agreements with the transport ministry in January ...
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DB tightens the screws
GERMAN RAILWAY has not given up its ambition for a stock market listing in 2007 or later, but turning in the necessary robust financial performance looks certain to mean a sustained policy of strict cost control for the next few years, with ambitious investment plans kept on hold.DB management reached ...
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NewsAlice - Darwin freight beats target
FREIGHTLINK, operator of the Adelaide - Darwin route in Australia, celebrated its first anniversary of hauling traffic to Darwin on January 15. Traffic in the first year amounted to around 600000 tonnes. 'We hoped to carry about 380000 tonnes in our first 12 months, so we are delighted with our ...
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Regional turmoil
EXPANDING Dutch operator Syntus has won another concession, adding a fourth route to the three regional lines that it works in the Arnhem - Winterswijk - Zutphen area (RG 4.03 p213).From April 3 the Keolis-backed company will take over the 44 km Arnhem - Tiel route under a contract that ...