Main line rail industry news – Page 1317
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News
Freight fights back
ALTHOUGH the rail freight sector was hit hardest by Romania’s economic changes, CFR Marfa has now started the long climb back. In 2000 it handled 13·6% more traffic than the low point in 1999. This represented 19·7% of the national freight tonnage lifted and 41% by tonne-km.Director General Vasile Tulbure ...
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Market
Australia: Victoria’s Department of Infrastructure has called tenders for consultants to study likely patronage of a rail link to Melbourne Tullamarine airport, using either the Broadmeadows or Albion suburban lines.Australia Southern has awarded contracts worth A$6m to EDI Rail for refurbishment of eight locos and 26 fixed pairs of rail-carrying ...
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Smart cards to be standardised
THE ASSOCIATION of German Transport Undertakings is to draw up a set of standards for smart card ticketing. VDV members and industry partners will develop the technical and security specifications for future cards.Companies will use the specifications to simplify the use of smart cards across different networks, and to encourage ...
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Aluminium car ends
SUPERFORM Aluminium is to manufacture front ends for Desiro UK trains ordered by Angel Trains (RG 3.01 p161). The two large panels making up each end will be 2·5m high, 1m wide and 0·7m deep. The aluminium alloy panels are trimmed on five-axis machining centres to produce finished components ready ...
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Wheel press technology
ARKANSAS Industrial Computing Inc is supplying computerised wheel press management equipment, to be used with presses manufactured by Simmons Machine Tool Corp.The AIC Wheel Shop Management System features modern data collection hardware controlled by AIC’s proprietary software. It uses a combination of industrial computers, hand-held barcode scanners and wireless barcode ...
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Dutch Sprinter refurbishment
NETHERLANDS Railways awarded a 200m guilders contract to Bombardier on July 3 for the mid-life modernisation of 60 three-car Class SGM III Sprinter EMUs.The interiors of the Randstad commuter trains will be completely renovated, with new ceilings, floors, glass partitions and seating. An extra vestibule will be fitted to the ...
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Finance
Estonia: In June parliament voted to increase passenger operator Edelaraudtee’s funding to 148m kroons this year, 159m kroons in 2002 and 140m in 2003. State subsidies will cease in 2004.Great Britain: Porterbrook Leasing is to finance 845 coal hopper wagons for EWS. They will be built at York by Thrall ...
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Automated lookout on test
ENDURANCE testing of the Track!02 automatic track warning system from Track Warning AB of Sweden is to begin on Railtrack’s Midland Zone. Track!02 detects rail vibrations using rail-mounted ultrasonic sensors. A microprocessor identifies vibrations caused by trains, and a radio signal is sent to a master unit.The master then warns ...
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In seat entertainment
AEROVISION Avionics is supplying in-seat entertainment equipment for Queensland Rail’s Cairns Tilt Train (p523). Originally developed for airline use, it offers six video and six audio channels, with sound delivered through headphones.When not in use, the TFT screens are stored in the seat armrests. The system is controlled via a ...
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Industry News
Netherlands: From mid-2002 NedTrain is to invest 17m guilders renewing equipment at its Haarlem workshops.More industry news on p543
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Pointers
n Best and final offers from shortlisted bidders for the US$400m build-operate-transfer LRT project in Jerusalem will be due within two weeks of publication of the tender documents, expected before the end of July. Contract signing would take place within 12 months, allowing work to start early in 2003.n With ...
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Learning to live in a free market
INTRO: In the 10 years after Romania’s December 1989 revolution, the volume of rail traffic slumped to just 35% of its former level. Following the restructuring of SNCFR into five independent companies in October 1998, the slide has been halted, and international loans are funding much-needed modernisation. Chris Jackson asked ...
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Trio of orders launches next phase of high speed programme
INTRO: Spanish National Railways has selected three different types of high speed train for the Madrid - Barcelona line where speeds will reach 350 km/hWITHIN THE last six months Spanish National Railways has selected preferred bidders for three contracts for high speed trains, and more are in the pipeline. Most ...
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Integrated smart card
SMART cards can be recharged and account histories accessed over the internet using Nextfare Web Services, from Cubic Transportation Systems.Launched at the Card Tech conference in Las Vegas earlier this year, the software suite allows transit operators to offer customers a range of fare options and reward programmes. Multiple operators ...
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NewsTilt technology still evolving as the cost falls
With trains operational in more than a dozen countries and two more fleets about to enter service in Britain, the commercial case for tilt is firmly established. While there is still diversity of actuation techniques, the cost is falling and side effects such as nausea are being overcome
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The wave crests as the big four become three
Bombardier's purchase of Adtranz represents the largest industry acquisition to date and may just be the last, as results finally start to improve at the major suppliers. Andrew F Saxe of Accenture presents his annual review of the rolling stock supply industry
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News
Window replacement aids phone users
MOBILE telephone users are to benefit from the replacement of carriage windows on Austrian Federal Railways. Windows in ÖBB’s older coaches contain a thin layer of metallic insulation. This blocks mobile phone signals, but is not found in newer vehicles.Spokesman Robert Herbst said the replacement is ’a gradual process and ...
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People
Sango Ntsaluba has been appointed Executive Director of Spoornet. Pat Malaza has become Executive Manager, Financial Management. Roy Allen has been elected Chairman of the International Heavy Haul Association, with Ronaldo Costa as Vice Chairman. Edith E Holiday has been appointed to Canadian National's Board of Directors. Vernon Murphy has ...
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Publications
2001 Public Transportation FactbookThe 52nd edition of APTA’s annual factbook contains statistical data on all aspects of the public transport industry in the United States. There is also additional information covering Canada. Sections cover finance, operating statistics, modes of travel, vehicles, federal grants and the Federal Transit Act. US data ...
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Cleaning venture
FROM October 1 Norway’s medium-distance trains are to be cleaned by a new company, NSB Trafikservice AS. This is a joint venture between Norwegian State Railways and cleaning services provider ISS Norway. This is part of the ISS services group, which also has contracts with London Underground and several British ...