Main line rail industry news – Page 1340
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Industry in Brief
Europe: The Railcert BV subsidiary of TÜV Süddeutschland and Holland Railconsult has been approved by the Netherlands Ministry of Transport as a Notified Body able to certify compliance with EU Directive 96/48 on the interoperability of high speed rail systems.The European Commission has approved the takeover by Siemens of three ...
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Embedded tracks
AN URBAN version of the established Rheda slab track has been developed by Pfleiderer AG and Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe. Rheda-Berlin City uses twin-block sleepers with a reinforcing mesh for gauging rather than a conventional steel bar. Laid on ballast or a frost-proof layer at either 750 or 1500mm intervals, the sleepers ...
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Stop those spills
ENVIRONMENTAL protection against spills of oils and dangerous chemicals is available using lightweight Track Collector modules being introduced to Europe by CBI Engineering A/S of Denmark. Developed in North America, the moulded track pans can be laid around existing sidings and easily removed for inspection of the soil. Moulded edge ...
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HV connections
THE 25 kV busline connecting the power cars of the Alstom-Fiat Pendolino trainsets is being developed by the Raychem Wire & Harness Division of Tyco Electronics Corp. Rigid polymeric terminations and bushings, together with a specially-developed spiral connector are used to transfer power between vehicles, where the restricted British loading ...
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Communications platform
HARDWARE and software to integrate broad-band and internet-protocol communications networks have been developed for the transport industry by Neumann Elektronik of Mülheim an der Ruhr. Neumann’s new Multifunctional Digital Communications system (MDK) was unveiled in September at the InnoTrans 2000 show in Berlin.MDK will allow operators to manage all communications ...
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ACTS goes metre-gauge
THIS AUTUMN, Switzerland’s metre-gauge Rhätische Bahn is taking delivery of the first of 21 transporter wagons designed to carry ACTS roll-on roll-off containers. Developed for the RhB by Josef Meyer Waggon AG of Rheinfelden, the SI7751 series have a tare weight of 18 tonnes and can carry two 21 tonne ...
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Small-profile point motor
THE LATEST point machine from Alcatel is designed to be integrated into a sleeper, allowing a greater degree of pre-assembly and reduced installation time. The L826H is an electro-hydraulic unit with variable stroke, making it virtually maintenance-free. It is currently on test with German Railway on pointwork supplied by ...
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Industry News
Great Britain: ATA Group plc is to acquire Catalis Group Ltd, including Catalis Rail Training Ltd and Rail Training Audit Services Ltd. The acquisition was expected to be completed by October 31.International: Panrail of Austria, McIntire Group of the USA, Multi-Technologies Group of Great Britain, IED International of France and ...
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Monitoring wheel surface defects ensures a quieter ride
INTRO: Use of automatic wheel monitoring on DSB’s S-bane network in København has reduced wheelset damage through the prompt detection of surface defects. Rolling stock maintenance costs have fallen, as well as the levels of noise and vibration generated by train operationsBYLINE: Ulrik Danneskiold-Samsøe and Ove Ramkow-PedersenØDS-Caltronic A/SIN JANUARY 2000, ...
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Catenary upgrade brings 225 km/h to British tracks
Renewal of 25 kV overhead wires, coupled with the world's first autotransformer feeding of a four-track main line, will enable Virgin's Pendolino tilting trains to slash journey times and double frequency from May 2005. Richard Hope explains how it is being done mainly during overnight possessions
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Pilot project to fly next year
GERMAN Railway and national airline Lufthansa plan to step up their co-operation next March by launching rail services to replace loss-making short-distance flights between Stuttgart and Frankfurt.Check-in will take place at Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof up to 30min before departure of Frankfurt-bound ICE services. Passengers will be able to check their luggage ...
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Carbon fibre composites strengthen iron and steel structures
BYLINE: Dr Paul S Hill MA MBA PhD MIM CEngTechnical ManagerDML CompositesBONDING plates made from carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) to concrete bridges is now becoming accepted practice. However, the application of this strengthening technique to metal structures has yet to be exploited on a similar scale.London Underground has been ...
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Making the Virgin vision happen
The number of passengers using Virgin Trains' services has soared by 40% in three years, giving the company a head start in the race to meet ambitious commercial targets agreed with government. To succeed, Virgin Trains Chief Executive Chris Green must deliver top-of-the-range inter-city services with high speed tilting trains ...
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Lirex prototype turns train design upside down
INTRO: Unveiled at InnoTrans, the Lightweight Regional Express has traction modules on the roof, flywheel energy storage and single-axle bogies. Passengers will give their verdict in 2002MANY VISITORS to the InnoTrans event in Berlin made a beeline for what appeared to be a giant scarlet caterpillar crouching between the main ...
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Market
Brazil: China’s Ziyang loco works was due this month to ship 20 units to Brazil. Beijing wagon works is also reported to be interested in entering this market.Bulgaria: BDZ expects to invite bids by the end of this year for 125 locomotives, 11000 wagons and 1000 km of track materials ...
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Balfour Beatty buys wiring unit
BALFOUR BEATTY of Great Britain announced on September 20 that it was to acquire the Adtranz Fixed Installations business for 153m euros (RG 10.00 p636). Supplying electrification and traction power supply systems, this business unit has 1400 employees. Profit before interest and tax was 16·2m euros last year on sales ...
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Programme software solution
RAILTRACK’s System Engineering Manager Brian Halliday uses Doors management software from Quality Systems & Software to co-ordinate the various facets of the route modernisation. In particular, it is essential to manage the interfaces between the various projects on the ground, Virgin, SSRA, the Office of the Rail Regulator, and the ...
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Mark IV group absorbs Focon
DANISH information systems supplier Focon Electronic Systems A/S announced on October 2 that it had signed a strategic co-operation agreement with the Canadian-based Mark IV Industries. With effect from September 28, the Focon shares held by Sandma Holding A/S were transferred to Mark IV.Based in Sønderborg, with around 100 staff, ...
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Modular DMUs roll while EMUs struggle
INTRO: Roger Ford reviews progress with the renewal of Britain’s rolling stock fleetWHEN THE FRANCHISING of British passenger Train Operating Companies began in 1995-96, several successful bids included commitments to new trains with optimistically short delivery times. As a result, several operators have been penalised for late deliveries.During the ...