Main line rail industry news – Page 241
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NewsDOT backs return of Gulf Coast passenger trains
USA: The Department of Transportation has endorsed efforts to revive inter-city passenger train services on the Gulf Coast route east of New Orleans, which were suspended following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Writing to the Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board Martin Oberman on May 10, DOT ...
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NewsFlixTrain to launch new routes and night trains
EUROPE: Having launched its first FlixTrain services in Sweden on May 6, FlixMobility announced on May 11 that it intends to launch two additional inter-city routes in Germany over the coming months, as part of an expansion programme aiming to double the number of open access services.
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NewsVoith Turbo discusses digital automatic couplers on the latest InnoTrans podcast
INNOTRANS: The latest episode of the InnoTrans podcast was released on May 11, with Cornelius Weitzmann, CEO Mobility at Voith Turbo, discussing the importance of digital automatic couplers in ensuring the competitveness of rail transport. ‘Rail is the most efficient and sustainable way to realise medium ...
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NewsPetroCity plans general freight railway
BRAZIL: Industrial group PetroCity Portos SA is pursuing plans to develop a new railway to serve the states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, running inland from a proposed port, logistics and business complex at Urussuquara, south of São Mateus on the Atlantic coast.
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NewsConnecting Europe Express to tour 26 countries in 36 days
EUROPE: Marking Europe Day on May 9 and the EU Year of Rail, the European Commission has confirmed the programme for its Connecting Europe Express exhibition train. Intended to demonstrate ‘the power of rail to connect people and businesses’, the project will also celebrate the cultural, economic ...
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NewsSotetsu orders Hitachi EMUs to work Tokyo through services
JAPAN: As part of its ¥15∙7bn capital investment plan for the 2021 financial year, Yokohama-based Sagami Railway is to order four eight-car Series 21000 EMUs from Hitachi.
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NewsSNCF launches Ouigo high speed services in Spain
SPAIN: The first fare-paying passengers were due to board Ouigo services on the morning of May 10 as SNCF’s low-cost high speed rail subsidiary entered the Spanish domestic market, competing with RENFE on the Madrid – Barcelona route.
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NewsVTG sees ‘huge potential’ in Turkish freight market
TURKEY: VTG has announced a ‘sharp expansion’ in the Turkish market, bundling the activities of VTG Rail Europe, VTG Rail Logistics and VTG Tanktainer under local subsidiary VTG Nakliyat. Offices have been opened in Halkalı and Pendik on the European and Aisan sides of the Bosporus ...
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NewsElectrification to increase Ukraine – Poland iron ore export capacity
UKRAINE: National railway Ukrzaliznytsia has begun a project to electrify the 94 km line from Kovel to Izov and the Polish border. The route handles 90% of rail freight tonnage between the two countries, mainly iron ore being exported from the Kryvyi Rih region to steelmakers ...
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NewsNew Zealand’s 10-year Rail Plan prioritises resilience and reliability
NEW ZEALAND: The government has published a 10-year Rail Plan, setting out its ambitions for a ‘resilient and reliable’ rail network and outlining its investment priorities. The plan does not provide a definitive list of investments or funding commitments, but is intended as a sign of ...
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NewsIndustrial espionage concerns raised over third-party train maintenance contract
GERMANY: Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler has raised concerns about the potential for industrial espionage after Go-Ahead awarded the international subsidiary of Transmashholding a contract to maintain a fleet of electric multiple-units ordered for use on E-Netz Allgäu services in Bayern. Stadler is worried that its ...
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NewsMaranhão Railway to serve deepwater port
BRAZIL: Plans are taking shape for the construction of a heavy haul railway and deepwater port in northeastern Brazil, in order to accommodate rising export traffic from the mining and agricultural sectors.
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NewsAkiem joins autonomous railpod project
FRANCE: Rolling stock leasing company Akiem has signed a letter of intent paving the way for a financial and industrial partnership to develop the Taxirail concept for an autonomous ‘railpod’ ultra light rail shuttle vehicle. The Taxirail concept has been developed in Bretagne by EXID Concept ...
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NewsPandemic brings ‘bleak’ first quarter for European railways
EUROPE: The coronavirus pandemic continues to have a heavy impact across the rail sector, according to the Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies’ Covid Impact Tracker.
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NewsHydrogen trains for the Heidekrautbahn
GERMANY: Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer has authorised investment of €25m in a project to introduce hydrogen fuel cell trains in the Land of Brandenburg. Announcing the grant at Basdorf station on the Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn on May 3, Scheuer said this would be ‘a giant step ...
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NewsPortugal’s Beira Baixa link reopens after 12 years
PORTUGAL: Trains returned to the 46 km section of the Beira Baixa line between Guarda and Covilhã on May 2 for the first time in 12 years, with a formal reopening ceremony taking place the following day.
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NewsConstruction of second track to Koper launched
SLOVENIA: Construction of the second line linking the port of Koper to the SŽ network at Divača was officially launched on May 5 by Minister of Infrastructure Jernej Vrtovec and representatives of state-owned project promoter 2TDK and the contractors. The ceremony followed the signing on the ...
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NewsPort drives Arica – La Paz railway reopening
CHILE: A test train was dispatched from the port of Arica on May 5, signalling the reactivation of the Chilean section of the Arica – La Paz railway for freight traffic after being mothballed for almost 16 years.