Main line rail industry news – Page 262
-
NewsČD buys Hohenzollernische Landesbahn RegioShuttle railcars
CZECH REPUBLIC: ČD has acquired 22 RegioShuttle RS1 railcars from HEROS Helvetic Rolling Stock at a cost of €15·5m. Built in 1997, the MAN-powered low-floor single-car DMUs were previously operated by Südwestdeutsche Landesverkehrs AG’s Hohenzollernische Landesbahn on Zollernalbbahn services 1 and 2, but have now been replaced ...
-
NewsDB Cargo to test operation of long trains using distributed power with LTE
GERMANY: Final preparations are in hand for a programme of tests to determine the feasibility of regular operation of long freight trains with distributed power using LTE technology. To be carried out in February 2021 on the steeply graded line between Probstzella and Hochstadt-Marktzeuln near Lichtenfels, the ...
-
NewsSNCB orders multifunctional double-deck coaches with improved accessibility
BELGIUM: National operator SNCB has ordered a further 204 Type M7 double-deck coaches, placing a contract for multifunctional vehicles adapted to improve accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility. Awarded to a consortium of Bombardier Transportation and Alstom, the €445m contract announced on December 21 has been ...
-
NewsEIB loan to boost Czech freight operations
CZECH REPUBLIC: The European Investment Bank has signed a KC3·43bn loan agreement with ČD Cargo to support the acquisition of 50 electric locomotives and 140 intermodal wagons as well as retrofitting around 310 older locomotives with ERTMS. The assets purchased as part of the project will be ...
-
-
NewsMerak-Jinxin certified to overhaul high speed train HVAC
CHINA: Merak-Jinxin’s Changchun branch has obtained certification from the China Academy of Railway Sciences to overhaul HVAC equipment on China’s CRH5G A4 high speed trains. This is the first time that Knorr-Bremse company Merak’s Service Centre in China has independently applied for certification. The award means that ...
-
NewsUltimate Europe to move to new site
AUSTRIA: Rolling stock gangway, automatic door and interior fitting supplier Ultimate Europe is investing €12m in a headquarters and production base at St Georgen am Ybbsfeld to the east of Amstetten. The company currently employs 125 staff at three sites in the Amstetten area which will be ...
-
NewsCP to test hydrogen fuel cell freight locomotive
CANADA: Canadian Pacific has announced plans to develop what it says will be North Amercia’s first hydrogen-powered main line locomotive. This will involve retrofitting fuel cells and batteries to an existing locomotive, which will then be used for testing to evaluate the technology’s readiness for the rail ...
-
-
NewsTemporary rules to keep the Channel Tunnel open
EUROPE: The European Parliament has approved temporary measures designed to ensure that rail operations through the Channel Tunnel can continue once the Brexit transition period ends on January 1 2021. The European Parliament approved the temporary rules under an urgent procedure on December 17 with 684 votes ...
-
NewsIntegral DMUs extend S28 to Wuppertal
GERMANY: Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr has extended its Kaarst – Düsseldorf – Mettmann S-Bahn route S28 to Wuppertal Hbf with effect from the December 13 timetable change. The local service which previously terminated at Mettmann Stadtwald has been extended by around 7 km using a mix of reactivated tracks ...
-
NewsMission to rethink freight transport
FRANCE: The Senate’s Committee for Regional Planning & Sustainable Development has launched a fact-finding mission to examine the future of freight transport in the face of environmental concerns. The mission’s work is expected to take around six months, with hearings being held across France. The team of ...
-
NewsDirect award planned for hydrogen train services
GERMANY: Niedersachsen transport authority LNVG and the city of Bremen have advance given notice of their intention to directly award a contract for the proposed operation of hydrogen fuel cell trains on service RB33 Cuxhaven – Bremerhaven – Bremervörde – Stade. The authorities said there is currently ...
-
NewsMFD Rail aims to build leading intermodal wagon business
SWITZERLAND: The management team and funds advised by Oaktree Capital Management have invested in MFD Rail, a start-up which aims to become one of Europe’s leading intermodal wagon leasing company over the next few years. MFD Rail says building a business from scratch ‘without having to ...
-
NewsVästtrafik Zefiro Express EMU completed
SWEDEN: Bombardier Transportation has completed assembly of the first of 45 three-car Zefiro Express 200 km/h electric multiple-units ordered by Västra Götaland regional transport authority Västtrafik.
-
NewsAutomated locomotive completes first trip
FRANCE: ‘A semi-autonomous train’ has run ‘under real operating conditions’ on the 16 km Longwy – Longuyon line in eastern France, national operator SNCF announced on December 16.
-
NewsČD’s RegioPanter fleet grows further
CZECH REPBLIC: National operator ČD has awarded a consortium of Škoda Transportation and Škoda Vagonka firm orders for 48 additional RegioPanter 3 kV DC/25 kV 50 Hz dual-voltage regional EMUs. The orders confirmed on December 11 comprise 19 two-car units with 140 seats, procured under a ...
-
NewsEstonian electrification design contract awarded
ESTONIA: Infrastructure manager Eesti Raudtee has awarded a joint venture of Spanish engineering companies Ardanuy Ingeneria and Ayesa Ingenieria y Arquitectura a €3·7m contract to produce the technical requirements and preliminary designs for its 500 track-km 25 kV 50 Hz electrification programme. Ardanuy said the contract would ...
-
NewsBombardier Transportation steps up output at Crespin
FRANCE: Production of rolling stock at Bombardier Transportation’s Crespin factory in northern France is to be stepped up thanks to a €25m investment programme. Dubbed Plan 1000, the package announced by the company on December 4 will give the plant the ability to turn out 1 000 ...
-
NewsFinnish Rail and Turku One Hour Train companies formed
FINLAND: Companies have been established by the government and local authorities to plan two major rail projects. Suomi-rata Oy, or Finnish Rail, will develop plans for new alignments and additional tracks needed to provide a 1 h journey time on the main corridor between Helsinki and Tampere, ...