Main line rail industry news – Page 294
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NewsOver 500 trainsets to replace Swiss regional fleets
SBB Stadler Flirt. SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways, Thurbo and RegionAlps have jointly called tenders for the supply of 194 single-deck regional trainsets of a ‘tried and tested platform already in use in a European country’. The order worth up to SFr1∙5bn which was announced on May 18 ...
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NewsHydrogen fuel cell train trials completed
GERMANY: Alstom has announced the formal completion of trial operation of two pre-series Coradia iLint hydrogen fuel cell multiple-units. The units entered passenger service with Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser in September 2018, since when they have successfully completed 530 days and more than 180 000 km of ...
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NewsElectronic Ticket Control Database enters service
INTERNATIONAL: A centralised system for the real-time exchange of ticket control information has been launched to enable rail ticket issuers and carriers around the world to increase their electronic ticketing capabilities and prevent fraud. The Electronic Ticket Control Database has been developed by not-for-profit European rail industry ...
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NewsIsrael Railways accelerates station enhancement works during lockdown
ISRAEL: In addition to accelerating major infrastructure projects and undertaking track and rolling stock maintenance, Israel Railways has used the opportunity presented by the suspension of passenger services during national Covid-19 lockdown measures to undertake planned enhancement works at 40 stations. The works ...
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NewsGreenbrier GIMSA Joint Venture agreement amended
MEXICO: As part of its response to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, The Greenbrier Companies has amended its 50:50 joint venture agreement with Grupo Industrial Monclova, the manufacturing partner at the Greenbrier GIMSA wagon plant in Monclova, Mexico. Both partners will receive additional revenue and dividends ...
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NewsTurkish government designates PSO services
TURKEY: The government has designated 61 routes or service groups as eligible for Public Service Obligation support, under an amendment to Clause 8 of the railway liberalisation legislation which came into force in May 2013. A presidential decree which took effect on April 8 amended the liberalisation ...
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NewsMore modernisation work to start on Douro Valley line
Douro Valley Pinhao (Photos: Luis Almeida) PORTUGAL: Infraestruturas de Portugal is to modernise a further section of the Douro Valley line after receiving notice to proceed from both the finance and infrastructure ministries. The scenic route links Porto with Pocinho, a distance ...
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NewsClimate change question in REMSA’s 2020 scholarship application
USA: The Railway Engineers Maintenance Suppliers Association has made climate change the focus of its 2020 scholarship programme, for which applications close on May 29. Applicants are being asked to draft an essay addressing ‘in what ways can the freight rail industry can benefit our environment? Do ...
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NewsETCS tested in Galicia as high speed corridor nears completion
SPAIN: A series of high speed test runs using ETCS Level 2 were made over the 111 km section of high speed line between Zamora and Pedralba de la Pradería in Galicia on May 15-19. A Class 112 electric trainset made a series of trips under simulated ...
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NewsFirst domestic freight train transits the Marmaray tunnel
TURKEY: The first domestic freight train has passed through the Marmaray rail tunnel linking Europe to Asia under the Bosporus in Istanbul, Turkey’s Ministry for Transport & Infrastructure reports. The train comprised 16 wagons carrying 32 containers of plastic raw materials, which were being transported 524 km ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
The Rwandan High Commissioner, DR Congo chargé d’affaires and a representative from South Sudan visited Kenya Railways’ Naivasha Inland Container Depot on May 12 to see its capabilities for handling freight in transit from the port of Mombasa to their countries. The 45 000 m2 facility has ...
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NewsSwiss narrow gauge operators to study merger
SWITZERLAND: The Frauenfeld-Wil-Bahn and Appenzeller Bahnen boards have agreed to examine a possible merger of the two companies. The 1 000 mm gauge networks are not connected, but the companies have worked together since 2003 and it is envisaged that combining could reduce costs. ...
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NewsRegioJet prepares to launch Praha – Przemyśl service
EUROPE: Independent operator RegioJet has taken delivery of another nine 160 km/h air-conditioned couchette cars from DB. Formerly used on CityNightLine trains, the Type Bvcmz coaches which arrived in late April follow 18 similar vehicles which were acquired in 2019. After they have been refurbished, RegioJet plans ...
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NewsPartnership to offer mission-critical IoT radio communications in the rail market
NORTH AMERICA: Siemens Mobility and private licensed wireless data network developer Ondas Networks have announced an exclusive partnership to offer a Siemens-branded portfolio of radio communications in the North American rail market. This will feature dual-mode equipment that is interoperable with Siemens Mobility’s extensive installed base of ...
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NewsIndustry calls for improvements to Australian rail tendering processes
AUSTRALIA: The Australasian Railway Association has made 21 recommendations for simplifying and reducing the cost and time required to tender rolling stock and signalling contracts. ‘Australian tendering costs are higher than global benchmarks and that makes it harder to get projects out of the planning phase into ...
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NewsFIOL revival planned in stimulus package
BRAZIL: Transport Minister Tarcísio de Freitas is seeking R$480m from the national budget in order to restart construction of the East-West Integration Railway. The funds would be provided as part of the Pró-Brasil national economic stimulus package announced on April 24. The 1 527 km Ferrovia de ...
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NewsRailway supply industry news round-up
Captrain company ITL has begun work on a €2·4m project to expand its workshops at Pirna near Dresden with the provision of new training, storage and staff areas, as well as locomotive and wagon washing equipment. FreightCar America has reported Q1 revenue of ...
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NewsDB set for emergency funding package as losses mount
GERMANY: Emergency support to help Deutsche Bahn weather the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic is likely to come in the form of another equity injection, according to proposals being drawn up by the federal government ahead of a DB board meeting on May 15. Research ...
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NewsTransdev wins Roslagsbanan operating contract
SWEDEN: Transdev Sverige AB has been selected as the next operator of the capital’s 891 mm gauge Roslagsbanan suburban network, the Stockholm region’s Transport Commission announced on May 12. Six groups had bid for the 12-year contract with regional transport authority Storstockholms Lokaltrafik, including incumbent Arriva Sverige, ...
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NewsCzech DMU procurement strategy revised
CZECH REPUBLIC: National operator ČD has announced its intention to tender a framework contract for the purchase of up to 60 diesel multiple-units, potentially valued at KC5bn. The low-floor air-conditioned trainsets will be designed to operate at up to 120 km/h and offer at least 120 seats. ...