Main line rail industry news – Page 421
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NewsSüdostbahn unveils Traverso EMU
SWITZERLAND: The first of 11 electric multiple-units which Stadler is to supply to Südostbahn for Voralpen-Express services was unveiled in Erlen on June 6. Part of the Flirt family, the six eight-car and five four-car 160 km/h units will feature a new motor bogie design and lightweight trailer bogies ...
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NewsLund tram supplier selected
SWEDEN: Regional transport authority Skånetrafiken has selected CAF to supply seven trams to operate on the tram line that is under construction in Lund. The contract for the five-section Urbos trams includes options for more vehicles. CAF will provide 10 years of maintenance for the 32 m long vehicles. ...
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NewsGE completes first of 200 CN locomotives
CANADA: The first of 200 diesel locomotives which are to be supplied to CN under a multi-year purchase agreement has been completed at GE Transportation’s plant at Fort Worth in Texas. GE said the deal signed in December 2017 was the largest locomotive contract which a Class 1 railway had ...
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NewsAssembly of first Siemens Mireo EMU underway
GERMANY: Siemens has begun final assembly of the first of its first Miro electric multiple-units. The Mireo concept for a lighter, quieter and more energy-efficient successor to the Desiro Main Line family of commuter and regional EMUs was announced at InnoTrans 2016. DB Regio became the launch customer when ...
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NewsAmtrak seeks to replace or rebuild long-distance locos
USA: Amtrak has issued a request for proposals for either the supply of 50 to 75 ‘next generation’ diesel-electric locomotives or the rebuilding of existing General Electric P42 locomotives with AC traction equipment. There would be options to buy or rebuild further locomotives. The new or rebuilt locomotives would primarily ...
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NewsETCS onboard contracts signed
NORWAY: Infrastructure manager Bane NOR has finalised the contracts for Alstom to supply, install and maintain ETCS onboard equipment for use across the national rail network. Alstom had been selected as preferred bidder in mid-March. The NKr1·8 bn package consists of three contracts with Bane NOR and framework ...
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NewsBimodes in Norway’s next Flirt order
NORWAY: Funding for the purchase of a further 25 Stadler Flirt multiple-units to accommodate growing ridership was confirmed by Minister of Transport & Communications Ketil Solvik-Olsen on May 15, following a revision of the state budget. State-owned rolling stock company Norske Tog is expected to place a firm order for ...
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NewsNational plan backs 320 km/h target
SWEDEN: The government intends to develop future high speed lines for a top speed of 320 km/h, Infrastructure Minister Tomas Eneroth and Environment Minister Isabella Lövin confirmed on June 4. Presenting the government’s national development plan for 2018-29, they confirmed SKr148bn of rail spending, including three sections of new line. ...
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NewsHyundai Rotem to supply 52 EMUs to Taiwan
TAIWAN: Taiwan Railways Administration has selected Hyundai Rotem to supply 52 10-car electric multiple units for suburban services on the 1 067 mm gauge national network, the manufacturer announced on June 4. The 908·9bn won contract marks the South Korean firm’s first order in Taiwan since 1999, and is ...
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NewsStern & Hafferl expands its diesel fleet
AUSTRIA: Regional operator Stern & Hafferl Verkehr, which runs rail, bus and boat services in Oberösterreich, has put into service a 2·4 MW Vectron diesel locomotive following a naming ceremony at Eferding depot. Built by Siemens in 2015 as part of its internal fleet, the 160 km/h locomotive was ...
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NewsBourgogne-Franche-Comté agrees operating contract with SNCF
FRANCE: A target of 22% growth in TER ridership has been set by the région of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté as part of an operating agreement with SNCF Mobilités running until 2026. The contract with the incumbent operator was announced by the regional authority on May 25, although it applies retrospectively from January ...
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NewsLondon trams to become cashless
UK: Trams in London will become cashless from next month, Transport for London announced on June 4. Ticket machines are to be removed from all tram stops on July 16, leaving contactless payment, Oyster cards, Travelcards or bus & tram passes as the only ways to pay for tram travel. ...
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NewsPesa share purchase agreed
POLAND: An agreement for Polish state-backed investment fund PFR to take over rolling stock manufacturer Pesa was finalised on May 25. The terms of the takeover have been agreed, and financial close is due in mid-June. Pesa confirmed in March that it was entering into exclusive negotiations with PFR. ...
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NewsAgreement in principle to revive Hudson Bay Railway
CANADA: Agreement in principle has been reached for the transfer of ownership of the Hudson Bay Railway and the reinstatement services to Churchill in northern Manitoba by winter 2018, the federal government announced on May 30. Short line group OmniTRAX purchased the 1 300 km HBR from Canadian National in ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
Sinara Transport Machines’ Lyudinovo diesel locomotive plant has begun delivering TGM8KM diesel locomotives to the José Martí steel plant in Cuba. The steelworks currently uses TGM4 locos supplied from the same Russian plant more than 30 years ago. STM is also providing staff training. On May 31 the European Commission ...
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NewsRail freight information portal to be expanded
EUROPE: After a successful pilot phase, the European Commission has backed the further development of Railfreightlocations.eu, a web portal designed to provide shippers and operators with easy access to a single source of information about rail freight facilities. The partners in the project include HaCon, the International Rail Freight Business ...
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NewsThree bids for Ferrocarril Central project
URUGUAY: The Ministry of Transport & Public Works has received three bids for the Ferrocarril Central contract. The public-private partnership deal would cover the upgrading and subsequent maintenance of the 273 km line between Montevideo and Paso de los Toros. The three bids opened on May 29 were submitted ...
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NewsNewag signs inter-city locomotive contract
POLAND: PKP Intercity signed a contract with Newag on May 29 for the supply and maintenance of 20 Griffin electric locomotives. PKP IC selected Newag as preferred bidder in January. Deliveries of the 160 km/h locos are due within 30 months from contract signature. The base order is ...
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NewsLNG shunting locomotives ordered
RUSSIA: A agreement for Sinara Transport Machines to supply and maintain 24 liquefied natural gas-fuelled shunting locomotives was signed by the Gazpromtrans transport subsidiary of gas extraction company Gazprom during the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on May 25. The order covers 10 four-axle locomotives rated at 856 kW and ...
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NewsVolkswagen components switch to rail
GERMANY: The SmartRail Logistics joint venture of LIT Speditions and Captrain Deutschland began delivering automotive components to Volkswagen’s factory at Emden in Niedersachsen on June 1. The components come from suppliers in southern and central Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland. Shipments are consolidated at Dresden for delivery to ...