Main line rail industry news – Page 504
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NewsColombia awards upgrade contract
COLOMBIA: National infrastructure agency ANI announced on May 16 that it had awarded the Ibines Férreo consortium a contract worth 153∙4bn pesos to upgrade two sections of the national network totalling 890∙9 km. Ibines Férreo comprises Iberovias (40%), Infraestructura Nacional (25%), Integral Compañía (25%) and Espina y Delfin Colombia (10%). ...
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NewsDocklands Light Railway fleet replacement procurement begins
UK: Transport for London subsidiary Docklands Light Railway Ltd has invited expressions of interest in contracts to supply and support up to 77 driverless light metro trainsets. The initial requirement under the DLR Rolling Stock Replacement Project is for 43 trainsets, of which 33 would replace two-thirds of the existing ...
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NewsCzech open access fleet certified for Poland
POLAND: Rail regulator UTK has awarded Czech open access operator LEO Express certification enabling it to operate its five Stadler Flirt electric multiple-units on the PKP-PLK network. This follows modifications to the units undertaken in early January under a €1·5m programme which was 85% funded by the European Union. On ...
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NewsNacala Corridor officially inaugurated
MOZAMBIQUE: President Filipe Nyusi joined celebrations at the deepwater port of Nacala-a-Velha on May 12 to mark the formal completion of the project to develop a 912 km ‘integrated logistics corridor’ serving northern Mozambique, southern Malawi and the Moatize coalfield. This encompassed the rehabilitation of existing lines and the construction ...
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NewsBelmond Andean Explorer launched
PERU: Hotel and cruise train operator Belmond launched what it describes as ‘South America’s first luxury sleeper train’ on May 4. Operating on the PeruRail network between Cusco and Arequipa, the Belmond Andean Explorer offers a two-night journey through ‘some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world’, its large ...
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NewsUkrainian Railways plans five-year investment programme
UKRAINE: National railway UZ has presented its five-year development strategy for 2017-21. This includes investment of 130bn to 150bn hryvna, and the formation of five business sectors: freight transport and logistics, passenger transport, infrastructure, traction services, manufacturing & services. In the freight sector, UZ plans to invest in the creation ...
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NewsLahore Metro’s first train rolls out
PAKISTAN: The first of 27 five-car metro trains for the 27·1 km Orange Line now under construction in Lahore was rolled out at CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive’s plant in China on May 15. The trains are scheduled to be delivered between July and the end of this year. The styling is ...
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NewsAlexa 'Skill' for train times and fares released
UK: Independent ticket retailer RedSpottedHanky.com can now be accessed via Amazon Echo and Echo Dot smart devices using an Alexa intelligent personal assistant add-on 'Skill' developed by Atos company Worldline. Worldline says the personal assistant functionality is a first for the UK rail industry, and claims it will help travellers ...
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NewsDhaka metro contracts signed
BANGLADESH: Dhaka Mass Transit Co signed contracts for the construction of metro Line 6 on May 3, in a ceremony attended by Road Transport & Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. The 15·9bn taka contract CP-02 awarded to a joint venture of Thailand’s Italian-Thai Development Public Co and China’s Sinohydro Corp covers ...
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NewsDHL opens centre to manage Germany – Far East rail freight
GERMANY: DHL Global Forwarding has opened a central China Rail Competence Centre in Stuttgart to co-ordinate the growing volumes of freight it is sending from Germany to Asia by rail. This includes shipments for automotive, technology, mechanical engineering and retail customers. ‘Rail freight volumes between Germany and Asia have increased ...
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NewsUnderground extension of Chennai metro opens
INDIA: The first underground section of the Chennai metro opened on May 14, when a 7 km extension of Line 2 (the Green Line) from Thirumangalam to Nehru Park was inaugurated by Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami and national Minister of Urban Development Venkaiah ...
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NewsRENFE plans for profit in 2017
SPAIN: The national operator is expecting to make a pre-tax profit of €39∙2m in 2017, RENFE President Juan Alfaro has told MPs. For the first time since the present corporate structure was adopted in 2005, this positive result would be due to income generated by the group’s own activities. At ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
RZD Logistics, Far East Land Bridge and TransContainer have increase the number of transit freight trains through the Naushki border crossing between Mongolia and Russia from one to two per week. The 57-wagon container trains carry fast moving consumer goods from China to Europe. Citing a projected 37% increase ...
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NewsEurotunnel’s third-generation freight shuttles enter service
EUROPE: The first of three additional freight shuttle rakes for carrying lorries was inaugurated by Groupe Eurotunnel Chairman & CEO Jacques Gounon and President of the Hauts-de-France Region Xavier Bertrand at the end of April. The three trainsets will provide 20% more capacity and enable Eurotunnel to offer up ...
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NewsTwilight Express Mizukaze to launch next month
JAPAN: West Japan Railway is to launch the Twilight Express Mizukaze (fresh breeze) luxury cruise train in June, adopting a similar concept to JR East’s Train Suite Shiki-Shima. With five one night or two-night itineraries, the luxury 10-car train will give up to 30 passengers the opportunity to travel to ...
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NewsExpedia to acquire majority stake in SilverRail
SILVERRAIL: A definitive agreement for online travel group Expedia to acquire a majority stake in rail ticket retailing and distribution platform developer SilverRail Technologies was announced on May 12. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2017, subject to conditions including regulatory approval. Terms were not disclosed. ‘Rail is ready ...
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NewsFS bids to supply wagons to Uruguay
URUGUAY: Supply of rolling stock is one of three priority areas identified for developing co-operation between state railway AFE and FS Group of Italy. Announcing on May 12 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with AFE in Montevideo, FS reported that its Mercitalia freight business had submitted a ...
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NewsIONX and Ermewa agree telematics partnership
EUROPE: Amsted Rail used the Transport Logistic tradeshow in München on May 9-12 to mark the extension of its telematics activities in Europe. Amsted’s IONX subsidiary has finalised a preliminary co-operation agreement with wagon leasing business Ermewa for the supply of telematics technology. The agreement covers IONX telematics equipment, proprietary ...
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NewsLegios Clever demonstrator wagon includes nanotechnology
CZECH REPUBLIC: A range of advanced subsystems and materials selected to highlight possible technology options are included in the Legios Clever demonstrator wagon which Legois exhibited at the Transport Logistic trade fair in München on May 9-11. Legios worked with researchers at the University of Liberec to develop nanotechnology-based ...
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NewsCrowd-funded open access operator Locomore files for insolvency
GERMANY: Open access operator Locomore announced on the evening of May 11 that that it had filed for insolvency at the district court in Charlottenburg. Locomore launched a partly crowd-funded daily return service between Berlin and Stuttgart in December 2016 using refurbished coaches and with a focus on sustainability. ...