Main line rail industry news – Page 703
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NewsGovernment seeks to accelerate Trans-Sumatra railway project
INDONESIA: President Joko Widodo has reconfirmed the government’s commitment to construction of a 2 168 route-km railway across the island of Sumatra, linking three disparate 1 067 mm gauge networks. Outlining the government’s infrastructure priorities for the 2015-19 period, Widodo said on November 27 that a feasibility study for the ...
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NewsAMT launches Train de l’Est commuter service
CANADA: Montréal commuter rail operator Agence Métropolitaine de Transport finally began revenue service on its 52 km Train de l’Est route from Montréal Central to Mascouche on December 1, around three years later than previously anticipated. Serving a region with around 700 000 inhabitants, the route had been expected to ...
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NewsBombardier wins next Wien tram order
AUSTRIA: On December 1 public transport operator Wiener Linien announced that it had selected Bombardier Transportation for a €562m contract to supply up to 156 low-floor trams, which will replace its high-floor E2 tram-and-trailer sets. Wiener Linien says that it will also be signing a maintenance agreement, under which its ...
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NewsAlstom to equip Guadalajara Line 3
MEXICO: The federal Secretariat of Communications & Transport has awarded Alstom and CPVM, a subsidiary of OHL of Spain, a €380m contract to supply railway systems for Line 3 of the Guadalajara light rail network. Announcing the award on December 1, Alstom said that its share of ...
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NewsModi opens railway to Mendipathar
INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was joined by Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhu and other dignitaries at a ceremony in the northeastern city of Guwahati on November 29, marking the opening of the railway to Mendipathar. Dispatching the inaugural train remotely from Railway Stadium in Guwahati, Modi outlined the ...
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NewsRecord results at Greenbrier
GREENBRIER: US wagon manufacturer The Greenbrier Companies has reported record net earnings of $99·3m and Ebitda of $253·8m for the year to August 31 2014, with revenue of $2·2bn and cash generated from operating activities totalling $136m. The company delivered 16 200 wagons, and received orders for 34 300 valued ...
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NewsAccess the Park
CANADA: VIA Rail Canada has introduced accessible sleeping compartments for two people on its flagship Toronto – Vancouver Canadian service as part of a programme to refurbish its 1950s-built stainless-steel coaches. Four of the Park series observation cars are being modified, following experience with accessibility improvements to the Renaissance coaches ...
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NewsÖBB tests regional seats
AUSTRIA: Austrian passengers have been invited to test possible new seats for regional and local trainsets, as part of a €50m programme to refurbish 250 Talent and Desiro multiple-units used by around half a million passengers each day. In 2011 ÖBB undertook an initial survey to identify passengers’ main criteria ...
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NewsNational Express Talent 2 EMU rolled out
GERMANY: The first Talent 2 electric multiple-unit for National Express was ceremonially rolled out at Bombardier Transportation's Hennigsdorf plant on November 28, watched by guests including the UK Ambassador to Germany Sir Simon McDonald. The 160 km/h units are to be deployed on two routes which a consortium of the ...
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NewsPrasarana wins Makkah metro consultancy contract
SAUDI ARABIA: Metro project promoter Makkah Mass Rail Transit Co has selected Kuala Lumpur transport agency Prasarana to provide consultancy services during Phase 1 of the Makkah Public Transport Programme. Phase 1 covers the construction of two metro lines totalling 45·1 km and 22 stations, with commissioning scheduled by 2019. ...
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NewsGolden Jubilee Express
ZAMBIA: Transnet Engineering has delivered a 16-coach rake of reconditioned, air-conditioned coaches for ZR's Livingstone - Kitwe Golden Jubilee Express. The train includes one business class, six economy class, two standard and two sleeper coaches, with kitchen, television screens, showers, and a restaurant. A second set is being ...
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NewsWindermere branch electrification funding confirmed
UK: Transport Minister Baroness Kramer confirmed £16m of government funding to electrify the 16 km single-track Oxenholme – Windermere branch on November 28. The minister said ‘electrifying this key rail link will support the vital tourism industry in the area, and help us build a stronger economy in the Lake ...
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NewsEIM elects Plummer
Paul Plummer (right), Group Strategy Director at Network Rail, was elected President of the European infrastructure managers’ association EIM on November 19, succeeding Trafikverket Director General Gunnar Malm (left). REFER Senior Adviser Francisco Cardoso dos Reis and RFF Chief Operating Officer Alain Quinet were elected as Vice-Presidents.
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NewsResponses to the InterCity East Coast franchise announcement
UK: Responses to the Inter-City Railways consortium of Stagecoach and Virgin being selected to operate inter-city services on the East Coast Main Line.
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NewsBNSF announces $6bn capital programme
USA: BNSF Railway has announced a $6bn capital expenditure programme for 2015, the third year in a row it has committed a record amount for capital investments. The company has also updated its planned capital expenditures for 2014, which now are expected to total $5·5bn. The largest component of the ...
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NewsLaurence Batlle
Contract operator RATP Dev has restructured its senior management team, with former Chief Financial Officer Laurence Batlle (photo) becoming Operations Director for Africa and the Americas. Deputy Finance Director Romain Ferrière succeeds Batlle. A Deputy Director USA position has been created, to be filled by Catherine Chardon.
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NewsAnthony Oyo
Rolling stock specialist Anthony Oyo has joined consultancy Steer Davies Gleave’s advisory division, having previously worked on train procurement and acceptance projects in Wellington and Auckland.
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NewsAnne Yvrande-Billon
Following the resignation of Daniel Tardy, Anne Yvrande-Billon has been named as Vice-President of French railway regulator ARAF, reporting to President Pierre Cardo.
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NewsPablo Vázquez Vega
Having been nominated by Development Minister Ana Pastor, Pablo Vázquez Vega has been appointed President of Spanish national passenger operator Renfe Operadora. He succeeds Julio Gómez-Pomar.
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NewsPeter Gašperšic
Peter Gašperšic has been named Minister of Infrastructure in the government of Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar, which took office at the end of September.