Main line rail industry news – Page 779
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NewsWien metro and tram extensions open
AUSTRIA: Celebrations on October 5 marked the opening of an extension of Wien metro Line U2 from Aspernstraße to the Seestadt urban development area on the site of the former Aspern airport. This takes Line U2 to almost 17 km with 20 stations. Construction of the 4·2 km elevated extension ...
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NewsKiwiRail places third order for CNR Dalian locomotives
NEW ZEALAND: KiwiRail awarded CNR Dalian a contract to supply a further eight Class DL diesel locomotives last month, taking its total order to 48. 'We have been very pleased with the performance of these locomotives to date and they are proving their worth on our North Island freight routes', ...
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NewsFrom Ruskin to Russia
RUSSIA: Anglia Ruskin University in the UK is to provide management training for senior staff at Russian Railways in co-operation with consultancy Knowledge Associates Cambridge. The agreement signed in August, will see Anglia Ruskin’s Ashcroft International Business School work with RZD’s Corporate University to develop a joint learning plan for ...
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NewsGas fuelled turbine-electric locomotive prototype
RUSSIA: Sinara’s Lyudinovsky plant has produced a prototype natural gas fuelled turbine-electric locomotive, using components of a TEM7A. The twin-section Do’Do’+Do’Do’ designated GT1h-002 is rated at 8·3 MW and has a maximum speed of 100 km/h. One section contains the gas turbine supplied by Kuznecov which drives an electrical generator ...
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NewsSiemens unveils proposal for future London Underground train
UK: Siemens has unveiled a full-sized mock-up of the train which it intends to offer when Transport for London calls tenders for new fleets for London Underground's small-profile tube lines. Part of Siemens' Inspiro family, the articulated design for London would feature wide through gangways, air-conditioning and an option ...
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NewsMark Carne
Mark Carne has been appointed Chief Executive of UK infrastructure manager Network Rail. Formerly Executive Vice-President, Middle East & North Africa, at Royal Dutch Shell, he is due to join the company on January 6 before replacing Sir David Higgins, who is to become Chairman of HS2 Ltd in succession ...
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NewsAddis Abeba light rail civil works to be completed this year
ETHIOPIA: China Railway Engineering Corp expects to complete civil works for the 34 km Addis Abeba light rail system by the end of the year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced. Two lines are under construction, one running 16·9 km north-south from Menelik Square to Kaliti and the second ...
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NewsMiami peoplemover capacity expansion contract
USA: Miami-Dade Aviation Department has awarded Mitsubishi Heavy Industries a contract to increase the capacity of the 2 km automated peoplemover which links Miami International Airport with the Miami Intermodal Center transport interchange. This will include the supply four additional rubber-tyre cars in 2016, taking the fleet to 12. ...
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NewsFirst Great Western awarded new franchise
UK: On October 3 the Department for Transport announced it had awarded incumbent First Great Western a new 23-month franchise to operate passenger services between London, southwest England and Wales. The agreement includes the roll out of free wi-fi for passengers, with priority given to long-distance routes, and local funding ...
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NewsIcahn Enterprises forms wagon leasing joint venture
USA: Icahn Enterprises and its Chairman Carl Icahn announced an agreement to a form a wagon leasing joint venture, American Railcar Leasing (New ARL), on September 25. IEP is to contribute cash and wagons worth $737m in exchange for a 75% stake in New ARL, and is expecting to generate ...
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NewsGE trials Tier 4 locomotive technology
USA: GE Transportation is testing what it says is the first diesel locomotive to meet the Environmental Protection Agency's Tier 4 emission standards without the use of any type of after-treatment. The Tier 4 standards were announced in 2004 and are due to come into force on January 1 2015. ...
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NewsSNCF orders electro-diesel inter-city trainsets
FRANCE: National operator SNCF has awarded Alstom a €346m contract to supply 34 Coradia Liner electro-diesel multiple-units. These will replace locomotive-hauled stock on trains d'équilibre du territoire inter-city services on the conventional network from December 2015. Alstom said the Coradia Liner would be 'half-way between' TER regional express trains and ...
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NewsKuehne + Nagel and VTG agree rail logistics merger
EUROPE: Wagon leasing and rail transport group VTG and sea, air and overland logistics company Kuehne + Nagel signed an agreement to merge their rail logistics operations to create 'Europe's largest private rail logistics provider' on September 27. This follows a letter of intent signed in April. Subject to ...
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NewsQuarry opening to support Camrail rehabilitation works
CAMEROON: Railway concessionaire Camrail has opened a ballast quarry at Belabo to support its track modernisation works. 'This quarry is an exciting project that will make a significant contribution to the technological transformation of our railway line', said Camrail President Sali Hamadou. 'Camrail aims to manufacture 290 000 bi-block sleepers ...
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NewsRennes metro Line B contract signed
FRANCE: Siemens announced on October 1 that it had signed a €178m turnkey contract to supply railway systems and provide project management services for Line B of the Rennes metro, the second driverless VAL route to be built in the city. Following its selection as preferred bidder in November ...
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NewsCN to take over Kelowna Pacific Railway operations
CANADA: CN has announced agreements to restart freight services in southern British Columbia which ceased when Kelowna Pacific Railway Ltd entered receivership on July 5. The short line had leased the network from CN in 1999. On September 27 CN said it had reached 'mutually satisfactory' agreements with Kelowna Pacific ...
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NewsFeature articles in the October 2013 issue of Railway Gazette International
Comment Be bold to connect our cities News Main Line Urban Rail Market Industry Innovations Analysis A vision for regional growthHS2: turning vision into reality Fyra fight rages onAll about connectivityArgentina putting the state in chargeGermany rethinking the price of energyDoomsday scenarioTram salesmen on the road ...
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NewsCornu heads up SNCB
Former Alcatel President Jozef Cornu has been confirmed as CEO of Belgian national rail operator SNCB. His predecessor, Marc Descheemaecker, left on September 1 to become President of Brussels Airport, and the CEO of SNCB Holding Jannie Haek is also standing down to head the country’s national lottery. Descheemaeker ...
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NewsGovernment approves RENFE restructuring
SPAIN: Plans to restructure RENFE as four companies responsible for passenger operations, freight, rolling stock maintenance and train leasing were approved by the Spanish cabinet on September 27, having previously been approved by the RENFE board. The four new companies will be structured as 100%-owned subsidiaries of holding company RENFE ...
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NewsEurostar and Keolis announce joint bid for East Coast franchise
UK: Keolis and Eurostar International announced their intention to launch a joint bid for the InterCity East Coast franchise September 30. The contract to operate services from London to Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh is scheduled to be awarded in October 2014 and commence in February 2015. Keolis would be the ...