Main line rail industry news – Page 787
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NewsHelsinki starts automated metro tests
FINLAND: Three Helsinki metro M100 trainsets equipped for automatic operation by Siemens started test running on August 21. Final approval was given by TÜV Rheinland. The trains will initially retain a driver on board, before drivers are phased out between late 2015 and the end of 2016. The first ...
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NewsMaking TRAX for Draper
USA: The final stage of Utah Transit Authority’s FrontLines 2015 light rail expansion project has opened. Regular service on the 6·1 km Blue Line extension to Draper Town Center started on August 18, following the official inauguration two days earlier. The three-stop extension runs south from Sandy Civic Center, ...
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NewsNews in Brief
The government of Oman has formally established National Rail Co to manage the development of the planned 1 000 km rail network, and selected Italferr for a 13·6m rial contract to provide preliminary design services. The European Commission has appointed the All Ways Travelling consortium of Amadeus, BeNe Rail IATA, ...
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NewsHigh axleload bogie partnership for the 1520 region
RUSSIA: Tikhvin Railway Car Building Plant operator United Wagon Co has signed a deal to gain full intellectual property rights to the Motion Control 18-9836 bogie which Amsted Rail developed for 1 520 mm gauge wagons. Under the agreement announced on August 22 Amsted Rail will continue its direct licensing ...
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NewsBuenos Aires commuter routes return to state control
ARGENTINA: By means of a government resolution published on August 21, operation of the Roca, San Martín and Belgrano Sur commuter networks in Buenos Aires is to be transferred to federal railway operating company SOFSE. A new operating agreement is to be concluded within 90 days. Federal railway infrastructure company ...
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NewsMichael Logue
Michael Logue, Associate Administrator for Administration at the US Federal Railroad Administration, has been appointed Chief Safety Officer at Amtrak.
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NewsGreenbriar Equity Group acquires Nordco
USA: Track maintenance equipment supplier Nordco Inc announced on August 19 that it had been acquired by private equity investor Greenbriar Equity Group. Terms were not disclosed. Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP acted as legal counsel to Greenbriar Equity Group. Nordco has its headquarters in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, and supplies ...
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NewsWaterloo signs light rail vehicle contract
CANADA: Bombardier Transportation announced on August 21 that it had signed a C$66m contract to supply 14 Flexity Freedom light rail vehicles to the Regional Municipality of Waterloo. The trams will be used on the 19 km Stage 1 of the ION light rail line that is scheduled to open ...
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NewsRail Industry Training & Recruitment in Brief
A delegation from Indian Railways and the Ministry of Urban Development has visited UK infrastructure manager Network Rail’s Anglia route offices at Stratford to look at the technical and operational challenges of suburban services and at integration of rail with other modes. The visit was organised by Network Rail Consulting. ...
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NewsCSR Zhuzhou rolls out first Transnet electric locomotive
SOUTH AFRICA: The first of 95 electric freight locomotives ordered by Transnet was rolled out at CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive's factory in China on August 20. The initial two locomotives are scheduled to be shipped by the end of September, with eight months of testing planned. The US$400m contract for ...
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NewsLebanese railway revival to be studied
LEBANON: Tenders for a study into the feasibility of rebuilding the disused railway from Beirut north along the coast to Tripoli are to be invited by the European Investment Bank during September. The standard gauge line linking Haifa, Beirut and Tripoli was built by Allied forces during World War II. ...
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NewsLondon Tramlink orders more Stadler trams
UK: London Tramlink has awarded Stadler Pankow a firm order to supply a further four Variobahn trams for the light rail network centred on Croydon. The additional Variobahn cars trams are to be built at Stadler's plants in Berlin and are scheduled to enter service from 2015. The £10·2m contract ...
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NewsLargest lathe order
INDIA: HYT Engineering has won its largest ever order for wheel lathes, a US$45m contract to supply Indian Railways with 36 CNC surface/above floor lathes for use with locomotive, coach and wagon wheels. Delivery is scheduled to be completed within two years, with a two-year warranty and five years of ...
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NewsFrench loan to support Bandung upgrading
INDONESIA: The government has agreed to support plans to enhance capacity on suburban services around Bandung in West Java under a project that would be partly funded through a US$157m French overseas development loan. The capacity enhancement works cover the 42 route-km corridor between Padalarang to the west of the ...
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NewsOslo tunnel plans to be studied
NORWAY: Proposals for a second cross-city tunnel to relieve the busy rail link through the centre of Oslo are to be examined as part of a study commissioned by the Ministry of Transport & Communications on August 14. Infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket, national road agency Statens Vegvesen and the greater Oslo ...
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NewsTrain inspection portals to be installed
ITALY: Infrastructure manager RFI plans to install train inspection portals at around 100 key locations on its network, including border crossings and tunnel entrances. Each portal will subject passing trains to a thermal scan using photovoltaic sensors as well as a clearance check. During a clearance check the portal ...
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NewsOksana Plotnìkovu
Oksana Plotnikovu has been appointed Deputy General Director of Ukrainian Railways, having held the position in an acting capacity since June.
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NewsBuenos Aires metro extension opens
ARGENTINA: Revenue services on a 1·6 km extension of Buenos Aires metro Line B began on August 15. Inaugurated by Mauricio Macri, head of the Buenos Aires city government, the extension from De Los Incas/Parque Chas to Juan Manuel de Rosas has one intermediate station at Echeverría. Opening ...
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NewsIndependently Powered EMU to be tested
UK: A Bombardier Electrostar electric multiple-unit leased by Greater Anglia is to be fitted with two types of battery to study the feasibility of operating electric trains on non-electrified lines. Infrastructure manager Network Rail envisages that Independently Powered Electric Multiple-Units could be used to bridge gaps on otherwise electrified routes, ...
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NewsIsrael Railways electrification plan approved
ISRAEL: A US$3·2bn programme to electrify 420 km of existing and planned railway was approved by the Committee for National Infrastructure on August 12. The first lines to be electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz would be the future 23 km 'Akko - Karmi'el route and Tel Aviv - Jerusalem ...