Main line rail industry news – Page 796
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NewsTerence Watson
Terence Watson has been appointed President of Alstom's UK operations; he will retain his current role as Managing Director for the company in the UK and Ireland. He succeeds Stephen Burgin, who becomes Vice-President, Global Power Sales, Northern & Central Europe.
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NewsTwo high speed lines open in China
CHINA: The fastest Nanjing - Hangzhou journey times were almost halved with the opening of the Passenger-Dedicated Line between the cities on July 1, the same day as the opening of the Hangzhou - Ningbo PDL. Construction of the 249 km Nanjing - Hangzhou high speed line began in December ...
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NewsWorld Speed Survey 2013: China sprints out in front
INTERNATIONAL: China continues to set the pace in the global rail speed stakes, with its fastest trains achieving average point-to-point speeds better than any other country, according to Railway Gazette’s latest World Speed Survey. Authored this year by Jeremy Hartill of the UK’s Railway Performance Society, the biennial survey appears ...
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NewsDelhi Metro takes over Airport Express Line
INDIA: Delhi Metro Rail Corp took over the operation of the city’s Airport Express Line on July 1, after PPP concessionaire Delhi Airport Metro Express Private Ltd gave notice on June 27 that it would cease to operate the route at the end of the month. Under the terms ...
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NewsFirst E-Class tram delivered to Melbourne
AUSTRALIA: The first Bombardier E-Class tram for Melbourne was unveiled at Yarra Trams’ Preston depot on July 1. Among those present were Premier of Victoria Denis Napthine and Minister for Public Transport Terry Mulder. The tram arrived from Bombardier’s factory in Dandenong. It is about to begin tests on ...
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NewsJoint Eurasian freight operator agreed
INTERNATIONAL: The national railways of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus have signed an agreement to establish United Transport & Logistics Co, a jointly-owned company which would provide intermodal services within the three countries’ Common Economic Space, including transit routes between Europe and Asia. Once government approval is obtained for the plan, ...
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NewsFeature articles in the July 2013 issue of Railway Gazette International
Comment Fyra: A high speed train going nowhere News Main Line Urban Rail Market Industry Innovations Analysis Freight sector gathers at Transport Logistic. Ralf Roman Rossberg reports from München Argentinian concessions revoked Irish compromise on authorisation High speed rail in Russia Keep investing in urban transport Swiss signals ...
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NewsRussian diesel engine joint venture agreed
RUSSIA: Engine manufacturer Tognum and rolling stock supplier Transmashholding have agreed to establish MTU Transmashholding Diesel Technologies, a joint venture which will produce engines at Kolomna near Moscow. Investment in the project is expected to be €80m, with the design of the new plant to be completed by November and ...
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NewsRefurbishment aims to extend DMU life by 15 years
GERMANY: Niedersachsen transport authority LNVG has awarded Alstom a €27m contract to modernise 27 Coradia Lint 41 diesel multiple-units used on Weser-Ems services. The work is to be undertaken at Alstom's Braunschweig site for completion in December 2015. The contract announced on June 26 is designed to ensure the trains ...
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NewsBombardier wins Hamburg S-Bahn train order
GERMANY: The Hamburg senate has awarded incumbent S-Bahn Hamburg GmbH a contract to operate the city's S-Bahn services for a further 15 years from December 9 2018, enabling the DB Regio subsidiary to place a order for new trains as part of €450m package which includes train refurbishment and depot ...
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NewsNewag tram rolls onto the streets of Kraków
POLAND: Test running began on June 25 with the first tram to be produced by Polish rolling stock manufacturer Newag. The prototype Nevelo tram will be tested on route 8 of Kraków’s network until September 22. The three-section, unidirectional, articulated tram was designed and built in Newag’s Nowy Sącz ...
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NewsDB joint venture to operate Etihad Rail freight trains
UAE: An agreement to create a joint venture to operate the rail network under construction in the United Arab Emirates was signed by Etihad Rail Vice-Chairman Mattar Mohammed Al Tayer and DB Schenker Rail CEO Alexander Hedderich on June 27. The first freight trains carrying granulated sulphur on the 266 ...
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NewsRENFE restructuring approved
SPAIN: Meeting on June 27, the RENFE board approved plans to restructure the state operator into four companies responsible for passenger operations, freight, rolling stock maintenance and train leasing. The proposals will be submitted to the Spanish cabinet for approval next month, in preparation for the domestic passenger market opening ...
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NewsSpanish consortium to build Ouargla tram line
ALGERIA: The Ministry of Transport has awarded a consortium of Rover Alcisa, Elecnor and Assignia Infrestructuras a €228m contract to build a tram line in Ouargla. The project is being developed by Enterprise du Métro d’Alger, the urban rail construction agency that is also responsible for several other light rail ...
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NewsCSR Qishuyan to supply 20 locomotives to Thailand
THAILAND: State Railway of Thailand signed a contract for CSR Qishuyan to supply 20 locomotives on June 25. The metre-gauge diesel-electric locomotives with AC traction equipment are scheduled to be delivered in 2015 for use on freight trains as part of a 'hub and spoke' intermodal distribution model which is ...
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NewsO-Train DMUs delivered to Ottawa
CANADA: Mayor of Ottawa Jim Watson formally took delivery of six Alstom Coradia Lint 41 diesel multiple-units for the city's O-Train service at the 8 km line's Walkley depot on June 22. Operator OC Transpo placed the C$34m order for the DMUs in September 2011 as part of the C$59m ...
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NewsMBTA orders more MotivePower locomotives
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has placed a firm order for a further 13 HSP46 passenger locomotives with Wabtec subsidiary MotivePower, taking its total order to 40. Delivery to Boston is scheduled for 2014. The contract was announced on June 26 and is valued at more than $70m, including training, ...
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NewsSan Francisco signs Central Subway contract
USA: San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency awarded an $840m contract for the Central Subway project to Tutor Perini Corp on June 20. The contract covers construction of four stations and trackwork for the 2·7 km extension of Muni’s T Third Line. Tutor Perini expects ‘substantial completion’ in the second ...
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NewsEBRD support for Ufa tramway upgrade
RUSSIA: The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development is considering providing a long-term loan of up to 1·5bn roubles to Ufa transport operator MUE for tramway construction and rehabilitation. It will carry out due diligence on the project later this year, which will include a feasibility study. The ...
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NewsOpening of India's longest railway tunnel joins Jammu to Kashmir
INDIA: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flagged off Northern Railway's ceremonial first train on the next section of the rail link to Kashmir on June 26, travelling from Banihal to Qazigund with guests including local school pupils. Regular services began the following day. The latest 17·7 km section was built at ...