Main line rail industry news – Page 829
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NewsTest runs start under Barcelona
SPAIN: RENFE began using the new tunnel between Sants and La Sagrera in Barcelona on December 17, as it commenced test running with Class 103 trainsets on the high speed line between Sants, Girona and Figueres Vilafant. Taking place between 08.00 and 18.00, the test runs are also being used ...
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Alistair Dormer
Alistair Dormer has succeeded Chiaki Ueda as Executive Chairman and CEO of Hitachi Rail Europe, while Hirofumi Ojima has become Chief Strategy Officer. Russell Hargrave has been appointed Head of Maintenance, reporting to the new Senior Vice-President & Head of Projects, Operations & Maintenance, Andy Barr.
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NewsFunding approved for Quito metro
ECUADOR: The Inter-American Development Bank announced on December 5 that it had approved a US$200m loan to fund construction of Quito's first metro line, due to be completed in 2016. The mass transit system is expected to generate savings of $68m through shorter journey times, lower transport operating costs ...
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NewsT2 completes Dijon tram network
FRANCE: Dijon's second tram route entered service on December 8, running for 11·5 km from Valmy in the northern suburbs to Chenôve Centre in the south and serving a total of 21 stops. Three stops in the city centre are shared with the 8·5 km line T1 from the ...
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NewsRailway test centre to boost Japanese competitiveness
JAPAN: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has announced plans to construct what it says will be Japan's 'first comprehensive railway transportation system verification facility', with the aim of strengthening the country's international competitiveness. The MIHARA Test Centre at Mihara Machinery Works' Wadaoki plant in Hiroshima prefecture is scheduled to open in the ...
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NewsParis extends orbital tramway
FRANCE: The 14·3 km extension of orbital tram route T3 following the Boulevards des Maréchaux ring road around the eastern side of Paris was opened for revenue service on December 15. This trebles the length of T3, which has been running for 7·9 km across the south of Paris from ...
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NewsRail Technical Strategy launched
UK: A 30-year vision for the evolution of railway technology was outlined on December 13 with the publication in London of the 2012 Rail Technical Strategy. Unlike the 2007 version which had been prepared by the Department for Transport, the document has been developed by the pan-industry Technical Leadership Strategy ...
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NewsElektriraudtee unveils first diesel Flirt
ESTONIA: The first diesel version of Stadler Rail's Flirt family of multiple-units was unveiled by Tallinn passenger operator Elektriraudtee on December 13. Elektriraudtee signed two contracts with Stadler for new trains in August 2010. An order for 12 three-car and six four-car electric multiple-units is worth €80m, of which 85% ...
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NewsAxle bearing temperature monitor
BEARINGS: SKF has launched the SKF Axletronic bearing temperature monitoring system, designed to be easy to install on new or existing locomotives, multiple-units and metro cars. It transmits condition data via CAN bus, offering continuous temperature monitoring and analysis with adaptive alarm levels. Flash memory is used for event recording ...
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NewsAmtrak to start Acela Express fleet replacement
USA: Amtrak has abandoned plans to lengthen its current fleet of 20 Acela Express trainsets to increase capacity, and instead intends to procure a new fleet of high speed trains to operate on the Northeast Corridor between Washington DC, New York and Boston. Amtrak ridership has increase by 50% over ...
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NewsLeasing company sale
UK: Macquarie Bank has established Macquarie European Rail to acquire Lloyds Banking Group’s rolling stock leasing business. The deal is expected to close in late December. Macquarie said acquisition of three European lease portfolios from Lloyds would build on its existing North American rolling stock business and the experience of ...
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NewsTendering starts for Brazilian high speed line
BRAZIL: On December 13 federal transport agency ANTT announced the start of tendering for the planned 510 km high speed railway between Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Campinas. Bidders have been given until August 13 2013 to submit their proposals for the operation and maintenance of the route, preceded ...
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NewsRoyal opening launches Casablanca trams
MOROCCO: Casablanca’s first light rail line was officially inaugurated by King Mohammed VI on December 12, in a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault. Other guests included the Wali of the Casablanca Region Mohamed Bousaid, Mayor Mohamed Sajid and the Managing Director ...
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NewsKöln light rail extension opens
GERMANY: A 525 m underground extension of Köln light rail Line 5 from Dom/Hauptbahnhof to Rathaus opened on December 9. The extension takes light rail services into the heart of the old town, previously only served by buses. Situated 16 m below the surface, the Rathaus station has a contrasting ...
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NewsStadler awarded Łódź EMU contract
POLAND: Stadler Rail has been awarded a contract to supply 20 two-car Flirt electric multiple-units to Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna, a voivodship-owned company which is to take over the operation of services around the city of Łódź next year. EU sources are meeting 59% of the cost of the LKA ...
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NewsBAM Nuttall appointed main contractor for Borders Railway
UK: Network Rail announced the award of a £220m contract for detailed design and construction of the Borders Railway to BAM Nuttall on December 13. Construction is scheduled to get underway in early 2013, for commissioning 'by the summer of 2015'. The capital cost is put at £294m. Work to ...
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Rod Diridon
Rod Diridon, Executive Director of the Mineta Transportation Institute, has been appointed Chairman of the US High Speed Rail Association’s Advisory Board.
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NewsProgress Rail buys RibbonWeld mobile welding assets
USA: Progress Rail Services announced the purchase of RibbonWeld's mobile rail welding assets on December 12. Progress Rail will acquire RibbonWeld's mobile flash butt welding equipment and a continuous welded rail train, which will become part of its Chemetron Railway Products subsidiary. RibbonWeld will continue to provide in-plant rail ...
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NewsUIC celebrates innovation and research in anniversary awards
INTERNATIONAL: As part of the celebrations to mark the 90th anniversary of its formation, the International Union of Railways presented its first Innovation & Railway Research Awards at a ceremony in Paris on December 11. During the event at the Automobile Club de France, following a high-level round table looking ...