Main line rail industry news – Page 830
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NewsLe Havre celebrates tramway opening
FRANCE: An afternoon of celebrations to mark the inauguration of the Le Havre tramway began at 12.12 on December 12. Travel is free until December 16. The Y-shaped network is centred on Place Jenner, with lines running west to Porte Océane through a new 575 m tram tunnel in the ...
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NewsMulhouse - Müllheim reopens to passengers
EUROPE: SNCF began operating regular passenger services between Mulhouse in France and Müllheim in Germany with the December 9 timetable change, following the completion of a programme to upgrade the 17·5 km freight route between Mulhouse and the border at Chalampé. There are now seven TER services each weekday ...
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NewsThales wins 'landmark' Indian metro CBTC contract
INDIA: Thales has announced a 'landmark' contract to supply PPP contractor Larsen & Toubro with SelTrac communications-based train control along with integrated communications and supervision systems for the future Hyderabad metro lines 1, 2 and 3, totalling 72 km and 66 stations. CBTC will support driverless operation with onboard attendants. ...
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NewsLondon Overground orbital route completed
UK: Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin inaugurated an extension of the London Overground network through south London on December 10, creating an orbital service around the capital. Passenger services had begun the previous day. The project required construction of a 1·3 km link joining existing ...
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Jacques Rapoport
Jacques Rapoport has been named President of RFF, subject to approval by the Board. The former La Poste CEO will play a key role in bringing RFF and SNCF Infra together as a united infrastructure manager. Jacques Auxiette has been tasked with looking into how the regions should be represented ...
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NewsDoor actuator can be customised for accessible train toilets
DOOR: Norgren has introduced an actuator designed for the curved doors of wheelchair-accessible train toilet cubicles. The integrated package comprises a toothed belt, actuators, motor and controller, as well as the extruded curved guide which can be supplied to a custom size and radius. The door can open to a ...
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NewsVale starts work on Nacala corridor
MALAWI: Brazilian mining group Vale officially launched the construction of its US$1·1bn heavy haul freight corridor to the port of Nacala on December 6, when the President of Malawi Joyce Banda laid a foundation stone at Neno. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the governments of both Malawi and ...
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Pierre Blayau
Pierre Blayau, CEO of SNCF Geodis, has been appointed Chairman of Geodis while Marie-Christine Lombard, formerly CEO of TNT, succeeds Jean-Louis Demeulenaere as CEO. At SNCF Geodis-owned wagon leasing firm Ermewa, Olivier Ghesquière has succeeded Joseph Kuttel as CEO.
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NewsKTX-Sancheon achieves reliability target
SOUTH KOREA: National train operator Korail marked the successful completion of ‘100 fault-free days’ with its latest five KTX-Sancheon trainsets by presenting a certificate to manufacturer Hyundai Rotem on December 7. The five additional trains put into service by Korail in August incorporate a number of modifications to address various ...
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NewsHelping to spread the load
AXLELOAD: Avery Weigh-Tronix has launched I-Line2, a browser-based software package for accessing, reporting and presenting data from its in-motion train weighing systems. Information is presented using a configurable dashboard. The software can be used to control multiple weighing systems, and combined with RFID and other vehicle identification systems. Reports can ...
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NewsIndustry News in Brief
The first annual meeting of the ISO/TC269 committee for rail industry standardisation was held in Berlin on October 30-31. TC269 is chaired by Yuji Nishie from Japan’s Railway Technical Research Institute. The meeting agreed the scope of future work, which will focus on standardisation of rail-specific products and services including ...
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NewsNews in Brief - December 2012
Under the Ifzone research project, Spanish infrastructure manager ADIF is testing measures to reduce the impact of neutral sections on train operations at the traction substation located at La Roda de Andalucía on the Córdoba – Málaga high speed line. These include energising neutral sections as a train approaches, as ...
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NewsCross-border service trial
INTERNATIONAL: Russian Railways’ Federal Passenger Company subsidiary is to operate a trial international passenger service from Petrozavodsk in the Republic of Karelia to Joensuu in Finland on December 28-29. The overnight service will operate via Sortavala and cross the border at Värtsilä. It is expected to comprise six coaches ...
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NewsChinese metro car maintenance joint venture established
CHINA: Bombardier Transportation announced on December 7 that it is establishing a whole-life vehicle maintenance joint venture targeting the Chinese urban rail market. Bombardier and Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Ltd have launched Shentong Bombardier (Shanghai) Rail Transit Vehicle Maintenance Company Ltd to offer ‘specialist rolling stock maintenance, intermediate repairs, overhauls, ...
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SRT Governor selected
Thailand's government has approved the appointment of Prapat Chongsanguan as Governor of the state railway. The former chief of Bangkok’s MRTA, who succeeded Acting Governor Viroj Treamphongpun on November 12, has announced plans to boost staff morale, improve the condition of the railways and reduce debt within two and a ...
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NewsTrenitalia orders 70 EMUs from Alstom
ITALY: Alstom announced on December 5 that it had been awarded a €440m contract to supply 70 Coradia Meridian EMUs to Trenitalia. Deliveries were expected to start ‘slightly over one year’ after contract signature, with the new trains to be deployed in several regions as well as on the rail ...
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NewsRussian Railways to offer piggyback services next year
RUSSIA: Russian Railways expects to obtain certification early next year for the operation of piggyback trains in Russia, the CIS and the European Union, RZD Senior Vice-President Valentin Gapanovich told the 1520 Strategic Partnership forum in Astana. The first deployment is expected to be between Helsinki, St Petersburg and Moscow ...
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NewsQueen Beatrix inaugurates the Hanze Line
NETHERLANDS: The 50 km Hanze Line between Lelystad and Zwolle was officially opened on December 6 with a ceremony attended by Queen Beatrix and Transport Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen. After a presentation at Lelystad, the Queen rode the inaugural train to Zwolle, accompanied by several ministers and other ...
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Antonio Aguilar Mediavilla
Antonio Aguilar Mediavilla has been appointed President of metre-gauge operator FEVE by Spanish Transport Minister Ana Pastor; he replaces Marcelino Oreja Arburúa.