Main line rail industry news – Page 1408
-
News
Amtrak builds non-passenger revenue
INTRO: As part of its strategy to eliminate operating subsidies, Amtrak is actively developing its express parcels business to the concern of some of the big freight railways. Julian Wolinsky looks at developments so farALMOST 40 years after the major US railroads lost most of their premium parcels and sundries ...
-
News
Alstom goes public
ON June 2 Alstom, formerly GEC Alsthom, officially launched the initial public offering of its shares. The company was to be floated simultaneously on the London, New York and Paris stock exchanges, with Paris the primary listing. Trading was expected to begin on June 22 when the offering price was ...
-
News
Tests confirm PTC viability
TRIALS concluded towards the end of April in the states of Washington and Oregon have confirmed the full range of capabilities of Positive Train Separation equipment being developed by GE Harris in conjunction with Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe (RG 8.97 p539). This should lead to the formal ...
-
News
Caucasian railways start the long climb back
INTRO: Railways in the three countries of the Caucasus region suffered badly when the demise of the Soviet Union triggered civil strife, causing healthy freight traffic to shrink to almost nothing. The railways have responded positively to the end of hostilities, and the oil boom in Azerbaijan is helping to ...
-
News
In search of a market economy
INTRO: Kazakstan’s Transport Minister Erkin Kaliyev believes freight and long distance passenger operations can reward private investment, but replacing bureaucratic controls with a commercially-minded management is not going to be easyTHERE IS a long way to go, but the direction has been set. ’The railways of Kazakstan have embarked on ...
-
News
INSIDE INDUSTRY
Brazil: CBTU has called tenders for the supply of an automatic fare collection system for the Belo Horizonte metro. Procurement funding is to be provided by the World Bank. China: Guangzhou Railway has ordered 360 LF-310 two litre flush toilets from Microphor of the USA for cars being built by ...
-
News
TGV sports new colours
All over advertising took to France’s TGV network with a Réseau set painted in a scheme to promote Sony video game equipment.SNCF has contributed to World Cup celebrations by applying the football tournament’s logos to 1000 of its trains, including TGVs and Paris regional EMUs. During June and early July ...
-
News
DB grounds ICE1 fleet after Eschede disaster
GERMAN Railway's carefully cultivated image of speed, safety and luxury built up since it launched IC-Express services on June 2 1991 is in tatters. The derailment at 10.59 on June 3 of ICE884 Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen at Eschede on the Hannover - Hamburg main line and its disastrous aftermath shocked ...
-
News
New York pilot will set North America’s TBTC standards
INTRO: Suppliers are due to be chosen this month for a pilot installation of transmission-based train control on NYCT’s F Culver line. William D Middleton assesses the proposals, which envisage that a lead supplier develops compatible equipment permitting competitive procurement in the future INTEREST in transmission-based or communications-based train control ...
-
News
Strasbourg completes Line A
ACCOMPANIED by police, press, local TV and technical staff, the first test car inched along the Strasbourg Line A extension from Baggersee to Illkirch on May 25 (right). Due to open on July 4, the extension adds 2·8 km and four stations. The route crosses the Rhone-Rhine canal on a ...
-
News
Lorraine initiative
As part of the continuing improvement in customer care allied to regionalisation on SNCF, staff handed out information packs to travellers between Nancy and Epinal on May 23. Included were the new regional timetable book, a competition and details of a new bus link from the railhead at Remiremont to ...
-
News
Manchester may get first Network Management Centre
INTRO: The Railtrack board will shortly receive the business case for concentrating operational control of Britain’s 16600 route-km in about nine Network Management Centres. Richard Hope asked Andrew McNaughton to explain the strategyCSX TRANSPORTATION was the first major railway to exploit the almost limitless capacity of modern communications technology by ...
-
News
Maintenance focus at Strasbourg expo
Organised by the Union of European Railway Engineer Associations (UEEIV) in conjunction with the French Railways Engineers & Executives Association (AFFI), the Rail 21 congress and exhibition took place in Strasbourg between May 19 and 22.Rolling stock and other vehicles on display at SNCF’s Cronenbourg freight terminal included infrastructure maintenance ...
-
News
Embedded rails for quieter running
Next month will see the first installation of Infundo¨ resilient embedded track on a ferro-concrete bridge, over the River Ammer near Herrenberg in southern Germany. This summer will also see the system used on the first track laid for Britain’s newest tramway in Croydon. On München’s existing tram network, Line ...
-
News
INTELLIGENCE
Argentina: UEPFP is to introduce Talgo rolling stock purchased from Renfe to the 399 km Buenos Aires - Mar del Plata route by the end of this year. Infrastructure improvements allowing a 2h 50min journey time include curve easements, welded rails and resignalling by Siemens.Ferrocarril General Belgrano is testing a ...
-
News
Anglia unveils fresh look
Britain’s Anglia Railways franchise launched its first refurbished inter-city train set for London Liverpool Street - Norwich services on June 9.A Class 86 locomotive and a push-pull set of MkIIf coaches have been turned out in a bright turquoise livery with a cream stripe. The Forward Trust-owned stock was refurbished ...
-
News
STB approves Conrail split-up
SEPTEMBER 1 is set to see the disappearance of another US Class I railroad with the formal break-up of Conrail and its merger into Norfolk Southern and CSX Transportation. The $10bn deal was ’unanimously and enthusiastically’ approved by the Surface Transportation Board on June 8 (map RG 5.97 p271). Announcing ...
-
News
Prescott deal rescues CTRL
An ingenious rescue package unveiled by Britain's Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott on June 3 could see the Channel Tunnel Rail Link completed to London St Pancras by 2007. Provided the European Commission approves the package by September 30, work will begin in October on the 68 km Phase 1 ...
-
News
Private sector to fund HSL Zuid
JULY 13 is the deadline for anyone interested in financing the development and construction of the proposed Amsterdam - Antwerpen high speed line to respond to a consultation document issued by the Dutch government at the beginning of June. The Ministry of Transport’s high-speed line office has appointed Cameron McKenna ...