Main line rail industry news – Page 244
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NewsValle d’Aosta electrification included in Italian recovery plan
ITALY: Electrification of the 66·3 km Ivrea – Aosta section of the Chivasso – Aosta line by 2026 has been included in the National Recovery & Resilience Plan, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure & Transport Giancarlo Cancelleri has announced. Infrastructure manager RFI estimates that electrification will cost ...
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NewsEurostar to increase services and complete Thalys merger as £250m refinancing agreement secured
EUROPE: Cross-Channel high speed train operator Eurostar has announced a £250m refinancing agreement with its shareholders and banks, which it said would enable it to continue to operate services and meet its short to mid-term financial obligations. The refinancing package announced on May 18 comprises £50m ...
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NewsTEE 2.0 Letter of Intent signed at third Rail Summit
GERMANY: Agreement to take forward plans for a European network of high speed day and overnight inter-city services was reached on May 17 when European transport ministers signed a Letter of Intent for the Trans-Europ-Express 2.0 programme at the third Rail Summit staged by Germany’s Federal Ministry ...
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NewsOperators target more wagonload freight
GERMANY: A group of 11 private freight operators and publicly-owned DB Cargo have announced plans to promote and foster the wagonload business. Unveiling the proposals on May 11, the founder members of Netzwerk Zukunft Einzelwagenverkehr (Network Future Wagonload Traffic) said co-operation would be needed if the ...
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NewsVia Vindobona deal promises 4 h Berlin – Wien timing
GERMANY: Plans for a dramatic acceleration of inter-city passenger services between the capital cities of Germany, the Czech Republic and Austria were outlined at the third German Rail Summit held virtually on May 17. Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer highlighted plans agreed by the three countries in ...
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NewsBidders vie for Tren Maya rolling stock contract
MEXICO: National Tourism Fund Fonatur has confirmed that two groups have submitted tenders to supply up to 42 diesel, electro-diesel and electric trainsets for the Tren Maya project, with a winning bidder due to be announced on May 26. The contract covers maintenance of the fleet ...
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NewsResearch partnership targets low-carbon freight
USA: Wabtec has set up partnerships with Carnegie Mellon University and short line specialist Genesee & Wyoming with a view to developing a range of low-carbon technologies for freight railroads. At the heart of the proposals is the Freight Rail Innovation Institute, a research body that ...
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NewsRio Tinto to test Rail Vision collision-avoidance technology
AUSTRALIA: Mining company Rio Tinto is to undertake proof-of-concept testing of enhancements to the collision detection system on its AutoHaul autonomous trains, which would add the capability to identify hazards such as people or vehicles on or near the tracks. The nine-month project will have three ...
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NewsMinho line electrification completed
PORTUGAL: Infraestruturas de Portugal has completed the 25 kV 50 Hz electrification of its Minho line between Viana do Castelo and Valença in the far north of the country.
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NewsKCS favours revised CN proposal over CP merger plan
NORTH AMERICA: Kansas City Southern has given notice of its intention to terminate its merger agreement with Canadian Pacific, following the receipt of revised proposals from Canadian National.
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NewsUkraine signs framework agreement for 130 electric locomotives
UKRAINE: Alstom is on course to supply up to 130 electric freight locomotives to national railway Ukrzaliznytsia under one of four framework agreements signed by Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and France’s Minister of the Economy, Finance & Recovery Bruno Le Maire in Kyiv on May 13. ...
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NewsStadler lodges objection to DSB multiple-unit contract
DENMARK: Stadler has lodged an objection to DSB’s selection of Alstom for a contract to supply around 150 electric multiple-units as part of its Future Train rolling stock renewal strategy. The national passenger operator had named Alstom as preferred bidder on April 12 for its largest-ever ...
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NewsDOT backs return of Gulf Coast passenger trains
USA: The Department of Transportation has endorsed efforts to revive inter-city passenger train services on the Gulf Coast route east of New Orleans, which were suspended following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Writing to the Chairman of the Surface Transportation Board Martin Oberman on May 10, DOT ...
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NewsFlixTrain to launch new routes and night trains
EUROPE: Having launched its first FlixTrain services in Sweden on May 6, FlixMobility announced on May 11 that it intends to launch two additional inter-city routes in Germany over the coming months, as part of an expansion programme aiming to double the number of open access services.
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NewsVoith Turbo discusses digital automatic couplers on the latest InnoTrans podcast
INNOTRANS: The latest episode of the InnoTrans podcast was released on May 11, with Cornelius Weitzmann, CEO Mobility at Voith Turbo, discussing the importance of digital automatic couplers in ensuring the competitveness of rail transport. ‘Rail is the most efficient and sustainable way to realise medium ...
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NewsPetroCity plans general freight railway
BRAZIL: Industrial group PetroCity Portos SA is pursuing plans to develop a new railway to serve the states of Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, running inland from a proposed port, logistics and business complex at Urussuquara, south of São Mateus on the Atlantic coast.
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NewsConnecting Europe Express to tour 26 countries in 36 days
EUROPE: Marking Europe Day on May 9 and the EU Year of Rail, the European Commission has confirmed the programme for its Connecting Europe Express exhibition train. Intended to demonstrate ‘the power of rail to connect people and businesses’, the project will also celebrate the cultural, economic ...
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NewsSotetsu orders Hitachi EMUs to work Tokyo through services
JAPAN: As part of its ¥15∙7bn capital investment plan for the 2021 financial year, Yokohama-based Sagami Railway is to order four eight-car Series 21000 EMUs from Hitachi.