Main line rail industry news – Page 245
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NewsSNCF launches Ouigo high speed services in Spain
SPAIN: The first fare-paying passengers were due to board Ouigo services on the morning of May 10 as SNCF’s low-cost high speed rail subsidiary entered the Spanish domestic market, competing with RENFE on the Madrid – Barcelona route.
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NewsVTG sees ‘huge potential’ in Turkish freight market
TURKEY: VTG has announced a ‘sharp expansion’ in the Turkish market, bundling the activities of VTG Rail Europe, VTG Rail Logistics and VTG Tanktainer under local subsidiary VTG Nakliyat. Offices have been opened in Halkalı and Pendik on the European and Aisan sides of the Bosporus ...
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NewsElectrification to increase Ukraine – Poland iron ore export capacity
UKRAINE: National railway Ukrzaliznytsia has begun a project to electrify the 94 km line from Kovel to Izov and the Polish border. The route handles 90% of rail freight tonnage between the two countries, mainly iron ore being exported from the Kryvyi Rih region to steelmakers ...
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NewsNew Zealand’s 10-year Rail Plan prioritises resilience and reliability
NEW ZEALAND: The government has published a 10-year Rail Plan, setting out its ambitions for a ‘resilient and reliable’ rail network and outlining its investment priorities. The plan does not provide a definitive list of investments or funding commitments, but is intended as a sign of ...
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NewsIndustrial espionage concerns raised over third-party train maintenance contract
GERMANY: Swiss rolling stock manufacturer Stadler has raised concerns about the potential for industrial espionage after Go-Ahead awarded the international subsidiary of Transmashholding a contract to maintain a fleet of electric multiple-units ordered for use on E-Netz Allgäu services in Bayern. Stadler is worried that its ...
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NewsMaranhão Railway to serve deepwater port
BRAZIL: Plans are taking shape for the construction of a heavy haul railway and deepwater port in northeastern Brazil, in order to accommodate rising export traffic from the mining and agricultural sectors.
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NewsAkiem joins autonomous railpod project
FRANCE: Rolling stock leasing company Akiem has signed a letter of intent paving the way for a financial and industrial partnership to develop the Taxirail concept for an autonomous ‘railpod’ ultra light rail shuttle vehicle. The Taxirail concept has been developed in Bretagne by EXID Concept ...
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NewsPandemic brings ‘bleak’ first quarter for European railways
EUROPE: The coronavirus pandemic continues to have a heavy impact across the rail sector, according to the Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies’ Covid Impact Tracker.
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NewsHydrogen trains for the Heidekrautbahn
GERMANY: Federal Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer has authorised investment of €25m in a project to introduce hydrogen fuel cell trains in the Land of Brandenburg. Announcing the grant at Basdorf station on the Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn on May 3, Scheuer said this would be ‘a giant step ...
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NewsPortugal’s Beira Baixa link reopens after 12 years
PORTUGAL: Trains returned to the 46 km section of the Beira Baixa line between Guarda and Covilhã on May 2 for the first time in 12 years, with a formal reopening ceremony taking place the following day.
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NewsConstruction of second track to Koper launched
SLOVENIA: Construction of the second line linking the port of Koper to the SŽ network at Divača was officially launched on May 5 by Minister of Infrastructure Jernej Vrtovec and representatives of state-owned project promoter 2TDK and the contractors. The ceremony followed the signing on the ...
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NewsPort drives Arica – La Paz railway reopening
CHILE: A test train was dispatched from the port of Arica on May 5, signalling the reactivation of the Chilean section of the Arica – La Paz railway for freight traffic after being mothballed for almost 16 years.
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NewsFreight returns to narrow gauge line
AUSTRIA: Freight services are to be reintroduced on the Zillertalbahn narrow gauge line from Jenbach to Fügen-Hart im Zillertal on May 17, under an agreement between operator ZVB, the national railway’s freight business Rail Cargo Austria, the Land of Tirol and wood products company Binderholz. Around ...
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NewsWabtec awarded Delhi – Meerut RRTS train subsystems contract
INDIA: Wabtec Corp has been awarded a US$15m contract to provide braking systems, pantographs, roof disconnector switches and passenger information systems for the 40 electric multiple-units which Alstom is to build for the 82 km Delhi – Meerut Regional Rapid Transport System. Wabtec said its high-performance ...
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NewsTexas high speed rail developer signs $1·6bn electrical systems contract
USA: Dallas – Houston high speed rail project promoter Texas Central Railroad has signed a $1·6bn contract for Kiewit and its Mass Electric Construction subsidiary to install the core electrical systems for the proposed line. This would include the traction power, signalling and communications equipment for ...
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NewsETCS tests underway as next section of Galician high speed line nears opening
SPAIN: ETCS Level 2 validation testing began on April 26 on a recently completed 104 route-km section of high speed line through the mountains between Pedralba de la Pradería and Taboadela.
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NewsNokia and Cellnex awarded ProRail telecoms contracts
NETHERLANDS: Infrastructure manager ProRail has appointed Nokia to operate and maintain its GSM-R voice and data communications network, while Cellnex has been awarded a contract to install and operate telecoms masts. The 10-year agreement with Nokia which runs from September 2022 ‘represents a major step forward ...
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NewsRegulations agreed for Luxembourg Protocol rolling stock registry
INTERNATIONAL: Draft regulations have been approved outlining the operation of the international rolling stock registry that is being established under the Luxembourg Protocol to the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment. The regulations have been drawn up by a Preparatory Commission which includes ...