Main line rail industry news – Page 276
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NewsSAFRA awarded first contract to refurbish TER trainsets
FRANCE: SNCF has awarded SAFRA a contract to refurbish 12 three-car multiple-units used in the Midi-Pyrénées area and seven four-car sets used in Languedoc-Roussillon. There is an option for a further 10 trains. SAFRA said the 26-month contract announced on October 15 marks its entry into a ...
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NewsDB awarded Donau-Isar operating contract
GERMANY: Bayern railway agency BEG has awarded DB Regio the Donau-Isar contract covering the operation of a group of regional passenger services for 12 years from December 2024. The contract is split into two phases, to enable a restructuring once the second cross-city S-Bahn tunnel through München ...
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NewsUnique Rail Vehicle Identification System planning underway
INTERNATIONAL: The first formal meeting of the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s Group of Experts on establishing a common, permanent unique marking system for rolling stock took place in Genève during September. This marked the start of a two-year programme to formulate a set of practical rules ...
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NewsArriva and ČD win long-distance contracts
CZECH REPUBLIC: Arriva Vlaky has been awarded a seven-year contract to operate PSO-supported inter-regional services on routes R14A and R14B from Liberec to Pardubice and Ústí nad Labem with effect from December 13. The Ministry of Transport announced on October 5 that Arriva’s bid was KC302m lower ...
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NewsEppenberg tunnel opens for traffic
SWITZERLAND: As part of its project to four-track the 13·4 km Olten – Aarau line, SBB formally inaugurated its new Eppenberg tunnel on October 12.
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NewsEU track access rebates approved
EUROPE: A regulation permitting European Union member states to waive or defer track access charges in order to support the rail sector through the coronavirus pandemic has been formally adopted by the EU Council and European Parliament.
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NewsAssisted Remote Shunting obstacle detection trial
SWITZERLAND: Knorr-Bremse is equipping a number of SBB Cargo shunting locomotives with the Assisted Remote Shunting obstacle detection system developed by Rail Vision, an Israeli start-up in which the braking system manufacturer has a 21·3% stake. ARS is designed to enable a single person to control ...
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NewsRetrack and European Loc Pool announce long-term locomotive leasing deal
EUROPE: VTG Rail Logistics subsidiary Retrack has signed a long-term full-service leasing contract with European Loc Pool covering up to four Stadler EuroDual six-axle electro-diesel locomotives. To be delivered from Q1 2021, these will be rated at 2·8 MW in diesel mode and 6 MW in electric ...
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NewsSouthern Java double-tracking inaugurated
INDONESIA: The completion of double-tracking work on the majority of PT KAI’s 1 067 mm gauge southern Java main line was marked by a ‘soft launch’ ceremony at Solo Balapan on October 8, attended by Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi. Work began in 2015 on upgrading ...
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NewsLatvia and Estonia join Rail Freight Corridor 8
EUROPE: Latvia and Estonia have formally joined the North Sea-Baltic Rail Freight Corridor with effect from October 12, almost five years after the corridor was originally established in November 2015.
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NewsChicago – Minneapolis enhancements funded
USA: Plans to launch a second daily inter-city service between Chicago and Minneapolis-St Paul are set to move forward following the award of federal funding under the Consolidated Railroad Infrastructure & Safety Improvement grant programme.
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NewsJR East to speed up Tohoku Shinkansen
JAPAN: East Japan Railway is to raise the line speed limits on key sections of the Tohoku Shinkansen in order to make its train services between Tokyo and northeast Honshu more competitive with airlines.
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NewsInterrail passes go digital
EUROPE: Eurail and Interrail Global Passes are now available on a mobile phone app which can be used in 33 countries. Users can add journeys from the app’s travel planner to their mobile pass before boarding, removing the need to record each journey in the paper travel ...
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NewsDerailment analysis software launched
USA: PS Technology has released its Precision Train Builder software, which is designed to provide a physically accurate simulation of train and vehicle behaviour, both to assist with analysing derailments and to support forward-looking scenario building to improve the safety of operations. Precision Train Builder can be ...
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NewsEuropean transport sector calls for b2b data framework
EUROPE: The Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies and UITP have joined other logistics and manufacturing industry associations in making a joint call for the creation of an EU-wide framework for the governance of business-to-business data which would provide a level playing field ‘for all partners ...
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NewsKRRI tests 5G-based autonomous train control
SOUTH KOREA: Korea Railroad Research Institute has announced the successful testing of 5G-based autonomous train control technology at its dedicated test track in Osong. In January this year KRRI signed a technical co-operation agreement with SK Telecom to work on what it described as the world’s first ...
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NewsHybari fuel cell battery train to draw on automotive technology
JAPAN: East Japan Railway, Hitachi and Toyota Motor Corp are to collaborate to test the use of batteries and hydrogen fuel cell hybrid traction systems adapted from technology used in the road sector. The HYdrogen-HYBrid Advanced Rail vehicle for Innovation trial will use JR East’s Series ...