Main line rail industry news – Page 549
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NewsPlayRenfe wi-fi offers live TV on the move
SPAIN: Prior to its launch on high speed services between Madrid and Sevilla on December 5, national operator RENFE is testing from November 4 a beta version of PlayRenfe, its new on-train wi-fi platform which combines satellite and 4G. As well as internet connectivity, passengers will be able to enjoy ...
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NewsEurostar 'confident' as Amsterdam plans gather pace
EUROPE: Eurostar said it was seeing ‘signs of recovery in the trading environment’ when it announced its Quarter 3 results on November 4, with passenger numbers in the previous eight weeks increasing year-on-year. This followed a ‘challenging period’ when demand had been dampened by the Nice terrorist attack in July. ...
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NewsRailway supply industry news round-up
NRE has launched an online auction site to provide its customers with ‘the ease and convenience of online shopping for hard to find parts at competitive pricing’, according to Claire Vaughan, responsible for Auction & Online Sales at the company. The website is initially selling NRE products, but ‘we hope ...
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NewsBombardier opens Wrocław production hall
POLAND: Bombardier Transportation inaugurated a 20 000 m2 high speed train car body production and painting hall at its Wrocław plant on November 3. The hall has ‘unique’ 3D laser welding technology which will be used to produce car bodies for Deutsche Bahn’s ICE4 fleet. Bombardier said ...
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NewsWest Coast Partnership franchise to include HS2 launch
UK: ‘I want to be very clear that this is a new type of franchise requiring a new kind of approach to bidding’, said Transport Minister Paul Maynard said on November 4, confirming that the franchise which is to replace the current InterCity West Coast franchise from April 2019 would ...
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NewsLatvian electrification plans revised
LATVIA: National railway LDz has updated its plans for the roll-out of 25 kV 50 Hz electrification and the conversion of the routes around Rīga which are currently electrified at 3 kV DC. The programme has an estimated value of €1·3bn and would increase electrification from 257 km to 839 ...
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NewsTranstech to supply trams for Helsinki orbital route
FINLAND: Helsinki transport operator HKL has selected Škoda Transportation subsidiary Transtech to supply 29 trams for the future 25 km Raide-Jokeri orbital light rail line which is to be built to link Itäkeskus with Keilaniemi in Espoo. HKL is to order the vehicles by exercising part of an option for ...
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NewsIsfahan metro extended
IRAN: An extension of Isfahan’s sole metro line by 800 m south from Shohada to Takhti opened on November 2, along with three more intermediate stations at Baharestan, Golestan and Shahid Chamran on the existing route. This takes Line 1 to 12·5 km with 11 stations. Most ...
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NewsAir travel portal to offer Amtrak bookings
USA: Fareportal is to use SilverRail's API to sell Amtrak tickets through its CheapOAir travel portal. Fareportal ‘will be amongst the first leisure online booking platform to offer Amtrak tickets alongside airfare results', said SilverRail Chief Commercial Officer Cameron Jones on October 26. 'This partnership helps raise the profile of ...
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NewsDetecting voids on the move
UK: The Institute of Railway Research at the University of Huddersfield has developed an algorithm aimed at enabling sensors fitted to Siemens GSM-R cab radios to detect track voids and potentially other rail defects. The algorithm is intended to enable every vehicle equipped with GSM-R radio equipment to act as ...
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NewsSNCF Réseau raises €900m with inaugural green bond
FRANCE: SNCF Réseau has raised €900m with its inaugural 15-year ‘green bond’, which it says was the first to be issued by a railway infrastructure manager and the first issued by a European transport company. Crédit Agricole CIB, HSBC France and JP Morgan acted as joint lead managers. The proceeds ...
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NewsGenesee & Wyoming acquires Providence & Worcester Railroad
USA: International freight railway group Genesee & Wyoming Inc announced on November 1 that it had completed the acquisition of Providence & Worcester Railroad Co for $126m. Following the closing of the transaction, G&W immediately transferred control of P&W to a voting trust with R Lawrence McCaffrey appointed as trustee. ...
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News€3·1bn Berlin fleet renewal programme approved
GERMANY: The supervisory board of Berlin city transport operator BVG approved a €3·1bn metro trainset and tram procurement programme running until 2035 at its meeting on October 31. This decision enables BVG to call the first tenders under the fleet expansion and renewal programme, which could eventually cover 700 large-profile ...
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NewsJeswant Gill
Jeswant Gill has been appointed President of Harsco Rail, while Andre Schoen becomes Vice-President for the International Regions.
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News
China to fund and build Malaysian east coast link
MALAYSIA: The government is planning to start construction of the 538 route-km East Coast Rail Link next year once agreements for funding have been agreed with China.Speaking to local media at the start of an official visit to China on October 31, Treasury Secretary-General Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah said that ...
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News£60m Hull Trains electro-diesel train deal signed
UK: Contracts worth £60m for Hitachi Rail Europe to supply and maintain five AT300 five-car electro-diesel multiple-units for use by open access company Hull Trains were finalised by the operator’s parent company FirstGroup and leasing company Angel Trains on November 2. This follows the granting of a ...
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NewsNSB assets transferred to standalone businesses
NORWAY: National operator NSB’s rolling stock fleet and ticketing activities and the associated staff were transferred to two standalone subsidiary companies with effect from October 15. The rolling stock is now owned by Materiellselskapet AS and the sales and ticketing activities by Entur AS (formerly known as Salg og Billettering ...
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NewsMoscow – Berlin Talgo starts on December 17
EUROPE: Russian Railways is to launch its Moscow – Minsk – Warszawa – Berlin Talgo train service in December, the national railway confirmed on October 28. The first trains will depart from Moscow’s Kursk station on December 17 and from Berlin Ostbahnhof the following day, RZD said. Tickets are now ...
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NewsContractors inch towards deal on Haramain delay
SAUDI ARABIA: An agreement to end the dispute over delays and cost over-runs affecting the Haramain High Speed Rail Line could be reached in the next few weeks, following a visit by Saudi Railways Organization President Dr Rumaih Mohammed Al-Rumaih to Madrid on October 25-26. During his visit to ...
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NewsCAF preferred for De Lijn trams
BELGIUM: CAF has been selected as preferred bidder to supply 146 low-floor trams for De Lijn, at an estimated cost of €320m, the Vlaanderen transport operator announced on October 31. De Lijn invited bids last year for its largest ever procurement, covering three builds of 32 m long cars to ...