Main line rail industry news – Page 784
-
NewsEurostar confirms launch of London – Amsterdam services in December 2016
EUROPE: Eurostar, the Dutch government and Dutch national passenger operator NS have signed an agreement for the launch of direct services between London and Amsterdam Centraal in December 2016. This forms part of a programme to enhance services on HSL-Zuid which was announced by State Secretary for Infrastructure & ...
-
NewsChinese DMUs for Buenos Aires commuters
ARGENTINA: Continuing his official visit to China, Minister of the Interior & Transport Florencio Randazzo announced on September 25 that CNR is to supply 27 three-car DMUs for the Belgrano Sur commuter network in Buenos Aires. With contract signature expected within two weeks, deliveries are due to take place in ...
-
NewsHarbin metro opens
CHINA: Harbin Metro line 1 opened for trial passenger services on September 26, almost exactly five years after its construction began. The 17·4 km line runs from Harbin East railway station in the northeast of the city to Harbin South railway station, via Taipingqiao and Yida Eryuan. ...
-
NewsSSL awarded Great Western signalling contracts
UK: Infrastructure manager Network Rail has awarded the Signalling Solutions Ltd joint venture of Alstom and Balfour Beatty three contracts totalling £140m for signalling renewals on the Great Western Main Line. SSL is to design, supply and commission signalling including five Alstom Smartlock 400 interlockings and associated power systems around ...
-
NewsGATX sells stake in AAE Cargo
SWITZERLAND: Chicago-based leasing company GATX Corp sold its 37·5% stake in European wagon owner AAE Ahaus Alstätter Eisenbahn Cargo to its partner AAE Ahaus Alstätter Eisenbahn Holding on September 26. The sale price of €84·5m comprised €17·0m in cash and a €67·5m secured loan to AAE Holding. As a result ...
-
NewsForce majeure does not exempt train operators from compensating delayed passengers
EUROPE: The Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies and the International Rail Transport Committee have called for the European Commission to harmonise consumer protection laws between transport modes, after the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that railway undertakings are not exempt from refunding passengers for delays ...
-
NewsArriva launches pilot Czech passenger service at its own risk
CZECH REPUBLIC: After a year of planning, on September 23 DB subsidiary Arriva Vlaky launched an unsubsidised passenger service on the 26 km Praha Masarykovo - Kralupy nad Vltavou route, competing at its own risk against national passenger operator CD. There are initially eight return semi-fast trains a day, calling ...
-
News€510m package to renew inter-city fleet
FRANCE: Meeting on September 26, the SNCF board approved a draft financing agreement which paves the way for replacement of the ageing fleet used to operate longer-distance passenger trains on the conventional network, known as trains d’équilibre du territoire. Loss-making services on 38 designated routes, used by around 100 000 ...
-
NewsSaudi Railway Company seeks operating concessionaire
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Railway Company has invited expressions of interest for a concession to maintain and operate the North-South Railway, under a tendering process being supported by management consultancy A T Kearney. SAR is looking for national and 'world-class' international companies to take responsibility for train operations, infrastructure management and ...
-
NewsBill Fullerton
Bill Fullerton has succeeded Larry Kelterborn as President of Interfleet Technology’s North American operation. Kelterborn will stay on in an advisory capacity.
-
NewsElizabeth Dipuo Peters
Elizabeth Dipuo Peters has succeeded Dikobe Ben Martins as South Africa’s Minister of Transport.
-
NewsIsabelle Balestra
Isabelle Balestra has joined Keolis as General Counsel and Director of Contractual Relations.
-
NewsAlex Wishnitzer
Alex Wishnitzer has been appointed Chairman of NTA, the state-owned company in charge of the design and construction of Tel Aviv’s mass transit system.
-
NewsKlaus Dieter Rennert
Klaus Dieter Rennert has been appointed Chief Executive for Europe and Corporate Officer of Hitachi Ltd. Continuing in his post of CEO of Hitachi Power Europe, he also becomes Chairman of Hitachi Europe Ltd, succeeding Sir Stephen Gomersall, now Deputy Chairman while continuing as a Director of Hitachi Ltd.
-
NewsZelený takes over at CD
Following the appointment of Zdenek Žák as the Czech Republic's Minister of Transport, several personnel changes have been made within senior management at state railway CD and its freight arm CD Cargo.Petr Žaluda, Chairman & General Manager of CD, was dismissed from all his positions on July 30 and replaced ...
-
NewsExpert panel gets to work
UIC Director of Passenger & High Speed Rail Ignacio Barrón de Angoiti (photo) is to chair an expert panel of academics and railway professionals set up by Spain's Ministry of Development. Due to report back within six months, the group is to consider areas including regulation, safety and possible improvements.The ...
-
NewsHSH Nordbank sells stake in Northern Diabolo PPP
BELGIUM: International Public Partnerships Ltd has paid €33·3m to acquire HSH Nordbank's 25% stake in the PPP concession company which manages the Northern Diabolo rail link connecting Brussels airport with Infrabel's Brussels - Mechelen - Antwerpen line. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, investment fund INPP now owns 100% ...
-
NewsBombardier unveils pre-series Omneo EMU
FRANCE: At a ceremony at its Crespin plant in northern France on September 25, Bombardier Transportation unveiled its Omneo double-deck electric multiple-unit to guests including SNCF President Guillaume Pepy and representatives of the six regions which have ordered the trains to date. Bombardier said that the six-car EMU for Rhône-Alpes ...
-
NewsCSR to establish rolling stock plants in Argentina
ARGENTINA: An agreement for Chinese rolling stock manufacturer CSR to open two plants in Argentina was announce by Minister of the Interior & Transport Florencio Randazzo during an official visit to China on September 24. 'The President of CSR informed me that a delegation from the company will travel to ...
-
NewsRejlers buys Railconsult
NORWAY: Engineering consultancy Rejlers announced its acquisition of Railconsult on September 23. Founded in 2003, Railconsult has 20 employees proving services for the planning, commissioning and testing of rail, metro and tram projects. It recorded revenues of NKr23m in 2012. 'There is a great demand for Railconsult's expertise in ...