Main line rail industry news – Page 879
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - March 2012
A feasibility study for the second phase of Heifei metro Line 1 has been approved by China’s National Development & Reform Commission. Phase 1 is now under construction; the extension would add a further 11·9 km and 10 stations. Vancouver transport authority TransLink has awarded the first two contracts for ...
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NewsHigh-output trackbed paving system supplied to New York
USA: Rhomberg Bahntechnik's Heber high-output concrete paving system is to be used to lay the trackbed for the No 7-Flushing Line extension of the New York Subway. Bregenz-based Rhomberg Bahntechnik is to supply its Heber concrete rail paver to RailWorks Transit under a €0·5m contract. The self-propelled trackbed paver features ...
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NewsRail training and recruitment in brief
The Australian rail industry is facing ‘chronic labour and skills shortages’ according to a report published by the Transport & Logistics Skills Council. Among the concerns raised are an ageing workforce and competition from the mining sector. TLSC recommends that the Australian rail industry needs a broader recruitment base and ...
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NewsBHP Billiton places large heavy haul locomotive order
AUSTRALIA: Downer EDI has been awarded a five-year contract to supply a minimum of 80 Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe/LCi locomotives for BHP Billiton Iron Ore's heavy haul network in Western Australia. The A$292m agreement announced on March 2 has options which could take the total value to more than A$400m. ...
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NewsETCS Level 1 goes live in Madrid
SPAIN: The Ministry of Development announced on March 1 that ETCS Level 1 signalling had been brought into use on RENFE suburban route C4 in Madrid, running from Parla in the south via Atocha, Sol and Chamartín to Colmenar Viejo north of the capital. According to the ministry, this is ...
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NewsAlstom consortium wins Athens metro Line 3 extension contract
GREECE: Attiko Metro has awarded a consortium of Alstom, Greek construction group J&P Avax and Italian civil engineers Ghella, a €344m contract to design and build a 7∙6 km southern extension of Athens metro Line 3 from Haidari to Dimotiko Theatro, in the port city of Piraeus. The project is ...
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NewsFGC signs Moroccan co-operation agreement
MOROCCO: On February 29 ONCF Director General Mohammed Rabie Khlie signed a six-year co-operation agreement with Enric Ticó, President of Catalunya regional operator FGC, which will see both railways work together to improve efficiency and performance. As well as training, technical assistance and collaboration on projects, maintenance and procurement, the ...
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NewsExpert Group sets out Indian Railways investment priorities
INDIA: Reform of Indian Railways along business lines and investment of Rs8·2tr in expansion and modernisation should be key priorities for India's 12th five-year plan in 2012-17, according to a report presented to the government and IR on February 28. The report was drawn up by an Expert Group established ...
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NewsTesting underway on Mumbai monorail
INDIA: Test running on the first 2∙2 km section of the Mumbai monorail between Wadala and Bhakti Park began on February 18. Completion of the entire 8∙2 km Phase 1 to Chembur is expected by August, with commercial services to start in November.Scomi Engineering is supplying 15 four-car trainsets as ...
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NewsADB and JICA sign Uzbekistan electrification loans
UZBEKISTAN: The government has signed two international loans which will be used to complete 25 kV electrification of the 831·5 km north - south route between Toshkent and Termez by July 2017. On February 16 Asian Development Bank signed a US$100m loan to fund work on the 140·8 km section ...
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NewsRTA backs Dubai metro extensions
UAE: Following two separate studies, Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority has confirmed its intention to seek government approval to build a 20 km extension of the metro Green Line from Etisalat to International City, Academic City and the Dubai Lagoons for opening within five years.A 12 km extension of the ...
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NewsDB Regio awarded Netz Nord-Süd contract
GERMANY: DB Regio was awarded the Netz Nord-Süd passenger operating contract on February 28. The contract runs for 12 years from December 2014 and covers service RE3 from Stralsund and Schwedt to Berlin and Elsterwerda, and RE5 from Rostock and Stralsund to Berlin and Lutherstadt Wittenberg, totalling 9·5 million ...
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NewsFast internet means satisfied passengers
CZECH REPUBLIC: Nomad Digital is supplying on-train wireless internet technology for the five Stadler Flirt trains which Leo Express has ordered for its planned launch of Praha - Ostrava open access services in December. Nomad said the wi-fi system based on its R3500 router will aggregate all ...
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NewsLondon Midland and TransPennine Desiro contracts signed
UK: Rolling stock leasing company Angel Trains confirmed on February 29 that it had signed contracts to procure and finance 20 four-car Class 350 Siemens Desiro electric multiple-units for London Midland and First TransPennine Express, 'as part of a contract worth around £145m'. 'The finalisation of these contracts with London ...
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News
Moretti stays on at CER
FS CEO Mauro Moretti (photo) has been re-elected as Chairman of the Community of European Railways for a two-year term. CER’s Management Committee is now made up of the following members: Roger Cobbe, Board Member, ATOC; Vladimír Lupták, Director General, ZSR; Jan Sundling, Chairman, ASTOC; Maria Wasiak, CEO, PKP SA; ...
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NewsFGC assists with Jaén tram operations
SPAIN: On February 27 the Mayor of Jaén, José Enrique Fernández de Moya, signed an agreement with FGC President Enric Ticó that will see the Catalan regional operator undertake an audit of the city's 4·7 km light rail route which has not seen regular service for more than nine months. ...
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NewsERA should be 'the single railway authority in Europe'
EUROPE: The European Railway Agency should be transformed into a single safety certification and vehicle authorisation body for Europe, according to a joint vision for the future presented by the Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies (CER) and supply industry association UNIFE on February 28. The proposal was made ...
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NewsCrossrail rolling stock contract invitations to negotiate issued
UK: Prequalified bidders Bombardier Transportation, CAF, Hitachi Rail Europe and Siemens were formally invited to negotiate for the contract to supply rolling stock and the maintenance depot for the Crossrail project on February 28. Crossrail will provide a high-capacity service running 118 km east-west across London using existing lines linked ...
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NewsGSM-R to support open access on Czech freight corridor
CZECH REPUBLIC: Infrastructure manager SŽDC has awarded Kapsch CarrierCom a contract to design and supply GSM-R communications for the 172 km Decín - Ústí nad Labem - Melník - Vsetaty - Kolín route by June 2013. The contract announced on February 20 includes 22 new and seven existing base stations. ...
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NewsPakistan pins hopes on private sector
PAKISTAN: Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani inaugurated the first privately-managed Business Express service between Lahore and Karachi on February 3. The train is operated under an agreement between Pakistan Railways and Four Brothers International, which sells the premium-priced tickets aimed at business travellers and provides the onboard services including bedding, catering ...