Main line rail industry news – Page 953
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NewsSiemens unveils diesel surprise at InnoTrans
INNOTRANS: Siemens Mobility marked the launch of its new Vectron interoperable locomotive family with a short ceremony on September 22 to name the first multi-system electric loco after the company’s founder Werner von Siemens. Chief Executive of the Siemens Industry Sector Siegfried Russwurm noted that it was highly appropriate that ...
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NewsCoal railway project approved
INDONESIA: Another rail and port project has been approved to reach coal reserves in southern Sumatra, with an agreement between the regional government of Sumatra Selatan, state-owned coal miner PT Bukit Asam and India's Adani Enterprises group covering a US$165bn project to build a 250 km railway to transport 35 ...
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NewsMaintenance in a changing market
INNOTRANS: SNCF launched its Masteris brand on the international market in Berlin on September 22. Masteris has been created partly in response to the opening up of the European rail market, as open access operators – especially freight operators – have a growing need for third-party maintenance services.Currently employing 15 ...
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NewsThales signs Chinese JV agreement
CHINA: Thales announced on September 22 that it had signed an agreement with Shanghai Electric Corp and SEC subsidiary Shanghai Automation Instrumentation Co to create a signalling joint venture to target the urban rail sector in China. This agreement supersedes Thales’ former arrangement with Alcatel Shanghai Bell and will enable ...
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NewsFollow-on orders for Harsco
USA: Harsco Corporation has announced two follow-on orders for its Harsco Rail track maintenance business worth a total of US$15m. The first covers the supply of an additional unit to join a growing fleet of Harsco rail grinders that undertake switch and crossing work throughout Germany, with delivery scheduled for ...
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NewsElves with an ELF
INNOTRANS: Polish rolling stock manufacturer Pesa celebrated the launch of its ELF electric multiple-unit for commuter and regional services on September 21. The unit on display in Berlin is one of eight ordered by the Polish voivodship of Slaskie. Its four articulated cars give a total length of 75.25 m ...
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NewsKiwiRail's first Chinese locomotive arrives next month
NEW ZEALAND: The first of 20 diesel locomotives which China Northern is supplying to KiwiRail will be delivered during October, Yang Xiongjing, Project Manager at China CNR Corp confirmed to Railway Gazette International at InnoTrans on September 22. The contract signed on September 11 2009 marked the first time ...
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NewsGirona tunnelling makes progress
SPAIN: The completion of the first section of a 2∙9 km bored tunnel that will carry the high speed line between Barcelona and the French border under the city of Girona was marked by an official visit on September 17. Joining Development Minister José Blanco were ADIF President Antonio González, ...
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NewsKallas outlines 2050 vision
INNOTRANS: European Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas outlined his ‘dream’ of a competitive pan-European rail network in his keynote address at the InnoTrans 2010 opening ceremony on Tuesday morning. Noting that ‘railways are essential to the competitiveness of the European economy’, he suggested that by 2050, the single European rail market ...
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NewsFive-year rail plan ratified
AZERBAIJAN: President Ilham Aliyev has ratified the state programme on the development of the railway system for 2010-14, setting out projects which will be undertaken using US$450m allocated by the World Bank and a €215m credit from the Czech Export Bank. Draft laws are being prepared for institutional reform in ...
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NewsFreight Two investment plan announced
RUSSIA: Plans to spend €3·5bn on wagon fleet modernisation were announced by Russian Railways following the RZD board's formal go-ahead for the creation of the Second Freight Co on August 26. Non-profit body Zheldorreform owns one share in the new company, known as Freight Two, with RZD owning the rest. ...
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NewsFirst edition of InnoTrans Daily now available
INNOTRANS:Over 2 200 exhibitors will be taking part in this year's trade fair, according to Messe Berlin CEO Dr Christian Göke. Speaking in the pre-opening press conference, he said that no less than 52 world premieres would be launched during the show. Read the full story in the September 21 ...
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NewsMajor contract award for LGV Est Phase 2
FRANCE: RFF has awarded a major civil works contract for Phase 2 of LGV Est européene, the high speed line connecting Paris with Strasbourg. The 7∙5 km Lot 47 is to be built by the Dodin Campenon Bernard Construction joint venture including Spie Batignolles, Vinci and Cegelec under a contract ...
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NewsWestrace licensed for Chinese production
CHINA: Invensys Rail has signed an agreement with Zhuzhou CSR Times Electric Co Ltd (TEG), licensing the CSR subsidiary to manufacture and sell its Westrace electronic interlocking in China. The two companies will also work together to sell ‘broader train control and signalling solutions’ through TEG into the Chinese urban ...
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NewsInnoTrans 2010: All eyes on Berlin
GERMANY: With more than 2000 exhibitors, this year's InnoTrans trade fair in Berlin will be the biggest biennial event yet. Taking place from September 21 to 24, the show will occupy 30 halls and almost 5 km of tracks, with a wide range of rolling stock and maintenance equipment ...
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NewsChina to build Iran line
IRAN: China's Minister of Railways Liu Zhijun visited Tehran on September 12 to sign an agreement worth a reported US$2bn for Chinese firms to build a 580 km railway running west from Tehran through Hamadan, Malayer and Kermanshah to the Iraqi border town of Khosravi. There will also be a ...
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NewsEBRD funds new locos
SERBIA: The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development is providing a €100m sovereign guaranteed loan to state operator ZS, of which €64m is to be used to acquire 15 multi-system electric locomotives. The remainder will finance track renewals on 112 km of Pan-European Corridor X, which runs via Beograd, Novi ...
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NewsSiemens resignals key freight route
ALGERIA: Railway development agency ANESRIF has awarded a consortium of Siemens, Estel Rail Automation and local telecommunications supplier Infratele a €27m contract to resignal 43 km of SNTF infrastructure linking the industrial centre of Senia with the port of Arzew. Including four stations, work is due for completion in 2012. ...
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NewsProposals for revision of First Railway Package published
EUROPE: Formal proposals for amendment of the earliest European legislation on railway liberalisation were published on September 17, when the European Commission adopted the draft proposal for the recast of the First Railway Package directives. The aim of the recast is to reflect experience with the introduction and implementation ...
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NewsBirmingham seeks RENFE energy savings
SPAIN: The University of Birmingham in the UK is to develop energy-saving concepts for high speed and commuter rolling stock under a reseach agreement signed with national operator RENFE on September 16. The agreement is expected to last three years and was signed in Madrid by RENFE President Teófilo Serrano ...