All Railway Gazette International articles in May 2009 – Page 3
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NewsCrossrail construction launched
UK: After years of planning and uncertainty, construction of Crossrail became a reality on May 15 when the first of nearly 400 steel piles, each 18.5 m high, was launched by Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Mayor of London Boris Johnson. The piles will form the basis of the new ...
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NewsElectric services launched in Alger
ALGERIA: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika inaugurated electric outer-suburban passenger services from Alger on May 2, following a month of testing. Regular operations began the next day. From Alger the 25 kV 50 Hz wiring runs 54 km east to Thénia and 68 km west to El Affroun. Electrification of the ...
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NewsCoal project gets the go-ahead
INDONESIA: The Regency of East Kutai granted approval in late March for a 150 km railway linking coal mines at Muara Wahau in East Kalimantan to the coast. It is promoted by Trans Kutai Kencana, a special purpose vehicle formed by the regional authority’s investment body and companies owned by ...
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NewsShenyang metro concession signed
CHINA: MTR Corp, Shenyang Metro Group and the Shenyang municipal government signed a 30-year operations and maintenance concession for the future metro lines 1 and 2 on May 7. The contract signing follows from an agreement in principle which was signed last November. The metro will be operated by ...
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NewsMontpellier selects Citadis for Line 3
FRANCE: The greater Montpellier authority announced its selection of Alstom Citadis trams for the future Line 3 on May 12. A €65m contract for 23 trams plus a full-size mock-up will be signed in the next few weeks. Options covering maintenance for 10 years and a further 12 trams ...
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NewsEuropean Commission allows aid for London & Continental reform
UK: On May 13 the European Commission approved £5·169bn of 'one time last time' state aid for London & Continental Railways, which will result in the unbundling of High Speed 1 infrastructure and Eurostar's transport operations. Debt cancellation and a sustainable financial structure will lead to a significant reduction ...
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NewsGE plant to commercialise hybrid loco batteries
USA: GE Transportation has announced plans for a $100m plant to produce batteries for hybrid locomotives and heavy-load applications in the marine, mining, telecoms and utilities sectors. Production is planned to start by mid-2011, with the capacity to produce 10 million cells a year, equivalent to 900 MWh, or 1 ...
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NewsGrube announces new start at DB
GERMANY: In a bid to draw a line under the data abuse saga at Deutsche Bahn, the railway has decided to implement sweeping changes to the organisational structure. Four members of the Executive Board will be leaving with effect from May 31. Following an extraordinary meeting of the Supervisory ...
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NewsManchester’s ‘big bang’ back on
UK: Plans to complete the expansion of Manchester’s Metrolink light rail network are set to be submitted to government after an alternative funding package worth £1·4bn was agreed by the 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester. A referendum was held in December 2008 to decide whether a £3bn package of ...
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NewsRJ Corman to buy Railpower assets
RAILPOWER TECHNOLOGIES: A binding agreement for the sale of the assets of Québec-based hybrid and genset locomotive maker Railpower Technologies Corp to RJ Corman Railroad Group was announced on May 1. Subject to court approval, the deal is expected to be closed by May 20. 'It is not anticipated ...
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NewsCosta del Sol corridor
SPAIN: As part of project to build a 532 km route between Fuengirola and Estepona that is expected to carry 100 million passengers a year, the Andalucía regional government has awarded two contracts to build the 4 km section in tunnel between Las Lagunas and La Cala de Mijas. ...
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NewsHusa buys into German freight market
GERMANY: Netherlands-based Husa Transportation Group has taken over two freight companies under a plan to acquire a strategic position in the German rail market through acquisitions and co-operation with regional players. Based in southern Germany, Rent-a-Rail focuses on 'last mile' transport, rolling stock leasing and work for construction contractors. ...
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NewsNetwork to be opened to private operators
PAKISTAN: The Ministry of Railways has invited private companies to express interest in operating passenger and freight services. It is hoping to reach 20-year access agreements with private firms, which would be able to use the Pakistan Railways network, yards and other facilities but would be required to source their ...
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NewsIRSI awarded VIA Rail refurbishment contracts
CANADA: Industrial Rail Services Inc has been awarded contracts for the overhaul of VIA Rail Canada's 98 LRC coaches and accessibility improvements to 12 Renaissance cars. The work will be undertaken at IRSI's plant in Moncton, New Brunswick, supported through the government's Economic Action Plan to create skilled jobs and ...
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NewsOKD Doprava buys freight forwarder
CZECH REPUBLIC: Private rail freight operator OKD Doprava has bought 100% of freight forwarding and logistics company Cechofracht from Cyprus-based Hattisburg Enterprises for an undisclosed price. OKD-Doprava is owned by owned by Netherlands-based New World Resources. The company embarked on an expansion strategy in 2008, buying the Czech Republic's ...
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NewsInterfleet Technology opens second New Zealand office
NEW ZEALAND: International rail consultancy Interfleet Technology has opened a second office in New Zealand, serving clients in the Auckland area. The office is headed by Principal Consultant and rail systems integration specialist Tom Salt, who has transferred from the consultancy's head office in the British city of Derby. ...
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NewsThree bidders for Nîmes - Montpellier
FRANCE: On May 11 RFF Presidert Hubert du Mesnil announced that three consortia had been shortlisted for construction of the Contournement Nîmes - Montpellier, which will form the first stage of the connection between TGV Méditerranée and the Perpignan - Figueras cross-border link into Spain. Prequalification bids were invited ...
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NewsSofia metro Line 1 extension opens
BULGARIA: President Georgi Parvanov and mayor of Sofia Boyko Borisov opened an extension of the metro from Vasil Levski Stadium to Mladost on May 8. The extension of Line 1 is 5·6 km long and has three intermediate stations. Line 1 is being operated in two separate sections following ...
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NewsBrenner base tunnel approved
AUSTRIA: The final go-ahead for the construction of the Brenner base tunnel is due to be signed at a meeting of the German, Italian and Austrian transport ministers on May 18. Infrastructure Minister Doris Bures announced on April 15 that legal procedures were complete. The 55 km tunnel will ...
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NewsHigh speed PPP tendering underway
PORTUGAL: Tendering was launched on March 30 for the second 40-year PPP concession to design, finance, build and maintain the high speed line between the capital and the Spanish border, covering the 34 km between Lisboa and Poceirão. Work on the route, designed for mixed traffic and a maximum ...