All Railway Gazette International articles in May 2015 – Page 3
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NewsRumo outlines ALL investment plans
BRAZIL: Following its merger with América Latina Logística, Rumo Logística has briefed analysts on investment plans for the ALL freight network up to 2019, when it is planning to spend a total of R$7∙4bn on new projects. Under the first phase running until the end of 2016 when total expenditure ...
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NewsChina to fund more electrification in Belarus
BELARUS: A further tranche of main line electrification is to be funded by China’s EximBank under a package of loan agreements signed in Minsk on May 10 at an event attended by presidents Alexander Lukashenko and Xi Jinping. The agreement between national railway BC and EximBank will fund the ...
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NewsZSSK Cargo wagon sale approved
SLOVAKIA: Competition authority PÚSR gave a final approval for the wagon sale and leaseback deal between national rail freight operator ZSSK Cargo and leasing company VTG on May 12. The entry of a strategic partner to Cargo Wagon is part of a plan to consolidate the freight business which the ...
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NewsElectrification contracts
PORTUGAL: Refer announced on May 18 that it had awarded Isolux Corsán a €6·17m contract to electrify the 14∙4 km Caíde – Marco de Canaveses section of the Porto – Régua route. This will enable suburban services to be extended to Marco de Canaveses. Due for completion within 450 days, ...
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NewsCompetition on the Bratislava – Košice corridor
SLOVAKIA: National passenger operator ZSSK reduced the number of premium IC trains on the Bratislava – Košice main line from three to two daily train pairs from April 15. ZSSK hopes this will reduce losses on the 445 km route between the two largest cities to €1·2m this year, compared ...
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NewsMyanmar signalling contract signed
MYANMAR: Myanma Railways has awarded Mitsubishi Corp and Hitachi a contract to modernise the signalling on the 140 km Yangon – Pyuntasa route by June 2017. The ¥2·4bn contract signed on May 15 is being funded by a grant from Japan International Cooperation Agency. The companies will supply electronic ...
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NewsSpain announces €1∙26bn suburban rail spend
SPAIN: Development Minister Ana Pastor has announced what she described as the largest investment in suburban services on the national network for over 20 years, with a total of €1∙26bn to be spent in 2015-18. Of this, ADIF is to provide €1bn and Renfe the remainder. Pastor said that the ...
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NewsElectrification co-operation agreement
EUROPE: Austrian railway electrification and transmission line specialist Powerlines Group and Italian railway substation, switchgear and control systems manufacturer Mont-Ele announced a strategic co-operation agreement on May 19. ‘This synergetic partnership will be of benefit to both parties’, said Powerlines Group CEO Gerhard Ehringer. ‘Powerlines has found a reliable supplier ...
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NewsMore Melbourne crossings to go
AUSTRALIA: The Victoria state government announced on May 19 that it had awarded a A$524m contract for the elimination of four level crossings in southeast Melbourne, as part of a commitment to remove 50 of the city’s busiest and most dangerous level crossings over eight years. A consortium of John ...
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NewsFirst long-distance services to be tendered
SLOVAKIA: As part of long-term plans to liberalise the long-distance passenger market, the Ministry of Transport has announced that it is to call tenders this year for the operation of subsidised passenger services on the 230 km Bratislava – Banská Bystrica route via Šaľa, Levice and Zvolen. The government ...
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NewsLuxembourg selects tram supplier
LUXEMBOURG: Project promoter LuxTram has selected CAF to supply a fleet of 21 trams for the line under development in the city of Luxembourg for €83m. The trams would have a capacity of 450 passengers and would be equipped for catenary-free operation, which is envisaged between Pont Rouge and ...
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NewsBanedanmark selects electrification contractor
DENMARK: Infrastructure manager Banedanmark announced on May 18 that it had selected a joint venture of Per Aarsleff A/S, Siemens A/S and Siemens AG as preferred bidder to undertake the first phase of its national 25 kV 50 Hz electrification programme. Final negotiations are now underway, with a view ...
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Metro Report InternationalRiyadh metro operations prequalification
SAUDI ARABIA: Arriyadh Development Authority has invited interested parties to prequalify for operation of the metro, with a deadline of June 1. Work is progressing on the six-line network. The Governor of Riyadh Prince Faisal bin Bandar officially activated the first tunnel boring machine for the ...
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NewsADB to assist south Luzon PPP programme
PHILIPPINES: Tenders are expected to be called within the next three months seeking a concessionaire to manage and maintain the Main Line South infrastructure linking Manila with the south of the island of Luzon for a period of 30 years. The Asian Development Bank and Development Bank of the ...
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NewsArriva plans Czech - Slovak service
EUROPE: DB’s Arriva Vlaky subsidiary has announced plans and requested train paths for the launch of a long-distance cross-border service between the Czech capital Praha and Trenčín in Slovakia from the December 2015 timetable change. The weekly service aimed at students would leave Praha on Fridays and return ...
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NewsMaintaining locos with augmented reality
EUROPE: The Services division of Siemens is trialling the use of augmented reality on tablet computers to support the maintenance of Vectron locomotives. Siemens staff the Transport Logistic exhibition in München demonstrated how augmented reality could assist staff working on a locomotive at a remote location. Technicians arriving by road ...
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NewsRailway industry news in brief - May 2015
In response to public and political concerns about tax avoidance, Dutch national passenger operator NS is to order all its future rolling stock through a Dutch-registered company, rather than its NS Financial Services business based in Ireland. Existing rolling stock will be transferred to Dutch ownership, with the aim of ...
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NewsPhase 2 opens in Valencia
VENEZUELA: The first section of second phase of the light metro network in Valencia was officially opened by President Nicolás Maduro on April 29, running for 630 m from Cedeño to Rafael Urdaneta and Francisco de Miranda. Having cost US$1·6bn to build, the extension is expected to be used by ...
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NewsPanamá City Line 2 preferred bidder selected
PANAMA: Panama Metro has selected the Línea 2 consortium of FCC and Odebrecht as preferred bidder for the construction of Panamá City metro Line 2. The US$1·86bn contract is due to be signed on May 22 following a standstill period. The scope includes engineering design, civil works, auxiliary facilities, ...
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Metro Report InternationalPrasarana to operate Makkah’s pilgrim metro
SAUDI ARABIA: The Municipal & Rural Affairs Ministry has awarded Kuala Lumpur transport agency Prasarana a three-year contract to operate and maintain the Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddasah metro line in Makkah, which is only operated during the Hajj period. The contract starts from this year. Announcing the ...