Smarter maintenance to support Chinese metro growth
CHINA: Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric Co has developed a condition-based maintenance planning platform for metro rolling stock which is to be expanded to cover all elements of urban rail networks.
Berlin U5 link unites east and west
GERMANY: A 2·2 km extension of Berlin metro Line U5 west from Alexanderplatz to Brandenburger Tor opened on December 4, and U5 absorbed the formerly-isolated U55 with trains now running through from Hauptbahnhof to U5’s eastern terminus at Hönow.
Reducing brake dust to improve air quality
FRANCE: Paris transport operator RATP is testing Wabtec’s Green Friction braking materials, which are designed to help improve the air quality in tunnels by reducing the amount of microparticles emitted.
Teleste to supply Docklands Light Railway onboard systems
UK: Finnish company Teleste is to supply passenger information, public address and CCTV systems as well as ultra-wide TFT display screens for the 43 five-car automated light metro trains which CAF is building for use on London’s Docklands Light Railway.
Xuzhou enters the ‘multi-line’ era as metro Line 2 opens
CHINA: The second metro line in Xuzhou was formally opened for revenue service on November 28, with a ceremony at City Administration Centre station which will be the future interchange between lines 2 and 6.
Stadler partners with Newcastle University to support metro fleet renewal
UK: Newcastle University and Stadler have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on research, education and innovation initiatives relating the the Swiss firm’s contract to supply and maintain a new fleet of trainsets for the Tyne & Wear Metro.
Metro to the pyramids contract awarded
EGYPT: The National Authority for Tunnels has awarded a consortium of Mitsubishi Corp and Orascom Construction the US$800m Railway Systems, Track & Depot Works Package CP411 contract for Cairo metro Line 4 Phase 1.
Guangzhou metro Line 8 extended north to Baiyun
CHINA: Guangzhou Metro Corp opened an extension of Line 8 from Cultural Park on the west side of the city centre to Jiaoxin in Baiyun District to the north on November 26, adding 16·3 km and 11 stations.
Sydney tenders western airport metro works
AUSTRALIA: Prequalification has started for a second package of civil engineering works on the planned metro line to serve the future Western Sydney International Airport and the proposed Western Parkland City.
Glasgow Subway tunnel improvement contract awarded
UK: Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has awarded Freyssinet a five-year contract to undertake tunnel lining improvements as part of the second phase of the modernisation of the Glasgow Subway.
Two openings expand Nanning metro
CHINA: Nanning metro Line 4 running 20·7 km east-west from Lengtangcun to Hongyun Lu with 16 stations opened on November 23, along with a 6·3 km, five-station extension of Line 2 southeast from Yudong to Tanze.
Clay figure folk art inspires Wuxi metro train styling
CHINA: CRRC Zhuzhou has delivered the first of 25 six-car Type B trainsets ordered for the future Wuxi metro Line 4.
Russia sets out national metro standards
RUSSIA: The Federal Agency for Technical Regulation & Metrology Rosstandart has formally approved the first part of a planned set of national standards for the construction and operation of metro networks.
First REM light metro trainset unveiled in Montréal
CANADA: The first cars to be supplied by Alstom for the Réseau Express Métropolitain automated metro network in Montréal were formally unveiled by Groupe PMM on November 16.
Sydney travel app adds social distancing information
AUSTRALIA: Transport for New South Wales has worked with Amazon Web Services, digital services company Tigerspike and transport software developer AppJourney to add physical distancing and passenger occupancy notifications for Sydney Trains and metro services to the Opal Travel app.
Light metro cars bring a fresh breeze to Tokyo’s waterfront
JAPAN: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering has completed delivery of eight six-car Series 7500 rubber-tyred light metro trainsets which were ordered in September 2016 to replace Series 7200 sets on Tokyo’s Yurikamome Line.
MTA uses WhatsApp to reach more New Yorkers
USA: New York subway and bus users can now communicate with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in real time using the WhatsApp messaging platform.
Eight Covid-19 mitigation technologies to be tested by transport operators
USA: Eight finalists have been selected for the Transit Innovation Partnership Covid-19 Response Challenge, a global competition seeking to evaluate technologies to increase public transport safety and responsiveness during the coronavirus pandemic.
Consortium chosen to build first phase of Athens Line 4
GREECE: Attiko Metro has selected a consortium of Alstom, Greek construction company Avax and Italian tunnelling company Ghella to build the first section of Athens metro Line 4.
Minsk’s third metro line opens
BELARUS: The third metro line in Minsk was officially inaugurated with a ceremony at Kaval’skaya Slabada station on November 6. Passenger services were due to start at 12.30 the following day.