Middle East
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Metro Report InternationalFirst Cairo monorail trainsets delivered
EGYPT: The first two of 70 four-car Alstom Innovia 300 trains for the Cairo monorail project have been delivered to the Egyptian capital. The vehicles are being manufactured at Alstom’s Derby plant in the UK, with work on the Mitrac traction systems led by the company’s ...
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Metro Report International
Keolis-MHI takes over Dubai metro and tram operations
UAE: ‘This is an exciting day for us’, Keolis Group’s International CEO Bernard Tabary told Metro Report International when a Keolis-MHI joint venture took over the operation and maintenance of Dubai’s driverless metro and tram networks on September 8.
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News
Egypt signs contract for ‘Suez Canal on tracks’
EGYPT: A US$4·5bn contract has been signed for the construction of 660 km of ‘modern, safe, and integrated’ mixed traffic electrified railway connecting Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea with Alexandria and Marsa Matrouh on the Mediterranean.
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Metro Report International
Jerusalem light rail expansion tracklaying begins
ISRAEL: Ceremonial first rails for the expansion of Jerusalem’s light rail Red Line were laid in the presence of Mayor Moshe Lion on August 11. The line is being extended north to Neve Ya’akov and south from Mount Hertzel to the Hadassah hospital, adding 11 stops. ...
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News
Egyptian signalling equipment commissioned
EGYPT: Alstom has installed and commissioned a Smartlock 400GP electronic interlocking, Iconis SCADA and an 11 kV substation at Quseia to cover a 15 km section of the 240 km Beni Suef – Asyut line along the Nile to the south of ...
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News
Etihad Rail tracklaying heads for Dubai
UAE: With work progressing on Stage 2 of the planned 1 200 km national rail network, project promoter Etihad Rail has completed the first section of trackwork for its new line connecting the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Tracklaying on ...
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Metro Report International
Cairo monorail train rolled out in Derby
EGYPT: The first of 70 four-car Innovia 300 driverless monorail trainsets for two lines which are under construction in Cairo has been rolled out at Alstom’s Derby plant in the UK. In August 2019, Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels and a ...
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News
Egyptian National Railways awards loco refurbishment contract
EGYPT: Egyptian National Railways has awarded Ukraine’s Nikolaev Locomotive Repair Plant a contract to modernise 55 Adtranz DE2550 diesel locomotives. ‘We will carry out deep modernisation of diesel locomotives with the installation of new engines, power and auxiliary equipment and microprocessor control systems to significantly ...
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Metro Report International
Dubai Red Line metro reaches Expo 2020
UAE: The 9 km extension of Dubai’s automated metro network from Al Furjan to the Expo 2020 fairground was opened for revenue service on June 1, in preparation for the delayed start of the world fair being hosted by the emirate. ...
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Metro Report International
Test running starts on Tel Aviv Red Line
ISRAEL: Tel Aviv light rail project promoter NTA has started test running with its Chinese-built LRVs on the first section of the Red Line, which is now under construction between Petakh-Tikva and Bat Yam.
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Metro Report International
Iranian metro train rolled out
IRAN: A domestically-designed metro train with 85% local content has been unveiled by President Hassan Rouhani. Development began in June 2019, when a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Vice-Presidency for Science Technology, Tehran Urban Suburban Railway Co and the ...
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Metro Report International
Tram tracking and depot management contract awarded
ISRAEL: CAF has awarded GMV a contract to supply an automatic vehicle location and depot management system for Jerusalem’s expanding light rail network. Based on GMV’s SAE-R software platform, the system will provide standard functions such as tram fleet tracking, driver communications and passenger information, ...
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Metro Report International
Cfir takes over Jerusalem light rail operations
ISRAEL: The Cfir grouping of CAF and local company Shapir Engineering Ltd took over as operating concessionaire for the Jerusalem light rail network on April 16, succeeding CityPass which had held the contract to operate the Red Line for the past 10 years. Under the ...
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News
AfDB backs Egyptian railway modernisation
EGYPT: The African Development Bank has approved a €145m loan to support reliability and capacity upgrading works as part of the Egypt National Railways Modernisation Project. Rail’s share of the passenger market is predicted to increase from 8% to 15% and its share of the ...
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News
Etihad Rail to operate 500 trains per year for quarry company
UAE: An agreement for the transport of construction materials from Ras Al Khaimah to Abu Dhabi was signed by Etihad Rail and quarrying company Stevin Rock on April 1. Etihad Rail said the agreement was of ‘considerable significance’ as it is the first in a ...
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Metro Report International
Dubai RTA picks Keolis-led joint venture to operate metro and tram networks
UAE: Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority has selected a Keolis-led consortium to operate and maintain its metro and light rail networks for nine years with options for up to a further six.
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News
Etihad Rail and Saudi Railway Co sign co-operation agreement
ASIA: UAE’s Etihad Rail and Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Railway Co have signed an agreement establishing a framework for the exchange of services, training and knowledge. The two railways will initially focus on locomotive and wagon leasing arrangements, the purchase of spare parts, special volunteer groups ...
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Metro Report International
Tehran adds more metro stations
IRAN: Two stations at the northwestern end of Tehran metro Line 6 were opened for revenue service on March 13, along with an isolated section of the route. The short section of Line 6 serving Yadegar-e-Emam and Shahid Sattari is being operated as a separate ...
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News
Railway Improvement & Safety for Egypt funding approved
EGYPT: The World Bank’s executive board has approved a US$440m loan to support the Railway Improvement Safety for Egypt project. The RISE programme has a total value of US$681·1m, including a US$241·1m contribution from Egyptian National Railways. It is a continuation of the ...
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News
Persian wonder geckos relocated from Etihad Rail route
UAE: More than 300 animals including Middle Eastern short-fingered and Baluch rock geckos, saw-faced vipers, Cheeseman’s gerbils, scorpions and the rare Persian wonder gecko have been relocated away from the future rail alignment in the Misanad Protected Area by national railway developer Etihad Rail and the Sharjah Environment ...
