News – Page 109
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NewsGotthard Base Tunnel fully reopens after derailment damage is repaired
SWITZERLAND: The 57 km Gotthard Base Tunnel has fully reopened, 389 days after a derailed freight train caused extensive damage to the slab track in the western bore of the world’s longest railway tunnel. ‘The Gotthard Base Tunnel is not only a connection between German-speaking Switzerland ...
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NewsSpanish high speed lines to be linked by chord
SPAIN: High speed rail infrastructure manager ADIF Alta Velocidad has awarded Vías y Construcciones a €40m civil works contract for the construction of a chord at Olmedo to enable through running between the Galicia and Asturias/Burgos high speed lines. The 8·2 km link will be located ...
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NewsVietnam plans rail reform as high speed line plan revived
VIETNAM: The Ministry of Transport has put forward proposals for rail reforms which aim to better meet local needs when planning transport infrastructure for 2030, and looking further ahead to 2050. Planning has also restarted for a much-discussed north-south 350 km/h high speed line. Under the ...
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Metro Report InternationalRhein-Ruhr fares reform to cut through the ‘tariff jungle’
GERMANY: Rhein-Ruhr transport association VRR is to implement its largest-ever fares reform in March 2025, aiming to clear the ‘tariff jungle’ by eliminating 500 of the current 650 ticket types and reducing the number of price levels from seven to three. VRR is committing to the ...
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Metro Report InternationalKarlsruhe tram-trains get smarter operations control
GERMANY: Tram-trains operating around Karlsruhe are to be equipped with the DatNet operations control system from ETC Solutions GmbH, boosting the capability of the existing onboard Intermodal Transport Control System supplied by Karlsruhe-based INIT. ITCS provides constant communication between moving vehicles and the operator’s central control ...
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NewsBulgarian EMU order signed as previous procurements hit problems
BULGARIA: The Ministry of Transport & Communications has signed a contract for Škoda Group to supply 20 four-car 160 km/h electric-multiple units for use on long distance services from Sofia to Burgas, Varna and Ruse. The 25 kV AC 50 Hz EMUs from the Czech manufacturer’s ...
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Rail Business UKHaigh gives the go-ahead for Shadow Great British Railways
UK: Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh has given the go-ahead for the creation of a Shadow Great British Railways, ahead of the future primary legislation which will be needed to create Great British Railways as an arm’s length body overseeing both train services and ...
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Rail Business UKScotRail to replace inter-city HST fleet
UK: ScotRail is to procure trains to replace the ageing High Speed Train fleet used on routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness, the Scottish government announced on September 3. ScotRail’s procurement and fleet teams are working with its parent body Scottish Rail Holdings, Transport Scotland ...
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Rail Business UKBill to take passenger train operations into the public sector makes progress
UK: The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill received its third reading in the House of Commons on September 3, as the first major piece of legislation to pass through the Commons under the recently-elected Labour government. The bill would end the award of passenger train ...
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NewsCRRC ZELC plans European production hub with Hungarian partner
EUROPE: CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co and a local partner are to build a rolling stock manufacturing plant in Hungary from which to supply vehicles for the European market.
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Metro Report InternationalUrban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.
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NewsTurkey develops wagon to carry main battle tanks by rail
TURKEY: State-owned rolling stock manufacturer Türasaş has developed a wagon to enable the Turkish Armed Forces to transport military vehicles including Altai main battle tanks. Initial testing of the prototype Uais wagon built at the Sivas factory has now been completed, and deliveries are to begin ...
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NewsWhite Gyrfalcon high speed trains ordered for Moskva – St Petersburg line
RUSSIA: An agreement has been signed for the supply of 41 trainsets with a design speed of 400 km/h and operating speed of 360 km/h for use on the proposed Moskva – Tver – Veliky Novgorod – St Petersburg high speed line. They will be branded ...
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Rail Business UKFive in the running to supply new TransPennine Express fleet
UK: Invitations to negotiate have been issued to five potential manufacturers of new trains which will enable TransPennine Express to move away from largely diesel operation as its core Leeds – Manchester route is electrified. ‘We will be assessing the bids later this year’, reports Fleet, ...
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Metro Report InternationalBudget squeeze curtails Liège tram plans
BELGIUM: Test running has started on the north-south tram route in Liège, which is now expected to open on January 31 2025, around three years later than envisaged.
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NewsFirst Vectrons for France in 70-loco framework contract
EUROPE: Leasing company Alpha Trains has awarded Siemens Mobility a framework contract covering up to 70 Vectron locomotives of various configurations including Multi-System and Dual Mode, with a firm order for 35 to be delivered from the end of 2026. The order signed in July and ...
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NewsBelt & Road railway training programme to be launched
CHINA: Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Beijing Jiaotong University and MTR Academy are to launch a Belt & Road Advanced Professional Development Programme in Railway Transport. This will combine the teaching and research capabilities of the two universities with MTR Corp’s practical experience. They plan to launch ...
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Rail Business UKStation safety campaign draws on behavioural science
UK: Avanti West Coast is using posters and signage to make station facilities such as lifts, stairs and handrails ‘speak directly to customers’ as part of a ‘Take care. Get there’ safety campaign. The approach has been developed with Richard Shotton who applies findings from psychology ...
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NewsKnorr-Bremse sees international signalling opportunities after $690m acquisition
NORTH AMERICA: Knorr-Bremse has completed its $690m acquisition of the conventional rail signalling business of Alstom Signaling North America, with 800 employees in six locations becoming employees of KB Signaling, a standalone business. The completion announced on September 2 follows a binding agreement signed on April ...
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NewsGrand Central plans to acquire bi-mode trains
UK: Grand Central has announced plans to acquire ‘new, state-of-the-art’ bi-mode trainsets as it seeks to extend its track access rights until 2038. The Arriva subsidiary which operates Open access passenger services from London to Bradford and Sunderland envisages that the trains would have approximately 20% more ...