News – Page 263
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NewsHigh speed line opening boosts international rail axis
GERMANY: ‘Stuttgart and Ulm are moving closer together, but also Paris and Budapest’, said Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg Winfried Kretschmann at the official inauguration of the 59∙6 km Wendlingen – Ulm high speed line two days before revenue services started with the December 11 timetable change. The importance ...
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NewsKyrgyz Railways to increase climate resilience
KYRGYZSTAN: National railway KTJ is to replace wagons, undertake climate mitigation works and promote economic inclusion using €11m of financial support which has been arranged by the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development. The package comprises a 12-year sovereign bank loan of up to €8m, plus ...
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Metro Report InternationalTwo metro extensions open in one day in Nagpur
INDIA: A 5·4 km northeastern extension of Nagpur’s Orange Line and an 8·9 km eastern extension of the Aqua Line were inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 11. The extension of the Orange Line links Kasturchand Park with Automotive Square. There are four stations ...
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In depthTraction Technology: Remanufacturing diesel trains with battery power
Although UK rolling stock specialist Vivarail entered administration on December 1, the company’s Managing Director Steve McBride argues that remanufacturing of existing trains with battery traction remains a compelling choice for a quick and cost-effective transition away from diesel power.
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Metro Report InternationalParis metro Line 13 to be fully automated
FRANCE: Paris transport authority Ile-de-France-Mobilités and operator RATP have given the go-ahead for the automation of metro Line 13. This will be the fourth fully automated line in Paris, after lines 14, 1 and 4, and first with steel-wheel rather than rubber-tyred trains. The 24 route-km line ...
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NewsStadler signs Kazakh rolling stock contracts
KAZAKHSTAN: Stadler has signed three contracts totalling €2·3bn to supply national railway KTZ with 537 coaches in 2023-30, provide full-service maintenance for 20 years and acquire a local production facility. The order includes 234 sleeping cars with 40 berths, 233 couchette cars with 58 seats, 35 ...
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NewsKing opens Norway’s longest railway tunnel
NORWAY: Bane Nor’s 22 km Follobanen high speed line between Oslo and Ski was officially opened by King Harald V on December 12, the day after the start of revenue operations with the annual European timetable change.
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In depthIndia: On the way to a sustainable railway
As well as its traction decarbonisation strategy, Indian Railways has launched a raft of initiatives aimed at improving its wider environmental credentials. Raghu Dayal investigates.
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NewsUkraine withdraws from CIS Railway Council
UKRAINE: Ukraine has withdrawn from the CIS Railway Council, which was established in 1992 to facilitate continued interoperability between the railways across the former Soviet Union. National railway Ukrzaliznytsia cut all ties with Russia and Belarus following the full-scale invasion on February 24. The military removed ...
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NewsNext phase of Korea’s Central Inland Line approved
SOUTH KOREA: The government has given the go-ahead for construction from 2026 of the final Mungyeong – Gimcheon section of the Central Inland Line medium high speed corridor. The 250 km/h, single-track Central Inland Line is being developed in phases to link Seoul with Gimcheon on ...
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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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Metro Report InternationalBoston Green Line reaches Medford
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority opened the Medford branch of its Boston light rail Green Line Extension for revenue service on December 12. Several hundred travellers gathered to ride the first southbound service formed of two articulated LRVs which departed from the ...
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NewsNS orders first double-deck version of CAF’s Civity multiple-unit family
NETHERLANDS: National passenger operator NS has awarded CAF a contract to supply 60 partly double-deck electric multiple-units for use on inter-city services, the first order for a double-deck version of the Spanish manufacturer’s Civity family. The €600m contract signed on December 12 covers the supply of ...
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NewsOrange Phoenix EMU unveiled
CHINA: CRRC Nanjing Puzhen has unveiled its latest design of Type D electric multiple-unit intended to operate suburban and interurban services on routes with journey times of up to 1 h. Branded as ‘Orange Phoenix’, the unit features styling inspired by paintings of the mythical bird. ...
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Metro Report InternationalImperio trams enter service in București
ROMANIA: The first 15 of 100 Imperio trams being supplied to Societatea de Transport București by a consortium of Astra Vagoane Călători and CRRC Qingdao Sifang entered service on December 10. The first vehicles are being deployed on Route 41, enabling all services on that route to ...
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NewsCDPQ completes acquisition of leasing company Akiem
EUROPE: Canadian pension and insurance investor CDPQ has completed the acquisition of locomotive leasing company Akiem from SNCF Group and DWS. Exclusive negotiations with CDPQ began in August following a competitive auction. Closing of the transaction was announced on December 9 following staff consultations and regulatory ...
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NewsRailcoop makes progress with DMU fleet but passenger service launch remains elusive
FRANCE: Community interest open access operator Railcoop says that an initial audit by ACC-M of the X72500 diesel multiple-units it has acquired for its planned Lyon – Bordeaux service found that they are in good condition. Railcoop has taken on a fleet of nine DMUs from ...
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Metro Report InternationalLisboa – Cascais suburban line voltage conversion contract awarded
PORTUGAL: A €31·6m contract for the modernisation of the Lisboa Cais do Sodré – Cascais suburban line and the conversion of its electrification from 1·5 kV DC to 25 kV 50 Hz has been awarded to the Spanish-Portuguese Comsa/Fergrupo consortium. The re-electrification will make the line ...
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NewsOperail sells Ukrainian wagon fleet
UKRAINE: Estonian state-owned rail freight company Operail has sold 552 wagons located in Ukraine to a joint venture of local transport, infrastructure and agriculture investor Fortior Capital and Estonian wagon leasing company Teslar Trans for €6·51m Operail said the sale was ‘not related to the Russian ...
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NewsKlagenfurt – Weizelsdorf line electrified
AUSTRIA: A €50m 18-month project to modernise and electrify the 12·1 km Klagenfurt – Weizelsdorf line was completed when the route re-opened for revenue services with the December 11 timetable change. The line is Route S3 of the Kärnten S-Bahn network. According to operator ÖBB, the ...