News – Page 155
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NewsSale of Estonian national rail freight operator gets underway
ESTONIA: The government has formally launched a two-stage process to privatise national rail freight operator Operail. The public auction approved by the cabinet on June 6 will cover Operail’s entire business, including freight operations, rolling stock repairs, all contracts and the brand name. It is being ...
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NewsPesa confirmed as winner of Romanian EMU contract
ROMANIA: Railway reform authority ARF has confirmed Pesa Bydgoszcz as the winner of a contract to supply 20 electric multiple-units for InterRegio services, after a court required a review of the bids following an appeal by Alstom. The contract is worth €168m for the rolling stock ...
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In depthAir-Rail Links: Better connectivity would benefit southeast Asia
A report by the Aviation Studies Institute of Singapore University of Technology & Design recommends replacing short-haul air routes by high speed lines in southeast Asia to improve sustainability. It also finds that airport-rail links in the region are less common than elsewhere and that better rail connectivity would yield benefits.
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Metro Report InternationalStuttgart light rail extension approval process gets underway
GERMANY: The Stuttgart regional council has launched the approval process for a planned light rail extension to an industrial estate and a new depot. The 4·8 km branch would start at the existing Rastatter Straße stop on U13 and run through Weilimdorf and Hausen to the ...
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Rail Business UKRailway Engineering Degree Apprenticeship launched
UK: A Railway Engineering Degree Apprenticeship has been launched by a partnership of the University of South Wales, the Welsh government, Coleg Y Cymoedd and Transport for Wales. The four-year programme includes work-based learning while studying part-time for a BSc (Hons) Railway Engineering (Electromechanical Systems & Electronics) ...
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NewsHigh speed train start-up Proxima announces €1bn launch plan
FRANCE: High speed rail start-up Proxima has announced a €1bn plan backed by investor Antin Infrastructure Partners to acquire 12 Alstom trainsets and launch open access services from Bordeaux, Nantes, Rennes and Angers to Paris. Proxima has been established by former Voyages SNCF CEO Rachel Picard, ...
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NewsInternational Level Crossing Awareness Day focuses on vulnerable people
INTERNATIONAL: ‘Beware of trains. Life can change in a split second’ is the slogan for the 16th International Level Crossing Awareness Day, which this year has a particular emphasis on the safety of vulnerable people. Around 50 countries take part in the annual ILCAD campaign which ...
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NewsKenya Railways sets out strategic plan for 2023-27
KENYA: Kenya Railways has launched its strategic plan for 2023-27, setting out a medium-term policy, legal, institutional and regulatory framework to transform itself into the ’leading transport service provider in the region’. The plan includes developing and upgrading rail infrastructure, increasing freight and passenger capacity, expanding ...
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Metro Report InternationalAbuja metro services relaunched
NIGERIA: President Bola Tinubu relaunched passenger services on the Abuja metro on May 29, when he announced that travel would be free until the end of the year. His predecessor had launched a limited passenger service in 2018, but it was suspended in 2020 because of ...
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In depthFreight: ‘Nobody is writing us a cheque for €13bn’
European policymakers and the larger rail freight operators are confident that the Digital Automatic Coupler programme can move from vision to reality by 2028. Nevertheless, significant financial and logistical barriers remain. Toma Bačić reports.
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NewsFreight traffic resumes on Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway
ASIA: The Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway has re-opened for freight traffic following a year-long maintenance and rebuilding programme on the Georgian section of the line. Work on the 170 km section between Marabda and Akhalkalaki began in May last year and was completed on ...
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Metro Report InternationalHitachi Rail delivers next-generation metro trainset to Genova
ITALY: Hitachi Rail has delivered the first of 14 latest generation metro trainsets to Genova, the municipality reported on May 31. The vehicles are to be used to expand the capacity of the city’s automated light metro line, which is currently being extended at both ends. ...
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Rail Business UKLiverpool – Manchester Railway Board created to push for construction of new line
UK: A Liverpool – Manchester Railway Board has been launched by the two cities’ metro mayors and other stakeholders to lead the development of proposals for a high speed line between the conurbations. The government has said that up to £17bn is to be made available for the new line ...
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Rail Business UKBattery trains could save £3·5bn, says Siemens Mobility
UK: ‘Britain should never have to buy a diesel passenger train again’, said Sambit Banerjee, Joint CEO of Siemens Mobility UK & Ireland, when the company set out a case for ordering battery-electric trainsets which would use electrification where available and battery power on non-electrified tracks. ...
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Metro Report InternationalFirst Pune Metro Line 3 train unveiled
INDIA: Alstom has delivered the first of 22 trainsets for the Pune Metro Line 3 project. The three-car trains will have a capacity of 1 000 passengers, with a design speed of 95 km/h and an operating speed of 85 km/h. They are being manufactured at ...
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NewsMoU to develop rail infrastructure skills in India
INDIA: Track machine supplier Plasser India and the Ministry of Railways-funded Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya University in Vadodara have signed a memorandum of understanding. The MoU will see the partners collaborate in research, teaching and training to deepen students’ understanding of scientific, technical and management topics relevant ...
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In depthCzech Republic: Ostrava link leads revised core network plan
With limited progress being made on the planned new line between Praha and Dresden, Czech infrastructure manager Správa Železnic is taking forward an initial section of high speed line in the east as part of plans to develop a 400 route-km high-performance backbone. SŽ’s Deputy Director for High Speed Lines Jiří Merta explains the state of progress to Benjámin Zelki.
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NewsJapanese high speed rail freight services expand
JAPAN: The increasing use of high speed passenger trains to carry light freight was highlighted by a fair at Tokyo station on May 17 where products now being transported to the capital by Shinkansen were available for purchase. The rail services have benefited from a national ...
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Metro Report InternationalUrban transport industry news round-up
This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.