News – Page 197
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NewsWestern section of Koralmbahn opens in southern Austria
AUSTRIA: The 53 km western section of the Koralmbahn in southwest Austria opened with the timetable change on December 10.
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Metro Report InternationalTram-train T12 opens to the south of Paris
FRANCE: Ile-de-France tram-train line T12 opened on December 9, on a 20 km orbital route between Massy-Palaiseau RER station and Évry-Courcouronnes RER station to the south of Paris. The 10 km from Massy-Palaiseau to Epinay-sur-Orge shares tracks with long-distance and freight trains, and has a maximum ...
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NewsCanadian National to acquire Iowa Northern Railway
USA: Canadian National has signed an agreement to acquire Iowa Northern Railway, an independent 440 track-km Class III short line led by the Sabin family which connects with CN’s US network as well as with CPKC and Union Pacific routes. IANR will be transferred to an ...
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Rail Business UKLong-term and overseas opportunities for rail apprentices
UK: The Transpennine Route Upgrade programme is ‘an investment in people’ and ‘it really is important that these projects leave a legacy of skills’, Rail Minister Huw Merriman said when he announced the latest tranche of funding. Speaking on December 4, Merriman said ‘if you look ...
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In depthResilient Infrastructure: Using machine learning to inspect overhead wires
Swedish infrastructure manager Trafikverket and maintenance contractor Infranord are using machine learning technology to monitor the condition of electrification equipment across the country.
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Metro Report InternationalDigital maps accelerate Berlin U-Bahn incident response
GERMANY: Synectics has developed a digital mapping tool to provide Berlin U-Bahn control centre staff with accurate locational and contextual information to support incident response. ‘For security reasons, we operate a closed system, so we can’t access open web-based tools such as Google Maps’, said Steffen ...
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NewsAlbania to Kosovo railway study commissioned
EUROPE: Albanian national railway HSH has selected a consortium of ILF Consulting Engineers Austria and Abkons to conduct a 14-month feasibility study for the construction of a rail link to Kosovo. Two options will be considered for the Albanian part of the route, branching from the ...
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NewsTrain ordered for children’s railway revival
KAZAKHSTAN: Russia’s Kambarka Engineering Works is to supply a 750 mm gauge diesel locomotive and three coaches for the revival of the children’s railway in Semey.
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NewsUS government allocates $8·2bn to inter-city rail initiatives
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration has allocated a total of $8·2bn of Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail programme 2022-26 funding to 10 projects, and selected 69 proposals for further development. Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail funding State Project Maximum ...
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Metro Report InternationalLight metro extended across Macau bridge
CHINA: The 3·2 km Barra Extension of the Macau Light Rapid Transit automated metro has opened, using a guideway installed in a dedicated lane on the 2·2 km Sai Van cable-stayed bridge to connect the 9·3 km Taipa Line to the Macau Peninsula. ...
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Metro Report InternationalSão Paulo light rail plan to be studied
BRAZIL: São Paulo municipality is working on a plan to build two circular light rail lines totalling 12 km in the centre of the city. Brazil’s Minister of Cities Jader Barbalho Filho announced at the COP28 UN Climate Summit in Dubai on December 1 that, following ...
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In depthResilient Infrastructure: Protecting Japan’s national network from earthquakes
The Railway Technical Research Institute is striving to find ways of making Japan’s railways safer and more secure against damage from earthquakes.
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NewsHiivr Rail autonomous wagon unveiled in Western Australia
AUSTRALIA: Western Australia rail infrastructure concessionaire Arc Infrastructure and US technology partner Parallel Systems have unveiled a prototype autonomous container wagon following three years of development. The battery-powered wagon branded Hiivr Rail was demonstrated to government and industry stakeholders at the Kenwick Freight Rail Facility in ...
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Metro Report InternationalWashington Metro Loop plans under development
UK: Tyne & Wear transport agency Nexus has begun the process of appointing a legal adviser to support the development of the proposed Washington Metro Loop. The 13·5 km WML would link the existing Tyne & Wear Metro stations at Pelaw and South Hylton via Washington, ...
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NewsKazakhstan begins work on additional rail link to Uzbekistan
KAZAKHSTAN: Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov has formally launched construction of a 152 km rail link to Uzbekistan, participating in the November 27 ceremony by teleconference. The line is intended to contribute to the development of the Turkestan region by connecting it to the main Kazakh rail ...
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Rail Business UKRevolution Very Light Rail vehicles ordered for passenger trials
UK: Leasing company Eversholt Rail has awarded Transport Design International contracts to build three pre-series battery-powered Revolution Very Light Rail railcars for trial passenger operation. This follows successful tests with a diesel-battery hybrid RVLR demonstrator vehicle at Ironbridge over the past two years. RVLR is being ...
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NewsUIC launches Middle East Regional Competence Hub
UAE: The International Union of Railways’ Middle East Regional Competence Hub was officially launched at the University of Birmingham’s Dubai campus during the COP28 climate change conference. UIC is establishing Regional Competence Hubs around the world to bridge the gap between academic and professional knowledge and ...
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In depthComment: Freight’s miserable year
According to UIRR, the European rail freight industry is facing a downturn. Our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley highlights the critical importance of intermodal transport for the future of rail freight and the need for policy support to decarbonise global supply chains.