News – Page 302
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NewsRENFE orders electric-battery trainsets
SPAIN: National operator RENFE has awarded CAF a €290m contract to supply 28 electric trainsets equipped with batteries to enable them to cover short distances on non-electrified routes or during a power supply failure. Equipped to operate under catenary energised at 1·5 kV or 3 kV ...
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Metro Report InternationalHistory ‘written in golden letters’ as Curepipe light rail extension opens
MAURITIUS: Phase 2C of the Mauritius Metro Express light rail line opened on October 10, following a ceremonial inauguration by Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth the previous day. The extension built by India’s L&T Construction runs 6·8 km from Phoenix to Curepipe Central with seven stops, ...
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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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NewsContainer wagon handling robot under development
GERMANY: An autonomous mobile robot with a gripper arm for the automated handling of folding pins on container wagons is being developed by Hamburger Hafen & Logistik and the Fraunhofer Centre for Maritime Logistics & Services. The pins are installed at various positions on container wagons ...
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NewsProgramme backs ‘green’ rolling stock
BRAZIL: The government has launched a programme to encourage investment in motive power and rolling stock that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Frota Ferroviária Verde project was announced in the Official Gazette of the Union on September 30 and the regulation came into force on ...
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Metro Report InternationalSecond metro line and Line 1 extension open in Ahmedabad
INDIA: Ahmedabad metro Line 2 and an extension of Line 1 have opened for passenger services after being inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The 18·9 km elevated Line 2 links Motera Stadium in the north with APMC in the south, with 15 stations. Construction started ...
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Metro Report InternationalTramway extended to Heart of Love River
TAIWAN: The Kaohsiung circular tramway was extended 2·4 km from Museum of Fine Arts to Heart of Love River on October 5. Services over the extension will be free until December 18. The remaining northeastern part of the tramway operated by the Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corp ...
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In depthViewpoint: We cannot afford another failure
The European rail sector risks sleepwalking into an existential crisis if it cannot accelerate the funding and deployment of the Digital Automatic Coupler, argues Dr Jürgen Wilder of Knorr-Bremse.
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Metro Report InternationalVery Light Rail R&D partnership
UK: Innovation accelerator Connected Places Catapult has signed a memorandum of understanding to work with the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation to align future R&D and support UK-based innovators in the transport sector. The MoU was signed at the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in ...
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Metro Report InternationalK Line light rail route opens in Los Angeles
USA: Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority opened the first phase of the light rail K Line on October 7, running on a partly underground alignment from Expo/Crenshaw to Westchester/Veterans with seven stops. Previously known as the Crenshaw/LAX Line, the north-south route ...
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NewsCalifornia freight complex planned to get more containers on to trains
USA: BNSF has announced plans to develop a $1·5bn rail freight facility at Barstow in southern California with the aim of increasing the use of rail instead of road transport to move containers out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. BNSF told Railway ...
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Rail Business UK£80m Rawtenstall – Manchester rail link proposal submitted to government
UK: Rossendale Council has submitted proposals to the Department for Transport outlining a business case for development of a passenger service between Rawtenstall and Manchester which would run over the existing heritage East Lancashire Railway. The business case was compiled by consultancy Systra, and could require ...
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NewsPerth’s Airport Line rail link opens
AUSTRALIA: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has opened the 8·5 km Airport Line connecting Perth’s eastern suburbs with the central business district via the international airport.
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Metro Report InternationalDubai begins procurement for two metro projects
UAE: Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority has called tenders for two metro extensions. The Green Line extension would be 20·6 km long with 11 stations, crossing the Creek to serve the Creek Harbour development and the continuing to Academic City. The Red Line extension with one ...
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Metro Report InternationalDisappointing response to London Underground renewable energy procurement
UK: Transport for London has scrapped an initial attempt to source 10% of its power needs from new-build wind or solar farms, telling Metro Report International that it had received a disappointing response. It is now seeking industry feedback before launching a revised Corporate Power Purchase ...
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NewsHitachi introduces onboard transformer with integrated cooling
INNOTRANS: Hitachi Energy has developed an onboard traction transformer with integrated cooling, aimed at improving energy efficiency in rolling stock applications and reducing emissions. Launched at InnoTrans in Berlin, the latest iteration of the Resibloc Rail product family is a dry-type traction transformer, capable of handling power ...
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NewsCall for flexibility on train driver language requirements
EUROPE: The European Rail Freight Association has called on the European Commission to introduce greater flexibility in its language requirements for cross-border train drivers. In response to public consultation on the revision of the Train Drivers Directive, ERFA says it accepts the overall requirements for language ...
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NewsUnion Pacific to trial diesel-battery shunting locomotives
USA: Union Pacific and locomotive control technology supplier ZTR have agreed to co-operate on the production of diesel-battery hybrid locomotives, which can powered by a diesel engine or a battery back which would be charged using the engine or a lineside supply. Primarily intended for use ...
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Rail Business UKAvanti West Coast contract extended pending decisions on the longer term
UK: The current West Coast Partnership contractual arrangements for Avanti West Coast to operate inter-city passenger services on the West Coast Main Line and act as shadow operator for High Speed 2 have been extended until the end of March 2023. The AWC joint venture of ...