News – Page 340
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NewsAustralian government’s plans are positive for the rail industry, says ARA
AUSTRALIA: The Australasian Railway Association says the newly-elected federal government ‘is likely to be positive for the Australian rail industry’, given commitments which were announced in the lead-up to the election. The incoming Labor government’s National Rail Manufacturing Plan and National Reconstruction Fund would support ...
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Metro Report InternationalDisability consultancy undertakes Lyon accessibility audit
FRANCE: Accessibility consultancy Direct Access has expanded its rail work into France through a pilot project with Keolis to audit rail, metro, tram and bus interchanges in Lyon. The consultancy is assessing entrances, wayfinding and arrival and boarding points, and will submit detailed recommendations for improvements ...
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Metro Report InternationalBonn light rail vehicle contract awarded
GERMANY: CAF has been awarded a contract to supply 22 high-floor light rail vehicles for operation in the Bonn area.
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In depthJapan: Facing a rural railway conundrum
Population decline, urban migration, rising car ownership and better local roads mean that traffic on many of Japan’s rural railways is falling. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport & Tourism is addressing the issue and an action plan is to be drawn up by July. Mike Bent investigates.
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Metro Report InternationalSEPTA looks globally to inform Reimagining Regional Rail development strategy
USA: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority is seeking feedback on options for the long-term development of passenger services around Philadelphia, which it says are currently focused on traditional suburban commuters but could be used to create a ‘lifestyle transit network’ of frequent all-day and all-week rail and ...
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NewsVIA Rail President & CEO steps down
CANADA: Cynthia Garneau resigned as President & CEO of VIA Rail with effect from May 20. Chief Commercial Affairs Officer Martin Landry has been appointed to ‘ensure business continuity’ at the national passenger train operator. ‘After three wonderful years of diverse achievements, exciting challenges, and enriching ...
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NewsMérida – Sevilla route to get signalling and telecoms enhancements
SPAIN: ADIF has awarded Siemens Rail Automation and FCC Industrial e Infraestructuras Energéticas a contract to eliminate telephone block signalling on the only remaining section of the Mérida – Sevilla route which has not yet been upgraded.
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Metro Report InternationalTempe Streetcar opens
USA: Valley Metro’s Tempe Streetcar was opened on May 20, with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Tempe Mayor Corey Woods and Gilbert Mayor Brigette Peterson, as well as Valley Metro CEO Jessica Mefford-Miller. The C-shaped route runs for 4·8 km from ...
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NewsComposite floors ordered for Danish EMUs
DENMARK: In its largest project to date, Portuguese company MCG Transportation is to manufacture the floors for the 100 five-car Coradia Stream electric multiple-units which Danish national operator DSB has ordered from Alstom. The composite floor units are being designed and produced to meet Alstom’s specific ...
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NewsStreet-running railway goes underground
SWITZERLAND: Chemin de fer Lausanne-Echallens-Bercher’s 1 km tunnel from the underground Lausanne-Flon terminus to Lausanne-Chauderon has been extended by 1·7 km to Union-Prilly, replacing a street-running section of single track line along Avenue d’Echallens. The double-track tunnel has been built to increase ...
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NewsMoldovan railway modernisation gets underway
MOLDOVA: National railway Calea Ferată din Moldova officially launched work to modernise the 233 km Bender (Tighina) – Basarabeasca – Giurgiulești line on May 18. This will remove weight and speed restrictions, increasing the line speed to 120 km/h for passenger trains and 90 km/h for ...
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NewsNairobi Central station designs completed
KENYA: Final designs for a new Nairobi Central station have been completed by Atkins UK for Kenya Railways and the Ministry of Transport. In January 2020 President Uhuru Kenyatta asked for British support for the Nairobi Railway City & Central Station programme to expand and decongest ...
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Rail Business UKRFID tags fitted to freight fleets
UK: Work is underway to fit more than 15 000 wagons and freight locomotives with radio frequency identification tags for use by lineside readers at 22 wheelset monitoring locations. The two-year project is being funded from the £22m Freight Safety Improvement Portfolio for 2019-24. ‘Each freight ...
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Metro Report InternationalGrand Paris Express elevated stations contract awarded
FRANCE: Société du Grand Paris has awarded Vinci Construction subsidiary Chantiers Modernes Construction an €80·9m contract to build the elevated Palaiseau, Orsay-GIF and CEA-Saint-Aubin stations on the future Line 18 of the automated metro. A consortium of Rougnon, Dalkia and Fouassin has been awarded a €12m ...
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NewsProgramme seeks to identify US inter-city passenger expansion opportunities
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration has launched a Corridor Identification & Development programme to identify routes where inter-city passenger rail services could be introduced or expanded.
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NewsGovernment sets out ambitions to make rail South Africa’s ‘transport backbone’
SOUTH AFRICA: A White Paper on National Rail Policy has set out the Department of Transport’s ambitions to make rail the backbone of the transport network by 2050.
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NewsIzy low-cost train services to end
EUROPE: The Izy-branded low cost train service between Paris Nord and Brussels Midi is to end on July 10, Thalys has announced. Launched by Thalys in 2016, Izy services use the conventional line from Paris to Arras and then LGV Nord and Belgium’s LGV1 from Arras ...
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Metro Report InternationalSan Diego LRVs find new home in Argentina
ARGENTINA: Mendoza’s Metrotranvía has taken delivery of the first three of up to 39 Siemens SD100 light rail vehicles which have been donated to the city by the US city of San Diego’s operator MTS. The LRVs forming MTS’s second generation fleet have been in service since ...