All News articles – Page 376
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News
Salt Lake City pushes on
Utah Transit Authority has selected SLC Rail Constructors to design and build the planned 4 km TRAX light rail branch from the city centre to the University of Utah, which is due to be completed in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics. In mid-March the federal government confirmed that UTA ...
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Concrete v steel
Sir - Your February issue highlighted ’the invasion of steel sleepers into concrete territory’ (RG 2.00 p96) but gave no fully satisfactory explanation for the rapid growth in their use over the last five years.The Concrete Sleeper Manufacturers Association (CSMA), a Product Association of the British Precast Concrete Federation, was ...
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TEFNs could slash track costs
IN A PERIOD of 17 years following deregulation under the Staggers Act of 1980, the major Class I railways in the US achieved a threefold reduction in the cost per gross tonne-km of maintaining and renewing their infrastructure. They did it by investing heavily in raising track quality, and in ...
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Political deal triggers sale
REGISTRATIONS of interest were to be called last month for purchase of Western Australia’s rail freight business. This has been planned since 1997, but progress has been held up in recent months by a parliamentary stalemate over the structure of the future private sector railway. The government had wanted to ...
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ICE derailed by worn wheel
PASSING the ICE workshops at Hamburg-Eidelstedt on April 6, we were struck by the large number of power cars awaiting attention. Later that day we learnt that a problem with welds on traction linkages between the power car body and bogies had led to 13 units being withdrawn. With safety ...
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Toulouse to extend VAL Line A
Construction should get under way later this year on a 2·5 km extension of Toulouse VAL Line A, following the signing of an agreement between metro operator SMAT and Matra Transport International at the beginning of April. Running from the present terminus at Jolimont to Balma-Gramont, the extension will serve ...
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FEVE rebuilds MU fleet
SPANISH metre gauge operator FEVE is spending over Pts6bn this year on rebuilding its DMU and EMU fleet, after investing Pts2·7bn in the programme in 1999. In addition to replacement of mechanical equipment, the work involves comprehensive interior refurbishment, plus installation of air-conditioning, public address systems and passenger information displays. ...
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Finance
France: On March 27 the Aquitaine region allocated Fr310m towards the reopening of the Pau - Canfranc line (RG 4.00 p209).Malawi: New operator Central East African Railways is to invest US$26m over 15 years, including US$4·5m for rolling stock upgrading this year.Pakistan: Following suspension in February of a US$100m World ...
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Interstate freight
Sir - You refer in RG 12.99 p753 to a proposed by-pass from Campbelltown to Hornsby for freight trains between Melbourne and Brisbane. The following issue mentions a shortlist of consultants to investigate an inland route for freight (RG 1.00 p13). This gives the impression that the future for rail ...
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Fu orders speed up
CHINESE Railways is to invest 1bn yuan to boost maximum speeds on its network during the 10th five-year plan period, running from 2001-05. Minister of Railways Fu Zhihuan announced on March 30 that all trunk lines will be upgraded for 160 km/h operation of passenger services and 120 km/h for ...
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Grass roots reform will shake up MÁV
HUNGARIAN State Railways is being restructured so that it conforms to the regulations required for railways in member countries of the European Union. This restarts a process begun in June 1993, when MÁV was established as a share company fully owned by the state. In the same year a law ...
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RoadRailer territory grows
AFTER YEARS of negotiations, Roadrailers are to enter commercial service in France this month. An initial fleet of 30 vans, mostly curtain-sided, is to operate on CNC routes such as Paris - Perpignan. Able to run at 120 km/h, they will have disc-braked bogies with a 22·5 tonne axleload. Wabash ...
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Industry News
Germany: Extending an existing partnership agreement, Lineas Systeme AG has acquired the traffic management and planning systems unit of Adtranz Signal. It will become part of Lineas Verkehrstechnik GmbH, responsible for developing the Optivia product platform for industrial railways that combines vehicle tracking, interlocking and traffic management systems.Great Britain: Rolling ...
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Industry News
Canada: Progress Rail Services Corp is to acquire the metal fabrication, trackwork and wheel shops at CPR’s Weston works in Winnipeg, becoming the railway’s exclusive supplier for wheel and track requirements.Slovakia: Alstom has signed a co-operation agreement with local maintenance contractor ZOS Zvolen to bid for supply of lightweight diesel ...
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IR to redress problems
GREATER safety, improved capacity and better passenger facilities are the main thrust of Indian Railways’ budget for 2000-01, approved by parliament on March 13. All three areas have increased allocations, while investment in new lines is up by 61%. There is funding for three new gauge conversion projects, 15 doubling ...
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Ring line start
WORK is due to start next month on the upgrading of Spanish National Railways freight bypass in Sevilla to accommodate an orbital suburban service. The long-planned project is now expected to start carrying passengers in mid-2001. Conversion is costed at around Pts1bn.The ring line diverges from Renfe’s main line just ...
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Three make Sub-Surface shortlist
ON MARCH 28 London Underground shortlisted three bidders for the Sub-Surface Lines Infraco under the Public-Private Partnership (RG 3.00 p160). Invitations to Tender were to be issued in April, with bids due back on September 15. Detailed negotiations are to be completed by early 2001.The three bidders are the LINC ...
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Talgo XXI makes progress
On April 3 Patentes Talgo demonstrated its 220 km/h gauge-changing BT diesel power car, which ran with seven Talgo XXI cars (RG 7.99 p437) from Madrid Atocha (below) along the 1435mm gauge high speed line as far as the gauge-changing installation at Córdoba, then proceeding to Puente Genil on the ...
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Railtrack mandates tilt safety standards
INTRO: With Virgin introducing two fleets of tilting trains at 200 km/h from 2002, leading to 225 km/h operation from 2005, Richard Hope reports on the need for systems that will enforce higher speed limits through curves and also prevent tilt where clearances are inadequateTWO YEARS from now, Virgin expects ...
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Market
Australia: Last month National Express Group confirmed its order for new rolling stock from Siemens Verkehrstechnik, for delivery between 2002 and 2005. Swanston Trams will get 38 three-section Combino LRVs 19 m long and 21 five-section cars of 29 m. The 62 three-car suburban EMUs for Bayside Trains will be ...