All News articles – Page 90
-
NewsCoal Master Plan drives capacity investment
CAPACITY: With expenditure of A$1·3bn in the next financial year, infrastructure manager QR Network is delivering the largest capital investment programme in its history, but planning assessments suggest that much more capacity will be needed to meet projected demand in the next five years.
-
NewsEurotunnel seeks safety changes
EUROPE: Three months after the devastating fire on September 11 that burned out every lorry on a shuttle train in the Channel Tunnel, we were able to inspect on December 10 the full extent of the damage to 610 m of the concrete lining as repairs continue around the clock. ...
-
News
Tests to cease on Emsland guideway
GERMANY: ‘This is not the end of the Transrapid maglev technology’, affirmed Transrapid International on April 2 last year after the proposed 37 km maglev line linking München city centre with the airport was abandoned (RG 5.08 p290). The words returned to haunt the company on December 10 when ...
-
News
No-poaching accord
AFRICA: A framework agreement ‘to help contain the unregulated movement of technical staff’ between railways in different countries is being drawn up by the Southern Africa Railways Association, in a move to prevent skill shortages from crippling their members’ operations. The move was announced following by a SARA committee meeting ...
-
NewsA fair market needs regulation
EUROPE: An EU study of progress with railway liberalisation was presented in Brussels on November 7, as part of a process to recast the legislation in the First Railway Package. But the weighting of the responses risks understating the need for further change, warn Monika Heiming and Jan Möllmann.
-
NewsRemodelled network off to a shaky start
FRANCE: This month SNCF relaunches its troubled wagonload business with shuttle trains linking three main hubs and 30 yards. Laurent Charlier reports.
-
NewsAccurate measurements
WHEEL INSPECTION: A laser system for the inspection of wheelsets and running gear has been successfully deployed by Polish passenger operator PKP Intercity. Developed by Polish company Graw and Germany’s LAP, the system uses lasers to measure tyre and flange profiles and running gear geometry with high precision, making it ...
-
NewsUS seeks high speed PPP proposals
USA: On December 15 the federal Department of Transportation invited statements of interest from the private sector for the design, finance, construction, operation and maintenance of high speed rail services in 11 inter-city corridors, beginning with the route between New York City and Washington DC. The programme, which will include ...
-
NewsETCS Level 2 for entire Danish network
DENMARK: Banedanmark has announced plans to replace all signalling on the country's national rail network by ERTMS over the next 12 years. Much of the existing equipment is obsolete or nearing life-expiry, and the infrastructure manager has been working for two years to develop an optimum renewal strategy for both ...
-
NewsThird autoroute ferroviaire planned
In a keynote speech opening the Freight without Frontiers conference, French Secretary of State for Transport Dominique Bussereau gave details of his government’s views on further development of autoroute ferroviaire services. He said that France and Italy had decided to continue beyond 2008 with the pilot shuttle service over the ...
-
NewsWorld infrastructure market December 2008
China: China Railway Group has been awarded a 4·7bn yuan contract for Section 1 of the Shijiazhuang - Wuhan line, a 2·9bn yuan contract for Section 1 of the Changdu - Dujiangyan line, and a 1·8bn yuan contract for works on the Wuhan - Guangzhou project and in Shenzhen. The ...
-
NewsNext ICE3s to have different axle dimensions
GERMANY: DB has signed a contract with Siemens for 15 more ICE3 trainsets. Inked by DB Chairman Hartmut Mehdorn and Siemens Chairman Peter Löscher on December 17 at DB's headquarters in Berlin, the deal is worth €500m. DB's future ICE3 sets will be designed specifically for international services, which ...
-
NewsQR to lease diesels
AUSTRALIA: Downer EDI announced on December 12 that it had signed an agreement with Queensland Rail to lease nine GT46Ace diesel locomotives to QR National's expanding standard-gauge intermodal business. The first loco was expected to be delivered before the end of the year, and the remainder by mid-2009. Valued at ...
-
NewsPandrol buys Rosenqvist Rail
SWEDEN: Pandrol International has purchased Rosenqvist Rail, a Swedish manufacturer of equipment for the installation and extraction of rail fastenings such as Pandrol's Fastclip. Rosenqvist also designs and builds rail and sleeper handling tools, ballast regulation equipment, trailers and attachments for road-rail vehicles. Pandrol sees Rosenqvist as ...
-
NewsWabtec expands presence in China
CHINA: Beijing Wabtec Huaxia Technology has been established as a joint venture of US firm Wabtec and Beijing Huaxia United Friendship New Technology of Electrification Development Co, a local supplier of rail braking components. The company will manufacture friction products for the customers in China. 'The Chinese market ...
-
NewsSNCB goes back for more
BELGIUM: SNCB has exercised options for an additional 60 Class 18 electric locomotives and 72 M6 double-deck coaches. An option has been taken up for Siemens to supply a further 60 Eurosprinter ES60U3 electric locomotives at a cost of €222m, with deliveries to run from June 2010 to April ...
-
NewsKLW maintains a global perspective
WHEELSETS: Having adopted a single brand for its wheels business last year, Interpipe is emphasising its broad geographical reach. KLW Sales Director Michael Iskov spoke to Nick Kingsley about M&A activity, investment plans and concerns about product approval.
-
NewsWorld rolling stock market December 2008
Belgium: Bombardier has been awarded a €168m subcontract to undertake painting, final assembly and testing at its Brugge plant of 115 of the Desiro ML trainsets on order from Siemens for Brussels RER services (RG 5.08 p289). China: Last month China Southern announced orders from the Ministry of Railways for ...
-
NewsAlstom wins order for 23 Coradia Nordic units
SWEDEN: Local authority owned leasing company Transitio has placed a €148m order with Alstom for 23 four-car Coradia Nordic regional EMUs to be used by Norrtåg in northern Sweden and Västtrafik in Västra Götaland. Ordered as part of a 10-year rail development plan for the north, the 11 ...
-
NewsZSSK on the way to rolling stock renewal
Modernisation Slovakia's national passenger operator ZSSK has called three tenders for the supply of new rolling stock, which should help to rejuvenate the railway's fleet and attract passengers after years of falling patronage. Michal Málek reports.