Amtrak has opened a new terminal in Lorton, Virginia, for its Auto Train service for accompanied cars to Sanford in Florida, built over two years at a cost of US$25m with contributions from Virginia Railway Express and Virginia Department of Rail & Public Transportation. The terminal has six tracks, each with ramps to load cars onto six wagons, as well as a 457m platform that can accept without splitting what Amtrak says is the longest passenger train in the world.
The 2800 employees of Wagons-Lits in France have voted by 75% in favour of a restructuring programme which would introduce a 35h week, multi-skilling and cut 223 jobs through transfers and early retirement. This should allow the company to retain its on-train catering contract with SNCF (RG 7.00 p417), which would be extended from 2003 to 2006 with a more gradual reduction in support payments.
In December this year SNCF’s Grandes Lignes business is to begin a 12-month programme to refurbish 33 coaches for private charters and other special duties at a cost of Fr16m. A nine-car fixed formation and a 10-car train with eight couchette coaches are to be managed from a single depot. SNCF hopes to grow annual income from this business by 21% from its present level of Fr170m.
IBM has granted Onerail Pty Ltd exclusive rights to market its Rail Reservation System worldwide, available on a per-transaction basis to reduce the need for capital funding. Originally developed for VIA Rail Canada, RRS is also in service with Australia’s Queensland Rail and State Rail Authority of New South Wales.
Italian State Railways has developed an internet-based ticketing and reservations system for travel agents, which enables travel documents to be issued using a PC and a standard laser printer. The system was first used in Great Britain by the RailChoice office in London on July 26 (www.railchoice.co.uk).
Qui Media is installing 42inch plasma screens at 16 Silverlink stations on the London - Northampton and North Woolwich - Richmond routes, which will broadcast news, sport and weather programming from ITN every 15min as well as passenger information. The cost of the system is being met through advertising sales, handled by CPA Scorah.
Thames Trains will relaunch its long-distance services to destinations including Stratford-upon-Avon, Hereford and Gatwick Airport as Thames Express this month. The Adtranz works at Ilford is overhauling 21 Class 166 DMUs for these services over a period of two years.
CAPTION: A ceremony on August 4 officially marked the completion of restoration work at Railtrack’s Bournemouth station, which included replacement of the overall roof using materials sympathetic to the original structure dating from 1885. Kier Rail managed the £7m programme for Railtrack, with contributions of £250000 from station operator South West Trains and £100000 from Britain’s Railway Heritage Trust Photo: Chris Heaps