Service expansion and climate resilience feature in São Paulo suburban rail concession
BRAZIL: Local transport group Comporte Participações has won the bidding auction for the operation, maintenance, modernisation and extension of São Paulo suburban rail lines 11, 12 and 13 for 25 years.
Hamburg S-Bahn ATO retrofitting contract awarded
GERMANY: S-Bahn Hamburg has awarded Alstom a contract to complete the fitting of its Class 490 electric multiple-unit fleet with ETCS and equipment for GoA2 semi-automatic train operation with a driver onboard.
States seek to emulate Virginia passenger rail expansion model
USA: The Commonwealth of Virginia is making progress with its passenger rail investment initiative, which will see the number of passenger trains operating in the state double from 2019 to 2030.
Contactless payment deployed on commuter rail
USA: Philadelphia’s SEPTA says it is the first commuter rail operator in the USA to deploy contactless payment, which went live on its Regional Rail services on April 4.
Battery train undergoes high passenger load testing
UK: Great Western Railway recruited 250 volunteers to help assess the energy consumption of its Class 230 battery train when fully loaded.
Exports in mind as Turkey unveils national suburban train
TURKEY: The E39000 ‘national suburban trainset’ is unveiled by state-owned manufacturer Türasaş at its Sakarya factory.
South Coast Rail commuter services launched
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and operator Keolis Commuter Services have launched passenger services on Phase 1 of the South Coast Rail project, providing Fall River and New Bedford with trains to Boston for the first time in more than 65 years.
Momentum builds behind Gdańsk suburban rail expansion
POLAND: A 7·5 km southwestern extension of the SKM suburban service that links Gdańsk with Wejherowo via Gdynia has received environmental permit.
Advanced EMUs refresh the Tobu fleet
JAPAN: Tobu Railway has put its first Series 80000 EMU into revenue service on the Urban Park Line. Kinki Sharyo is supplying 25 Series 80000 trainsets, which are intended to operate as five-car formations. Seven are being built as such, but the other 18 will be supplied as four-car units to be augmented by one vehicle transferred from existing Series 60000 units, which are to be shortened from six to five cars.
Clear answer to NJ Transit’s cloudy window problem
USA: NJ Transit has worked with the Rutgers Center for Advanced Infrastructure & Transportation to asses damage to the polycarbonate coating on rolling stock windows caused by acid rain, heat and ultraviolet rays.
Coaster double-deck coaches unveiled
USA: California’s North County Transit District unveiled new Alstom double-deck push-pull coaches as part of celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of its Coaster passenger service between Oceanside and San Diego.
Passenger trains return to Porto freight line
PORTUGAL: Suburban services in the Matosinhos district of Porto has been enhanced with the partial reopening of the Leixões line to passengers after a hiatus of 14 years.