All Railway Gazette International articles in November 2014
All articles published this month.
-
NewsAccess the Park
CANADA: VIA Rail Canada has introduced accessible sleeping compartments for two people on its flagship Toronto – Vancouver Canadian service as part of a programme to refurbish its 1950s-built stainless-steel coaches. Four of the Park series observation cars are being modified, following experience with accessibility improvements to the Renaissance coaches ...
-
NewsÖBB tests regional seats
AUSTRIA: Austrian passengers have been invited to test possible new seats for regional and local trainsets, as part of a €50m programme to refurbish 250 Talent and Desiro multiple-units used by around half a million passengers each day. In 2011 ÖBB undertook an initial survey to identify passengers’ main criteria ...
-
NewsNational Express Talent 2 EMU rolled out
GERMANY: The first Talent 2 electric multiple-unit for National Express was ceremonially rolled out at Bombardier Transportation's Hennigsdorf plant on November 28, watched by guests including the UK Ambassador to Germany Sir Simon McDonald. The 160 km/h units are to be deployed on two routes which a consortium of the ...
-
NewsPrasarana wins Makkah metro consultancy contract
SAUDI ARABIA: Metro project promoter Makkah Mass Rail Transit Co has selected Kuala Lumpur transport agency Prasarana to provide consultancy services during Phase 1 of the Makkah Public Transport Programme. Phase 1 covers the construction of two metro lines totalling 45·1 km and 22 stations, with commissioning scheduled by 2019. ...
-
NewsGolden Jubilee Express
ZAMBIA: Transnet Engineering has delivered a 16-coach rake of reconditioned, air-conditioned coaches for ZR's Livingstone - Kitwe Golden Jubilee Express. The train includes one business class, six economy class, two standard and two sleeper coaches, with kitchen, television screens, showers, and a restaurant. A second set is being ...
-
NewsWindermere branch electrification funding confirmed
UK: Transport Minister Baroness Kramer confirmed £16m of government funding to electrify the 16 km single-track Oxenholme – Windermere branch on November 28. The minister said ‘electrifying this key rail link will support the vital tourism industry in the area, and help us build a stronger economy in the Lake ...
-
NewsEIM elects Plummer
Paul Plummer (right), Group Strategy Director at Network Rail, was elected President of the European infrastructure managers’ association EIM on November 19, succeeding Trafikverket Director General Gunnar Malm (left). REFER Senior Adviser Francisco Cardoso dos Reis and RFF Chief Operating Officer Alain Quinet were elected as Vice-Presidents.
-
NewsResponses to the InterCity East Coast franchise announcement
UK: Responses to the Inter-City Railways consortium of Stagecoach and Virgin being selected to operate inter-city services on the East Coast Main Line.
-
NewsBNSF announces $6bn capital programme
USA: BNSF Railway has announced a $6bn capital expenditure programme for 2015, the third year in a row it has committed a record amount for capital investments. The company has also updated its planned capital expenditures for 2014, which now are expected to total $5·5bn. The largest component of the ...
-
NewsLaurence Batlle
Contract operator RATP Dev has restructured its senior management team, with former Chief Financial Officer Laurence Batlle (photo) becoming Operations Director for Africa and the Americas. Deputy Finance Director Romain Ferrière succeeds Batlle. A Deputy Director USA position has been created, to be filled by Catherine Chardon.
-
NewsAnthony Oyo
Rolling stock specialist Anthony Oyo has joined consultancy Steer Davies Gleave’s advisory division, having previously worked on train procurement and acceptance projects in Wellington and Auckland.
-
NewsAnne Yvrande-Billon
Following the resignation of Daniel Tardy, Anne Yvrande-Billon has been named as Vice-President of French railway regulator ARAF, reporting to President Pierre Cardo.
-
NewsPablo Vázquez Vega
Having been nominated by Development Minister Ana Pastor, Pablo Vázquez Vega has been appointed President of Spanish national passenger operator Renfe Operadora. He succeeds Julio Gómez-Pomar.
-
NewsPeter Gašperšic
Peter Gašperšic has been named Minister of Infrastructure in the government of Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar, which took office at the end of September.
-
NewsPepy shuffles his pack
A number of senior management changes have been approved by SNCF President Guillaume Pepy as the company prepares for restructuring as part of the wider French railway reform process (p25). Among the senior appointments, Florence Parly joins SNCF from Air France as Deputy Director-General, starting in the role on November ...
-
NewsDoppelbauer to head ERA
Dr Josef Doppelbauer has been appointed as the next Executive Director of the European Railway Agency, succeeding Marcel Verslype with effect from January 1 2015. Doppelbauer started his career at the Alcatel Research Centre in Wien, Austria, becoming Technical Director in 1997. After moving to Paris as Chief Technical Officer ...
-
NewsFirst PRASA commuter EMU bodyshell assembled
SOUTH AFRICA: Alstom's Lapa factory in Brazil has produced the first bodyshell for the 600 X'Trapolis Mega commuter electric multiple-units ordered by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. The stainless steel bodyshell is based on a design supplied to São Paulo, and has been completed seven months after financial ...
-
News£3·3bn premium wins East Coast franchise for Stagecoach and Virgin
UK: The Inter-City Railways consortium of Stagecoach Group (90%) and Virgin Holdings (10%) has been selected to operate inter-city services on the East Coast Main Line, the Department for Transport announced on November 27. The contract is to be signed following the usual 10-day standstill period. Starting on March 1 ...
-
NewsBeijing signs metro Line 16 letter of intent
CHINA: A letter of intent setting out the planned terms of a PPP concession agreement covering railway systems, rolling stock and operations for the future Beijing metro Line 16 was signed on November 26 by the municipality and the Beijing MTR Corp joint venture of MTR Corp (49%), Beijing Capital ...
-
NewsExpress Rail Link orders CNR trains for 50% capacity increase
MALAYSIA: Kuala Lumpur airport rail link operator Express Rail Link signed an agreement for CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles to supply six electric multiple-units on November 25. They will provide a 50% increase in capacity on the 57 km line, which recorded 20% growth in ridership during 2013 and has experienced ...