All Railway Gazette International articles in October 2016 – Page 2
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NewsRatos sells EuroMaint Rail
SWEDEN: Private equity company Ratos has signed an agreement to sell its 100% stake in rolling stock maintenance business EuroMaint Rail to SSVP, a mid-market private equity fund advised by Orlando Management which invests in companies that it believes are underperforming but have ‘a healthy core’. The SKr650m deal announced ...
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WebinarThe Metro of the Future
High-capacity urban rail networks are becoming the essential mobility backbone of the modern city. Yet as we move into an era of technology-enabled ‘smart urbanisation’, metro operators and project developers will need to keep pace with changing user expectations while seeking to maximise operational efficiency.
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NewsAb Ovo to supply Eurasian freight planning software
CHINA: Business software developer Ab Ovo signed a contract on October 26 to provide Shanghai-based logistics company Railink International with a service planning and ‘track and trace’ container management package. This will be used on Railink’s ‘One Belt, One Road’ routes from China to destinations in Mongolia, Russia, Central Asia ...
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NewsKTZ launches train wi-fi pilot project
KAZAKHSTAN: InfiNet Wireless has provided national railway KTZ with a wireless broadband network as part of a pilot project covering passenger trains, maintenance vehicles and stations on the 226 km route from Astana to Shchuchinsk. Low cost and robustness were priorities, and the network uses small wireless devices fitted to ...
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NewsSevern Tunnel electrification installation completed
UK: The 7 km Severn Tunnel reopened on October 22 following a six-week closure to install 25 kV 50 Hz electrification equipment. The project required a total of 18 000 person-days of work. Around 14 km of Furrer+Frey rigid overhead conductor rail was installed, supported by 1 648 drop ...
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NewsRENFE restructures freight business
SPAIN: National operator Renfe has announced a restructuring of its freight business, aiming to transform Renfe Mercancías to ensure its ‘economic, financial and operational viability’. Latterly advising the President of Renfe on freight strategy, experienced railway manager Abelardo Carrillo has been appointed as Director General of the restructured operation. With ...
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NewsTerms of Wabtec acquisition of Faiveley Transport modified
INTERNATIONAL: The terms for Wabtec’s planned acquisition of Faiveley Transport which had been agreed on October 6 2015 have been modified, the two companies and the Faiveley family announced on October 25. Completion of the deal is expected by the end of the year, subject to regulatory clearance in the ...
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NewsAlstom to deliver 30 metro trainsets to Lyon
FRANCE: Lyon transport authority Sytral has awarded Alstom a €140m contract to supply 30 trainsets for the Lyon metro. The order announced on October 26 includes options for up to 18 more trains. The rolling stock has been ordered as part of Sytral’s Future Metro 2020 programme, which aims ...
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NewsSafeguarding the competitiveness of light rail
With the rise of non-rail ‘electro-mobility’ and new approaches to urban transport such as car sharing and taxi apps, light rail and trams are facing increased competition. Where should the rail supply industry put its focus to ensure the attractiveness and competitiveness of light rail vehicles?
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Metro Report InternationalCrenshaw/LAX tunnel progress
USA: Excavation of one of the twin tunnels for the Crenshaw/LAX light rail line in Los Angeles was completed on October 20, when tunnel boring machine Harriet broke through at the site of the future Leimert Park station. The Herrenknecht earth pressure balance TBM was lowered into Crenshaw/Expo station ...
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NewsDB and Siemens launch predictive maintenance pilot
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn and Siemens have launched a 12-month pilot project to provide data to support predictive maintenance of the Class 407 Velaro D high speed train fleet. Data received from moving Velaro D trainsets will be systematically analysed at the Siemens Mobility Data Services Centre in München, complementing diagnostic ...
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Metro Report InternationalFirst Guadalajara Line 3 train shipped
MEXICO: The first of 18 trainsets that will operate on Guadalajara metro Line 3 has begun its journey from Alstom’s Barcelona factory in Spain and is due to arrive in Mexico by the end of November. As part of a contract signed in December 2014 for electro-mechanical systems, Alstom is ...
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NewsSamarkand receives trams
UZBEKISTAN: Preliminary works for the construction of a tram line in Samarkand began on October 16 with the removal of grassed median strips on some roads. The 8 km first phase of the route would connect the city’s main railway station with Sat-Tepo and is due to enter service ...
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Metro Report InternationalMTR Corp issues first green bond
CHINA: MTR Corp has issued its first green bond. Eligible investments for green bonds include works relating to low-carbon transport, energy efficiency, sustainability, climate change, conservation, water management, pollution prevention and noise reduction. ‘As a low-carbon transport operator, we are pleased with the issuance of our first green bond which ...
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NewsNational Express pulls out of Nürnberg S-Bahn bidding
GERMANY: National Express Group announced on October 25 that it had withdrawn its winning bids for two parallel 12-year contracts to operate Nürnberg S-Bahn services from December 2018. The UK-based transport group said it had informed Bayern railway agency BEG that ‘it is no longer in the interest of ...
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NewsNorth-South passenger services to start next year
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Railway Co is on course to launch regular passenger services on the North-South line at the beginning of 2017, the Governor of Riyadh Prince Faisal Bin Bandar confirmed following a test run from the capital on October 20. Speaking after the trial run with a CAF-built trainset ...
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NewsWiener Lokalbahnen orders locomotives
AUSTRIA: Following a two-stage negotiated tender process, Wiener Lokalbahnen Cargo has awarded Bombardier Transportation a contract to supply and maintain three Traxx AC3 electric locomotives with last mile diesel modules. The locomotives are scheduled to enter service next year, and will be used to haul freight trains in Austria and ...
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Metro Report InternationalPublic inquiry for Line 3 extension in Saint-Etienne
FRANCE: A public inquiry is being held from October 17 to November 21 in order to consider plans to extend Line 3 of the 1 000 mm gauge tram network in Saint-Etienne. Developed following initial public consultation that took place between June 2015 and May 2016, the route would run ...
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Metro Report InternationalMiami-Dade metro cars unveiled
USA: The first two cars for Miami-Dade Transit’s Metrorail network were unveiled by Mayor Carlos A Gimenez at Hitachi Rail USA’s plant in the Medley district of northwest Miami on October 24. The plant is to assemble 136 metro cars which Miami-Dade Transit ordered from AnsaldoBreda for $300m in November ...
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NewsGreenbriar Equity acquires Frauscher Sensor Technology
AUSTRIA: Wheel detection and axle-counting system supplier Frauscher Sensor Technology announced on October 24 that it had been acquired by New York-based private equity investor Greenbriar Equity Group and its existing management team led by CEO Michael Thiel. Terms were not disclosed. Greenbriar specialises in investment in the transport sector, ...