Passenger rail news – Page 124
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NewsLänderbahn awarded first Czech operating contract
CZECH REPUBLIC: The Ústí nad Labem regional authority has awarded Netinera subsidiary Länderbahn its first passenger train operating contract entirely within the Czech Republic. The contract runs for 10 years from December 2019. It covers the operation of local passenger services on routes U12 RB Osek – Most – Louny ...
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NewsWarri line cleared for passenger operation
NIGERIA: Federal Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi has instructed Nigerian Railway Corp to start full-scale commercial passenger operations on the 1 435 mm gauge Itakpe – Ajaokuta – Warri railway, following a three month trial of free services. The announcement followed his inspection of the railway on April 11. Instructing NRC ...
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NewsCapricorn EMU unveiled by Rhätische Bahn and Stadler
SWITZERLAND: Rhätische Bahn’s first Capricorn electric multiple-unit was unveiled at Stadler’s Altenrhein factory on April 15. The metre-gauge EMUs are branded with the Romansh name for the Alpine ibex which appears on the arms of canton Graubünden. They are scheduled to be delivered in 2019-22. The SFr361m order ...
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NewsDB Regio awarded Elektronetz Ost contract
GERMANY: The Land of Schleswig-Holstein has awarded sole bidder DB Regio the Elektronetz Ost passenger operating contract. Running from December 2022 to December 2035, the contract covers services RB86 Lübeck – Travemünde, RE8/80 Lübeck Hbf – Hamburg Hbf and RB85 Lübeck Hbf – Puttgarden, a total of 175 route-km. There ...
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NewsNordWestBahn retains Niedersachsen contract
GERMANY: Transdev-owned incumbent NordWestBahn has been confirmed as the winner of the next contract to operate Regio-S-Bahn Bremen/Niedersachsen passenger services, following an international tender called by the two Länder. The contract runs from December 2021 until December 2036. It covers routes: RS1: Bremen-Farge – Bremen Hbf – Verden/Aller; RS2: ...
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NewsBrisbane Cross River contractors selected
AUSTRALIA: The Queensland government’s Cross River Rail Delivery Authority has selected preferred bidders for the three main works packages to build and equip Brisbane’s A$5·4bn cross-city rail link. Enabling works are already underway for the 10·2 km line linking Bowen Hills with Dutton Park, and major construction ...
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NewsLéman Express cross-border EMU unveiled
EUROPE: The first completed Alstom electric multiple-unit for the Léman Express cross-border regional passenger service between Genève in Switzerland and destinations in France was unveiled at the manufacturer's Reichshoffen factory on April 10. SNCF has ordered 17 EMUs from Alstom’s Coradia Polyvalent family, known as Régiolis by the operator. The ...
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Rail Business UKSouth Eastern franchise award delayed
UK: The start of the next South Eastern passenger franchise has been delayed ‘while we make a decision on the competition’, Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling confirmed to parliament on April 9. The Department for Transport is negotiating a short-term extension to its current agreement with Govia. This ...
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Rail Business UKStagecoach disqualified from three franchises in pension dispute
UK: Stagecoach Group has been disqualified from the Department for Transport’s three current passenger franchise competitions, the company announced on April 10. Incumbent Stagecoach had been shortlisted for the East Midlands franchise, which the DfT announced on April 10 had been won by Abellio, and for the West Coast Partnership ...
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Rail Business UKBimode and hydrogen trains as Abellio wins next East Midlands franchise
UK: The Department for Transport named Abellio as the winner of the next East Midlands passenger franchise on April 10. Formal award is subject to a regulatory standstill period. The contract is due to begin on August 18 2019 and run until at least August 21 2027, with DfT having ...
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NewsOrlando bonds approved as Brightline becomes Virgin Trains USA
USA: Virgin Trains USA was granted approval by the Florida Development Finance Corp on April 5 to raise a further $950m in Private Activity Bond sales to fund the second phase of the inter-city passenger project formerly branded as Brightline. The announcement followed an initial sale of $1·75bn in tax-exempt ...
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NewsDB tests talking robot head
GERMANY: A robot head which smiles at passengers and greets them with ‘My name is FRAnny. How can I help you?’ is being tested by Deutsche Bahn’s information technology arm DB Systel and airport operator Fraport. The initial trial is at Frankfurt airport, with trials at Berlin Hbf planned for ...
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NewsENR orders 160 km/h Talgo trainsets
EGYPT: Egyptian National Railways has selected Talgo to supply and maintain a fleet of six 160 km/h trainsets at a total cost of around €158m, the manufacturer announced on April 7. Intended to operate inter-city services on ENR’s principal routes linking Alexandria, Cairo and Aswan, the trains ...
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NewsCRRC tests ‘variable configuration’ EMU
CHINA: CRRC Tangshan has completed pre-delivery testing of a variable configuration electric multiple-unit, which is designed to be formed of two power cars and up to 16 single or double-deck coaches. The train has been designed to enable operators to configure train lengths in response to changes in passenger demand, ...
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NewsGas fuelled railcar pilot project planned
ITALY: A memorandum of understanding setting out plans to test the conversion of diesel railcars to run on natural gas has been signed by national railway FS Group, rolling stock manufacturer Hitachi Rail Italy and gas supply infrastructure company Snam. Trenitalia plans to provide one or two ALn668 or ALn663 ...
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NewsSweden to fund international night trains
SWEDEN: Overnight trains connecting Sweden with several international European destinations are to be introduced as part of government proposals to facilitate environmentally-friendly transport. Infrastructure Minister Tomas Eneroth announced on March 31 that the Social Democratic, Centre and Green parties had reached agreement to include a SKr50m framework grant in the ...
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NewsNew Generation Rollingstock accessibility modification contract awarded
AUSTRALIA: The government of Queensland has awarded Bombardier Transportation a A$361m contract to undertake modifications to improve the accessibility of the 75 electric multiple-units which are being introduced to the southeast Queensland rail network under the New Generation Rollingstock programme. The modified trains are expected to re-enter service from 2020 ...
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Rail Business UKFirst look inside new Caledonian Sleeper trains
UK: London to Scotland overnight train operator Caledonian Sleeper has unveiled the interiors of its new coaches, which are being built by CAF in northern Spain. Entry into service had originally been scheduled for April 2018 but is now expected by the end of May. The Lowlander route between London ...
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Rail Business UKTalgo committed to UK expansion strategy
UK: Planning for the development of a rolling stock manufacturing plant in Scotland and a research facility in northern England is continuing ‘at full pace’, Talgo Group President Carlos de Palacio Oriol told Railway Gazette in Madrid on April 1. Pointing out that Talgo’s two Spanish plants at Las Matas ...
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NewsŁódź suburban EMUs to be lengthened
POLAND: Łódź suburban operator Łódzka Kolej Aglomeracyjna has signed an agreement with Stadler Polska to lengthen 10 of its Flirt electric multiple-units. The 68·5m złoty contract announced on April 2 includes an extension of Stadler’s maintenance activities until 2029. Each of the two-car EMUs will gain a 16 m ...