Passenger rail news – Page 240
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NewsRegional DMU rolls out
SLOVAKIA: ZOS Vrútky rolled out on June 16 the first of 12 Class 861 three-car regional DMUs ordered by ZSSK under a €53m contract signed in April 2009. They will operate around Nitra, Humenné, Presov, Kosice and Prievidza. The partly low-floor units comprise two driving motor cars and an intermediate ...
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NewsFranchising timetable seeks value for money
UK: Aiming to produce a 'deliverable and balanced programme', on August 5 Transport Secretary Philip Hammond published a timetable for re-letting eight passenger franchises over the next three years. 'My aim in doing so is to give the market clarity about the timing of the opportunities that will arise', ...
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NewsFRA releases loco and rolling stock grants
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration released a second tranche of grants totalling $336·2m for the purchase of passenger locomotives and rolling stock on August 3. The cash will be distributed to the states of California, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Missouri, which along with the state of Washington had already ...
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NewsSecond phase of Gautrain opens
SOUTH AFRICA: The second stage of the Gautrain commuter line was opened on August 2. The first stage of Gautrain from OR Tambo International Airport to Sandton opened on June 8 2010 in time for the World Cup, and the launch of services between Rosebank in Johannesburg and Hatfield ...
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NewsAvantos introduced on Esbly - Crécy-la-Chapelle line
FRANCE: SNCF introduced a Siemens Avanto tram-train to replace locomotive-hauled push-pull formations on the 11 km Esbly - Crécy-la-Chapelle line east of Paris on July 4. Previously used on Paris route T4, the LRV has superior braking to the trains it replaces; safety authority EPSF and infrastructure manager RFF had ...
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NewsSignal failure suspected in Wenzhou crash
CHINA: ‘Design flaws’ in the signalling on the Ningbo – Wenzhou high speed line led to the fatal rear-end collision near Wenzhou on July 22, according to the recently-appointed head of the Shanghai Railway Bureau An Lusheng. The accident is now reported to have killed 39 people and injured 192. ...
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NewsUIC figures show growth in global rail traffic
INTERNATIONAL: Statistics from UIC members indicate an average overall growth of 3·4% in freight tonne-km in 2010, confirming economic and trade recovery, as well as a 3·5% increase in passenger-km due in part to rail development in Asia, particularly India. Publishing the figures on July 27, UIC said there was ...
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NewsTalgo 250 arrives in Toshkent
UZBEKISTAN: The first of two Talgo 250 trainsets ordered to cut journey times on the 344 km Toshkent - Samarkand route from 3½ h to 2 h arrived in Toshkent on July 22, with the second due to follow in September. The trainsets have been given the name 'Afrosiyob'. Each ...
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NewsFirst fatal crash on Chinese high speed line
CHINA: Up to 43 passengers are reported to have been killed and over 200 injured following a rear-end collision between two high speed trains at Shuangyu near Wenzhou on July 23. The world’s first fatal train accident on a dedicated high speed line took place on the 250 ...
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NewsPerth consults on strategic transport vision
AUSTRALIA: Public Transport Authority of Western Australia has begun consultation on a strategic plan for the development of rail, bus rapid transit and light rail services with the aim of addressing congestion and accessibility issues as Perth grows to an expected population of 2·5 million by 2031. Heavy rail elements ...
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NewsSunRail commuter project funding signed
USA: Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood visited Orlando on July 18 to announce a $178·6m federal grant completing funding for the $357·2m capital costs of first phase of the SunRail commuter rail project. Governor Rick Scott had put the project on hold earlier in the year, but gave the ...
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NewsHammond launches £5bn Great Western Main Line upgrade
UK: Visiting London’s Paddington station on July 14 to mark the completion of work to refurbish the station roof, Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond officially launched a 10-year programme to upgrade the Great Western Main Line. Speaking at the launch, Network Rail Chief Executive David Higgins said the ...
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NewsStadler to supply drivelines for Russian DMUs
RUSSIA: Speaking at the opening of the Swissrail Forum in Moscow on July 12, Swiss Federal Councillor and Head of the Economic Affairs Department Johann Schneider-Ammann announced that Stadler Rail had won its first order from Russia. Under a deal valued at SFr240m, Stadler is to supply 100 four-axle diesel ...
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NewsDB submits Channel Tunnel ICE safety case
EUROPE: Deutsche Bahn submitted safety documentation for the operation of Velaro D high speed trainsets through the Channel Tunnel to the Intergovernmental Commission on July 11. This will allow the IGC to clarify any outstanding matters before DB formally applies for a safety certificate to operate the Siemens-built trains at ...
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NewsWellington suburban rail upgrading package agreed
NEW ZEALAND: A package of infrastructure upgrades on Wellington’s Tranz Metro suburban rail network and transfer of the train fleet from KiwiRail to Greater Wellington Regional Council was approved on July 5. GWRC has assumed ownership of the stations (other than Wellington), stabling and depot facilities. It ...
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NewsRapid transit plan agreed as last train leaves Singapore
SINGAPORE: The final KTMB train left Tanjung Pagar station for Johor Bahru in Malaysia at 23.00 on June 30, driven by the Sultan of Johar and watched by a crowd of onlookers. At midnight ownership of the 26 km rail corridor south of Woodlands Train Checkpoint on the Singapore ...
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NewsDB Regio awarded RE-Netz Südwest operating contract
GERMANY: On July 5 the Rheinland-Pfalz Nord and Süd, Rhein-Main, Baden-Württemberg and Saarland transport authorities announced the selection of DB Regio Südwest for a 15-year contract to operate RE-Netz Südwest services from December 2014. The contract covers two groups of services to be operated under the planned Rheinland-Pfalz-Takt 2015 timetable. ...
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NewsNîmes – Montpellier bypass moves closer
FRANCE: Réseau Ferré de France announced on July 4 that it had launched final negotiations with the three shortlisted bidders for the PPP concession to build the Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier, which it describes as the country’s first ‘mixed traffic high speed line’. RFF expects to receive Best & Final ...
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NewsPKP awards station rebuilding contracts
POLAND: Major contracts have been awarded for the rebuilding of Lódz Fabryczna and Warszawa Zachodnia stations. PKP PLK has selected Torpol to rebuild Lódz Fabryczna at a cost of 1·45bn zloty. The contract covers demolition of the existing station and construction of four new platforms below ground level, approached by ...
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NewsATACS launch on September 25
JAPAN: East Japan Railway confirmed on June 30 that it intends to put its Advanced Train Administration & Communications System into full revenue operation on the Senseki Line near Sendai with effect from September 25. Following extensive development and test running using communications-based train control on the pilot section of ...