Passenger rail news – Page 283
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News
Crashworthy cab cars
SOUTHERN California Regional Rail Authority is planning to replace its 42 Metrolink push-pull driving trailers with new cars, following a number of collisions with road vehicles on level crossings, one of which killed 11 people in January 2005. Part of an order for 80 to 100 cars likely to be ...
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NewsLate deliveries justify compensation
DANISH State Railways ordered a fleet of 83 IC4 diesel multiple-units from AnsaldoBreda in December 2000 at a cost of DKr5bn. Intended to work inter-city services between København and cities in Jutland, the four-car 200 km/h articulated trainsets are notable for their absence from Danish tracks. Although two trains are ...
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NewsNarrow-gauge tycoons revive Poland's regional lines
Originally established by railway enthusiasts, SKPL has grown into a significant commercial operator of regional services on narrow gauge networks closed by Poland's state railway
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NewsBangkok Airport Express to change city travel
The 28 km standard gauge link to the new Bangkok airport lies at the heart of plans to revitalise the Thai capital’s urban rail services. Andrew Grantham reports
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Europe's fastest trains start trials
Destined to link Madrid with Barcelona at up to 350 km/h, two eight-car Velaro E trainsets are on test in Spain
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Chipped shop
PASSENGERS travelling with London commuter operator Thameslink have begun using self-service Chip &PIN ticket vending machines supplied by Shere. The software is initially being piloted at seven stations, and roll-out at a further three is 'imminent'. All Thameslink stations will offer self-service Chip & PINmachines by the end of 2005. ...
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Stadler wins Dutch GTW order
ARRIVA has ordered a fleet of 43 low-floor diesel railcars from Stadler Bussnang to operate a 255 route-km network of secondary lines in the northeastern Netherlands provinces of Friesland and Groningen. The cars are being bought under the terms of a 15-year operating concession which starts in December 2005. Herrenveen-based ...
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One coach refurbishment contract
UK: Bombardier has been awarded a £17m contract by Porterbrook Leasing to overhaul and refurbish 110 MkIII coaches used by National Express Group's Greater Anglia train operating company One. Superseded by Pendolino tilting trains on Virgin West Coast services, the MkIIIs were leased by One last year to replace older ...
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NewsEconomic growth boosts Ireland's railways
IRELAND: National economic growth has required a rapid increase in capacity and service quality at Iarnród Éireann. Chief Operating Officer Dick Fearn told Andrew Grantham how this is being provided, and why he is happy with a vertically-integrated railway.
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News
GNER wins second franchise term
MAY 1 marks the start of a new 10-year contract to operate the UK's Inter-City East Coast franchise. The deal was signed on March 18 by Sea Containers' subsidiary Great North Eastern Railway, which has run the route from London to Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh since 1996. The ...
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Changing the perception of inter-city
THE FLEET of 120 inter-city diesel multiple-unit vehicles ordered in January represents a new departure for Iarnród Éireann, which currently uses loco-hauled vehicles on long-distance services. Funded by the government's National Development Plan, the €262m contract for the trains was signed with Japanese trading group Mitsui at a ceremony in ...
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NewsWhich way to the airport?
Do airports need dedicated express shuttle trains, or should services be aimed at all rail users? Proposed changes to London's Gatwick Express are just one part of an international debate, which is complicated by local politics and geography.
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News
Gauge-convertible electric loco
AT THE end of December, Patentes Talgo unveiled a prototype for the series of 44 gauge-convertible electric locos that Renfe has ordered to operate through services off its AVE network. To be designated L-9202, Virgen del Buen Camino is 19·4 m long and weighs 74 tonnes. It is equipped with ...
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NewsUK refranchising progresses
THE STRATEGIC Rail Authority is pushing ahead with awarding of new franchises for passenger train operations in the UK. On January 17 SRA issued an invitation to tender for the Integrated Kent Franchise to the four bidders who were prequalified in December 2003 (RG 2.04 p63). The ITT was ...
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NewsClass 455 suburban EMU refurbished
UK: On November 23 South West Trains returned to service the first two of its 91 Class 455 inner-suburban EMUs which are being refurbished at Bombardier’s Ashford works. The mid-life refurbishment project will be completed in March 2008. The £67m cost is being funded by Porterbrook, and ...
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NewsEurostar on track to hit market share target
Launched 10 years ago next month, Eurostar is reaping the benefits from Section 1 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link with rising traffic and record punctuality. Chief Executive Richard Brown briefs Murray Hughes on Eurostar's future plans
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News
Vuknovo airport service launched
MOSCOW Mayor Yuri Luzhkov joined the celebrations on July 29 to mark the launch of Russian Railways' second dedicated airport rail service in the capital. He was joined at Moscow Kievskaya station by RZD President Gennady Fadeyev, Moscow Railway President Vladimir Starostenko and the Chairman of Vuknovo International Airport's ...
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News
Serco takes Northern as DB pulls out of ICEC
A PARTNERSHIP of Serco Group and NedRailways BV has been selected as preferred bidder to operate the UK's Northern rail franchise, the Strategic Rail Authority announced on July 1. Northern will take over from First North Western and Arriva Trains Northern in October, employing 4000 staff and 265 trainsets to ...
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Ben Gurion International Airport link ready
ISRAEL Railways has set September 4 as the official opening date for the rail link between Tel Aviv and Ben Gurion International Airport. There will be 32 trains each way per day, covering the 8 km from the city centre in 10min. To mark completion of the US$83m single-track branch, ...
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NewsHSL Zuid shuttle trains ordered
EUROPE: On May 24 the Dutch High Speed Alliance and Belgian National Railways signed a contract with AnsaldoBreda for supply of 12 eight-car high speed trains, with options for up to 14 more. To be delivered in April 2006, the units will enter service a year later, replacing the existing ...