Passenger rail news – Page 76
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NewsIndustry welcomes $66bn of rail funding in Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act
USA: Rail industry organisations have welcomed the passing by Congress of the $1tr Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act, which includes significant funding for passenger and freight rail as well as public transport. The White House said IIJA would provide the largest investment in passenger rail since ...
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Rail Business UKRail’s growth agenda evaporates as Treasury takes control
UK: Having spoken to a range of senior figures across the industry in recent weeks, almost all on condition of anonymity, Rail Business UK can confirm widespread concern that significant investment spending is coming to an end after three decades of growth in rail use, with potentially significant implications for the future of the network.
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NewsCross River Rail train contract tendered
AUSTRALIA: The Queensland government has called tenders for the supply of 65 electric multiple-units to expand Brisbane’s suburban fleet and operate the Cross River Rail link which is now under construction for opening in 2025. Bids are due by early 2022, with the winning bidder expected ...
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Rail Business UKIsle of Wight’s Island Line reopens following £26m modernisation
UK: The Isle of Wight’s Island Line reopened on November 1, following a £26m renewal programme including the introduction of a replacement fleet of electric multiple-units rebuilt from former London Underground trains. ‘We are so excited to welcome our customers back onboard having completed the ...
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NewsBrussels – Amsterdam – Berlin – Praha night train capacity allocated
EUROPE: European Sleeper has been awarded track access for its planned Brussels – Amsterdam – Berlin – Praha overnight train, the promoters confirmed on November 1. The Dutch night train start-up co-operative plans to announce a launch date and final timetable for the service ‘in the ...
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NewsBiotrén fleet enters service
CHILE: The fleet of Chinese-built electric multiple-units to operate Fesur’s Biotrén and Corto Laja regional services was officially launched into revenue service by President Sebastián Piñera on October 26. The event in Concepción was also attended by Minister of Transport & Communications ...
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NewsCo-operative model underpins Railcoop’s long term plans
FRANCE: The Grand Est regional government has contributed €500 000 to open access operator Railcoop through its co-operative business model, becoming the latest institutional member to support the start-up.
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Rail Business UKTicket sales ahead of expectations as low-cost Lumo launches
UK: FirstGroup reports that initial ticket sales at its newly launched London – Edinburgh open access operator Lumo are ahead of expectations, with weekend services proving to be particularly popular. ‘We have always said we intend to reimagine rail travel and we are glad people ...
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NewsSWEG to take over Abellio operations in Baden-Württemberg
GERMANY: The Baden-Württemberg cabinet has approved a rescue plan for the regional passenger services currently operated by Abellio Rail Baden-Württemberg GmbH.
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NewsRENFE aims to compete with Eurostar on Paris – London route
EUROPE: Spanish national rail operator RENFE is developing plans for a Paris – London train service which would compete with Eurostar and provide it with an alternative route into the French passenger market. RENFE believes that the launch of a Paris – London service would be ...
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Metro Report InternationalSeat designed for facing in either direction
SEAT: Grammer has launched its Ubility Light seat, which is designed with ‘innovative minimalism’ to enable passengers on high-density urban trains and buses to sit facing in either direction without the need for any conversion. The seat has an ultra-lightweight aluminium frame ...
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NewsPKP Intercity orders 200 km/h multi-system locomotives
POLAND: PKP Intercity has ordered a build of 200 km/h multi-system electric locomotives from Newag for use on international and domestic services. The contract signed on October 22 covers an initial 10 locos valued at 258·6m złoty, with an option for a further five and the ...
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NewsNorway to increase rail spend but end competitive tendering
NORWAY: The recently elected Norwegian government intends to pursue an aggressive policy of investing in rail, with a view to driving modal shift, but plans to end the competitive tendering of passenger train operations and to simplify the structure of the country’s rail sector.
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In depthGermany: Regional rail model called into question
Problems at Keolis and Abellio suggest that Germany’s long-standing model for contracting out the operation of regional and local rail services may no longer be fit for purpose. Murray Hughes investigates.
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NewsBattery trains ordered for Hermann-Hesse-Bahn
GERMANY: Baden-Württemberg’s rolling stock owning body SFBW has ordered three Mireo Plus B battery-electric multiple-units from Siemens Mobility for use on Hermann-Hesse-Bahn services from December 2023. The BEMUs will use the 15 kV 16·7 Hz overhead electrification for power and to charge their batteries between Renningen ...
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Rail Business UKSE Trains takes over Southeastern services
UK: Southeastern services were transferred to the SE Trains subsidiary of the Department for Transport’s Operator of Last Resort when the directly-awarded management contract held by Govia’s London South Eastern Railway expired at 02.00 on October 17. DfT had an option to extend the contract to ...
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In depthDenmark: Getting the passengers back
With a substantial investment strategy in place and negotiations for a new operating contract underway, Denmark’s state passenger operator is positioning itself to drive modal shift in a post-Covid recovery, DSB Chief Executive Flemming Jensen tells Chris Jackson.
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NewsRefurbished EMU to offer tourist-oriented Osaka – Kyoto service
JAPAN: Kinki Nippon Railway (Kintetsu) has announced plans to refurbish a withdrawn four-car Series 12200 EMU ahead of the launch of a new service to be marketed as the Ayoyoshi Limited Express.
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Rail Business UKDfT begins market engagement on future Passenger Service Contracts
UK: The Department for Transport has announced the first phase of engagement with industry stakeholders regarding plans for the Passenger Service Contracts which will replace the previous franchising system. A central part of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, PSCs are intended to encourage greater private sector ...
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NewsVision for a seamless European rail passenger ticketing experience
EUROPE: A position paper setting out a long-term ‘political vision’ for the seamless planning and booking of international rail journeys has been published by the Community of European Railway & Infrastructure Companies. However, independent passenger operators are disappointed at the lack of firm commitments.