All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 817
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NewsPolish rail closure proposals announced
POLAND: PKP PLK has announced plans to close 2 000 route-km of railway. The decision comes after a six-month study of 458 sections of the network totalling nearly 7 300 route-km, out of a total of 21 600 route-km. Of the three scenarios proposed in the study, the ‘mild’ ...
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NewsNewRail introduces Rail Freight & Logistics course
UK: Following surveys undertaken under the EU-funded RiFLE project, NewRail, the railway research centre at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, has identified a looming skills gap in the rail freight and logistics market as the range of specialist academic courses fails to keep pace with recruitment levels in the sector. NewRail ...
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NewsCAF trams for Besançon take shape
FRANCE: Officials from Bescançon visited the CFD Bagnères plant in Bagnères-de-Bigorre on February 12 and 13 to view progress with the fleet of 19 cars that are being supplied to the city by Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF. One completed tram was undergoing static testing as a further two cars ...
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NewsKuala Lumpur - Singapore high speed railway agreement
ASIA: An agreement to build a high speed railway between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore is included in the joint statement issued by the Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore following their annual retreat on February 19. The Joint Ministerial Committee has been tasked with looking into 'the details and modalities' ...
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NewsUntere Edertalbahn reopening works begin
GERMANY: Work to reopen the out-of-use 30 km Untere Edertalbahn between Korbach and Frankenberg was launched when Hesse Transport Minister Florian Rentsch attended the start of vegetation clearance at Korbach on February 15. The project aims to improve access to tourist destinations around the Edersee, providing a direct route between ...
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NewsWorld rail infrastructure market February 2013
Australia: Transport for NSW has awarded Downer EDI and Robson Civil Projects a A$90m contract to undertake infrastructure works for the Gosford Passing Loops Project, one of four packages under the Northern Sydney Freight Corridor programme. Germany: DB Netz has awarded Jäger Bau a €3·4m contract to modernise the ...
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NewsInRail begins operating in Slovenia
EUROPE: InRail has begun operating cross-border freight services between Nova Gorica in Slovenia and destinations in Italy, making it the second Italian rail company approved to operate in Slovenia after Trenitalia. InRail was formed in 2009 and now operates around 80 trains/week, mainly carrying metals, timber and coal. Its ...
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NewsPKP Cargo takes modernisation work in-house
POLAND: PKP Cargo is to bring its locomotive and wagon modernisation activities in-house with effect from April 1, with the aim of increasing productivity, reducing the company’s dependence on outside contractors and eliminating the time it spends undertaking tendering procedures. Two years ago the state-owned freight operator decided to bring ...
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NewsMeasurement and testing technology
RESISTANCE: Cropico’s DO4000 range of rugged portable digital milli-ohmmeters includes features to provide accurate measurements of track joint resistance and check the accuracy of power distribution joints. The meters are also suitable for quick checking of signal wire integrity. The DO4000 enables forward and reverse current measurement with auto averaging ...
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NewsNews in Brief - February 2013
Seven investors have shown interest in the privatisation of Bulgarian national railway BDZ's freight business. Six purchased tender documents, and the seventh requested an extension of the bid submission deadline. The Lagos - Kano line in Nigeria reopened on December 22 after being suspended for several years. NRC ...
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NewsAlstom signs Baghdad urban rail contract
IRAQ: A US$40m agreement for Alstom to undertake detailed design studies for the first phase of an elevated metro was signed by Governor of Baghdad Dr Salah Abdul-Razzaq on February 11. The line is planned to relieve traffic congestion and help to accommodate population growth in the capital. Abdul-Razzaq ...
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NewsVeolia Transport awarded Swedish contract
SWEDEN: The Blekinge, Kalmar, Kronoberg and Skåne transport authorities have jointly awarded Veolia Transport a contract to operate three local rail services for five years from December 2013, with an option for a further three years. The contract covers the Emmaboda to Karlskrona and Kalmar and Hässleholm - Växjö routes, ...
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NewsBTS SkyTrain expands
THAILAND: Bangkok elevated metro operator BTS SkyTrain opened a single station extension of the Silom Line from Wong Wian Yai to Pho Nimit on January 15, with a further extension to Talat Phlu following on February 14, when free rides were offered. Mass Rapid Transit Authority is to call tenders ...
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NewsAlstom launches North American light rail vehicle with Ottawa contract
CANADA: Alstom announced the launch of its Citadis Spirit light rail vehicle for the North American market on February 14, saying it had finalised a €400m contract to supply 34 LRVs and 30 years of maintenance services to the Rideau Transit Group consortium which has been selected to design, build, ...
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NewsNetz Ostbrandenburg operating contracts awarded
GERMANY: Transport authority VBB confirmed Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn Betriebsgesellschaft mbH as the winner of two contracts for the operation of Netz Ostbrandenburg passenger services east of Berlin on February 12. Contract 1 starts in December 2014, and covers the operation of 2·16 million train-km/year using Regio-Shuttle RS1 diesel railcars. Contract ...
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NewsSeries N700A Shinkansen sets enter service
JAPAN: JR Central has put its first Series N700A trainsets into revenue service on the Tokaido Shinkansen, with a ceremony to mark the departure of Nozomi 203 from Tokyo station at 07.00 on February 8. A second train operating as Nozomi 208 was ceremonially dispatched from Shin-Osaka at the same ...
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NewsAnkara airport rail link study
TURKEY: Proposals have been unveiled for the construction of a rail link to Ankara's Esenboga airport, northeast of the capital. On February 13 the Ministry of Transport signed a contract with FS Group's engineering consultancy subsidiary Italferr to develop the project. Under the 12-month contract valued at €1·5m, Italferr will ...
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NewsUK rolling stock strategy published
UK: Great Britain's passenger rolling stock fleet might need to double in size by 2042 to accommodate increased ridership, electrification and other proposed enhancements, according to a high-level analysis of future scenarios published on February 12. The 'Long Term Passenger Rolling Stock Strategy for the Rail Industry' has been produced ...
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NewsWatco acquires Ann Arbor Railroad
USA: The Watco Railroad short line group completed the purchase of Ann Arbor Railroad Inc with effect from January 26, following Surface Transportation Board approval. The 80 km line connecting Ann Arbor, Michigan with Toledo, Ohio, serves manufacturing and automotive customers including Chrysler, General Motors and Ford. It connects with ...
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NewsStadler wins Moscow double-deck train order
RUSSIA: Aeroexpress has selected Stadler Rail to supply double-deck electric multiple-units to increase passenger capacity on its Moscow airport shuttle services. The €350m order announced on February 12 covers 16 four-car and eight six-car units based on Stadler's KISS family, with two options for a total of 60 cars formed ...