All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 925
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NewsPKP Cargo privatisation strategy approved
POLAND: On March 1 the Prime Minister’s office confirmed that the government intends to press ahead with plans to privatise the national state-owned rail freight operator PKP Cargo As with other freight operators across Europe, PKP Cargo was hit hard by economic slowdown, reporting an operating loss of 497m złoty ...
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NewsJR Central inaugurates Nagoya museum
JAPAN: JR Central Chief Executive Yoshiomi Yamada officially inaugurated the company’s new railway museum at Kinjo-futo in Nagoya on March 1. Constructed over the past two years, the SC Maglev & Railway Park is due to be opened to the public on March 14. The museum brings together 39 items ...
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NewsGreat Western electrification and IEP approved
UK: Speaking in the House of Commons on March 1, Secretary of State for Transport Philip Hammond announced the go-ahead for the second stage of the Great Western Main Line electrification, which will extend the 25 kV 50 Hz electrification from Didcot to Bristol and through the Severn Tunnel to ...
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NewsTülomsas rolls out Turkish PowerHaul
TURKEY: Celebrations in Eskisehir on February 28 marked the rollout of the first PowerHaul diesel locomotive to be assembled in Turkey. The locomotive has been assembled by Tülomsas using components manufactured at GE Transportation’s plant in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA. The locomotive will run on the TCDD network for testing and ...
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NewsMetrolinx orders DMUs to work airport rail link
CANADA: The Metrolinx board of directors has approved the purchase of 12 two-car diesel multiple units for Toronto’s future airport rail link from Sumitomo Corp and its partner Nippon Sharyo Inc for C$53m. The DMUs will be similar to the 18 cars ordered by Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit Authority to ...
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NewsNorfolk Southern sets out 2011 spending plan
USA: Norfolk Southern is planning capital investment of $2·2bn in 2011. 'Baseline' investment of $1·74bn is up 19% on last year, and includes $300m for track and terminal expansion. Resumption of its coal wagon replacement programme will see the purchase of 1500 vehicles, a level which is expected to ...
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News30-year railway master plan
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Railways Organization is compiling a 30-year master plan which SRO President Abdul Aziz bin Mohammed Al-Hokail said would provide 'an integrated and clear future vision' for a 'safer, better and bigger railway'. A joint venture of Fayez Zuhair and Germany's GTZ and Dornier has been awarded a ...
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NewsEast London Line reaches Highbury and Islington
UK: The latest phase of Transport for London’s East London Line extension programme was completed on February 28 when London Overground services began carrying passengers over the 2∙1 km between Dalston Junction and Highbury & Islington. Restoring a connection removed in the 1980s, the £50m project has also involved the ...
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NewsHS2 consultation launched
UK: The government launched a public consultation process for construction of the proposed London – West Midlands high speed line on February 28. The consultation, which runs until July 29, will take the form of a series of public meetings and events along the planned 190 km route that is ...
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NewsWabtec buys Brush Traction
UK: Wabtec Corp of the USA announced on February 28 that it had acquired Brush Traction for US$31m. Operating from plants in Loughborough and Kilmarnock, Brush Traction has built electric locomotives for customers including Eurotunnel and more recently has been active in the locomotive overhaul and refurbishment ...
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NewsIndian Railways faces testing times, says minister
INDIA: Presenting the Indian Railways budget for 2011-12 to Parliament on February 25, Minister of Railways Mamata Banerjee warned that IR was facing a ‘testing time’, citing a significant jump in fuel costs, and wage increases imposed following a review by the Pay Commission. With 1·4 million employees and 1·2 ...
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NewsDB completes Arriva Deutschland sale
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn announced on February 28 that it had successfully completed the sale of the Arriva Deutschland Group to a consortium led by Italy’s Ferrovie dello Stato in partnership with Cube Infrastructure. Details of the purchase agreement are being kept confidential. DB had committed to dispose of Arriva’s German ...
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NewsTrain operator targets 10% energy saving
UK: South West Trains is installing energy meters on some of its electric multiple-units under a programme which aims to reduce annual energy consumption by up to 10%. The Train Energy Management System supplied by Italian firm FAR Systems is being fitted to 20 Class 444, 450, 455 and 458 ...
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NewsChina to build eight lines in Iran
IRAN: An agreement worth around US$13bn for China to construct eight lines was announced by the Construction & Development of Transportation Infrastructures Co after Chinese officials visited Tehran during February. A joint office has been set up to manage the project and associated technology transfer, but no dates were ...
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NewsZSSK signs long-term train operating contract
SLOVAKIA: National passenger operator ZSSK and the Ministry of Transport have signed the first long-term contract for the provision of subsidised services, replacing a three-year contract covering 2008-10. The 10-year contract guarantees a fixed annual subsidy, which should help to stabilise ZSSK which made an operating loss of €78m ...
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NewsIndustry News in Brief
Under an investment worth up to 300m yuan, China Northern intends to open a research laboratory at its plant in Dalian to support the design of new locomotives and multiple-units. Transalpine intermodal freight operator Hupac reported on February 9 a 13·7% increase in traffic volume for full-year 2010 compared ...
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NewsUnbundling of Pakistan Railways proposed
PAKISTAN: The Planning Commission published a paper in January proposing the 'unbundling' of Pakistan Railways, with the outsourcing of activities such as station management. Intermodal and suburban trains could be operated independently, and the Ministry of Railways is considering a plan for a Lahore - Karachi business train. The Ministry ...
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NewsBombardier buys PKP stake in signalling venture
POLAND: Bombardier Transportation acquired Polish national railway PKP's remaining 60% stake in the Bombardier Transportation (ZWUS) Polska joint venture on February 25, the first of a series of privatisations PKP Group is planning for this year. The joint venture produces EBI Lock interlocking, EBI Gate level crossing and EBI Track ...
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NewsBacteria to clean ballast
UK: Environmental Scientifics Group and Waste Management Total Solutions have completed a trial using bioremediation to clean ballast at First Great Western's St Philip's Marsh depot in Bristol. Bioremediation uses cultivated oil-degraded bacteria and microbes to digest waste material, releasing carbon dioxide and water. A mix of biocatalysts and nutrients ...
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NewsAlcácer cut-off opens
PORTUGAL: Trains began using the Alcácer Bypass across the Sado River in December, completing what infrastructure manager Refer describes as ‘the most important investment in the network in recent years’. The 29 km bypass cuts 6·7 km from the South Line from Lisboa towards the Algarve. It is intended to ...