Urban rail – Page 412
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NewsMelbourne's trains to get Metro brand
AUSTRALIA: 'Metro' was unveiled as the branding for Melbourne's suburban rail services on September 1, when the Victoria government signed the operating contract under which Metro Trains Melbourne will replace Veolia Transport. On the same day, Keolis Downer EDI signed the contract to operate the Yarra Trams network. ...
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NewsDutch tram-train trial to end
NETHERLANDS: The Dutch tram-train pilot project between Alphen-aan den Rijn and Gouda is expected to end with the December 2009 timetable change, when the current mix of trams and EMUs will be replaced by a strengthened train service. This follows the signing of an agreement between the province of ...
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NewsCircle Line tunnelling completed
SINGAPORE: Tunnelling works for the Circle Line were completed on August 17, with the break-through of a tunnel boring machine into Farrer Road Station. Tunnelling on the last stretch, known as Stage 4, comprised four drives. Two drives from One-North to Haw Par Villa were completed in February 2008. ...
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Metro Report InternationalBombardier signs Berlin tram order
GERMANY: On September 1 Bombardier Transportation announced it had signed the contract to supply Berlin transport operator BVG with 99 Flexity Berlin trams. The order was placed within a framework agreement for up to 210 trams which was reached by Bombardier and BVG in 2006. Testing of ...
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NewsMetro Line 3 to Athens Airport reopens
GREECE: On August 31 the section of Attiko metro Line 3 between Ethniki Amyna and Athens airport went back into service, and Nomismatokopeio station was opened to the public for the first time. The new station has an underground car park and provides an interchange with several bus routes serving ...
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NewsMonitoring passenger flows in stations
CHINA: China TransInfo Technology Corp has launched its TransPLE Passenger Flow Statistic, Detecting & Analysis System, which uses laser scanners and cameras to analyse pedestrian volume, speed and direction in busy stations. The results can be used to optimise layouts for pedestrian flow, as well as supporting crowd control, ...
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NewsNi-Cd batteries prove a success on tram-trains
GERMANY: Successful initial tests are being followed up by a second phase of trials of nickel-cadmium batteries in place of wet cells on tram-trains in Karlsruhe. Operator Stadtbahn Karlsruhe will look at the reliability, performance and total cost of ownership of the Saft Matrics MRX 200 batteries, which are ...
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NewsQingdao metro enters first phase
CHINA: Shandong state government approved the plan to construct a metro network in Qingdao on August 18. Phases I and II entail the construction of 54·7 km of route by 2016, at a cost of 29·2bn yuan. The first line to be built is likely to be M3, running from ...
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NewsCrossrail tunnelling contracts advertised
UK: Crossrail Ltd confirmed on August 25 that notices have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union inviting expressions of interest for the project’s two principal tunnelling contracts - Package C300 for Tunnels West and Package C305 for Tunnels East - involving the construction of 18 km ...
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NewsDenver receives the first of 55 LRVs from Siemens
USA: On August 21 the first of 55 SD160 light rail vehicles ordered to supplement RTD’s FasTracks fleet was delivered to the Elati Light Rail maintenance facility from Siemens’ plant in Sacramento. The remainder will arrive over the next 18 months. The US$184m contract for 55 high-floor cars was placed ...
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NewsMontréal tram route announced
CANADA: On August 14 the city of Montréal released a study into proposals for a new tram line which had been commissioned from a consortium of Genivar and Systra. The consultants recommend that the first line should begin in Old Montréal, then take a serpentine route following Peel, De ...
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NewsThree extensions approved for Chicago 'L'
USA: Chicago Transit Authority board adopted locally preferred alternatives for three proposed ‘L’ extensions on August 3, a critical step in applying for federal funding. The projects include: Red Line: an 8·5 km expansion south from the existing 95th Street terminal to 130th Street with four new ...
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NewsNew York MTA capital programme released
USA: New York MTA published its preliminary US$25·5bn 2010–14 capital programme for public consultation in August, together with a 2010-29 Twenty Year Needs assessment. The documents identify MTA’s long-term needs and a short-term plan to start addressing them within current budgets. The detailed plan is due to be submitted ...
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NewsVancouver's Canada Line opens ahead of schedule
CANADA: Tens of thousands of people sampled the new Canada Line during eight hours of free rides on August 17, an opening that was more than three months ahead of schedule and within a budget of just over C$2bn. The crush of passengers, 30 000 just during the first ...
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NewsKowloon Southern Link connects East and West Rail
CHINA: The Kowloon Southern Link opened for revenue service on August 16, finally connecting the ex-Kowloon-Canton Railway West Rail and East Rail routes. Passengers using West Rail to and from Tuen Mun in the Northwest New Territories previously had to change to MTR's Tung Chung line at Nam Cheong ...
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NewsNew York orders flywheel energy storage
USA: Long Island Rail Road is to use carbon fibre flywheels to store energy regenerated during braking for reuse when trains accelerate, helping to lower energy consumption and reduce the peak power demand which can impose high power supply costs on rail operators. The $5·2m pilot project on ...
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NewsBerlin U55 metro line opens
GERMANY: Berlin’s U55 underground metro line between Brandenburger Tor and Hauptbahnhof finally entered service on August 8, following inauguration by the city’s mayor Klaus Wowereit. Passengers were able to travel for free to mark the occasion. The 1·8 km line and its three stations cost €320m to build and took ...
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NewsSydney Metro construction shortlist announced
AUSTRALIA: Three consortia have been shortlisted for the contract to build the Permanent Route Infrastructure for Phase 1 of the CBD metro line between Central and Rozelle in Sydney. The names of the successful consortia, selected from the five groups which submitted detailed expressions of interest last June, were announced ...
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NewsS70 enters revenue service in Portland
USA: TriMet placed the first of its new Siemens S70 Avanto LRVs into revenue service on August 6, following a VIP trip from Pioneer Square to Hatfield in Hillsboro. The transit agency has purchased 22 cars, which it calls the Type 4, the last of which had been delivered ...
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NewsFour shortlisted for BART Oakland Airport connector project
USA: The Bay Area Rapid Transit District has prequalified four teams to bid for the US$522m 5·2 km Oakland International Airport Connector Project. The design, build, operate and maintain contract covers construction of an automated peoplemover linking BART’s Coliseum station with passenger terminals at the airport. OAC is scheduled ...
