Urban transport modes – Page 239
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NewsUniversity Link opens in Seattle
USA: The University Link extension of Seattle’s light rail line opened on March 19, six months ahead of schedule. The 5·1 km underground extension runs north from Westlake to the University of Washington. An intermediate stop at Capitol Hill provides interchange with the First Hill streetcar line. Journey time ...
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NewsNorthwest Extension opens in Phoenix
USA: The first phase of Valley Metro’s Northwest Extension opened on March 19 with a day of free travel across the Phoenix light rail network. The 5·2 km extension runs north along 19th Avenue from Montebello Avenue to Dunlap Avenue, with intermediate stops at Glendale Avenue and Northern Avenue. ...
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NewsParis metro hackathon prizes awarded
FRANCE: Alstom and programming school Ecole 42 have announced the winners of the hackathon that was held in Paris on March 17-18 with the aim of developing apps for connected metros. The prizes were handed out by Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge and Ecole 42 Principal Xavier Niel. The aim ...
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NewsGold Coast light rail Stage 2 contractor selected
AUSTRALIA: Concessionaire GoldLinQ has selected CIMIC subsidiary CPB Contractors as preferred bidder to design and build the second phase of Gold Coast light rail. Contract signing is expected in mid-April. Construction is due to begin in April and end in late 2017, with passenger services expected to commence in 2018. ...
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NewsAll-digital track geometry car delivered
CHINA: Ensco Rail has supplied Shanghai Metro with an all-digital measuring car which can provide track geometry, rail profile, corrugation and axle acceleration data. Ensco Rail said the digital sensors are the result of a significant R&D investment. They are smaller than previous designs, with computerised self-calibration, fewer parts and ...
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NewsHitachi Rail USA opens assembly plant in Miami
USA: The Hitachi Rail USA subsidiary of Hitachi Rail Italy inaugurated its first US assembly plant on March 16, after six months of construction. The 1·3 ha plant in the Medley district of northwest Miami is to assemble 136 metro cars for Miami-Dade Transit’s Metrorail network. Assembly is due ...
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NewsHoek van Holland metro conversion contract awarded
NETHERLANDS: VolkerRail and Mobilis have been awarded a €72m contract to convert the 24 km railway between Schiedam Centrum and Hoek van Holland to metro operation. The work is to be complete by February 2018 and will require a five-month blockade of passenger traffic. The scope includes the modernisation ...
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NewsCRRC to supply Noida metro trains
INDIA: Project promoter Delhi Metro Rail Corp and CRRC Nanjing signed a memorandum of understanding for the supply of 19 four-car trainsets for the Noida metro on March 17. The trainsets would be delivered by May 2017 at a cost of Rs8bn. They are intended to meet the metro’s ...
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NewsTehran metro serving Mehrabad Airport
IRAN: The Tehran metro started running to Mehrabad Airport on March 15, when a branch of Line 4 opened with a station serving Terminals 1 & 2 and one serving Terminals 4 & 6. The 2·8 km branch runs southwest from a new station at Bimeh, between Meydan-e Azadi ...
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NewsArriva wins London Overground concession
UK: Transport for London named Arriva Rail London Ltd as preferred bidder for the next London Overground inner-suburban passenger operating concession on March 18, with formal award subject to the 10-day regulatory standstill period. The £1·5bn agreement will run for 7½ years from November 13 2016, with an option for ...
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NewsTramwaje Śląskie plans investment
POLAND: Tramwaje Śląskie has announced its modernisation plan for the 2014-20 EU budget period. The estimated cost is 885m złoty, with EU funds expected to cover at least 63% of this. The plan envisages the purchase of 44 trams and some maintenance vehicles, as well as the modernisation of ...
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NewsTrójmiasto EMUs presented
POLAND: Newag officially handed over two Impuls 31WE electric multiple-units to Gdańsk-Gdynia-Sopot suburban operator SKM w Trójmieście on March 4. The trains made an inaugural run between Gdańsk Główny and Gdyna Cisowa. Newag signed a 35·6m złoty contract on March 23 2015 to supply two four-car EMUs, which are ...
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NewsBART Silicon Valley Phase II extension advances
USA: The Federal Transit Administration has approved Phase II of the BART Silicon Valley extension project for the project development phase of the New Starts funding programme. Project promoter Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority is now to develop designs and identify funding for the $4·7bn project. VTA can now ...
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NewsBART’s fleet of the future on its way
USA: The first car ordered under the Fleet of the Future programme to renew the fleet of the San Francisco Bay Area’s BART metro network has left Bombardier Transportation’s factory in Plattsburgh, New York. It is being transported on a flatbed lorry to BART’s testing facility in Hayward. Nine ...
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NewsSofia metro Line 3 contract finalised
BULGARIA: The contract to supply rolling stock and signalling for Sofia metro Line 3 came into effect on March 15 with the confirmation of 70% EU funding. Sofia Metropoliten placed the €140m order with a consortium of Siemens and Newag in September. The scope covers 20 three-car trainsets and ...
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NewsMelbourne high capacity train order increased
AUSTRALIA: Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan announced on March 15 that the state government has increased its planned order of High Capacity Metro Trains to 65. Tendering for the supply and maintenance of 37 seven-car 1 600 mm gauge electric multiple-units to operate ...
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NewsKanpur metro approved
INDIA: On March 14 the Uttar Pradesh government approved the detailed project report for the Kanpur metro, prepared by RITES. The cabinet is to forward the report to the central government in order to seek funding from federal sources and foreign institutions. Two standard-gauge lines are proposed. Line 1 ...
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NewsTrains ordered for Busan metro Line 1
SOUTH KOREA: Hyundai Rotem is to supply 40 trainsets to Busan metro Line 1, the company announced on March 14. The 52·8bn won order is intended to replace the ageing fleet that has been in service since 1985-86. To be built in Changwon, the standard-gauge trains will be equipped ...
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NewsGmunden inaugurates Tramlink vehicles
AUSTRIA: Local transport operator Stern & Hafferl inaugurated its first three Tramlink V3 light rail vehicles on March 12. Stern & Hafferl signed a €30m order with Vossloh Rail Vehicles, now Stadler Rail Valencia, for 11 LRVs in January 2014. They are being built in Valencia, with electrical systems ...
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NewsTyne & Wear Metro operating contract to end pending new train deal
UK: Transport authority Nexus announced on March 14 that it had recommended that the North East Combined Authority not take up an option for a two-year extension of DB Regio’s contract to operate Tyne & Wear Metro services. Subject to combined authority approval, train operations and station management on ...