Urban transport modes – Page 317
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NewsRejuvenated Blackpool tramway reopens
UK: Transport Minister Norman Baker officially reopened the Blackpool tramway on April 3, following a four-year project to revitalise the only traditional tram line to have survived in the UK. The first journey carried 40 'golden ticket' competition winners, with regular passenger services scheduled to start the following day. ...
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NewsWien metro line U1 to be extended to Oberlaa
AUSTRIA: The Wien city authorities have selected the spa at Oberlaa rather than Rothneusiedl as the southern terminus of a planned extension to metro line U1, saying this would serve a larger population. The decision, announced on March 21, will enable main works on the €600m project to begin this ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - April 2012
MPK Lódz formally takes over responsibility for operating the city’s entire tram network from April 1, resuming control of the Podmiejskie and Miedzygminna interurban lines which were split off in 1993. The Brazilian state of Mato Grosso has launched a tender to design and build two light rail lines in ...
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NewsNew York MTA selects Bombardier to supply 300 metro cars
USA: The New York MTA board selected lowest bidder Bombardier for a contract to supply 300 metro cars on March 28. Bombardier's bid of $600m beat a rival offer from a consortium of Alstom and Kawasaki Heavy Industries. From late 2016 the R179 cars will replace R32 vehicles which entered ...
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NewsShatin to Central Link approved
CHINA: Hong Kong's Chief Executive-in-Council formally approved the 17 km Shatin to Central Link on March 27. The Legislative Council is expected to authorise funding for the estimated HK$64·9bn metro project before its summer recess, enabling construction to start in mid-2012. Although developed as one project, the SCL is to ...
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NewsADB signs US$250m Bangalore Metro loan
INDIA: Bangalore Metro Rail Corp Ltd and the Asian Development Bank signed a US$250m loan agreement for Phase II of the Namma Metro project on March 27. 'The loan represents a number of firsts for ADB in its partnership with India,' said ADB Country Director Hun Kim. 'This is ...
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NewsBeijing orders Line 14 metro trains
CHINA: Bombardier Transportation and its Chinese joint venture partner New United Group have been selected to supply the propulsion equipment for a fleet of 63 trains to operate Beijing Metro Line 14. Under construction since April 2010, Line 14 is being built in two phases, with Phase I expected to ...
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NewsGlasgow Subway upgrade funding package completed
UK: The Scottish Government has confirmed the allocation of up to £246m to complete the funding package for a major modernisation of Glasgow’s 1 220 mm gauge small-profile metro. A further £41·5m is to be provided by transport authority Strathclyde Partnership for Transport. The upgrading programme is ...
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NewsKuwait invites first expressions of interest in metro contracts
KUWAIT: Government procurement agency the Partnerships Technical Bureau has invited expressions of interest in the Integrated Rolling Stock & Systems contract, a public-private partnership deal covering the provision and maintenance of rolling stock, a depot, signalling, electrification and control systems for the planned Kuwait Metropolitan Rapid Transit System. The KMRT ...
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NewsJICA to fund Cairo metro Line 4
EGYPT: Less than a month after the opening of the first stage of Cairo Line 3, the National Authority for Tunnels has authorised the start of work on the capital's fourth metro route. On March 19 Minister of Transport Dr Galal Moustafa Mohamed Said signed a loan agreement with the ...
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NewsSydney monorail to be scrapped
AUSTRALIA: The New South Wales government announced on March 23 that it had paid A$19·8m to acquire light rail and monorail owner Metro Transport Sydney, clearing the way for the monorail to be removed to accommodate the new Sydney International Convention Exhibition & Entertainment Precinct. The deal will also simplify ...
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NewsWork begins on £128m Midland Metro expansion project
UK: Work has now begun on a £128m project to increase capacity on the Midland Metro light rail line and extend the route 1·3 km through central Birmingham, following the signing of contracts for a new tram fleet and related depot enhancement works. Transport Minister Norman Baker announced the final ...
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NewsSystra wins Santiago metro contract
CHILE: Systra has signed a six-year contract to provide Santiago Metro with technical assistance for the construction of driverless lines 3 and 6. The contract is divided into two phases. In the first phase running to March 2013, Systra will undertake a basic design for the two ...
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NewsFoam insulation offers Bonn a quieter ride
GERMANY: The refurbishment of 25 Bonn trams dating from 1974-77 includes installation of 150 m2 of BASF's Basotect foam for sound absorption and thermal insulation. The 30 mm thick Basotect grade G foam panels being supplied by Hannover-based firm Hanno have a fine, open-cell structure which offers a weight of ...
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NewsCSR is lowest bidder for Ankara metro train contract
TURKEY: China's CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive submitted the lowest bid for a contract to supply Ankara metro with 342 metro cars, with its US$3912m offer beating Hyundai Rotem and CAF subject to final review. Once the contract is confirmed the winner will have to deliver the first 15 trains within ...
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NewsWuhan metro Line 2 construction completed
CHINA: Opening of Wuhan metro Line 2 is planned for later this year, following the official completion of construction works on February 26. The 27·7 km route with 21 stations cost 14·9bn yuan. It runs mainly underground on a northwest-southeast alignment between the Hankou and Wuchang districts, with a 1·3 ...
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NewsAlstom unveils Moscow tram prototype
RUSSIA: A prototype 100% low-floor tram custom designed for the Russian market was unveiled at Moscow’s Bauman tram depot in the presence of Mayor Sergey Sobyanin on February 27. Based on Alstom’s successful Citadis family, the design forms the basis of a joint bid by Alstom and Transmashholding for a ...
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NewsConstruction starts in Kuala Lumpur
MALAYSIA: Shahril Mokhtar, Managing Director of government infrastructure body Prasarana, officially launched the 7bn ringgit LRT Extension Project on March 5. A 17 km elevated extension of the Kelana Jaya light metro with 12 stations will run from Kelana Jaya to Putra Heights, where there will be interchange with the ...
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NewsNew York subway CBTC test track contract awarded
USA: Metropolitan Transportation Authority has awarded Thales and Siemens a $60m four-year contract to provide a communications-based train control test facility on the New York subway's F Line. This will offer a controlled environment for CBTC trials and assessment, and will also support unequipped revenue service. Announcing the deal ...
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NewsTurkish-built SilkWorm tram on show
TURKEY: Bursa-based steel products supplier Durmazlar has completed production of a prototype 100% low-floor tram for its home city. A full-size mock-up of the SilkWorm tram was displayed at the Eurasiarail trade show in Istanbul on March 8-10 on the stand which Durmazlar shared with Siemens. The SilkWorm uses traction ...