Alstom has approved a plan to invest €63m in its nine Italian sites in 2024-26. This includes the expansion and construction of buildings in Savigliano for testing activities hydrogen trains and Avelia Stream 300 trains, along with new production lines for regional trains; expansion of the Vado Ligure site and construction of a building for the maintenance of regional trains; expansion of the Nola plant and construction of a paint booth for high speed trains; renovation of offices in Bologna, and installation of solar panels at various locations.
Progress Rail and Borusan Cat have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together on upcoming projects supporting the railways in Turkey and nearby regions. Potential projects include in-country locomotive services and overhaul, engine and control system upgrades and locos sales and delivery.
On September 23 Knorr-Bremse issued a dual-tranche bond amounting to €1·1bn, including its inaugural green bond. The eight-year green bond has a volume of €500m and the annual coupon amounts to 3·25%. The proceeds of this tranche are to be allocated projects across four eligible categories: clean transport, renewable energy, energy efficiency and green buildings. The framework was evaluated by Moody’s Investor Services as Sustainability Quality Score 2 (very good). The five-year bond has a volume of €600m and the annual coupon amounts to 3.05%. The proceeds are intended for general corporate purposes, including the partial financing of the acquisition of the conventional rail signalling business of Alstom Signaling North America and refinancing of existing liabilities maturing in 2025.
Andre Rodenbeck is to take over as CEO of Siemens Mobility’s Rolling Stock business unit following the retirement of Albrecht Neumann at the end of September. He will be succeeded as CEO of the Rail Infrastructure business by Augustin Escobar, currently Siemens Mobility’s Managing Director for Spain and southwest Europe.
Business travel management platform TravelPerk is to use SilverRail technology to offer Amtrak products to its customers. Brett Ring, VP Commercial at SilverRail said,’we are seeing a significant modal shift from planes to trains given corporate net zero targets and SilverRail’s platform makes it easy for any travel retailer to offer global rail content via one API.’
Magnus Klaar joined Railpool as Regional Director Scandinavia from September 24.
Rolls-Royce and leasing company Alpha Trains have signed a letter of intent for a planned a framework agreement for the overhaul of up to 1 000 MTU drive systems used in Alpha Trains’ fleet of Talent, Desiro and Lint diesel multiple-units. This aims to replace components before they become obsolete. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division is also examining the introduction of the EU maintenance certification ECM 2 and 4.
Pianfei Compositi is producing toilet cubical walls for the latest batch of Stadler EC250 Giruno trainsets ordered by Swiss Federal Railways.
Franck Brimet has been appointed Executive Manager at TAB Rail Road.
Assurance and risk management provider DNV has released its Advancing rail safety: integrating ERA’s Common Safety Methods report setting out a practical methodology for integrating European Union Agency for Railways safety guidance and regulations into day-to-day rail operations. ‘Historically, the railway industry implemented a static approach to railway safety, where the ERA extrapolated decentralised data from a wide range of stakeholders to get an overview of safety performance’, said Geir Fuglerud, CEO Supply Chain & Product Assurance at DNV. ‘To be compliant, rail operators will now however have to report systematically and proactively within their railway safety remit to demonstrate their railway safety picture more dynamically.’