Latest news – Page 1223
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NewsNS locomotives to run on biodiesel
USA: Norfolk Southern Railway and Electro-Motive Diesel are to test 10% to 20% blend biodiesel fuel using eight SD70M-2 locomotives and two MP15 shunters in regular traffic. The tests will last nine to 11 months, enabling the evaluation of emissions, fuel consumption, performance and durability over a wide range ...
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NewsA Cable Liner with a view
ITALY: Travellers arriving in Venezia by car, bus or cruise ship can now enjoy panoramic views of the city as they travel by cable-hauled shuttle to the main transport hub at Piazzale Roma.An 870 m long automated peoplemover installed by Doppelmayr and Siemens connects the port, car park and other ...
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NewsStadler wins Czech railcar contract
CZECH REPUBLIC: On April 20 Ceské Dráhy awarded Stadler Rail a KC1·776bn contract to supply 33 Regio-Shuttle RS1 partly low-floor diesel railcars to replace the ubiquitous Class 810 railbuses on regional services in Vysocina and Liberec. This is the first contract under the national passenger operator's programme of extensive ...
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NewsRites to run North-South line
SAUDI ARABIA: India's state owned-railway consultancy RITES has signed an agreement to operate the 1 500 km North-South Railway on behalf of project promoter Saudi Railway Company. The contract runs to the end of 2013, when passenger services are due to be launched. The total value is linked to the ...
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NewsRiga receives its first ForCity
LATVIA: A Skoda 15T ForCity 100% low-floor articulated tram made its first trial run in Riga on April 15. The three-section unidirectional car, which arrived in the city on March 30, is 31·4 m long and 2 500 mm wide with 60 seats and space for 260 standees. The tram ...
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NewsDesiro ML framework to meet ÖBB's expansion plans
AUSTRIA: On April 20 Siemens Mobility announced a framework agreement to supply Austrian Federal Railways with up to 200 Desiro ML regional electric multiple-units over five years. Similar to trains currently being built for Belgium's SNCB, the 160 km/h Desiro ML will be equipped for use in Germany, where ÖBB ...
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NewsVPS orders 18 Vossloh shunting locomotives
GERMANY: The Verkehrsbetriebe Peine -Salzgitter transport and logistics subsidiary of steel and technology group Salzgitter AG has awarded Vossloh Locomotives a €25m contract to supply 18 G6 diesel shunting locomotives from early 2011. VPS provides haulage and shunting services at Salzgitter AG's plants in Salzgitter, Peine and Ilsenburg as well ...
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NewsBarcelona’s driverless metro extended to Badalona
SPAIN: On April 18 the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya José Montilla inaugurated a 3·4 km section of the new automated metro Line 10 between Gorg and Bon Pastor, with intermediate stations at La Salut and Llefià. Services on the initial 4 km section of Line 9 from Can ...
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NewsSingapore Circle Line extended
SINGAPORE: On April 16 Transport Minister Raymond Lim inaugurated phase two of the Circle Line from Bartley to Dhoby Ghaut by cutting a ribbon at the award-winning Bras Basah station before taking the first train ride. Speaking at the ceremony, he acknowledged that ‘the journey towards the opening of this ...
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NewsOTIF expands to meet modern needs
INTERNATIONAL: The recent accession of Russia is a major development for the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail, according to Secretary General Stefan Schimming, even through only a limited number of RZD routes are initially covered by the convention establishing a uniform system of regulations for cross-border traffic. Montenegro ...
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NewsNews in Brief
The Israeli government has approved the US$7·2bn first phase of the ’Israel Ways’ transport investment package. US$4·7bn is allocated to rail development over 10 years, including electrification of lines from Tel Aviv, construction of a 23 km line Akko – Karmi’el line and revival of the Hedjaz ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - April 2010
Construction of Calgary’s 8·4 km six-station West LRT project started in March. The C$1·2bn light rail extension from the city centre terminus on 7th Avenue and 10th Street to 73rd Street SW is being built by SNC Lavalin Graham Infrastructure. Revenue service is due to start on December 10 2012. ...
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NewsChannel Tunnel fire-fighting station on test
EUROPE: Eurotunnel has carried out a live test of a fire-fighting system under development for installation in the Channel Tunnel. Trials in Spain on April 7-9 demonstrated that water mist can contain the equivalent of a fire involving 40 cars on a Shuttle train, limiting or halting propagation. The 'SAFE' ...
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NewsHigh speed track dynamics study
UK: A three-year research project on the Development of Design Guidelines for High-speed Railway Track began on April 14, funded by a £480 000 grant from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council. To be led by Dr Peter Woodward of Heriot Watt University and Professor Mike Forde from the ...
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NewsEurostar restructuring closer
EUROPE: A framework agreement enabling the final stages of the restructuring of Eurostar from a partnership into a corporate entity has been signed by the three national shareholders SNCF, SNCB and London & Continental Railways. Announcing the move on April 12, recently-appointed Eurostar CEO Nicolas Petrovic said 'I am very ...
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NewsWorld infrastructure market April 2010
Angola: China Railway 20 Bureau Group has begun rehabilitation of 540 km of the Benguela Railway between Munhango and Luau, employing 300 Chinese technicians and 300 Angolans. The 220 km to Luena is to be completed by May. China: MTR Corp has awarded Leighton Asia and Macmahon Holdings ...
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NewsShanghai metro continues to expand
CHINA: The departure of the first train at 09.00 on April 10 marked the start of trial operation on Shanghai metro Line 10, exactly 15 years after the inauguration of the initial 16·5 km section of Line 1. Construction of the 29·6 km line between Xinjiangwancheng and Hangzhong Road has ...
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NewsTram projects planned in northern France
FRANCE: A consortium comprising Systra, Inexia, Eccta, Ilex and Urbanica has been appointed to manage two tram projects in northern France. The contract was awarded by the Artois-Gohelle local transport authority, which is responsible for public transport in an area comprising 115 towns and villages with a total population of ...
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NewsGE to develop 1 520 mm gauge shunting locomotive
KAZAKHSTAN: GE Transportation has signed a memorandum of understanding with JSC Locomotiv and Kurastyru Zaut for the development of a 1 520 mm gauge diesel-electric shunting locomotive suitable for use in Kazakhstan and across the 1 520 mm gauge region. The design will incorporate GE Transportation's AC traction technology, ...
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NewsSydney finds Pearl in London Oyster
TICKETING: The Pearl consortium has been selected as preferred bidder to roll out a A$1·2bn smart card ticketing system in Sydney, New South Wales Minister for Transport & Roads David Campbell announced on April 11. Cubic Transportation Systems, Downer EDI and Commonwealth Bank comprise Pearl, and will deliver a system ...