Latest news – Page 1239
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NewsFirst Variobahn tram arrives in Bergen
NORWAY: The first of 12 low-floor Variobahn trams for the Bybanen light rail line was delivered to Bergen on December 8.Stadler was awarded a supply and eight-year maintenance contract on January 5 2008. The five-module bi-directional tram is 32·2 m long and 2 650 mm wide with a floor height ...
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NewsHigh speed train research agreement signed
GERMANY: Bombardier Transportation and the Göttingen-based aerospace research centre Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt have signed an agreement to co-operate in the development of high speed trains. The framework agreement initially runs to the end of 2014, and covers joint research into aerodynamics, dynamic stability, interior airflows and acoustics, ...
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NewsLaHood launches transit safety committee
USA: Following a series of high-profile accidents, federal Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has established a new advisory committee on urban rail safety, with effect from December 8. With up to 25 voting members, the Transit Rail Advisory Committee for Safety will provide recommendations to the Secretary through the Federal Transit ...
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NewsEuroMaint Rail expands into Germany
GERMANY: EuroMaint Rail announced its acquisition of Rail Service Management Group on December 7. Subject to regulatory approval the deal is expected to be completed in January 2010. Swedish rolling stock maintenance firm EuroMaint Rail said the acquisition is 'the first large step' in a programme of international expansion ...
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NewsUS releases tram cash
USA: New funding totalling $280m is being made available for tram and bus urban circulator projects, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced during a visit to New Orleans on December 1. It is the first tranche of money from the Livability Initiative, a joint venture of Department of Transportation, the ...
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NewsThai Prime Minister rides new airport link
THAILAND: On December 4 Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presided over the launch of trial running on the Suvarnabhumi Airport rail link. The Prime Minister and other cabinet members, including Transport Minister Sophon Zarum, travelled from Makkasan to the airport. Following the special run, free rides were offered to the public ...
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NewsShanghai Metro Line 7 opens
CHINA: Passenger services on the first section of Shanghai Metro Line 7 were launched at 09.00 on December 5. The line is also known as the Expo Line, as five stations will serve the 2010 World Expo north and south sites and the Expo Centre at Huamu Road. The initial ...
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NewsSBB approves Zürich S-Bahn expansion
SWITZERLAND: Meeting on December 2, the SBB board of directors approved a fourth phase of expansion for the Zürich S-Bahn network over the next decade. Developed by SBB in co-operation with Zürcher Verkehrsverbund, and representatives from the surrounding cantons, the latest programme includes both the launch of new routes and ...
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NewsFirst French port operator formed
FRANCE: Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau announced on December 4 the launch of the first local rail operator to be formed as part of the national rail freight revitalisation strategy. NaviRail Atlantique will take over responsibility for the operation of the port rail network at La Rochelle, including the assembling and ...
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NewsSouthern states seek a new model
BRAZIL: Meeting in Florianópolis on November 6 and 7, representatives from the state legislatures of Rio Grande Do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná and Mato Grosso, which form the Parliament of the South (Parlasul), backed proposals to establish a public sector company to co-ordinate railway development in the region. A formal ...
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NewsPointers December 2009
According to its legislative programme presented to parliament on November 2, the new government of Portugal hopes to have the high speed line between Lisboa and Madrid in service by the end of 2013. Three bids have been received for the PPP concession to build the 34 km section between ...
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NewsCool in the desert
SAUDI ARABIA: To cope with desert temperatures of up to 55°C, the eight 200 km/h trainsets which Saudi Railways Organisation ordered from Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF in July 2008 are to be fitted with a comprehensive cooling system from Voith Turbo. The push-pull trainsets will have five coaches ...
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NewsMedellín orders CAF metro trains
COLOMBIA: Spanish train builder CAF has been awarded a contract to supply 12 three-car trains for the Medellín metro. The 211bn peso order announced on December 2 is being funded by the metro together with loans from the Bogotá, Occidente and AV Villas banks. A further 57bn pesos will ...
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NewsBasel goes firm with Tango tram order
SWITZERLAND: Baselland Transport has placed a SFr74m firm order for 15 Tango trams for delivery in 2011-12, Stadler Rail announced on December 4. A SFr276m framework contract for up to 60 trams was agreed by Basel city transport company BVB (20 vehicles) and regional operator BLT (40) in May ...
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NewsCrossrail announces tunnelling shortlist
UK: On December 4 Crossrail Ltd named the five bidders shortlisted to tender for two of the three contracts to bore tunnels for the cross-London Rail link. The bidders are: Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd, Morgan Est plc, Vinci Construction Grand Projects and Beton -und Monierbau Gesellschaft; BAM ...
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NewsGE announces Brazilian locomotive contract
BRAZIL: GE Transportation has signed an agreement to supply América Latina Logística with 10 AC44i diesel-electric locomotives by the end of 2009, the manufacturer announced on December 3. The 1 600 mm gauge locomotives be built at GE Transportation South America's plant in Contagem, Brazil, with engines from Grove ...
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NewsNîmes - Montpellier funding accord
FRANCE: The national and regional governments signed an agreement on December 2 setting out funding arrangements for construction of the Nîmes - Montpellier bypass and paving the way for the start of construction. The 80 km mixed-traffic route will form an extension of the south-western branch of LGV Méditerranée ...
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News'Bloody slaughter' beckons
GERMANY: Whilst the past decade has seen a steady expansion of competitive tendering for the operation of regional services, Deutsche Bahn's monopoly of long-distance services has remained largely intact. Competition has been limited to a token daily InterConnex service between Leipzig, Berlin and Rostock and the locally-supported Alex inter-regional routes ...
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NewsDB Regio preferred bidder for Tyne & Wear Metro operating contract
UK: Tyne & Wear transport authority Nexus named Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Regio (Tyne and Wear) Ltd as preferred bidder for a contract to operate the Tyne & Wear Metro on December 3. Nexus will now finalise details of the operating concession, which will run for seven years from April ...
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NewsGE locomotives in cold-climate biofuel tests
CANADA: A five-month trial of biodiesel is being undertaken in what Canadian Pacific says is its first use with locomotives operating in the cold Canadian climate. Four GE Transportation AC4400 locomotives in dedicated service between Calgary and Edmonton are using a 5% biodiesel blend from November until the end ...