Latest news – Page 1241
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NewsVTG to fit stronger axles
EUROPE: Hamburg-based wagon leasing group VTG announced on November 16 that it is to equip its fleet with new wheelsets suitable for heavier axleloads. Starting with all newly-built wagons, plus those registered in Germany and Austria, the programme will cover up to 20000 vehicles and is expected to take between ...
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NewsInfrastructure managers to merge
EUROPE: Two of the Nordic region’s railway infrastructure authorities are to disappear in 2010, as their respective governments move to consolidate their transport administrations. First to disappear will be Finnish rail infrastructure manager RHK, which is to become part of a new Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency from January 1. Liikennevirasto ...
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NewsSolaris to supply low-floor trams to Poznan
POLAND: Solaris has signed a 342m zloty contract to supply 40 low-floor trams to Poznan municipal transport operator MPK. They are to be delivered between June 2011 and March 2012, in time for the city hosting the 2012 UEFA European Championship. The 40 unidirectional Solaris Tramino LF 32 trams will ...
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NewsMan eating lions - not (as) many dead
KENYA: Lieutenant-Colonel John H Patterson attributed the deaths of 135 people to the ‘man-eaters of Tsavo’, a pair of lions which terrorised railway construction workers in Kenya in 1898. The Uganda Railway hired Patterson to hunt down the lions, but thought the number of deaths was more like 28. Now ...
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NewsRFF to launch Perpignan – Montpellier study
FRANCE: Following a public consultation between March and July 2009, infrastructure manager RFF announced on November 26 that it is to launch formal design studies for the high speed line between Montpellier and Perpignan. According to RFF, the public consultation led to the emergence of a ‘preferred corridor’ in terms ...
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NewsAlsatian Avanto goes on display
FRANCE: The first Siemens Avanto tram-train for the Vallée de la Thur line is to be displayed to the public in the Place de la Gare in Mulhouse from December 3-6. The LRV is the first of 12 ordered to operate tram-trains between Mulhouse and Thann Saint-Jacques. Similar to the ...
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NewsPowerHaul brings Evolution technology to Europe
UK: Capacity is the reason a new locomotive design was ordered from GE Transportation, Freightliner Ltd Managing Director Adam Cunliffe said as the first was named 'PowerHaul' in Leeds on November 24. The Class 70 PowerHaul locomotives will provide faster acceleration and higher running speeds than Freightliner's existing fleet. ...
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NewsSydney Metro construction bids submitted
AUSTRALIA: The three consortia shortlisted in August to bid for the Permanent Route Infrastructure contract to construct the tunnels and station boxes on Sydney Metro Stage 1 have submitted their tenders. Phase 1 will run from Central to Rozelle and will form the backbone of the future metro network. ...
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NewsNomad to supply inter-city wi-fi
NETHERLANDS: Train operator NS has awarded an initial five year contract to Nomad Digital and T-Mobile for the installation of 3G broadband services on its services. Under what the supplier describes as one of its largest transport awards, Nomad Digital will deploy its R3500 mobile broadband gateway on 187 inter-city ...
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NewsDB places firm order for DMUs
GERMANY: DB Regio has placed the first firm order for Alstom Coradia Lint 41 diesel multiple-units within the terms of a 2008 framework agreement for up to 180 units. The €40m order announced on November 26 covers 16 two-car units, designated VT648.4 by DB, for use on regional services ...
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NewsNew line option selected to boost capacity
DENMARK: 'This is a milestone in Danish railway history, said Transport Minister Lars Barfoed after the main political parties approved the 'Modern Railway settlement on October 22, giving the go-ahead for a series of capacity enhancement projects including the construction of a new line from Ny Ellebjerg to Ringsted ...
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NewsConstruction back on track
NIGERIA: The federal government and China Civil Engineering Construction Corp signed a US$876m deal on October 26 for construction of the planned 200 km Abuja – Kaduna railway within three years. The Chinese government has granted a loan of US$500m for the project, the first phase of a national railway ...
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NewsDobra gateway opens at last
SLOVAKIA: Russian intermodal operator Transcontainer announced on November 23 that it had successfully operated its first complete block train through the container transhipment terminal at Dobra in southeast Slovakia two days earlier. Last year the RZD subsidiary agreed to lease the 18 ha Dobra facility from ZSSK Cargo for 15 ...
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NewsHong Kong high speed approved
CHINA: Construction of the Hong Kong section of the planned 142 km Express Rail Link from West Kowloon to the Shibi railway hub in New Guangzhou is set to get underway by the end of this year, after the Special Administrative Region’s Executive Council approved the XRL project on October ...
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NewsPerpignan - Figueres concession extended
SPAIN: On November 6 the Ministry of Development announced a package of measures to compensate TP Ferro, the company building the new Perpignan – Figueres cross-border route, for delays in completing the connecting high speed line between Barcelona and Figueres. TP Ferro’s concession agreement is to be extended from ...
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NewsWorld Bank loan to improve urban transport
ARGENTINA: On October 20 the World Bank approved the first part of a two-stage Adaptable Loan Programme to support plans to improve the quality of Argentina’s urban transport networks. The US$150m fixed-spread loan extends over the period 2010-16 and is payable in 30 years, including five years’ grace.The government’s Metropolitan ...
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NewsMetro de Madrid trials PSDs
SPAIN: Overnight trials of platform screen doors commenced on four stations of Madrid metro Line 12 in November, which will last until early 2010. The PSDs will then be used during normal passenger service for two months before being dismantled and the platforms made good. Westinghouse Platform Screen Doors, Faiveley, ...
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NewsQatar Railways Development Co founded
QATAR: A company to develop €17bn of railway and metro networks in the emirate was established with the signing of an agreement in Doha on November 22. Qatar Railways Development Company is a joint venture between the Qatari Diar real estate arm of state-owned Qatar Investment Authority (51%), and ...
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NewsParis opens T2 extension
FRANCE: The 2·3 km extension of Paris tram route T2 to Porte de Versailles was officially opened on November 21. Following the ceremonies, public services began at 14.00, with free travel provided for the rest of the weekend. Amongst the guests joining RATP President Pierre Mongin and Mayor ...
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NewsNetwork Rail makes the case for wires
UK: 'The case for the Midland Main Line is extremely strong said Network Rail Chief Executive Iain Coucher as the infrastructure manager published the final version of its electrification strategy on October 28. 'Subject to affordability, the core strategy covers 25 kV 50 Hz electrification of the Midland Main ...