Latest news – Page 1292

  • News

    Golden egg on the Golden Pass

    2008-11-27T10:42:00Z

    SWITZERLAND: For decades Swiss operator Montreux-Oberland-Bernois has dreamed of running through trains on its Golden Pass route from Montreux on Lac Léman to Interlaken and Luzern. Already world famous because of its stunning scenery, the trip requires passengers to change trains at Zweisimmen and Interlaken Ost because the central ...

  • ICE3
    News

    ICE3 order to increase capacity and flexibility

    2008-11-27T08:00:00Z

    GERMANY: DB's management board has selected Siemens to supply a further 15 multi-voltage high speed trains. A contract for the ICE3 sets will be signed once the supervisory board gives its final go-ahead in mid-December, with industry sources putting the value at close to €500m. DB had called for ...

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    News

    First KTX-II unveiled in Korea

    2008-11-26T16:10:00Z

    SOUTH KOREA: Celebrations were held at the Hyundai Rotem plant in Changwon on November 25 to launch the country’s first locally-developed 300 km/h trainset. Joining the roll-out ceremony were the Chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on Land Transport & Maritime Affairs Lee Byung Suk and the Vice-Minister of ...

  • Amtrak train.
    News

    Boardman named head of Amtrak

    2008-11-26T10:20:00Z

    USA: Joseph Boardman has been appointed President & Chief Executive Officer of the National Railroad Passenger Corp for a one-year period with effect from November 26. He takes over as the head of Amtrak from Chief Operating Officer William Crosbie, who has been acting CEO since the resignation of Alexander ...

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    News

    Rail escapes budget cuts

    2008-11-26T08:10:00Z

    IRELAND: Virtually all major railway projects were spared from even modest cutbacks in the 2009 budget unveiled by the Irish government last month, although this imposed extra taxes worth €2bn and introduced big cuts in many other areas of public sector expenditure because of the global financial crisis. Admitting that ...

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    News

    Pointers November 2008

    2008-11-26T08:00:00Z

    Romanian Transport Minister Ludovic Orban confirmed in October that the government expects to privatise the state-owned rail freight operator CFR Marfa during 2009. All of the shares will be offered for sale, either through an open tender or direct negotiation, with a target price of at least €1bn. The ...

  • An aircraft.
    News

    Airport peoplemover extension contract

    2008-11-26T07:00:00Z

    MALAYSIA: A €45m contract to extend the automated peoplemover at Kuala Lumpur International Airport has been awarded to a consortium of Bombardier and local partner Hartasuma. Bombardier's share of the contract is worth €27m, and includes automatic train control, power and communications systems, a control centre in a new ...

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    News

    Accords signed to bring broad gauge to Wien

    2008-11-25T17:56:00Z

    SLOVAKIA: In a ceremony at the Dobra container transfer terminal near the Ukrainian border, Minister of Transport Lubomir Vazny signed a Memorandum of Intent on November 25 with Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin and Deputy Director of Ukrainian Railways Michael Kospjuk for the construction of a 1 520 mm gauge ...

  • HXN50003 is the first CML assembled in China.
    News

    Qishuyan completes first locally-built China Mainline Locomotive

    2008-11-25T14:25:00Z

    CHINA: GE Transportation and its Chinese partner Qishuyan Locomotive rolled out the first China Mainline Locomotive to be assembled in China at a ceremony on November 25. The Ministry of Railways placed a US$450m order for 300 of the CML diesel locos in October 2005. The first two ...

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    News

    African track laying venture launched

    2008-11-25T12:04:00Z

    SOUTH AFRICA: Tracklaying and maintenance joint venture Isithimela Rail Services was officially launched on November 21 by Bombardier Transportation and Strategic Partners Group, an empowerment organisation formed by 12 organisations and individuals representing the interests of 'a large spectrum of previously disadvantaged individuals'. Isithimela will be responsible for tracklaying ...

  • Money.
    News

    Keep the railway affordable

    2008-11-25T08:00:00Z

    PRICING: Whilst the rail sector was trying not to talk itself into recession, the underlying message from industry leaders at InnoTrans 2008 was the need to keep tight control on costs and prices. Peter Badcock reports from Berlin.

  • News

    Tracks Across The Veld

    2008-11-24T14:26:00Z

    Book review

  • Intermodal train.
    News

    Freight maglev study

    2008-11-24T14:21:00Z

    USA: Despite a conspicuous lack of progress in developing maglev for the passenger sector, it seems that North America remains fixated with the concept. We hear that Union Pacific has commissioned Skytech Transportation and American Maglev Technology to develop a feasibility study for an 8 km maglev line to ...

  • Platform screen doors on the Guangzhou metro.
    News

    Knorr-Bremse and Kyosan sign agreement

    2008-11-24T13:45:00Z

    JAPAN: On November 24 Knorr-Bremse announced an exclusive co-operation agreement under which Kyosan Electric Manufacturing Co will sell Westinghouse Platform Screen Door equipment in the Japanese market. In return, certain Kyosan products will be marketed outside Japan by Knorr-Bremse under the WPSD brand, including a gap-filler which ...

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    News

    Haenel seeks another compromise

    2008-11-24T08:00:00Z

    FRANCE: Creation of a separate network operating unit is being proposed to address the dysfunctional relationship between RFF and SNCF, reports Jean-Paul Masse.

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    News

    'Little Bang' work underway

    2008-11-23T08:00:00Z

    UK: Work has begun to extend Greater Manchester's Metrolink network under the ‘Little Bang' programme. Bridge inspections have begun along the railway from Manchester Victoria to Oldham and Rochdale and utility surveys and diversions are in progress along the new route to Droylsden. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority Chair Councillor ...

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    News

    Bybanen signalling contract

    2008-11-22T08:19:00Z

    NORWAY: The city of Bergen has awarded Thales a contract to supply signalling, communications and security equipment for the initial 9·8 km section of its Bybanen Light Rail project. Thales will implement the contract in partnership with YIT, a Scandinavian company responsible for the telecommunications infrastructure and on-site commissioning, ...

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    News

    UIC cleared of training fraud

    2008-11-22T08:00:00Z

    INTERNATIONAL: Proposals to revise the statutes of the International Union of Railways were circulated for consultation by Provisional Administrator Béatrice Dunogué-Gaffié last month. Appointed by a Paris court earlier this year (RG 6.08 p361), Dunogué-Gaffié was able to write to UIC Chief Executive Luc Aliadière on September 19 to assure ...

  • Moderus Alfa tram for Poznan.
    News

    Seven tram suppliers seek out a market

    2008-11-21T08:00:00Z

    POLAND: Thanks to EU grants and other funding, the number of trams on order for Polish cities is rising fast as operators replace ageing fleets. Up to 350 cars could be ordered by 2012, reports Stefan von Mach.

  • Series N700-7000 trainset.
    News

    Shinkansen prototype launched

    2008-11-20T10:36:00Z

    JAPAN: West Japan Railway and JR Kyushu have unveiled the first of 29 eight-car Shinkansen trainsets which will operate through services between Shin-Osaka and Kagoshima-Chuo when the second phase of the Kyushu Shinkansen has been completed. Unit S1 is expected to undergo extensive testing before the remainder of the fleet ...