Latest news – Page 1299
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NewsMarket reforms revitalise European rail freight
FREIGHT: Does competition between operators improve efficiency and is the separation of infrastructure from operations necessary to develop viable competition? Jeremy Drew compares the impact on customers of railway reforms in three European countries.
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Cheaper HVAC
HEAT PUMP: Train operators in central and northern Europe could save €1000 per coach per year in heating and cooling costs by using heap pumps, according to Faiveley. A compressor and two copper coils containing refrigerant extract heat from the outside air to heat the carriage interior. In warmer weather ...
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Police methods help catch delayed trains
USA: MTA New York City Transit plans to use a statistical analysis model similar to that employed by the police department to find out why trains are being delayed. The NYPD's system of tracking criminal activity, CompStat, will be adapted and applied to on-time performance. The average number of delays ...
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Warszawa confirms tram renewal
POLAND: Mayor of Warszawa Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz has approved a major investment to upgrade the capital's tram network, following her recent decision to postpone construction of metro Line 2 until after 2012. Faced with the prospect that the first phase of Line 2 would not be ready for the Euro ...
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Mumbai SPV on track
INDIA: The Rs23·56bn Mumbai Metro Line 1 project reached financial closure on October 3 after a consortium of banks sanctioned funds amounting to Rs11·94bn. Mmrda will provide a capital grant of Rs6·5bn while the remaining Rs5·12bn will be raised through equity. With construction activity in full swing, Mumbai Metro One ...
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NewsRZD signs funding accord
RUSSIA: On October 3 Russian Railways signed co-operation agreements with the Federal Agency for Rail Transport which will provide 45·6bn roubles of federal funding for two important infrastructure upgrading projects. Signed in Moscow by RZD President Vladimir Yakunin and the Head of Roszheldor Gennady Petrakov, the accord is the first ...
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NewsTrans-Pennine trains get greener
UK: A second tranche of energy efficiency measures has been implemented by TransPennine Express and Siemens to reduce further the carbon footprint of the Desiro DMUs operating regional and inter-city services across northern England and Scotland.
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NewsLima metro concession expected
PERU: This month is due to see the award of a 40-year concession to complete and operate Line 1 of the Lima metro. The government's private investment agency ProInversión announced in September that final bids were to be submitted by September 17, with the technical offers to be opened on ...
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NewsTHSRC extends market pricing
TAIWAN: Chief Executive of Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp Dr Ou Chin-Der announced on October 2 that the operator would be introducing two new off-peak ticket types with effect from November 1, expanding the range of fares available on the 345 km high speed line between Taipei and Kaohsiung. The ...
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NewsTram-trains bids invited
UK: Train operating company Northern Rail has issued an Invitation to Tender for the supply and maintenance of lightweight tram-train vehicles to operate on the Shefffied - Barnsley - Penistone - Huddersfield line during a two-year trial sponsored by the Department for Transport. Northern is looking to acquire a minimum ...
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NewsExpansion plans approved
CHINA: The National Development & Reform Commission has approved construction of the 261 km Tianjin - Qinhuangdao passenger-dedicated line, a 161 km extension from Lijiang to the Shangri La area of Yunnan province, a 487 km line from Kashi to Hetian in Xinjiang, and a direct link between Xi’an and ...
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NewsSBB seeks freight partner
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways plans to team up with a partner to ensure its survival in the competitive European freight market.
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NewsState aid study
EUROPE: The European Commission is to determine whether public service contracts concluded between the Ministry of Transport and national railway DSB for the periods 2000-04 and 2005-14 amount to state aid. Many DSB services are operated on the basis of public service contracts agreed without tendering. DSB is required ...
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NewsFire down below
EUROPE: Investigations have started into the cause of a fire on a freight shuttle in the Channel Tunnel, which is likely to result in considerable disruption for Eurotunnel and its customers over several months. The fire was detected in the French end section of the north running tunnel shortly before ...
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NewsPointers October 2008
Rift Valley Railways has announced plans to invest US$206m in renovating the Kenya – Uganda railway over the next five years. Executive Chairman Brown Ondego said the money would be sourced 'through a mix of current shareholder reserves, equity, shareholders’ funds and debt’ following the recent restructuring of the company. ...
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People in the News - October 2008
NR augments its board Network Rail Chairman Sir Ian McAllister announced on September 18 that the UK infrastructure manager was strengthening its leadership team with the appointment of three senior managers to the company board, joining the existing three executive and eight non -executive directors. The three are Director, Operations ...
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Sevilla Line 1 trials
SPAIN: Testing of CAF-built rolling stock for the east-west metro Line 1 in Sevilla began on August 19, using a 4·2 km section between the depot at Cocheras and Gran Plaza. The entire 18 km route between Ciudad Expo and Olivar de Quinto is now expected to open by the ...
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NewsIndustry News in Brief
Twin City Signal has been acquired by Caterpillar subsidiary Progress Rail Services Corp. Services provided by Twin City Signal include the design of centralised traffic control systems, interlockings and level crossing equipment. It also performs preliminary engineering for commuter rail operators and upgrades freight yards. Lloyds Register ...
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NewsFlat pack arrives
UCW: Assembly began last month of the first Gautrain vehicle to be produced at Union Carriage & Wagon’s plant at Nigel in South Africa. 'Flat pack' kits of parts for 81 of the 96 coaches on order for Gautrain are being shipped from Bombardier’s Derby plant in the UK, taking ...