Latest news – Page 1310
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NewsDon't re-regulate rail freight
REGULATION: Rail has a major role to play in reducing energy use and addressing environmental concerns in North America, but proposals being debated in the US Congress to increase regulation of the sector could halt much-needed investment in additional capacity, argues Ed Hamberger.
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Cross-acceptance
EUROPE: Legislation to require the cross-?acceptance of rail vehicles between EU member states moved forward on July 9, when the European Parliament voted to approve the second reading of amendments to the 2004 Railway Safety Directive. The Parliament endorsed an earlier conciliation discussion with the Council of Ministers which should ...
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DMU framework in place
GERMANY: Following a month-long tendering process, DB has awarded five framework contracts covering the supply of up to 300 regional DMUs to Alstom, Siemens and Stadler. Orders can be called off as required up to 2011 at a total cost of €430m. 'We want to have modern, efficient vehicles available ...
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Regional high speed contracts
SPAIN: Corsán and Bruesa have been awarded a €34·9m contract for civil works on the 7 km Fuente de Piedra – Antequera section of the 128 km high speed line between Sevilla and Antequera being built by the Andalucía ?regional government. Work will take 23 months. Between Marchena and Antequera, ...
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Segregation for 200 km/h running
UKRAINE: Minister of Transport & Communications Yosyp Vinsky has announced the designation of a number of UZ’s major inter-city routes as dedicated passenger lines under a US$6·5bn project to permit the operation of 200 km/h services by the time the country co-hosts the UEFA European football championship in 2012 (RG ...
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Galicia upgrade nears end
SPAIN: With the exception of the final 2·3 km into Vigo, where design studies are underway, contracts have now been awarded for all sections of the 155·6 km A Coruña – Santiago de Compostela – Vigo route upgrade. Opening of the 13·1 km Portela – Vilagarcía de Arousa section ...
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NewsSpanish freight to stand alone
SPAIN: Unveiling a package of measures aimed at reviving the national economy, Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced on June 23 that RENFE’s freight business would be established as a stand-alone company within three months. Although 100% state-owned to start with, it is expected that the new venture would ...
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Tram-trains to Mont Blanc
FRANCE: 'We see an amazing future for this line', proclaimed SNCF President Guillaume Pepy on July 6, when he joined the celebrations to mark the centenary of the metre-gauge line between Chamonix and Vallorcine in Haute-Savoie. Accompanied by the President of Rhône-Alpes Jean-Jacques Queyranne and the regional Vice-President in ...
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NewsBetuwe Route is properly open
NETHERLANDS: More than a year after Queen Beatrix inaugurated the purpose-built Betuwe Route freight corridor, capacity restrictions are coming off and revenue operation is starting to ramp up. Eight paths an hour each way will be available from August 1.
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NewsMore VLocity in Victoria
AUSTRALIA: Victoria state premier John Brumby announced the purchase of a further nine three-car VLocity DMUs on July 31, along with an extra centre car to lengthen an existing two-car unit. The Bombardier trains will be used to boost capacity as part of an A$236m package of investment in ...
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Railpool to bridge gap between operators and banks
RAILPOOL: The leasing joint venture formally established this month by HSH Nordbank and KfW IPEX-Bank will target locomotives and passenger rolling stock for lease in Germany and other western European countries, according to Christian Forster, Head of Rail & Intermodal at HSH Nordbank. Forster acknowledged that Railpool is already looking ...
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NewsBeijing - Tianjin high speed line opens for business
CHINA: Tickets for high speed services between Beijing and Tianjin went on sale on July 31, the day before the formal opening of the 117 km line. Testing was successfully completed on June 30, since when 100 000 km of trial running has been undertaken without passengers. Regular services will ...
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NewsFunding agreed for LGV Bretagne
FRANCE: On July 29 Minister for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development & Planning Jean-Louis Borloo signed an agreement establishing the funding mechanism and provisional construction timetable for a 132 km extension of the TGV Atlantique high speed line from Le Mans to Rennes. Costed at €3·4bn, the project also involves ...
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NewsInterfleet appointed 'shadow operator' for Sydney metro
AUSTRALIA: Premier of New South Wales Morris Iemma announced the appointment of Interfleet Technology to oversee planning of the A$12bn North West Metro on July 27. Interfleet Technology will be 'shadow operator' during the development and design of the proposed 38 km metro line between central Sydney and ...
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NewsBeNEX places €100m Coradia order
GERMANY: Alstom announced a €100m order for 26 Coradia Continental regional EMUs on July 30. The 21 three-car and five four-car trainsets have been ordered by BeNEX, the company established by Hamburger Hochbahn to bid for operating contracts beyond the Hamburg area and now 49% owned by Babcock & ...
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NewsThree bids for Athens metro contract
GREECE: Attiko Metro and the Ministry for the Environment, Physical Planning & Public Works have received three bids for a contract to supply 17 six-car trainsets for Athens lines 2 and 3. Technical and financial offers were submitted by AnsaldoBreda, CAF and a partnership of Hyundai-Rotem and Hanwha. The ...
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NewsVTG buys wagon manufacturer
GERMANY: Leasing firm VTG announced an agreement to acquire the wagon manufacturing assets of Graaff Group on July 29. Graaff had filed for insolvency in March, owing to 'difficulties in handling a large order and the tight liquidity situation.' Graaff's wagon plant at Elze near Hannover has an annual ...
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NewsSharing tracks in Sydney
AUSTRALIA: High-profile passenger operators battle for train paths with other urban, regional and national passenger and freight carriers. Sydney provides a case study of issues that confront rail operators across the globe.
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NewsSkoda shows locomotive for the third millennium
CZECH REPUBLIC: On July 24 Skoda Transportation's Plzen works unveiled the long-awaited prototype for a fleet of 20 type S 109E electric locomotives ordered by Czech Railways. Marking Skoda Transportation's re-emergence as a major player in the European rail industry, the triple-voltage 200 km/h 109E is the first mainline ...