Latest news – Page 997
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NewsHeavier haul in China
CHINA: CNR has rolled out a high-power electric locomotive designed for heavy haul trains comprising 100 tonne wagons with axleloads up to 30 tonnes. CNR says its 9·6 MW ‘Super Hercules’ locomotives can pull 20% heavier loads than previous models. Meanwhile, China Railway Corp, China Academy of Railway Sciences ...
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NewsAtlas Railroad Construction reorganises to grow
USA: Genesee & Wyoming Inc's Atlas Railroad Construction subsidiary is to be reorganised into a region-based commercial and operating structure, intended to facilitate expansion into the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest of the country. As part of this reorganisation, Atlas is relocating its headquarters from Bridgeville, Pennsylvania to Jacksonville, Florida. ‘Moving ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - May 2014
Mumbai metro is auctioning naming rights for the 12 stations on the city’s first metro line. A 4·2 km extension of the Alger tram line was opened on April 16, running east from Bordj El Kiffan to Café Chergui with six stops. The Malaysian government has approved ...
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NewsStadler overhauls TEE trainset
SWITZERLAND: Stadler Rail has replaced the wheel-slip protection and anti-slide devices and restored the multi-system capability of SBB Historic’s preserved RAe TEE II 1035 six-car electric multiple-unit, enabling it to once again operate under 1·5 kV DC, 3 kV DC, 15 kV AC and 25 kV AC electrification. Five RAe ...
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NewsFeature articles in the May 2014 issue of Railway Gazette International
Comment Ripples on the surface News Main Line Urban Rail Market Industry Innovations Pointers Analysis It’s time to deploy: As railways around the world continue to install ERTMS, interoperable specifications are paving the way for further applications in Europe. Chris Jackson reports from the ...
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NewsTolstoy on Tolstoy
EUROPE: Passengers are promised the ‘atmosphere of Russia’s cultural environment at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries’ when Russian Railways’ Federal Passenger Co makes changes to the Leo Tolstoy overnight service between Moscow and Helsinki from June 1. This is linked to the ...
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NewsFugro buys specialist rail mapping company
NETHERLANDS: Surveying and geotechnical data company Fugro announced an agreement to acquire RailData on May 1. This includes the RailData International subsidiary which is looking to expand the business outside the Netherlands. With 12 staff and revenue of €1·2m in 2013, RailData specialises in the measurement of the absolute and ...
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NewsBombardier expands Rail Control Solutions business
BOMBARDIER: Bombardier Transportation announced its acquisition of Australian company Rail Signalling Services on May 1, saying the deal would strengthen its Rail Control Solutions business in a market where large investments are planned. Formed in 2003 when GE sold its Australian interests, RSS has more than a decade of ...
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NewsRail.One opens Iowa sleeper factory
USA: Lieutenant Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds inaugurated Rail.One’s concrete sleeper factory in Clinton on April 29. The company has invested $22m in building the plant, which was completed in under 12 months and is expected to produce 600 000 sleepers a year for the North American market. ‘The plant ...
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NewsDeploying artificial intelligence to spot fare dodgers
SPAIN: The use of a system 'based on artificial intelligence' to spot passengers attempting to avoid payment by following other users through ticket barriers is being tested by Catalan regional operator FGC and Barcelona-based Awaait Artificial Intelligence. Named Detector, the system uses a camera to watch the gate area, and ...
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NewsSunRail rises in Orlando
USA: The SunRail commuter rail route serving Orlando was officially opened on April 30, with two weeks of free travel starting the following day. The 50 km first phase from DeBary to Sand Lake Road in Orange County serves 12 stations. Construction began January 2012 and included double-tracking the ...
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NewsSchaltbau takes stake in Albatros
SPAIN: German transport technology group Schaltbau Holding finalised the acquisition of a 5·6% stake in Spanish onboard equipment supplier Albatros on April 21, and has agreed purchase options which would enable it to gain a majority stake within the next five years. Schaltbau expects to hold 40% by the end ...
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NewsThameslink EMU undergoes low-temperature tests
UK: The first of the Class 700 Desiro City electric multiple-unit cars being built by Siemens for use on the Thameslink route through London have been tested at the Rail Tec Arsenal climate chamber at Wien in Austria. The tests focused on the ability to withstand the effects of temperatures ...
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NewsAlstom says sale of Energy business would strengthen Transport
ALSTOM: The proposed sale of its Energy business to GE ‘would allow Alstom to develop its Transport business as a standalone company, with a strong balance sheet to capitalise on opportunities in the dynamic rail transport market’, Alstom Chairman & CEO Patrick Kron said on April 30. Alstom explained that ...
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NewsKunming opens more metro lines
CHINA: Kunming opened 21 km of metro extensions on April 30. Phase 2 of Line 1 extends the route north from Xiaodongcun to Kunming railway station, adding five stations. The first phase of Line 2 runs north from the main railway station to North Coach Station with 14 stations, although ...
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NewsSlovakian ERTMS contract awarded
SLOVAKIA: Infrastructure manager ŽSR has awarded contracts for the provision of ERTMS on the 250 km route from Bratislava to the Czech border via Žilina and Čadca by the end of 2015. General contractor AŽD Praha will provide ETCS Level 2 on the 37 km section from the Czech ...
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NewsFinancial close on PRASA train order
SOUTH AFRICA: Alstom announced financial close on the €4bn contract for the supply of 600 X'Ttrapolis Mega commuter electric multiple-units to Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa on April 29. Financial close on the deal follows the signing on October 14 2013 of the contract covering the delivery of 3 ...
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NewsChangsha metro opens
CHINA: The first metro line in Changsha opened on April 29, making the capital of Hunan province the 19th city in mainland China with a metro. The first phase of Line 2 is 22·3 km long with 19 stations. Starting at Wangchengpo in the west, it runs across the ...
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NewsWork begins on €80m brake test centre
GERMANY: Knorr-Bremse held a groundbreaking ceremony on April 28 to officially launch construction of an €80m brake system test and development centre at its headquarters in München. The centre will bring together the testing and development activities of the company’s Rail Vehicle Systems and Commercial Vehicle Systems groups. It has ...
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NewsPakistan Railways invites proposals for standard gauge line study
PAKISTAN: Proposals for a bankable feasibility study into building an electrified railway running 107 km from Islamabad to Murree and Muzaffarabad have been invited by Pakistan Railways. A pre-bid conference is to be held on May 7 and proposals are due to be submitted by May 31. PR envisages that ...