All Light Rail articles – Page 71
-
NewsFreight tram to support electric car production
GERMANY: CarGoTram freight services returned to Dresden’s tram network on March 24, carrying automotive parts between the Friedrichstadt freight terminal and Volkswagen’s car factory at the Großen Garten on Straßburger Platz. CarGoTram was first launched in 2001 to reduce the need for lorries to pass through the city centre to ...
-
NewsWork starts on new tram line in Istanbul
TURKEY: Construction of a new tram line in Istanbul began on March 20. The 10 km route will run along the southern edge of the Golden Horn from Eminönü to Alibeyköy Cep Otogari. Interchange will be provided with tram route T1 at Eminönü, with metro line M2 at Küçük ...
-
NewsMauritius light rail work begins
MAURITIUS: Preparatory work started on a light rail line on March 20, following a foundation stone laying ceremony on March 11. Preparatory works are expected to last three months. The 26 km Metro Express line would link Port Louis with Curepipe, serving 19 stops with an end-to-end journey time ...
-
NewsTransport for West Midlands to take Midland Metro in-house
UK: Transport for West Midlands is to take over the day-to-day operations of the Midland Metro light rail line when the current contract held by National Express ends in October 2018. ‘Metro is embarking on an unprecedented period of expansion and we believe bringing services in-house will provide the extra ...
-
Metro Report InternationalTrump budget proposes cuts to urban transport grants
USA: In a blueprint for its proposed Financial Year 2018 budget, the Trump administration is planning to cut funding for the Department of Transportation to $16bn, a 13% reduction on that available for FY2017. Under the proposals, swingeing cuts would be made both to passenger train and municipal transport ...
-
Metro Report InternationalValley Metro renews operating contract
USA: Valley Metro has approved a five-year extension to Alternate Concepts Inc’s contract to operate the 42 km light rail network centred on Phoenix. ACI has operated the line for Valley Metro since before the opening in December 2008. In fiscal year 2016 the network carried 15·6 million passengers ...
-
NewsVityaz-M trams enter service in Moscow
RUSSIA: Two prototype Vityaz-M trams entered revenue service in Moscow on March 17. They had arrived at arrived at the Bauman depot on January 27. Moscow tram operator Mosgortrans ordered 300 three-section trams from a consortium of Transmashholding subsidiary Metrowagonmash and PK Transportnye Systemy last year. Deliveries from TMH’s ...
-
Metro Report InternationalTaking a regional approach to journey planning
FRANCE: The Syndicat Mixte Intermodal Régional de Transports grouping of transport authorities in northern France has become the first organisation to deploy Conduent’s Mobility Companion Platform. The journey planner aims to simplify and encourage the use of public transport across the region. The passpass.fr website enables door-to-door journey planning ...
-
NewsHelsinki tests mock-up longer tram
FINLAND: Helsinki transport operator HKL is using a full-scale tram mock-up to identify what infrastructure changes would have to be made to enable longer trams to run on its network. Night testing started on March 14 using a steel frame covered with a tarpaulin, towed by a tram. The ...
-
Metro Report InternationalBoston’s PCC streetcars to be overhauled
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority plans to overhaul its fleet of PCC streetcars. The $7·9m overhaul and aims to extend the life of the vehicles, which have been in service since the mid-1940s. The work is expected to take two years and will include fitting new traction equipment, brakes ...
-
Metro Report InternationalFoshan hydrogen fuel cell tram contract signed
CHINA: CRRC Qingdao Sifang is to supply eight hydrogen fuel cell trams for a route being developed in Foshan, the supplier announced on March 9. Each tram will have capacity for 285 passengers and a maximum speed of 70 km/h. They will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells developed ...
-
NewsEkova and Cegelec complete Göteborg tram refurbishment
SWEDEN: Czech firms Ekova Electric and Cegelec Praha have completed the refurbishment of 79 M31 trams for Göteborg, with the last handed back to operator Göteborgs Spårvägar on March 7. Work began in June 2011 following the award of a KC170m contract. This marks the second renovation of the ...
-
NewsOperator sought for Dublin Luas trams
IRELAND: The National Transport Authority is to hold a market awareness day on April 5 ahead of the planned call for tenders for the next contract to operate and maintain Dublin’s Luas light rail lines. The existing five-year contract held by Transdev is due to end in the fourth quarter ...
-
NewsOlsztyn tram extension funding agreement signed
POLAND: A funding agreement for 144·9m złoty of EU funds for the expansion of the Olsztyn tram network was signed on February 28 by Mayor Piotr Grzymowicz. A new route is to be built from the existing network at the junction of al Piłsudskiego and ul Kościuszki southeast to ...
-
NewsBerlin orders more Flexity trams
GERMANY: Berlin transport authority BVG has exercised the final option in its framework contract for Flexity Berlin trams, supplier Bombardier Transportation announced on February 27. The order for 21 trams is valued at €71m. The 100% low-floor seven-section bidirectional trams will be 40 m long and will be equipped ...
-
NewsTramwaje Warszawskie reach Nowodwory
POLAND: The latest expansion of the Warszawa tram network opened to passengers on February 27, with the commissioning of a 1·5 km northern extension to Nowodwory. Built by a ZUE-Strabag consortium under a 31·6m złoty contract, the extension runs from Tarchomin Kościelny and has an intermediate stop at Štefánika. ...
-
Metro Report InternationalSecond City Crossing opens in Manchester
UK: The final phase of Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing opened on February 26. The new route runs from a rebuilt St Peter’s Square stop along Cross Street to Exchange Square and Victoria. Transport for Greater Manchester said that the opening of the Second City Crossing was the final ...
-
Metro Report InternationalDenver inaugurates tangential R Line
USA: Denver RTD’s light rail R Line was officially inaugurated on February 24 with a ceremony at Iliff station, where the City of Aurora operates a 600-space multi-storey park and ride facility. Following the opening, free travel was provided for the rest of the day, with trains running every 15 ...
-
Metro Report InternationalBoston Green Line extension shortlist
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has shortlisted three bidders for the design-build contract to extend Boston’s Green Line. The shortlisted bidders are: GLX Constructors: Fluor Enterprises, The Middlesex Corp, Herzog Contracting Corp, Balfour Beatty Infrastructure. Green Line Partners: The Lane Construction Corp, Salini Impregilo, Judlau Contracting, LM Heavy ...
-
Metro Report InternationalMilwaukee Streetcar operator sought
USA: The City of Milwaukee has issued a request for proposals for the operation and maintenance contract for the future downtown streetcar line. The deadline for submissions is April 4, with the selection of a preferred bidder expected on April 18. The contract would cover 15 to 18 months ...