Metro news – Page 107
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NewsQingdao metro opens
CHINA: The first metro line in Qingdao opened for trial passenger operation at 11.00 on December 16. Services on Line 3 operate between 06.30 and 21.30 using six six-car trainsets. The 12 km northern section of Line 3 links Qingdao North railway station with Shungshan in the city centre. ...
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NewsTesting starts on Bangkok’s Purple Line
THAILAND: On December 14 concessionaire Bangkok Metro Public Co started test running on the first section of the Purple Line in Bangkok, in the presence of Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. The 23 km elevated route linking Bang Yai in northwest Bangkok to Tao Pun in the city centre ...
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NewsHamburg S-Bahn trains take shape
GERMANY: The first of six pre-series dual-system EMUs for suburban operator S-Bahn Hamburg GmbH is expected to begin dynamic testing before the end of the year, according to manufacturer Bombardier.The trains are being assembled at Bombardier’s Hennigsdorf plant north of Berlin under a €327m contract placed by S-Bahn Hamburg’s parent ...
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NewsFreiburg expands its tram network
GERMANY: The latest expansion of the metre-gauge tram network in Freiburg was inaugurated on December 11 with a 1·6 km branch from Robert-Koch-Straße to the Technical Faculty of Universität Freiburg. Serving four stops, trams on this section of Route 4 run every 10 min. Construction began in 2013 and ...
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NewsKöln opens next section of light rail tunnel
GERMANY: The third phase of the Nord-Süd Stadtbahn project in Köln was inaugurated on December 12 at a ceremony attended by around 450 invited guests. Regular services began the following day. The 2·4 km section forms a branch off Route 16 at Schönhauser Straße, running north to Bonner Wall, ...
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NewsKiewit selected to renew Chicago Green Line track
USA: Chicago Transit Authority approved a $13m contract for the Green Line West Track Renewal Project on December 9. Lowest bidder Kiewit Infrastructure Co has been selected to replace the track between Laramie and Harlem/Lake stations at the western end of the CTA’s Green Line. Work on the 4 ...
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NewsCairo metro receives EBRD loan
EGYPT: The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development has agreed to provide a €100m loan to the National Authority for Tunnels, which will support the procurement of 13 trainsets to be used on Line 2 of the Cairo metro. The supplier would also maintain the trains, which are intended ...
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NewsBerlin S-Bahn operator chosen
GERMANY: Berlin’s Urban Development & Environment Senator Andreas Geisel announced on December 8 that following a competitive tendering process, DB subsidiary S-Bahn Berlin GmbH is to be awarded a further contract to operate the Berlin S-Bahn’s ‘Ring & Branches’ service group. The contract due to be signed on December ...
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NewsBangkok Orange Line approved
THAILAND: On December 8 the government approved the Orange Line metro project in Bangkok. To be managed by the state-run Mass Rapid Transit Authority, the first phase is due to be completed in August 2022. Tendering of the construction contracts is expected to begin in May. Land acquisition has ...
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NewsMTR to operate Stockholm Pendeltåg
SWEDEN: Local transport authority Storstockholms Lokaltrafik announced on December 8 that it has selected MTR Gamma AB for the next contract to operate Stockholm’s Pendeltåg suburban rail services. Operated since June 2006 by SJ subsidiary Stockholmståg, the Pendeltåg network consists of four routes with a combined length of 241 km ...
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NewsParramatta light rail route chosen
AUSTRALIA: New South Wales Premier Mike Baird, Minister for Transport & Infrastructure Andrew Constance and Minister for Planning Rob Stokes announced the preferred route for the Parramatta Light Rail project on December 8. The 22 km line in the western suburbs of Sydney is intended to connect Westmead and ...
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NewsBielefeld inaugurates light rail extension
GERMANY: Around 6 000 people attended the inauguration of a new section of Bielefeld’s light rail network on December 6, enjoying a programme of entertainment in a ‘pre-Christmas atmosphere’, as well as free travel. Following the inaugural journey by a coupled pair of metre gauge Vamos LRVs, the line ...
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NewsLuxembourg tram model on display
LUXEMBOURG: A full-sized mock-up of the tram that CAF is to supply to Luxembourg City went on display on December 7. It will remain in the Kirchberg district for public viewing until January 31. At 15 m, the model is one-third of the length of the 21 Urbos trams ...
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NewsManchester opens first phase of Second City Crossing
UK: The first stage of Manchester Metrolink’s Second City Crossing was inaugurated on December 6 with the opening of a stop at Exchange Square. Services on the 600 m section between Exchange Square and Victoria Station operate every 6 min during the day, running through onto Metrolink’s Oldham line. ...
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NewsTrams return to Birmingham city centre
UK: December 6 marked the opening of the first extension of the Midland Metro light rail route in Birmingham since the line opened in 1999. The short section including new stops at Snow Hill and Bull Street is the first phase of the 1·4 km city centre extension to ...
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NewsSendai opens second metro line
JAPAN: The second metro line in Sendai was inaugurated on December 6 at a ceremony attended by Mayor Emiko Okuyama. The 13·9 km underground Tozai Line links Arai with Yagiyama-Dobutsu-Koen. Interchange with the north-south Namboku Line is provided at Sendai Station. There are 13 stations on the new line, ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - December 2015
The European Commission has approved a €38·6m Cohesion Fund grant to Košice transport authority DPMK for the €47·8m purchase of 33 Pragoimex Vario LF2+ trams which were ordered in three batches in 2014-15. The French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is to provide a €4·2m grant for the ...
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NewsMobile ticketing joint venture formed
FRANCE: The creation of the Wizway Solutions joint venture dedicated to developing mobile ticketing technology was announced on December 3. Four founder members each have a 25% share: Paris transport authority RATP, national railway SNCF, digital security company Gemalto and telecoms provider Orange. The venture is supported by the Ministry ...
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NewsCairo metro depot signalling contract awarded
EGYPT: National Authority for Tunnels has awarded Alstom a €15m contract to supply signalling for the new depot on Cairo metro Line 1. Alstom is to supply computer-based interlocking, SCADA systems for traffic and traction power supplies, and telecommunications to support fire detection, phones and CCTV systems. The fit-out ...
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NewsBeijing Metro Line 16 concession signed
CHINA: Beijing Municipal Government and Beijing MTR Corp signed the railway systems, operations and maintenance PPP concession agreement for the future metro Line 16 on November 28. Beijing MTR Corp is a joint venture of MTR Corp (49%), Beijing Capital Group (49%) and Beijing Infrastructure Investment Corp (2%). The ...