Metro news – Page 168
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NewsNS could take stake in Den Haag transport operator
NETHERLANDS: A letter of intent under which national passenger operator NS could take a 49% stake in Den Haag bus and tram operator HTM was signed by the two parties and the city council on September 25. The deal could help to improve integration and travel information to encourage modal ...
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NewsPrime Minister launches work on Belarus rolling stock factory
BELARUS: Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich attended a ceremony on October 4 to launch construction of a factory at Fanipol near Minsk where a 40:60 joint venture of tram manufacturer Belkommunmash and Stadler Rail of Switzerland will jointly assemble rolling stock for the CIS market. ‘We are planning to build a ...
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NewsKaohsiung tenders catenary-free light rail project
TAIWAN: Bids are due by November 8 for a turnkey contract to construct and equip the first stage of Kaohsiung’s long-planned circular light rail line, which is now to be built as a catenary-free project. Authorised by the national government last year, the line was to be implemented as a ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - October 2012
Construction of the 33·8 km Nanjing metro Line 4 is to begin by the end of this year for completion by late 2015. The 5·1 km Northwest light rail extension to Dunlap Avenue in Phoenix, Arizona, has been brought forward, with completion now envisaged for 2016. The project was to ...
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NewsFrench government sets out transport priorities
FRANCE: The broad outlines of future transport policy were unveiled by Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier at a cabinet meeting on October 3. As well as supporting economic development, this would aim to ensure equal treatment for all regions and facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Cuvillier announced that a ...
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NewsChengdu metro Line 2 opens
CHINA: The first phase of Chengdu metro Line 2 opened on September 16. The 22·4 km line with 20 stations runs northwest to southeast, from Chadianzi bus station to the Chengdu Administration Institute. CSR supplied the trainsets for the new line under a 520m yuan contract. An 8·8 km ...
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NewsPortland Streetcar Loop aims to attract new riders
USA: The Portland Streetcar Central Loop opened on September 22, extending the city's tram service across the Willamette River to the east side of the city. The 5·4 km CL line is operated as a one-way loop connected to the North-South Line. It crosses the Broadway bascule bridge, then runs ...
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NewsTianjin metro Line 3 opens
CHINA: Following an official inauguration ceremony on September 28, Tianjin metro Line 3 began carrying passengers with the start of a period of trial running on October 1. Line 3 runs 29·7 km through the city from Gaoxinqu in the southwest to Xiaodian in the northeast, with 23 stations. There ...
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NewsTours 'architecture in motion' tram unveiled
FRANCE: The first Alstom Citadis 402 tram for the line under construction in Tours was unveiled to the public during an open day at the maintenance depot on September 30. Transport authority SITCAT awarded Alstom a €73m contract to supply 21 of the seven-section trams in September 2010, and the ...
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NewsMünchen orders Siemens Avenio trams
GERMANY: Siemens announced its first order to supply Avenio trams to Germany on September 28, an €29m contract awarded by München utility body SWM. The 100% low-floor four-section trams will be 36·85 m long and 2300 mm wide, with eight doors and a capacity of 220 passengers. Top speed will ...
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NewsABB to support CPTM capacity expansion
BRAZIL: ABB confirmed on September 26 that it had won a US$50m contract from São Paulo suburban operator CPTM for upgrading and reinforcement of the power supply network on two of the city’s busiest routes. The work will support increased train frequencies on Lines 8 and 9 serving the western ...
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NewsTrams ordered as Olsztyn starts construction
POLAND: Representatives from the city of Olsztyn signed a €30m contract with Solaris Bus & Coach on September 21 for the supply of 15 low-floor trams to operate on Poland's first new tram system in 55 years. Due for delivery in 2014, the bidirectional Tramino cars will be 29·3 m ...
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NewsLyon tram-train service launched
FRANCE: SNCF began operating tram-train services from Lyon Saint-Paul to Sain-Bel on September 24, following an official opening ceremony two days before. On weekdays there is now a service every 30 min, increasing to every 15 min between Lyon and L'Arbresle during the peaks. It is hoped that ridership ...
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NewsSingapore to support Mauritian Light Rapid Transit plan
MAURITIUS: The Ministry of Public Infrastructure has appointed a group of organisations from Singapore to develop an 'action plan' for the construction of a rail-based light rapid transit line between Port Louis and Curepipe. The project aims to establish new transit corridors to relieve the main road arteries. The proposed ...
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NewsLast section of Noord/Zuidlijn nears completion
NETHERLANDS: The first of three sections forming the immersed tunnel that will carry Amsterdam’s north-south metro line under the River IJ is due to be moved into position on September 25. Weighing 12 000 tonnes, the 140 m long tunnel section will be moved into position at Sixhaven on the ...
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NewsFirst Tango for Stuttgart
GERMANY: The first of 20 high-floor DT8.12 LRVs that Stadler Pankow is supplying to Stuttgarter Strassenbahnen was unveiled at InnoTrans on September 20. Once the manufacturer has completed testing, the cars are to be handed over to the operator for acceptance trials. ‘Stuttgart has an interesting, demanding topography from the ...
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NewsSiemens opens the Crystal
UK: Siemens opened its first centre for sustainable urban development in London on September 19, built at a cost of €35m to provide ‘a conference centre, urban dialogue platform and technology and innovation centre all in one’. Designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects and named ‘the Crystal’ after its distinctive shape, ...
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NewsGmunden metre-gauge extension backed
AUSTRIA: Gmunden council has given its backing to a proposal to divert the Traunseebahn local railway from its current terminus at Seebahnhof to Klosterplatz closer to the town centre. The 14·9 km metre gauge electrified line from Vorchdorf to Gmunden is operated by Stern & Hafferl and recently celebrated its ...
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NewsGera tram go-ahead
GERMANY: Following the completion of technical studies, on September 4 Mayor Viola Hahn announced the go-ahead for a planned €53m Phase 2 expansion of Gera’s metre gauge tram network. Subject to the Land of Thüringen approving funding later this year, contracts could be awarded in January 2013 ...
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NewsChemistry tram on tour
POLAND: To celebrate the International Year of Chemistry, Warszawa Trams has been operating a special Chemical Tram, which has been roaming the city’s network making presentations to school children. Staff on the open wagon towed by a decorated works vehicle conducted a range of spectacular experiments, demonstrating ...