Metro news – Page 206
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NewsPanamá metro project launched
PANAMA: The government has invited prequalification tenders seeking interest in a turnkey contract to build an initial metro line in Panamá City at an estimated cost of US$1bn to US$1·5bn. The bidding process was launched by Minister of Public Works Federico José Suárez and the head of the dedicated Metro ...
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NewsNew York must make every dollar count
USA: Cutting costs and improving customer service are the top priorities for New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, according to recently-appointed Chairman Jay Walder. On January 15 he issued a report entitled ‘Making Every Dollar Count’, summing up his first 100 days in office which had been spent assessing the business ...
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NewsPresident Chávez opens three stations on Caracas metro
VENEZUELA: President Chávez opened three new stations on Caracas metro Line 3, at Los Jardines, Coche and Mercado, on January 9.The Line 3 extension between El Valle and Rinconada entered service in October 2006 to provide an interchange to the Tuy Medio suburban line at La Rinconada, and remained operational ...
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NewsBoston commuter rail operating contract extended
USA: MBTA has awarded Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Co a two-year extension of its contract to operate and maintain the Boston commuter rail network. MBCR has promised to make further service improvements on the 750 km network. On-time performance is still more than five points below MBTA’s target of 95%. ...
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NewsMore metros open in Guangzhou and Shanghai
CHINA: The end of December has always been a popular time for metro inaugurations in China and December 2009 was no exception. Guangzhou metro Line 5 and a short extension of Line 4 opened for revenue service on December 29, following an official ceremony the previous day, increasing the city’s ...
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NewsCitadis Dualis delivered to Nantes
FRANCE: A Citadis Dualis tram-train left Alstom's Valenciennes site on January 4 destined for Nantes in the Loire region, where it will undergo extensive tests. A shuttle service between Nantes and Clisson is expected to start in September. The tram-train had previously carried out initial test runs on the RFF ...
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NewsGraz's customised tram handed over
AUSTRIA: Stadler Pankow formally handed over the first of 45 Variobahn trams for Graz city transport operator GVB in December. The 27·4 m long and 2 300 mm wide five-section car has a 'bright and friendly interior', with 47 seats plus space for 98 standees and two multi-purpose areas for ...
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NewsDelhi Metro reaches Anand Vihar
INDIA: Following the official inauguration by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy on January 6, the 6·3 km elevated section of Delhi Metro from Yamuna Bank to Anand Vihar opened for passenger service at 06.00 the following day.The five-station branch of Line 3 is ...
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NewsMoscow metro Line 3 extended to Mitino
RUSSIA: Mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov was among the passengers who rode the first train from Strogino to Mitino on December 26, when three new stations entered service on the Artbatsko-Pokrovskaya line.The northwestern suburb of Mitino has developed rapidly over the last 10 years and is now densely-populated. The 6 ...
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NewsRio de Janeiro metro reaches Ipanema
BRAZIL: President Lula inaugurated a 540 m extension of Rio de Janeiro metro Line 1 from Cantagalo to Ipanema/General Osório on December 21. He then travelled to Maracaña station on Line 2, using a new section of track between São Cristóvão and Central which has been under construction since November ...
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NewsMumbai monorail car delivery begins
INDIA: The first vehicle for the Mumbai Monorail left Scomi Engineering's Kuala Lumpur factory for India on January 2. 'The first monorail car will play a pivotal role in the preliminary systems interface testing, which is critical in ensuring that the monorail system runs smoothly', said Suhaimi Yaacob, Country President ...
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NewsNew metro line to be built in Santiago
CHILE: President Michelle Bachelet has announced that construction of Santiago metro Line 6 will start in 2010. The 14·8 km 12-station line will cost around 486m pesos and is intended to relieve overcrowding on Line 1 when it opens at the end of 2014. Designated Línea Expreso Sur, Line 6 ...
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NewsJapanese tram loop opens
JAPAN: The city of Toyama's third tram route opened on December 23, with the reinstatement of a circular service through the city centre. Branded as Centram, Line 3 has been created by building 940 m of 1 067 mm gauge track with three new stops between the Marunouchi and ...
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NewsRouen orders trams to increase capacity
FRANCE: Alstom Transport announced on January 4 that it had been selected as the preferred bidder to supply Rouen with 27 Citadis 402 trams to replace the current fleet of GEC-Alsthom Tramway Français Standard cars dating from the opening of the light rail network in 1994. Intended to increase capacity ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - January 2010
The EU Regional Operational Programme will provide 85% of the 162m zloty needed for MPK Czestochowa's tram expansion. The project involves construction of a 4·5 km double-track line with nine stops for around 98·7m zloty. Seven new low-floor trams will be acquired for 63m zloty. On December 15 Metrolinx ...
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NewsMetrô do Cariri starts trials
BRAZIL: Following its inauguration by Ceará state governor Cid Gomes on December 1, the Metrô do Cariri entered service on December 2. Travel will be free on the 13·6 km light rail route during the initial trial running phase, when operator Metrofor will offer services between 09.00 and 13.00 with ...
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NewsLänsimetro construction launched
FINLAND:The Länsimetro project got underway on November 24, following Helsinki City Council's ratification of the plan to extend the metro network by 13·9 km west from Ruoholahti to Matinkylä in Espoo on November 11. Transport Minister Anu Vehviläinen, Helsinki City Council President Otto Lehtipuu and Espoo City Council Chairman Jukka ...
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NewsProvincial funding for Ottawa light rail
CANADA: The Ontario provincial government on December 18 announced a C$600m contribution to Ottawa’s C$2·1bn rail plan. The federal government is also expected to make a substantial grant but has yet to decide how much; so far it has committed C$200m. Local officials are hoping for a total of C$600m, ...
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NewsSeattle rail link reaches Tacoma International Airport
USA: The final 2·7 km section of Sound Transit’s $2·3bn Central Link light rail line opened for revenue service at 10.00 on December 19 following an inauguration ceremony during which a train burst through a ribbon at Sea-Tac/Airport station. The initial 22·4 km of track running south from downtown ...
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NewsVeolia and Transdev announce merger framework
FRANCE: A framework agreement setting out the financial structure of the company which could be formed through a merger of Transdev and Veolia Transport was announced by their parent companies on December 21. Caisse des Dépôts, Veolia Environnement and RATP plan to use the framework as a basis for consultation ...