Middle East – Page 25
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NewsILCAD 2014 targets professional drivers
INTERNATIONAL: Railway operators in more than 45 countries across the world are participating in the sixth International Level Crossing Awareness Day on June 3. The campaign is intended to raise public awareness of the safety risks surrounding level crossings, in order to change the behaviour of road users, including vehicle ...
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NewsWorking more closely together
MIDDLE EAST: A number of joint committees are to be established by Saudi Railway Company and Etihad Rail to implement best practice in railway projects under a partnership accord signed in Abu Dhabi on May 10. The two railway companies foresee the partnership forming the basis for a wider programme ...
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NewsCairo metro Line 3 extension opens
EGYPT: The second phase of Cairo metro Line 3 was inaugurated by Interim President Adly Mansour on May 7, accompanied by Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab and Transport Minister Ibrahim el-Demiri. The 7·7 km eastern extension links Abbasiya and Al Ahram in Heliopolis, with three intermediate stations. Construction started in ...
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NewsHuawei and Siemens to co-operate on communications
HUAWEI: Chinese communications supplier Huawei announced on April 8 that it had reached agreement with Siemens Convergence Creators GmbH to co-operate in the development of ‘end–to-end solutions’ in the critical communications market, including rail. Huawei says that it will draw on its expertise in GSM-R for voice communications and train ...
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NewsFirst electrification-ready stock delivered to Israel Railways
ISRAEL: National railway ISR has taken delivery of the first six of 72 double-deck coaches which Bombardier Transportation is supplying pre-equipped to operate with electric locomotives on routes which are to be electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz. ISR placed a €122m order for the coaches in September 2012 under ...
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NewsGulf Co-operation Council states discuss OTIF accession
INTERNATIONAL: The Gulf Co-operation Council and the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail have signed a memorandum of understanding which could lead to the GCC and its six member states Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE acceding to the COTIF convention. The convention provides a legal ...
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NewsEtihad Rail operation and maintenance joint venture formed
UAE: National railway project promoter Etihad Rail has signed an operations and maintenance joint venture agreement with DB Schenker Rail. The Etihad Rail DB joint venture will initially provide operations and maintenance expertise for the 264 km Phase 1 of the network. Test running is now underway and commercial freight ...
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NewsCairo - Alexandria train supply and maintenance contract planned
EGYPT: Egyptian National Railways is planning to call tenders for a contract to supply and maintain six 10-car locomotive-hauled trainsets for the Cairo - Alexandria route. The aim is to reduce overcrowding and improve service quality, safety and energy efficiency on the 208 km route, which has 32 daily through ...
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NewsWatching your wagons
UAE: New York Air Brake and Lat-Lon have provided monitoring technology for 240 sulphur wagons supplied to Etihad Rail. Eight wheelset sensors per wagon measure bearing temperature and the degree of tilt to warn of potential derailment. The upper hatch is monitored for open/closed status by two more devices, ...
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NewsQatar long distance rail network design contract awarded
QATAR: A joint venture of Parsons and Systra has been awarded a design consultancy services contract for the Qatar Long Distance Railway Network. The planned 400 km rail network would have seven passenger stations, six freight facilities and a depot. It would provide freight and passenger services within Qatar, and ...
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NewsOptimism returns but skills gap a worry, survey finds
INTERNATIONAL: Optimism is returning to the global rail industry following the economic downturn, according to the results of the fifth Way Ahead survey of the transport industry conducted by legal practice Norton Rose Fulbright. The survey, which was launched at an event in London on February 26, received 850 responses ...
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NewsNew Iraqi inter-city train rolled out
IRAQ: The first of 10 inter-city trainsets that CSR Sifang's Qingdao plant is building for Iraqi Republic Railways was rolled out on February 17, watched by guests including Iraq's ambassador to China. IRR signed a US$115m contract for the 160 km/h trains with Dongfang Electric Corp on December 15 2012. ...
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NewsOman railway contracts signed
OMAN: Three contracts for the development of the planned 2 244 km national railway network were signed by Minister of Transport & Communications Dr Ahmed bin Mohammed al-Futaisi on February 5. The state budget has allocated 1bn rial for works this year, with the entire network linking six cities to ...
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NewsSaudi Railways Organization reviews safety
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Railways Organization has awarded DB International a contract to undertake a comprehensive review of its safety regime and operating standards. The review will be completed by the end of the year, with DB contracted to provide a further year of ‘supervision and follow-up’. Under the agreement, DB ...
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NewsRail Academy to be created in the United Arab Emirates
UAE: A memorandum of understanding to establish a Rail Academy has been signed by the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research & Training and Thales. The planned Rail Academy would provide Emiratis with high-level professional and academic training programmes to support the country's railway and urban transport projects. The partnership ...
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NewsIsrael Railways opens Sderot station
ISRAEL: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the official opening of a railway extension from Ashkelon south to Sderot on December 24. Public services began at 16.00, and to encourage ridership local residents are able to apply for up to three months of free travel. The building at the US$56m Sderot ...
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NewsVossloh to supply fastenings to Haramain high speed project
SAUDI ARABIA: Vossloh Fastening Systems announced on November 28 that it had won a €30m contract to supply rail fastenings for the 444 km Haramain high speed line that is to run from Madinah to Jeddah and Makkah. Deliveries are due to start before the end of the year, ...
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NewsISR sets out plans for electric fleet
ISRAEL: National railway ISR has issued a request for information about the potential supply of electric locomotives and multiple-units for its electrification programme. The first phase of the programme covers wiring around 420 km of existing and planned line at 25 kV 50 Hz. This includes the future 23 km ...
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NewsAlstom to maintain Israel Railways DMU fleet
ISRAEL: On October 9 national railway ISR awarded Alstom Transport a 1·5bn shekel contract to maintain its fleet of 48 IC3 Flexliner three-car diesel multiple-units for seven years from January 2014, with an option for a further eight years. The Flexliner fleet was originally supplied by ABB Scandia, now part ...
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NewsEtihad Rail test running begins
UAE: The first test train on the initial phase of the national railway network which is being developed by Etihad Rail ran on September 22. Two trains will run in each direction per day during the three-month commissioning period. Each train comprises up to three of the seven SD70ACS locomotives ...