News – Page 131
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In depthUSA: Electrification comes to Bay Area commuters
Caltrain is updating and electrifying one of the oldest commuter rail operations in the USA, which will bring a range of environmental and social benefits, as Executive Director Michelle Bouchard and Programme Manager Pranaya Shrestha explain to Dave Lustig.
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NewsAix-Marseille-Provence city region invests in local freight
FRANCE: The Aix-Marseille-Provence Métropole is to invest significant funds in local rail freight services and terminals over the next four years, as part of a strategy to reduce road congestion and associated pollution across the metropolitan area.
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NewsNorfolk Southern to buy Cincinnati Southern Railway
USA: Norfolk Southern has announced an agreement to acquire the Cincinnati Southern Railway from the City of Cincinnati for $1·62bn, to gain ownership of one of the busiest sections of its network which carries up to 30 trains a day. The City of Cincinnati says it ...
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NewsOne bid passes first stage of South African train path sales process
SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet Freight Rail has conditionally awarded private operator Traxtion Sheltam paths on the Cape Corridor, but there were no compliant bids for train paths on the Container Corridor. A total of 19 parties had expressed initial interest in 16 slots on the two corridors ...
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Metro Report InternationalFGC calls tenders to build Barcelona cross-city link
SPAIN: Regional operator FGC has called tenders for construction of a 4 km tunnel from the Espanya terminus in Barcelona to Gràcia, improving access to the centre of the city.
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NewsCombined transport booking platform gets development funding
GERMANY: The Federal Ministry for Digital & Transport has awarded Future of Rail Freight Transport programme funding to accelerate the development of the Modility combined transport booking platform. Planned enhancements include improved information on prices and available train capacities, simplification of the booking process and options ...
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NewsHydrogen train lease financing put in place
GERMANY: KfW IPEX-Bank has implemented a tailored leasing structure developed with Deutsche Anlagen-Leasing to finance Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn’s order for hydrogen trains.
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NewsRidership growth reduces Amtrak’s anticipated operating losses
USA: Amtrak launched major station and route upgrading projects and hired a record level of employees during the 2022 financial year, the company reported.
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NewsPrasa restores Johannesburg Park – Naledi electrification
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa restarted electric services on the Johannesburg Park – Naledi suburban line on November 28.
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NewsLegislation passed to avert US rail strike
USA: The House and Senate have passed legislation to avert a major strike by forcing railway companies and trades unions to implement tentative agreements negotiated by a Presidential Emergency Board, which four unions had not ratified. ‘I know that many in Congress shared my reluctance to ...
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NewsRegioJet orders cross-city EMUs
CZECH REPUBLIC: RegioJet exercised an option to order seven more Class 654 Elf.eu EMUs from Pesa on November 4. The three-car EMUs will be used on Praha cross-city services S49 and S61 from December 2024. The dual-system 3 kV DC/25 kV 50 Hz low-floor EMUs are derived ...
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NewsFlirt Evo onboard network contract
SWITZERLAND: Westermo is to supply networking technology to support the train control and management systems on the next generation of Flirt EMUs that Stadler is to supply to Swiss Federal Railways, Thurbo and RegionAlps. In October last year Stadler won a framework contract to supply 510 EMUs, with a firm ...
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NewsAI improves broken rail detection
BRAZIL: Operator and logistics company Rumo has introduced an enhanced broken rail detection system, integrating artificial intelligence to improve the accuracy of detection and reduce the number of false alarms. Rumo began its broken rail detection project in 2018, installing devices at various locations across its ...
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NewsSoloviev Group buys San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad
USA: A federal judge has approved Soloviev Group’s purchase of the San Luis & Rio Grande Railroad out of bankruptcy. OmniTRAX had announced an agreement to purchase the railway’s assets in October, but was outbid by Soloviev Group’s KCVN subsidiary with a winning offer of $10·7m ...
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Rail Business UKTrain operators respond as Vivarail enters administration
UK: Vivarail Ltd went into administration on December 1, with the appointment of joint administrators from Grant Thornton UK. Vivarail produces multiple-units using old London Underground cars and develops battery traction technology. In a post on LinkedIn, Managing Director Steve McBride wrote ‘it feels like we ...
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NewsČD Night brand aims to raise the profile of sleeper trains
CZECH REPUBLIC: National operator České Dráhy has introduced the ČD Night brand with the aim of raising the profile of its overnight trains, ahead of the launch of a route from Praha to Zürich via Germany with the December timetable change. On October 24 the operator ...
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NewsLKAB orders 100 ore wagons
SWEDEN: Mining company LKAB has awarded Kiruna Wagon a contract to supply a further 100 high-capacity iron ore wagons and refurbish 92 of its existing vehicles. The 92 rebuilt wagons will be fitted with stiffened load baskets and bottom hatches with sliding doors. This is intended ...
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Rail Business UKGrand Union’s Carmarthen to London service approved
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has approved Grand Union Trains’ plans to launch an open access passenger service between London and southwest Wales using bi-mode trains with a high-quality interior including 2+1 seating in standard class. On December 1 ORR announced that it had ...