News – Page 142
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In depthViewpoint: Institutional fragmentation has undermined Rail Baltica
On paper Rail Baltica is a perfect match for the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility programme. But three issues need to be addressed, argues Kaspars Briškens, who recently stepped down as Head of Strategy & Development at the standard gauge railway project.
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News3TE28 diesel loco for eastern Russia unveiled
RUSSIA: Transmashholding’s Bryansk plant has unveiled its 3TE28 main line diesel locomotive, a three-section 18-axle design for hauling 7 100 tonne freight trains in eastern Russia. It uses TMH’s 8-9DGM diesel engine produced at the Kolomna works. The locomotive is to undergo 10 000 km of ...
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In depthComment: Energy efficiency at all costs
As an energy crisis looms for many of the world’s railways, our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley asks whether lessons can be learnt from the 1970s oil crisis, and urges the industry to redouble its efforts in maximising its energy efficiency.
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NewsScenic Tadami Line reopens after storm damage
JAPAN: After 11 years of closure following storm damage, the Tadami Line in central Honshu was reopened on October 1.
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NewsMelbourne Airport Rail contract preferred bidder selected
AUSTRALIA: The Sunshine Systems Alliance consortium has been selected as preferred bidder to undertake works around Sunshine and Albion stations as part of the Melbourne Airport Rail scheme.
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NewsElectrification extended southeast of Paris
FRANCE: Electrification of the 72 km Gretz - Longueville – Nogent-sur-Seine section of the Paris Est – Troyes main line and the 7 km single-track Longueville – Provins branch has been completed with the launch of electric services on October 3. Speeds and journey times are unchanged, but electrification is expected to improve reliability.
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In depthPartnership with government needed to deliver rail freight growth
UK: The Rail Freight Group has highlighted the potential for market growth in its response to a call for evidence from the Great British Railways Transition Team, but says this can only be achieved if there is a successful partnership between the private sector and government. ...
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NewsSix-year wagon supply agreement
USA: Leasing company GATX has awarded Trinity Industries a contract to supply 15 000 wagons in 2023-28, with an option to order up to 500 more each year. Trinity will deliver 1 200 tank wagons per year in 2024-28, while the remaining 9 000 wagons will ...
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NewsModular maintenance fleet ordered
AUSTRIA: Plasser & Theurer is to supply ÖBB Infrastruktur with a fleet of 56 modular maintenance vehicles with hybrid traction drives under the largest contract ever placed with the company. The order includes an option for another 46 vehicles. First delivery is scheduled for the end ...
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NewsHydrogen traction and fuel supply agreement signed
POLAND: Rolling stock manufacturer Pesa and fuel company PKN Orlen are to jointly offer rail operators hydrogen vehicles and the fuel they require. The two companies signed an agreement at InnoTrans, held in Berlin on September 21-24, where Pesa displayed a hydrogen shunting locomotive along with ...
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NewsThree-phase Portuguese high speed line plan announced
PORTUGAL: Plans to launch the development of a €4·5bn Lisboa – Porto high speed line as part of the PNI 2030 national investment plan have been announced.
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Rail Business UKRegulator asks for views on next periodic review of HS1 Ltd
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has launched a consultation asking stakeholders to provide views on the processes and approach to the next periodic review of high speed line concessionaire HS1 Ltd. ORR is required by law to approve HS1 Ltd’s plans and charges for ...
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NewsFirst Class Partnerships rebranded
UK: Rail consultancy First Class Partnerships has been rebranded as the UK & Europe Division of its parent company CPCS, working alongside the divisions covering Africa, North America and elsewhere.
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NewsECM becomes Progress Rail Signaling
ITALY: Progress Rail has unveiled the brand for its signalling subsidiary Progress Rail Signaling SpA, the renamed ECM SpA business. The ECM name is to be retained as a product brand, reflecting its wide industry recognition. ‘While our company identity is changing, what remains is our ...
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NewsNon-traditional materials to reduce bogie weights
SLOVAKIA: The readiness of the rail freight market to accept the use of non‑traditional materials in bogie production is being assessed in Tatravagónka’s Y25LsAL‑C-K bogie project, for which technical and economic feasibility studies are now underway. The wagon manufacturer says weight reductions and the resulting improvements ...
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NewsFenniarail orders electric locomotive to support growth
FINLAND: Private freight operator Fenniarail has announced a firm order for Siemens Mobility to supply one Vectron electric locomotive by the end of October 2023, with an option for a further four. The operator is to invest in a maintenance depot in the Kouvola region, and ...
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NewsLouisiana short line acquisition agreement
USA: Patriot Rail has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Delta Southern Railroad, which operates two sections of line in Louisiana totalling around 60 km. The Monroe – Sterlington and Tallulah – Lake Providence lines serve the Mississippi river ports of Madison Parish and Lake ...
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Rail Business UKRENFE looks at entering UK rail market through open access partnership
UK: Managing Director Ian Yeowart tells Rail Business UK about Grand Union Trains’ latest plan to launch a London – Carmarthen service in partnership with a Spanish investor and national operator RENFE.
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NewsService increases and new trains in German operating contract
GERMANY: Berlin-Brandenburg transport authority VBB has awarded DB Regio Nordost the contract to operate Netz Nord-Süd passenger services on behalf of the Länder of Berlin, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Sachsen-Anhalt. The contract runs for 12 years from December 2026 and covers services RE3 Schwedt/Stralsund – Berlin – ...
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In depthEurope: Overcoming the language barrier
Developed by UIC and RailNetEurope with funding from the Shift2Rail joint undertaking, the Translate4Rail tool offers hope that the thorny problem of drivers and dispatchers speaking different languages on cross-border routes in Europe can finally be resolved. Toma Bačić explains.