News – Page 188
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NewsRack trainsets enter revenue service
SLOVAKIA: Five rack-and-adhesion trainsets built by Stadler for ŽSSK’s metre gauge rack railway between Štrba and Štrbské Pleso were formally launched into revenue service on February 16. The event was attended by Boris Kollár, Speaker of the National Council, Slovak Minister of Transport & Construction Andrej ...
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NewsMinas Gerais to set up research centre
BRAZIL: The state of Minas Gerais has chosen Viçosa, about 145 km southeast of Belo Horizonte, to be the site for the headquarters of a railway research centre. The Railway Technological Development Nucleus will be located at university campuses in Viçosa, Santos Dumont and São João del Rei, the state announced in early February.
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NewsČD locomotives to be rebuilt as EffiShunters
CZECH REPUBLIC: National operator ČD has awarded CZ Loko a KC684m contract to produce 14 EffiShunter 1000M diesel locomotives by rebuilding Class 742 locos originally manufactured by ČKD Praha in 1977-86. Only the bogies and frames will be retained. To be used for heavy shunting and ...
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NewsSNCF and Alstom unveil first tri-mode Régiolis conversion
FRANCE: SNCF Voyageurs and Alstom have unveiled the first tri-mode battery-electro-diesel Régiolis train, converted from an existing four-car bi-mode trainset.
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Rail Business UKSiemens Mobility awarded Northumberland Line signalling contract
UK: Network Rail has awarded Siemens Mobility a contract to supply signalling and control equipment for the Northumberland Line project to reintroduce passenger services on the freight line between Newcastle and Ashington from 2024. The contract scope includes signalling, telecoms and control equipment, power supply upgrades, ...
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NewsInfranord locos to be equipped with Hitachi ETCS
SWEDEN: Hitachi Rail is to fit ETCS and STM-ATC2 equipment on two Class Tb diesel locomotives operated by state-owned railway construction and maintenance company Infranord. STM-ATC2 enables vehicles equipped with ETCS to operate on lines which have not yet been equipped with ETCS lineside technology. ‘These ...
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NewsTimetable improvements in Frankfurt – Fulda contract
GERMANY: Following a competitive tender, Rhein-Main and Nordhessen transport authorities RMV and NVV have awarded incumbent DB Regio the next contract to operate Kinzigtal services RE50 Frankfurt – Wächtersbach – Fulda – Bebra and RB51 Frankfurt – Wächtersbach from December 14 2025. Planned changes to long-distance ...
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In depthResearch: Extending the role of backup batteries
Projects in Chengdu and Moscow have confirmed that nickel battery technology, originally developed to provide onboard backup services on metro trains, can also provide a cost-effective source of power for emergency traction, eliminating the need to install separate battery packs.
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Metro Report InternationalBrandenburg trials elastomer infills to create cycle-safe tramways
GERMANY: Tram operator Verkehrsbetriebe Brandenburg an der Havel is testing bicycle-safe tram line cover profiles to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety in the city’s old town.
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News28 000 Saudi women apply for high speed train driving jobs
SAUDI ARABIA: More than 28 000 Saudi women have applied for the first 30 train driving jobs to be open to them. The drivers are being recruited by Spanish national operator RENFE, which has a 12-year contract to operate the Haramain High Speed Rail line between ...
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Rail Business UKRolls-Royce and Porterbrook to co-operate on synthetic and net zero fuels
UK: Rolls-Royce and Porterbrook have signed a memorandum of understanding to investigate the potential use of synthetic and net zero fuels in internal combustion engines and fuel cells. The companies will also explore the potential for ‘advanced hybridisation’, based on their experience with the HybridFLEX diesel ...
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NewsCalifornia reverts to double-track high speed line through Central Valley
USA: In a marked reversal of policy since late 2020, the California High Speed Rail Authority’s 2022 Draft Business Plan says it will now complete the initial section of the planned San Francisco – Los Angeles high speed line through the Central Valley as a double-track electrified railway.
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NewsStart selects Stadler to supply cross-border EMU fleet
EUROPE: Regionalverkehr Start Deutschland has awarded Stadler a contract to supply 20 Flirt3XL electric multiple-units for use on Maas-Wupper-Express service RE13 between Germany and the Netherlands.
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NewsUK supplier opens local business in Qingdao
CHINA: British rubber-to-metal bonded component manufacturer Ferrabyrne Ltd has established a Chinese subsidiary to provide ‘made in China for China’ products as part of its strategy of offering local content in local markets. Qingdao Ferrabyrne Rail Technologies Ltd is based in the ...
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NewsPrototype Hybari hydrogen multiple-unit ready for testing
JAPAN: East Japan Railway is to begin testing its prototype HYdrogen-HYBrid Advanced Rail vehicle for Innovation two-car hydrogen multiple-unit during March. Plans for the Hybari unit were announced in June 2019, and agreements for its production were announced in October 2020. The Series FV-E991 test train ...
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Rail Business UKTechnology replaces hand signals at Scottish request stops
UK: Eight lightly-used stations on the Far North line in Scotland are being provided with ‘request to stop’ kiosks, removing the need for waiting passengers to give hand signals to the driver of an approaching train. The kiosks supplied by Unipart Technologies Group’s Comms Design will ...
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NewsAutonomous freight project awarded US government funding
USA: The Department of Energy has awarded $4·4m from its Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy initiative to support the testing of Parallel Systems’ prototype autonomous battery-electric vehicles for transporting containers by rail. The tests are intended to look at vehicle stability, contact-based platooning and energy efficiency. Stability ...
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NewsHeidekrautbahn hydrogen trains ordered
GERMANY: Niederbarnimer Eisenbahn has awarded Siemens Mobility a contract to supply and support six hydrogen fuel cell-powered multiple-units for use on Heidekrautbahn service RB27 to the north of Berlin. Delivery is scheduled by the end of September 2024, for operation from the December 2024 timetable change. ...
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NewsBulgarian train operations reintegrated
BULGARIA: The state rail operations holding company BDZ Holding and its passenger BDZ Ptnicheski Prevozi passenger and BDZ Tovarni Prevozi freight businesses have been reunited as one organisation, Minister of Transport & Communications Nikolay Sabev announced on February 4.