News – Page 254
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Rail Business UKRail Academy interactive training portal rolled out
UK: The Institution of Railway Operators has completed the phased launch of Rail Academy, a ‘one-stop’ online training platform providing remote learning courses for operating staff of varying experience and skill levels.
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Rail Business UKRoyal Assent for Phase 2a takes High Speed 2 to Crewe
UK: The HS2 Phase 2a: High Speed Rail (West Midlands to Crewe) Bill obtained Royal Assent on February 11, granting legal powers for the construction and operation of the 58 km section of high speed line between Fradley near Lichfield and Crewe. Project promoter HS2 Ltd ...
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NewsLianyungang – Ürümqi high speed corridor completed
CHINA: The 185 km Xulian high speed line between Lianyungang and Xuzhou in eastern China was opened for revenue service on February 8. This completes the 3 422 km Lianyungang – Ürümqi corridor, which is the longest east-west route within the ‘eight vertical and eight horizontal’ ...
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NewsHamilton – Auckland connector is ready to roll
NEW ZEALAND: The long-planned regional passenger service connecting Hamilton and Auckland will launch on April 6, Waikato Regional Council announced on February 10.
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NewsVectron validates ETCS on Øresund Bridge
EUROPE: Test running on the Øresund fixed link with an ETCS-equipped Vectron locomotive from Siemens Mobility has successfully validated the use of ERTMS onboard equipment for cross-border operation between Sweden, Denmark and Germany. The link is fitted with a mixture of Swedish and Danish signalling and electrification ...
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NewsModaxo acquires driver advisory system company TTG
INTERNATIONAL: Toronto-based technology collective Modaxo Inc has acquired driver advisory systems developer TTG Transportation Technology to expand its presence in the rail market. Based in Sydney, Australia, and Stirling in the UK, TTG has developed and supplied stand-alone and connected DAS since 2007. It now has ...
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Rail Business UKGrand Union’s London – Cardiff open access plan rejected
UK: The Office of Rail & Road has rejected Grand Union Trains Ltd’s application to introduce an open access passenger service between London Paddington and Cardiff Central. Grand Union had hoped to operate seven return services a day from December 2021 using Class 91 electric locomotives, ...
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Rail Business UKSiemens Mobility awards contracts for train factory to ‘put Goole on the map’
UK: Siemens Mobility Ltd has awarded contracts totalling £50m for the first phase of construction of the £200m rolling stock factory at Goole where it is to produce trainsets for London Underground’s Piccadilly Line, with potential follow-on orders for the Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City ...
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NewsSingle-track corridor to launch Californian high speed service by 2030
USA: California High Speed Rail Authority’s Revised Draft Business Plan envisages the completion of a 270 km ‘interim service line’ which would initially be mostly single track, and sets out revised cost and ridership estimates for the project.
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NewsTrain-to-train transfers as MegaHub Lehrte automated freight terminal steps up operations
GERMANY: Intermodal services using the automated MegaHub terminal at Lehrte will be stepped up significantly in April, and train-to-train transfers will begin.
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NewsWestbahn cutbacks in prospect as public service contract ends
AUSTRIA: More than half of Westbahn’s inter-city passenger services between Wien and Salzburg may be withdrawn within the next few days, unless agreement is reached to continue the interim support provided by the government for operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. Affecting both Austrian Federal Railways and ...
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NewsGreenbrier and Longwood announce wagon leasing joint venture
USA: Wagon manufacturer The Greenbrier Companies and transport asset advisory and management firm Longwood Group have announced plans to form a wagon leasing joint venture in the first quarter of this year. GBX Leasing’s initial portfolio will be based on leased wagons on Greenbrier’s balance sheet ...
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Rail Business UKSouthern’s first refurbished Electrostar returns to service
UK: Unit 377 430 is the first Electrostar electric multiple-unit to return to service following refurbishment under Govia Thameslink Railway’s fleet modernisation programme. The £55m programme known as Project Aurora covers 214 Bombardier Transportation Class 377 Electrostar trainsets operated on Southern services, and 56 similar Class ...
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NewsEstonian EMU contract awarded
ESTONIA: Passenger operator Elron has formally awarded a consortium of Škoda Vagonka and Škoda Transportation a €56·2m contract to supply six electric multiple-units by the end of 2024, with an option for 10 more. The EMUs are intended for use on serves ...
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NewsGono Line DMUs replaced
JAPAN: East Japan Railway has begun introducing new diesel-electric multiple-units to operate its Gono Line along the scenic northwestern coast of Honshu.
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Metro Report InternationalSupertram training programme developed as Semcon targets the rail market
UK: Technical documentation and digital training specialist Semcon is to develop a training system which will enable technicians at Sheffield’s Supertram to learn about the Controller Area Network bus system used on the network’s fleet of Vossloh Citylink tram-trains. The CAN bus allows the onboard microcontrollers ...
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NewsCertifying a Chinese electric locomotive for EU operation
EUROPE: Type approval testing is about to begin with a prototype main line electric locomotive with last-mile capability which CRRC Zhuzhou has designed and built to the specifications of Austrian Federal Railways’ subsidiary Rail Cargo Hungaria.
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Rail Business UKWales & Borders rail franchise taken into public ownership
UK: The Welsh Government took Wales & Borders passenger services into public ownership on February 7, insisting that the move which had been announced in October would provide longer-term financial stability to ‘protect services, safeguard jobs and deliver infrastructure improvements in light of the ongoing challenges of coronavirus.’
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Rail Business UKCustom jacks for a confined space
UK: Depot equipment specialist Mechan developed a bespoke set of slimline lifting jacks for use in the confined space between shed wall and track at Davis Wagon Services’ workshop on the Isle of Grain in Kent. Mechan modified its jack design to make the footprint as ...