News – Page 276
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NewsVäylä to test synthetic sleepers
FINLAND: Transport infrastructure agency Väylä has started testing FFU synthetic sleepers from Sekisui on the 1 524 mm gauge national network, to assess their suitability for use in very low temperatures.
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NewsFull electrification in record infrastructure spend
AUSTRIA: ‘More than €17bn is being spent on railway projects across the whole country’, said Federal Minister for Climate Protection Leonore Gewessler on October 16, announcing with Austrian Federal Railways CEO Andreas Matthä ‘the biggest railway investment package that the Republic has ever seen’.
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NewsOuigo adds digital infotainment portal
FRANCE: Passengers travelling on Ouigo low-cost high speed services between Paris and Lyon are now able to access a wide range of information and entertainment options thanks to a partnership between the operator and digital services company Moment.
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NewsAmsterdam – Wien sleeper train testing
NETHERLANDS: Trial running has been completed for the operation of Nightjet sleeper trains between Amsterdam and Wien from the December timetable change, when Amsterdam will rejoin the network of European overnight trains for the first time since 2016. Following a tender, Dutch national passenger operator NS has ...
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NewsLNVG awards Niedersachsen Mitte diesel operating contract
GERMANY: Niedersachsen transport authority LNVG has awarded DB Regio a contract to operate a bundle of local passenger services on non-electrified routes for eight years from December 2021. The Niedersachsen Mitte contract combines the previous Heidekreuz contract, held by Erixx and covering services RB37 Bremen Hbf – ...
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NewsLong-distance fleet renewal recommended
NORWAY: Working with leasing company Norske Tog and infrastructure manager Bane NOR, the national railway directorate has recommended the purchase of a single type of passenger train to replace the country’s entire long-distance fleet over the next decade.
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NewsCP to acquire full ownership of Detroit River rail tunnel
NORTH AMERICA: Canadian Pacific has entered into an agreement to acquire full ownership of the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership, which owns the 2·6 km immersed tube tunnel that has linked Windsor in Canada with Detroit in the USA since 1910. CP currently holds a 16·5% stake the ...
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Rail Business UKNew CrossCountry contract includes capacity, accessibility and environmental improvements
UK: The Department for Transport has directly awarded incumbent Arriva a new contract to operate CrossCountry services for a further three years. CrossCountry Managing Director Tom Joyner tells Rail Business UK about the operator’s plans, saying ’the good thing is the longevity, which CrossCountry really needs as it gives us a real chance to do some serious planning for the future.’
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NewsTax deal helps pulp supplier source transport fleet
BRAZIL: Wood pulp and cellulose production company Bracell has qualified for an incentive scheme offering tax benefits towards the acquisition of rolling stock needed to move pulp between Pederneiras and the port of Santos in São Paulo state on the Atlantic coast, a distance of around 400 ...
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NewsSAFRA awarded first contract to refurbish TER trainsets
FRANCE: SNCF has awarded SAFRA a contract to refurbish 12 three-car multiple-units used in the Midi-Pyrénées area and seven four-car sets used in Languedoc-Roussillon. There is an option for a further 10 trains. SAFRA said the 26-month contract announced on October 15 marks its entry into a ...
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NewsDB awarded Donau-Isar operating contract
GERMANY: Bayern railway agency BEG has awarded DB Regio the Donau-Isar contract covering the operation of a group of regional passenger services for 12 years from December 2024. The contract is split into two phases, to enable a restructuring once the second cross-city S-Bahn tunnel through München ...
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NewsUnique Rail Vehicle Identification System planning underway
INTERNATIONAL: The first formal meeting of the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s Group of Experts on establishing a common, permanent unique marking system for rolling stock took place in Genève during September. This marked the start of a two-year programme to formulate a set of practical rules ...
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NewsArriva and ČD win long-distance contracts
CZECH REPUBLIC: Arriva Vlaky has been awarded a seven-year contract to operate PSO-supported inter-regional services on routes R14A and R14B from Liberec to Pardubice and Ústí nad Labem with effect from December 13. The Ministry of Transport announced on October 5 that Arriva’s bid was KC302m lower ...
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Rail Business UKRail Technical Strategy to focus on outcomes
UK: A vision for the development and deployment of technology across the UK rail sector was unveiled on October 13 with the publication of the 2020 Rail Technical Strategy.
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NewsEppenberg tunnel opens for traffic
SWITZERLAND: As part of its project to four-track the 13·4 km Olten – Aarau line, SBB formally inaugurated its new Eppenberg tunnel on October 12.
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NewsEU track access rebates approved
EUROPE: A regulation permitting European Union member states to waive or defer track access charges in order to support the rail sector through the coronavirus pandemic has been formally adopted by the EU Council and European Parliament.
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NewsAssisted Remote Shunting obstacle detection trial
SWITZERLAND: Knorr-Bremse is equipping a number of SBB Cargo shunting locomotives with the Assisted Remote Shunting obstacle detection system developed by Rail Vision, an Israeli start-up in which the braking system manufacturer has a 21·3% stake. ARS is designed to enable a single person to control ...
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NewsRetrack and European Loc Pool announce long-term locomotive leasing deal
EUROPE: VTG Rail Logistics subsidiary Retrack has signed a long-term full-service leasing contract with European Loc Pool covering up to four Stadler EuroDual six-axle electro-diesel locomotives. To be delivered from Q1 2021, these will be rated at 2·8 MW in diesel mode and 6 MW in electric ...