News – Page 378
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NewsSlow growth in private finance of rolling stock
EUROPE: Private sector funding accounted for 42% of all rolling stock orders placed in 2015-17, but only 23% by volume, according to a market study published on May 20. Undertaken for the Rail Working Group by Roland Berger, the study is the third to look at the evolution of the ...
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News‘World’s largest fleet of fuel cell trains’ ordered
GERMANY: Following a European tender, the Fahma rolling stock subsidiary of Rhein-Main transport authority RMV has awarded Alstom a contract to supply and support a fleet of 27 fuel cell multiple-units. ‘RMV will have the world's largest fleet of fuel cell trains in passenger service’, said RMV Managing Director Prof ...
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NewsMOB’s gauge-changing bogies pass test
SWITZERLAND: Montreux-Oberland Bahn is on course to launch its long-planned through-service between Montreux and Interlaken on December 13 2020, following the completion of tests with specially-developed dual-gauge bogies and a gauge-changing facility at the break of gauge in Zweisimmen. Announcing the success of the trials during a demonstration of the ...
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NewsDutch transport interchange inaugurated
NETHERLANDS: The Lansingerland-Zoetermeer interchange which brings together RandstadRail light rail, NS rail and bus services, a park-and-ride site and cycling facilities at a site to the east of Den Haag and north of Rotterdam has been officially inaugurated by State Secretary for Infrastructure & Water Management Stientje Van Veldhoven and ...
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Metro Report InternationalZhengzhou metro’s circular Line 5 opens
CHINA: The 40·7 km circular Zhengzhou metro Line 5 opened on May 20. Construction of the entirely underground line had been launched in December 2014. Testing began in September last year, with trials running on the complete route from December. The line has 32 stations, with one more expected to ...
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NewsELP places first order under 100-loco framework
EUROPE: Leasing company European Loc Pool has awarded Stadler a firm contract to supply 10 Eurodual Co-Co electro-diesel freight locomotives, within a framework contract covering up to 100 locos. The locomotives will have a 2·8 MW rating in diesel mode and up to 6·15 MW in electric mode, with the ...
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NewsVIA Rail gets buzzy
CANADA: VIA Rail is installing beehives on the rooftops of its stations in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Québec City in partnership with Alvéole, a company which combines beekeeping with education. The national passenger operator hopes this will help to raise awareness among urban populations of the decline of bees and ...
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Metro Report InternationalMesa extension includes USA’s second light rail roundabout intersection
USA: Celebrations on May 18 marked the opening of the 3·0 km Gilbert Road extension of the Valley Metro in Mesa, Arizona. This takes the Phoenix area light rail network to 45 km and 38 stops. The extension runs along Main Street from Mesa Drive to Gilbert Road, and includes ...
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NewsWabtec invests in additive manufacturing
3D PRINTING: Wabtec has purchased an H2 binder jet printer from GE Additive that is to be used to 3D print components for the group’s locomotive, transit, engine and mining products. The printer uses metal binder jetting with stainless steel 316, and Wabtec says that use with other materials ...
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Metro Report InternationalDenver LRT extension to RidgeGate Parkway opens
USA: The Southeast Rail Extension of the Denver light rail network from Lincoln Station to RidgeGate Parkway was opened with a ceremony on May 17. There were celebrations and free travel the following day, before the start of the new timetable on May 19. The 3·7 km extension is shared ...
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NewsShift2Rail study backs fuel cell train development
EUROPE: Fuel cell and hydrogen trains ‘are well positioned to help Europe reach its greenhouse gas, air contaminant and noise reduction goals as a versatile zero-emission technology’, according to a report commissioned by the EU-funded Shift2Rail and Fuel Cells & Hydrogen joint undertakings. Published in conjunction with a Hydrogen Train ...
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NewsSNCF to advise on Czech high speed line standards
CZECH REPUBLIC: Infrastructure manager SŽDC and SNCF Mobilités have signed a KC11m agreement to jointly draw up technical standards and documentation for future high speed lines in the country. SŽDC is currently planning a route from Praha to Dresden including a 26 km tunnel under the Erzgebirge mountains, which would ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
SBB Cargo has begun using automatic couplers as part of a project which it see as a important step towards partial automation of ‘last mile‘ rail operations. It has equipped 100 intermodal wagons and 25 locomotives with Voith Cargoflex couplers at a cost of SFr15m, including SFr9m provided by the ...
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NewsCRRC locomotive on test in North Macedonia
NORTH MACEDONIA: National operator MŽ Transport is testing the first of four CRRC Zhuzhou electric locomotives it has ordered to haul freight on the north–south corridor between the Serbian and Greek borders. The €8m order signed in January 2017 was financed using part of a €50m loan from the European ...
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NewsBoosting bogie performance
BOGIES: Anti-vibration specialist Trelleborg and Bombardier Transportation have developed a hydraulic axle guide element for Bombardier’s Flexx family of bogies which provides frequency-dependent longitudinal stiffness. This reduces wheel and track wear, energy consumption and curve squeal noise. Flexx Curve can be installed in all past and planned Flexx Compact bogies. ...
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NewsFederal funding for California high speed rail pulled
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration announced on May 16 that it had terminated a $928·6m 2010 funding agreement with the California High-Speed Rail Authority. This follows a notice of intention to cancel the funding which had been issued by the FRA in March, after newly-elected Governor of California Gavin ...
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NewsCzech realignment contract awarded
CZECH REPUBLIC: Infrastructure manager SŽDC has awarded a consortium of Strabag Rail, Eurovia CS and Metrostav a KC3·87bn contract to build a new alignment between Soběslav and Doubí u Tábora. This will replace one of the last unmodernised sections of the Corridor 4 route between Praha and České Budějovice ...
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NewsRicardo acquires Australian consultancy under diversification strategy
AUSTRALIA: Ricardo plc has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire rolling stock life cycle management and technical services consultancy Transport Engineering Pty Ltd. The deal announced on May 14 is expected to be completed by the end of June, with the company then operating under the Ricardo brand as ...
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NewsRailway supply industry news round-up
Wien climatic wind tunnel operator Rail Tec Arsenal has split its Project Execution division into separate Rail & Road Vehicles and Aviation & Technical Systems divisions, to cater for the different needs of the sectors. Harting Technology Group has commissioned a robot which simulates real-world operating conditions to test inter-vehicle ...
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NewsPPF sells minority stake in Škoda Transportation
ŠKODA TRANSPORTATION: Petr Kellner’s investment business PPF Group announced on May 7 that it had sold a 10% stake in Škoda Transportation to an entity controlled by Michal Korecký. The price was not disclosed. Korecký had been one of the nine co-owners of Škoda Transportation until PPF completed the €326m ...