News – Page 481
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NewsIsaka – Kigali electrification proposed
AFRICA: The governments of Tanzania and Rwanda have commissioned a feasibility study into electrification of the long-planned 521 km cross-border rail link between Isaka and Kigali. Provisionally costed at US$2·5bn, the line is intended to connect the landlocked countries of Rwanda and Burundi with the inland container terminal at Isaka ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
Konkan Railway inaugurated a multimodal logistics park at Balli station near Madgaon in Goa state on March 28. The park has been set up with an investment of Rs430m by Konkan Railway and Container Corporation of India Ltd. Swedish port operator Yilport has awarded Green Cargo a three-year contract to ...
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NewsGrand Central unveils refurbished train
UK: The first of 10 Alstom Class 180 inter-city diesel multiple-units to be refurbished by Arriva TrainCare under a £9m programme was unveiled by open access operator Grand Central on April 3. The full interior refresh includes new seats with leather edging in standard class, new floor coverings throughout, an ...
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NewsHigh speed trainset to be converted for freight
ITALY: National freight operator Mercitalia has revealed plans to convert an ETR500 high speed trainset to carry freight. The Mercitalia Fast service would be aimed at the market for time-sensitive shipments, with customers expected to include couriers, logistics operators, manufacturers and distributors. The ETR500 would be equipped for the rapid ...
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NewsEurasian transit freight joint venture restructured
INTERNATIONAL: The United Transport & Logistics Co intermodal transit freight joint venture of the national rail operators of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia was reorganised with effect from April 2. UTLC said the changes which had been approved by the partners at the end of last year were intended to increase ...
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Metro Report InternationalAnsaldo STS wins Paris metro CBTC contract
FRANCE: Ansaldo STS is to supply CBTC signalling equipment for Line 6 of the Paris metro. The contract with RATP announced on April 6 is worth €17·6m. Ansaldo STS is to supply its Zone Controller and Frontam lineside equipment for the 14 km line with 28 stations as part ...
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NewsOsaka metro reform paves the way for investment drive
JAPAN: The Osaka metro has been restructured from a public body to an arms-length company, with the city government’s Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau becoming Osaka Metro Co on April 1. Former Panasonic executive Hideaki Kawai has been brought in as President of the new company, under changes pushed through by ...
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NewsTransPennine Express Nova 3 fleet on test
UK: Now undergoing trials at the Velim test track in the Czech Republic is a set of Mark 5A locomotive-hauled coaches destined for inter-city services across the north of England operated by TransPennine Express. Due to enter service later this year, the set is part of a 13-strong fleet of ...
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NewsRailway supply industry news round-up
On April 3 the Austrian antitrust court approved VTG’s acquisition of Nacco Group, subject to conditions. German approval had been granted the previous week, and so the transaction has now been approved by all relevant parties. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2018. With effect ...
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NewsKuala Lumpur – Singapore high speed rail civils partners selected
MALAYSIA: Promoter MyHSR Corp announced on April 5 that it had selected the project delivery partners which will design and build the civil works for the Malaysian section of the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore High Speed Rail project. A consortium of Malaysian Resources Corp and Gamuda has been selected for ...
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Metro Report InternationalNew cross-city line in €5bn Madrid suburban plan
SPAIN: On April 5 Development Minister Íñigo de la Serna unveiled a 2018-25 investment plan for Madrid’s Cercanías suburban network, the result of a year-long study by the Ministry of Development, infrastructure authority ADIF and train operator RENFE. To improve reliability and service quality, the plan has an investment budget ...
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NewsDutch railway extension crosses the sea wall
NETHERLANDS: The first passenger service ran to a new station at the port of Eemshaven north of Groningen on March 28. The northernmost station in the country will be served by five trains per day in the high season and three in the low season, operated by Arriva as an ...
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NewsCambodia opens Thai border rail link
CAMBODIA: Passenger services have been launched on the reinstated 48 km section of the line between provincial capital Sisophon and Poipet on the border with Thailand. The service operated by national railway concessionaire Royal Railway was inaugurated by Minister of Public Works & Transportation Sun Chanthol an April 4. There ...
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Metro Report InternationalDurmazlar trams to run off-wire in Istanbul
TURKEY: Alstom announced on April 5 that it is to supply its APS ground-level power supply technology for tram route T5, which is under construction in Istanbul. Alstom will also provide staff training and a two-year warranty. APS uses an embedded third rail to supply power to trams, removing ...
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NewsPort of Brisbane rail link study announced
AUSTRALIA: The Queensland and federal governments have agreed to jointly fund a A$1·5m independent study into improving rail freight connections between Acacia Ridge and the Port of Brisbane. This could include the construction of a dedicated freight line. To be completed in the next 12 months, the study will take ...
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NewsSlovenian Railways to order Stadler multiple-units
SLOVENIA: The supervisory board of national operator SŽ approved the award of a contract for the supply of 25 multiple-units at its meeting on April 3. Signing of the €170m contract is subject to final approval from the state’s asset holding company. This follows a tendering process ...
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NewsRiyadh metro test running begins
SAUDI ARABIA: Test running started on the Riyadh metro on April 4 using an Alstom Metropolis trainset. The six-line network is due to open next year. Work is being undertaken in three packages. Lines 1 and 2 are being designed and built by the BACS consortium led by Bechtel and ...
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NewsVDL delivers electric buses to ’s-Hertogenbosch
NETHERLANDS: VDL Bus & Coach has delivered nine Citea SLF-120 Electric buses to Arriva for operation on routes 8 and 9 in ’s-Hertogenbosch. The manufacturer has also supplied a fast charger, which is located at the terminus and allows the buses’ batteries to be charged via a roof-mounted pantograph. ...
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NewsStadler to double capacity of bogie centre
HUNGARY: Stadler is to invest €30m to double the capacity of its centre of competence for bogie refurbishment in Szolnok from 250 to 500 bogies per year. The investment announced on March 29 is to be undertaken in two phases. The first phase of construction will get underway in April ...
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NewsUK railway news round-up
A 15 000-strong workforce completed more than 400 Network Rail projects over the Easter period from March 30 to April 2. Major schemes included the closure of Manchester Victoria to allow track to be replaced and to lower track under Cheetham Hill Road bridge as part of Manchester to Stalybridge ...