News – Page 585
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Metro Report InternationalContract awarded to make Lyon metro Line B driverless
FRANCE: Lyon transport authority Sytral has awarded Alstom a €91m contract to upgrade signalling for driverless operation on two lines of the Lyon metro. Alstom will supply its Urbalis 400 CBTC to Line B, which is due to be converted to driverless operation at the end of 2019. It ...
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NewsHoosier State returns to Amtrak fold
USA: Amtrak is to resume providing rolling stock for the Hoosier State inter-city train between Chicago and Indianapolis with effect from March 1, the Indiana Department of Transportation announced on January 30. Serving intermediate stops at Crawfordsville, Dyer, Lafayette and Rensselaer, the state-sponsored train operates four days per week each ...
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NewsŠkoda double-deck push-pull set for DB on test
GERMANY: The first of six double-deck push-pull trainsets being built by Škoda Transportation for Deutsche Bahn is undergoing trials at the Velim test circuit in the Czech Republic. Entry into service is not now expected before December 2017. The trainset is initially formed of four coaches, although it will operate ...
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NewsDutordoir takes over
BELGIUM: Sophie Dutordoir, formerly head of energy company Electrabel, will take office as CEO of national rail operator SNCB on March 7, succeeding Jo Cornu. Jean-Claude Fontinoy stays on as President while Bart Van Camp becomes a Board Member and is joined by former SNCB CEO Marc Descheemaecker. Filip Boulaert, ...
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NewsWorld rail infrastructure market January 2017
Austria: ÖBB Infrastruktur has signed a framework agreement with Symeo for the manufacture of at least 1000 Railpower Box and Railpower Box Mini GNSS-enabled onboard energy metering systems by 2018, with an optional extension to 2020. Belarus: Chinese contractor CUEC is expected to complete the electrification of BC's 84 ...
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NewsNarrow gauge coaches modernised
GEORGIA: A programme to refurbish locomotive-hauled coaches used on Georgian Railway’s 900 mm gauge Borjomi – Bakuriani line is to be expanded to cope with an increase in ridership on the 37 km route. Two pairs of PV-900 coaches were modernised at the Tbilisi rolling stock works during 2016, but ...
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NewsDeutsche Bahn Chairman Rüdiger Grube quits
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn’s Supervisory Board unanimously approved Dr Rüdiger Grube’s resignation as Chief Executive and Chairman of the Management Board on January 30, and the termination of his contract with immediate effect. Grube’s current contract was due to expire this year, and according to business newspaper Handelsblatt the Supervisory Board ...
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NewsSiemens signs ‘biggest tender for locomotives in Europe’
AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways signed a framework agreement for the supply of up to 200 freight locomotives on January 27, following the expiry of the regulatory standstill period which began when Siemens was named preferred bidder on January 16. The framework with an undisclosed total value covers up to 100 ...
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NewsSBB Cargo adopts new financing model for locomotive order
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways’ freight business said it was ‘entering into new forms of financing’ when it announced an order for 18 Siemens Vectron multi-system electric locomotives on January 30. SBB Cargo International has opted to order the locomotives through LokRoll, a leasing company set up by family-owned investment group ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
European Gateway Services and TX Logistik are to increase Rotterdam-Bayern Express services from five to six departures per week in both directions from February 7. Cargo which has arrived at Rotterdam on a deep sea vessel is available in München the day after the train departs, and can be with ...
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NewsWorld rolling stock market January 2017
Bulgaria: Interpipe’s KLW has produced the first of 240 wheels from its new finishing line in Dnipro for use on BDZ Siemens Desiro EMUs. China: CRRC Qingdao Sifang is to supply a fleet of CRH6 EMUs to the Guangdong Guangzhu Intercity Railway with a total value of 2·4bn yuan. ...
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NewsAdriatic – Baltic rail freight service launched
EUROPE: What is described as the first direct rail freight service between the ports of Trieste in Italy and Kiel in Germany was launched by TX Logistik on behalf of Turkish logistics company EKOL on January 25. There are connections with shipping services to and from Scandinavia, Greece, and Turkey. ...
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Metro Report InternationalCatanzaro metro work begins
ITALY: President of the Calabria region Mario Oliverio has launched work on a metro line in Catanzaro. The 5 km underground link is part of an EU-funded €103m project that also includes upgrading existing rail lines to metro standards. The new line would link Catanzaro station on the FS ...
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NewsGrizzly bear study aims to reduce collisions with trains
CANADA: A five-year study to identify and address the underlying causes of collisions between grizzly bears and trains has been completed by Canadian Pacific, Parks Canada and the universities of Alberta and Calgary. There have been 10 confirmed rail-caused grizzly bear mortalities in the Banff and Yoho national parks over ...
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NewsRM Rail aims to increase wagon exports
RUSSIA: The development of innovative wagon designs, an increase in exports and expansion of the range of castings offered are included in wagon manufacturer RM Rail’s priorities for 2017, according to CEO Pavel Ovchinnikov. The company significantly developed its export activities in 2016, supplying wagons and components to Iran, Cuba, ...
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Metro Report InternationalTunnelling completed on Riyadh metro’s longest line
SAUDI ARABIA: Riyadh Governor Prince Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud attended a ceremony at the future Qasr Al Hokm Downtown station to mark the completion of tunnelling on Line 3 of the Riyadh metro. The 41 km Orange Line includes 11 km of tunnels. These have been ...
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NewsRailway supply industry news round-up
SNCB is assessing market interest in the sale of all of part of its 92% stake in consultancy business Transurb. The other 8% is owned by Brussels transport operator STIB. RZD International has signed a memorandum of understanding for co-operation with Greek national railway group OSE’s ERGA OSE construction ...
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NewsTwo new EMU fleets as DB Regio selected for Rheintal contract
GERMANY: The selection of DB Regio as preferred bidder to operate Rheintal passenger services for 12½ years from June 2020 was announced by the Land of Baden-Württemberg on January 26. Award of the contract is subject to the 10-day regulatory standstill period. The so-called Netz 4 routes had been tendered ...
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Metro Report InternationalTempe Streetcar contractor selected
USA: Valley Metro has approved the main construction contract for the Tempe Streetcar project, selecting Stacy & Witbeck as the contractor. Work is expected to begin later this year. In late 2016 Valley Metro selected Stantec Consulting Services to undertake design work. The 4·8 km route will link Marina ...
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NewsTendering starts for Bogotá — Belencito
COLOMBIA: National infrastructure agency ANI has begun tendering for a contract worth up to 720m pesos to operate the 257 km Bogotá — Belencito route. Proposals are due to be submitted by 10.00 on February 7. Bidders are expected to include Dracol Líneas Férreas which has operated the 914 mm ...