News – Page 82
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NewsPanoramic coaches added to Kyrgyz trains
KYRGYZSTAN: A second panoramic tourist coach has entered service on the 200 km route between Bishkek and Balykchy on the shore of the Ysyk-Köl lake.
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Rail Business UKCompetition & Markets Authority narrows concerns over Hitachi acquisition of Thales signalling business
UK: Hitachi Rail’s planned €1·7bn acquisition of Thales’ Ground Transportation Systems business would not result in a substantial lessening of competition in the UK communications-based train control market, the Competition & Markets Authority says in an update of its provisional conclusions on the transaction. The announcement ...
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In depthComment: Trains on the tourist trail
As summer moves into autumn in the northern hemisphere, a debate is beginning over the future of tourism, catalysed in part by the searing heatwaves and wildfires that have been sweeping across much of the planet.
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NewsBritish HSTs among fleets finding new homes in Mexico
MEXICO: Redundant UK inter-city diesel trains and two tram-trains have been acquired by the Mexican navy, according to local sources.
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NewsTransPennine Express to stop using loco-hauled push-pull trains in December
UK: TransPennine Express has confirmed that it will cease using its push-pull sets of Class 68 locomotives and MkVa coaches, previously designated ‘Nova 3’, from the December 2023 timetable change. The decision is the result of a review of operations after TPE was transferred to the ...
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NewsIndustry concerns as Swedish train planning woes continue
SWEDEN: Maintenance and operations contractor Railcare says train operators and contractors have been experiencing ‘tough industry conditions’ owing to ‘major problems’ with the introduction of Trafikverket’s market-adapted planning method for allocating train paths. The MPK platform and working methods went live in December but ran into ...
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NewsPresident presents Serbian railway plan
SERBIA: President Aleksandar Vučić has announced plans for development of the rail network by 2027, including proposals to begin construction of a rail link to Beograd airport. The 18 km double-track electrified line designed for 120 km/h operation would run from Zemun Polje to Beograd Nikola ...
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NewsRail projects tax exemption will be ‘gigantic incentive’
BRAZIL: The National Council for Finance Policy has approved a proposal to exempt rail investment projects from a tax on the circulation of goods and transport and communication services, known as ICMS. The transport ministry expects the decision on August 9 to foster demand for rolling ...
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Rail Business UKNetwork Rail orders trial batch of ‘green’ steel rails
UK: To help assess whether ‘green’ track renewals could be a viable option, Network Rail has ordered a trial batch of rails manufactured by Saarstahl using an electric arc furnace. Network Rail is seeking to understand the technical differences between EAF and non-EAF steel, particularly from ...
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NewsModi launches Indian Railways station redevelopment programme
INDIA: As part of its national focus on infrastructure investment, the government has launched a programme to redevelop 508 stations across the country, at an estimated cost of Rs244·7bn.
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NewsOn-train connectivity rolls out
EUROPE: Following successful trials on the UK’s Island Line, FirstGroup’s railway telecoms company Evo-rail has worked with Comsa to install its Rail-5G on-train connectivity technology on the Figueres - Perpignan high speed line between Spain and France. Evo-rail said the mmWave technology which uses trackside antenna ...
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NewsAmtrak achieves top score in Disability Equality Index
USA: National passenger train operator Amtrak has scored 100 out of 100 on the Disability Equality Index for the second year running. The DEI was launched in 2015 by Disability:IN and the American Association of People with Disabilities to help businesses make a positive impact on ...
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NewsCalifornia High-Speed Rail Authority begins procurement of 355 km/h trains
USA: California High-Speed Rail Authority has begun the process of procuring six electric trainsets capable of operating at 355 km/h. On August 24 the board approved the release of a request for qualifications. Responses are to be submitted by prospective manufacturers in November, with a request ...
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NewsAustrian ETCS roll-out advances
AUSTRIA: ÖBB-Infrastruktur and Siemens Mobility have commissioned ETCS Level 2 on the Linz – Wels – Vöcklabruck and Wels – Haiding routes as the first project under a 2021 framework agreement for a roll-out on main routes across the country. This will involve installing a total ...
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NewsLonger Serbian Flirt EMU delivered
SERBIA: The first of the latest batch of Stadler Flirt electric multiple-units was delivered to national operator Srbija Voz on August 17. Srbija Voz agreed a €112m contract with Stadler in December 2021 covering the supply of 18 more Flirt EMUs; the deal is being financed ...
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Rail Business UKHow to tell rail passengers not to travel
UK: Transport Focus has published a report into how train operators can improve ‘do not travel’ messages at times of major disruption. The watchdog says its research has found that ‘many passengers struggled with the whole notion that the railway runs trains but tells people not ...
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NewsSiemens Mobility begins construction of $220m North Carolina factory
USA: A groundbreaking ceremony on August 23 launched construction of Siemens Mobility’s future passenger rolling stock manufacturing and services facility in Lexington, North Carolina. The $220m plant will produce passenger coaches and overhaul locomotives and hauled stock. It is scheduled to open in 2024, and is ...
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NewsInfrastructure managers continue technology co-operation
EUROPE: British and Dutch railway infrastructure managers Network Rail and ProRail have signed a memorandum of understanding for continued co-operation in areas including automated inspection, acoustic monitoring using fibre optic cables, digitisation, asset management, measurement trains and embankment stability. The MoU signed in Den Haag on ...