All News articles – Page 106
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NewsInter-city stock brought up to modern standards
POLAND: A motley collection of rolling stock was inherited by PKP Intercity, which had to launch an urgent programme of modernisation to meet the expectations of today’s market, reports Ryszard Piech.
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NewsMetering validates regeneration saving
ENERGY: Long-term metering of the electric current consumed by a Virgin Trains Class 390 Pendolino in revenue-earning service in the UK has shown energy savings in line with the 16·5% discount on Network Rail's existing traction current tariff for trains equipped with regenerative braking.
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Brake ventures formed in Johannesburg
SOUTH AFRICA: US-based railway supply group Wabtec Corp announced on August 6 that it had established two joint ventures to expand its manufacturing, supplies and service business in the South African market. Based at Kempton Park near Johannesburg, the two joint ventures have Sibanye Brakes of South Africa as ...
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NewsLeasing for the 'final mile'
NORTHRAIL: A new entrant to the leasing market based in Germany, Northrail is a 74:26 joint venture between investment group Paribus and Seehafen Kiel, operator of the Baltic Sea port. Following an initial capital investment of €25m, Northrail has established a pool of 12 locomotives, with lease agreements already in ...
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NewsSupplying springs for Tehran
SUSPENSION: Trelleborg Industrial has won a second contract to supply China Southern's Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Works with Metalastik hourglass bearer springs for use on locos being built for Iran. Trelleborg said the simple and low maintenance design of the steel and rubber springs makes them particularly suitable for situations where ...
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NewsTargeted weedkilling
WEED CONTROL: European infrastructure managers were shown the capabilities of Weedfree's newly-commissioned weed killing train during demonstration runs held in Belgium during June. Developed in Hungary by Gaal-Gaal, the train's computer systems locate weeds using infra-red cameras corresponding to each of the nine spray booms. GPS is used ...
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Genesee & Wyoming to buy Ohio Central
USA: Genesee & Wyoming Inc announced on August 4 that it had signed an agreement to purchase the Coshocton-based Ohio Central Railroad System, which operates nine short lines in Ohio and Pennsylvania. GWI has agreed to pay US$219m in cash, and a contingent consideration worth approximately $25m. GWI currently owns ...
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A second set of eyes
IMAGING: Rail Runner Express trains in New Mexico have been fitted with digital cameras which synchronise video with data from event recorders. Jointly developed by Railhead Vision Systems and Wi-Tronix, the technology generates a single downloadable file containing both video and data. Authorised staff are alerted if an emergency ...
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Faiveley completes US acquisition
USA: On July 31 Faiveley Transport confirmed that it had completed the acquisition of a 100% equity shareholding in Ellcon-National, a manufacturer of braking equipment and wagon loading devices based in Greenville, South Carolina. With a staff of around 300 people, Ellcon-National recorded sales of US$58m in 2007. Describing the ...
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Double-deck on Paris Line A
FRANCE: Following a finance agreement with STIF, the Ile-de-France transport authority, RATP intends to call tenders for replacement rolling stock on RER Line A. At the end of June, RATP presented STIF with its proposals to procure an initial batch of 30 double-deck EMUs at a cost of €600m to ...
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NewsPilbara access battle continues
AUSTRALIA: Fortescue Metals is a step closer to gaining access to the Pilbara railway networks owned by rival mining groups BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. In mid-June the National Competition Council recommended that the Robe River, Hamersley and Goldsworthy rail lines should be opened up, in order to boost competition ...
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NewsPointers August 2008
The governments of France and Spain have agreed to establish a European Economic Interest Group that will be responsible for the design, construction and operation of a new central rail crossing of the Pyrenees, whose route is to be selected in autumn 2009. By the end of this year, SNCF ...
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People in the News - August 2008
Dr Sebastian Jürgens will leave DB on September 30 to join the board at Hamburger Hafen und Logistik. He will be replaced as head of DB's Intermodal Business Area by Hans-Georg Werner (right). Michel Aymeric has been appointed Managing Director at French rail safety authority EPSF. Mike Coupe has moved ...
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NewsDon't re-regulate rail freight
REGULATION: Rail has a major role to play in reducing energy use and addressing environmental concerns in North America, but proposals being debated in the US Congress to increase regulation of the sector could halt much-needed investment in additional capacity, argues Ed Hamberger.
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Cross-acceptance
EUROPE: Legislation to require the cross-?acceptance of rail vehicles between EU member states moved forward on July 9, when the European Parliament voted to approve the second reading of amendments to the 2004 Railway Safety Directive. The Parliament endorsed an earlier conciliation discussion with the Council of Ministers which should ...
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DMU framework in place
GERMANY: Following a month-long tendering process, DB has awarded five framework contracts covering the supply of up to 300 regional DMUs to Alstom, Siemens and Stadler. Orders can be called off as required up to 2011 at a total cost of €430m. 'We want to have modern, efficient vehicles available ...
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Regional high speed contracts
SPAIN: Corsán and Bruesa have been awarded a €34·9m contract for civil works on the 7 km Fuente de Piedra – Antequera section of the 128 km high speed line between Sevilla and Antequera being built by the Andalucía ?regional government. Work will take 23 months. Between Marchena and Antequera, ...
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Segregation for 200 km/h running
UKRAINE: Minister of Transport & Communications Yosyp Vinsky has announced the designation of a number of UZ’s major inter-city routes as dedicated passenger lines under a US$6·5bn project to permit the operation of 200 km/h services by the time the country co-hosts the UEFA European football championship in 2012 (RG ...
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Galicia upgrade nears end
SPAIN: With the exception of the final 2·3 km into Vigo, where design studies are underway, contracts have now been awarded for all sections of the 155·6 km A Coruña – Santiago de Compostela – Vigo route upgrade. Opening of the 13·1 km Portela – Vilagarcía de Arousa section ...
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NewsSpanish freight to stand alone
SPAIN: Unveiling a package of measures aimed at reviving the national economy, Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced on June 23 that RENFE’s freight business would be established as a stand-alone company within three months. Although 100% state-owned to start with, it is expected that the new venture would ...