All News articles – Page 344
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News
Fully functional cab simulators
VIRGIN Trains unveiled three driver simulators when its Crewe training centre was officially opened on March 23.The £2m simulators are based on real train cabs, with all controls fully functional. The two Voyager diesel simulators were supplied by Oktal Technirail, and a Pendolino tilting train simulator by Corys. Each has ...
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Grenoble plans Line C
PLANNING for the construction of a third light rail route in Grenoble moved ahead last month, when a consortium led by Lyon-based Semaly was appointed to act as prime contractor; other partners are Ingerop, Attica and Sogreah. They will work with local transport authority SMTC and Territoires 38.Feasibility studies for ...
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Law may impose ETCS in Britain
THE REPORT of the Joint Inquiry into Train Protection Systems by Lord Cullen and Professor Uff, published on March 29, calls on the British government to introduce regulations requiring all routes on which trains exceed 160 km/h to be fitted with full automatic train protection by 2008.They say that the ...
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Products in Brief
Pfister Waagen has introduced Sirius, a ’weigh rail’ for moving trains. The 1·8m rail is welded into existing track and uses sealed load cells to measure wheel and axle weights of trains passing at 6 to 12 km/h. There is no restriction on the speed of other trains.Speno Rail Maintenance ...
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Industry News in Brief
Canada: Amsted Industries opened a Canadian arm on April 2. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Amsted Canada Inc will provide combined sales and support for ASF-Keystone Inc, Brenco/QBS and Griffin Wheel Co. Czech Republic: CKD Vagonka's Ostrava-Vitkovice passenger rolling stock plant was opened by Prime Minister Milos Zeman on March 23. ...
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Brasilia metro finally inaugurated
CEREMONIES were held in the Brazilian capital on March 31 to mark the formal inauguration of the Brasilia metro. Participating in the event were the Governor of the Federal District, Joaquim Domingos Roriz, the district’s Secretary of Infrastructure & Works Nelson Fadeu Filippelli, and Metr
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Cross-city bore
SPAIN’s Ministry of Development called bids on April 9 for consultants to assist with the development of a second cross-city rail tunnel under Madrid. The 8 km tunnel is intended to carry the capital’s growing suburban traffic, releasing pressure in the existing tunnel for main line services.The aim is to ...
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Bush boosts transit budget
US PRESIDENT George W Bush has put forward a 7·8% increase in public transport funding in his proposed budget for the 2002 financial year, unveiled on April 9. The federal transit programme would receive $6·7bn, whilst the allocation for the Federal Highway Administration would be cut by $1bn. Amtrak would ...
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SNCF bids to conquer the Med
ON JUNE 1 French National Railways will launch commercial services on TGV Méditerranée. Adding 250 km to France’s high speed network, the new line joins end-on with TGV Rh
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Railtrack rescued by government bail-out
KEY STATEMENTS issued on April 2 have altered significantly the relationship between the government and Railtrack, the company that owns and manages Britain’s national rail infrastructure. Payment of a £1·5bn subsidy agreed with the Rail Regulator as recently as January will now be brought forward from the 2006-11 period to ...
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DETR backs light rail schemes
BRITISH Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott confirmed on March 28 that light rail schemes in Leeds, South Hampshire and Bristol had passed a government ’value-for-money’ appraisal. This will enable the promoters to invite bids for a concessionaire to finance, build and operate the lines at a profit. A final go-ahead ...
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Belgian investment authorised
ON TUESDAY March 27 two trains collided head-on at Pécrot, 14 km from Leuven on Belgian National Railways’ line from Ottignies, killing three crew and five passengers. The driver of an empty EMU appears to have misread a signal at Wavre that had been cleared for a freight train, and ...
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Austrian Talents
AUSTRIAN Federal Railways confirmed on April 17 that it had exercised an option to buy a fleet of Talent electric multiple-units from Bombardier Transportation and Elin EBG Traction, at a total value of 166m euros. The deal is the first to be agreed under a ’framework contract’ negotiated last year ...
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Russian reforms approved
THE FINAL programme for structural reform of the Russian rail network was formally endorsed by the cabinet and Prime Minister Mikhail Kassyanov on April 12. The policy was debated by the Duma in March, although it has not yet been voted on. The cabinet agreed to submit the programme for ...
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Reform Council backs Amtrak break-up
ON MARCH 20 the Amtrak Reform Council released a scathing report accusing the National Railroad Passenger Corp of suffering from ’fundamental institutional flaws’. The document noted that Amtrak, set up in 1971, could not function both as a profit-driven organisation and as an arm of public policy. It called for ...
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Japanese form bidding alliance
KAWASAKI Heavy Industries and Hitachi are forming an alliance to bid for rail business worldwide. The two set up a joint order processing centre in April.Combining Hitachi’s background in railway systems with KHI’s rolling stock and construction experience, the companies will jointly take orders to develop their rail businesses, in ...
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Alice - Darwin finalised
ON April 20 documents were signed in Sydney marking Financial Closure of the Alice - Darwin rail link project. Included in the 179 documents was the concession deal between AustralAsia Railway Corp, representing the state governments, and the Asia Pacific Transport Consortium. Construction of the 1410 km line was due ...
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Air-rail developments
Korean National Railroad has opened an unstaffed station at Chongju International Airport. The site was provided by Korea Airports Authority, and North Chungchong Province shared the 300m won cost with KNR. Rail tickets are sold in the airport terminal.H Air passengers arriving in Switzerland from North America can now ...
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India forges ahead with installation
CONSIDERABLE interest in ERTMS/ ETCS has been expressed by railways outside Western Europe, which has brought some comfort to the manufacturers. Eastern Europe in particular is seen to have much potential for applications, with Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary following developments closely. There are also indications of interest ...
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Radio agreement
SIEMENS Transportation Systems and Austria’s Kapsch AG have signed an exclusive agreement to jointly produce and market next generation GSM-R mobile termination units and cab radios.Developed from existing products, the equipment will include General Packet Radio Service data and voice communications functionality. It will meet the requirements of ERTMS radio-based ...