All News articles – Page 42
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NewsCrisis at Pakistan Railways
PAKISTAN: With growing interest in the development of Trans-Asian rail links, one might think that Pakistan Railways has a promising future. But an SOS reaches us from railway headquarters in Lahore warning that PR is on the verge of collapse, following years of ‘seething indifference’ by governments of all parties. ...
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NewsAlstom extends high speed train family
ITALY: Alstom Transport revealed a further addition to its portfolio of high speed trains at the Expo Ferroviaria event in Torino on June 8. The design, which does not yet have a name, combines elements of all of the company’s existing products in the high speed sector, including the AGV ...
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NewsGautrain's World Cup kick-off
SOUTH AFRICA: The first phase of the Gautrain passenger railway opened between Sandton, Marlboro, Rhodesfield and OR Tambo International Airport on June 8, completion having been accelerated so it would be ready for the start of the FIFA World Cup on June 11. Inauguration and ribbon-cutting ceremonies for invited ...
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NewsContracts June 2010
France: Parkeon is to supply a €21m ticketing system encompassing smart card and NFC phone technology for Lille’s metro, tram and bus services. Accor Group’s Grand Est Restauration subsidiary has a two-year contract to provide catering on Alleo TGV services from July 1. Russia: Bombardier has ...
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NewsAmbitious plans will still need funding
SOUTH AFRICA: With public services on the first section of Gautrain between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton due to start on June 8, there seems to be growing enthusiasm for railway investment. From commuter services to high speed trains and heavy haul freight, plenty of ambitious projects are under ...
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NewsStadler opens double-deck train factory
SWITZERLAND: President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard attended the formal opening of Stadler Rail's centre of competence for double-deck electric multiple-units in Altenrhein on June 4, the day after the manufacturer's first Dosto RV EMU for S-Bahn services had been unveiled at Zürich's main station. Stadler has won four ...
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NewsIn seach of lumbar support
SEATS: Recognising that passengers travelling on high speed trains are likely to remain in their seats for between 2 h and 4 h, Compin's research and development unit has been looking at ways to improve comfort by developing seats with an adjustable lumbar support. Noting that the spine lumbar region ...
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NewsProducts & Technology in Brief
NS has launched the Reisplanner Xtra application for iPhones and BlackBerrys. As well as real-time travel information and details of station amenities, this offers pro-active SMS messages when trains are delayed, alerting waiting family or friends to late arrivals. Assisted by staff from QR Ltd and ARTC, researchers ...
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NewsNews in Brief
The Czech Export Bank has agreed to provide a €120m loan to Serbia for the modernisation of the section of Pan-European Corridor X between Nis and the Bulgarian border (RG 2.10 p46). Complete modernisation to be undertaken by a consortium of Czech and Serbian firms includes ...
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NewsRail modernisation plans signed at Kazakh investment summit
KAZAKHSTAN: Major supply contracts and rail-sector co-operation memoranda were among the agreements signed at a national investment summit held in Almaty on June 3-4. A €70m contract to design and supply signalling and telecoms for the 293 km Zhetigen - Korgas 'China Gateway' railway was signed by state railway KTZ ...
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NewsZürich double-decker unveiled
SWITZERLAND: The first of 29 Stadler Rail double-deck electric multiple-units for Zürich S-Bahn services was unveiled at Zürich Hauptbahnhof on June 3. Participating in the handover ceremony were SBB Chief Executive Andreas Meyer, Economics Director of Zürich Canton Ernst Stocker and Stadler Rail CEO Peter Spuhler. The 160 ...
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NewsRail privatisation included in Greek asset sale
GREECE: The government announced the part-privatisation of Hellenic Railways Organisation on June 2. Stakes in a range of state-owned road, port, airport, utility and land assets are to be sold under agreements with the European Commission and international financial institutions which aim to reduce debt and tackle the country's economic ...
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NewsDrone tampers set to work
USA: Harsco Rail has received orders totalling US$6m for its Drone Tamper, which uses two-way wireless ethernet technology to follow a conventional lead tamper as an unmanned, fully-automated chase vehicle that can tamp track roadbed without an operator onboard. A radar-controlled warning system mounted on the Drone alerts trackworkers when ...
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NewsAlstom-TMH signs €1bn EP20 locomotive contract
RUSSIA: RZD placed an order for 200 EP20 dual-system electric locomotives for inter-city passenger services at the 1520 Strategic Partnership event in Sochi on May 27. The 3 kV DC/25 kV AC single unit locomotives will be the first products to emerge as a result of the alliance between Transmash ...
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NewsGreater certainty in rail welds
WELDING: Corus Rail has develped a novel technique for repairing discrete defects on the rail surface. The semi-automated open arc welding method offers considerable benefits over conventional Manual Metal Arc repairs, the company says. Open arc welding uses flux-cored arc wire with a lower preheat temperature to manage the metallurgical ...
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NewsSigns of fatigue
NETHERLANDS: Infrastructure manager ProRail is trialling sensors using third-generation Gotcha technology to monitor freight train wheelsets. The QuoVadisII project measures wheel profiles and axle-loads as trains pass over the sensors. An abnormal weight distribution over the wheelset could indicate a defect in the wheel, axle or bearings. The operator of ...
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News€4bn suburban spend in Valencia
SPAIN: The Ministry of Development and the Valencia regional government have unveiled a 2010-20 suburban infrastructure investment plan to which they are to contribute €34bn and €555m respectively. Major projects include a €750m cross-city link in Valencia running 6 km from the existing Nord terminus to join the route ...
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NewsLiberian ore line to spur Guinea revival
AFRICA: A revival of passenger and general freight services on the 662 km Chemins de fer de Guinée line is among commitments the BSG Resources (Guinea) Ltd mining joint venture has made in return for permission from the governments of Guinea and Liberia to build a new iron ore export ...
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NewsBoring begins beneath Madrid
SPAIN: Development Minister José Blanco joined ADIF President Antonio González on April 24 to mark the start of tunnelling on the 7·3 km route for high speed services between Atocha and Chamartín stations in Madrid. The €206m link will comprise 6835 m of 10·4 m diameter tunnel, being excavated ...
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NewsRail attracts investors
CHINA: Investors including Bank of China signed an agreement on May 6 to establish Jinyulu Railway Channel Co, which will develop a 99·8bn yuan freight line running 1260 km from coal mines at Xingxian in Shanxi province, through Henan to the Yellow Sea port of Rizhao. Bank of China ...