The 10 pre-series Siemens/Stadler Class 483/484 trainsets for the Berlin S-Bahn have entered regular service on route S47 following the completion of in-service testing between Spindlersfeld and Hermannstraße, the manufacturers announced on August 18. ‘The new trains have proven to be reliable both in February snow and in the first hot days of summer’, said S-Bahn Berlin CEO Peter Buchner. ‘Our close co-operation with the manufacturers and the extensive test programme required by [transport authority] VBB prior to regular passenger service have paid off.’
A joint venture of Systra and KBR has been awarded an Independent Certification Services contract for the Sydney Metro West project. It covers several work packages, including tunnelling, stations, integrated station development, line wide systems, trains, control systems, maintenance and operations through design and construction to completion.
Enika’s Złotniki factory has begun supplying Warszawa’s Tramwaje Warszawskie with 197 converters and 98 inverters for 105Na trams at rate of eight converters every month.
SOLiD is to supply London Underground mobile connectivity infrastructure concessionaire BAI Communications with its Genesis Distributed Antenna System.
CEO of Phoenix’s Valley Metro Scott Smith is to retire when his current term expires at the end of the current financial year. ‘I’m ready to move on to the next chapter in my life and turn the keys over to new leadership’, he said. The Valley Metro board has begun the process of retaining an executive search firm to seek a successor.
The USA’s Transportation Security Administration has extended the face mask requirement for all transport networks until January 18 2022. TSA’s initial face mask requirement went into effect on February 1 2021 with an expiration date of May 11, and was then extended to September 13.
Clive Pennington, Technical Director for Light Rail at Amey, and Colin Kerr, who leads the Edinburgh Trams Safety & Projects team, have been appointed as non-executive directors of the UK’s Light Rail Safety & Standards Board.