Passenger rail news – Page 108
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NewsUITP publishes updated passenger charter
EUROPE: The International Association of Public Transport has published a new version of its Passenger Charter, which has been updated from the 2006 version in partnership with the European Passengers Federation to take account of regulatory changes and technical developments including the growth of e-ticketing and real-time information. The charter ...
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NewsBanedanmark settles with Alstom over ETCS delays
DENMARK: Infrastructure manager Banedanmark has reached a settlement with Alstom over revisions to the 2012 contract to supply and install ETCS onboard equipment for the national Signalling Programme. Under the ambitious timescale approved in 2009, the installation of both lineside and onboard equipment had been due for completion by 2021, ...
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NewsPrototype bistro car conversion completed
CZECH REPUBLIC: The DPOV rolling stock repair and maintenance subsidiary of national passenger operator ČD has completed the prototype rebuilding of a Type WRmee dining car into a Type ARmpee first class and bistro car. ČD plans to produce 27 ARmpee bistro cars by modernising existing WRmee816, WRmee814 and ARmpee832 ...
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NewsSeries 2700s to refresh Shikoku express services
JAPAN: Regional operator JR Shikoku unveiled its two pre-series Series 2700 diesel multiple-units on January 23. Now undergoing test running, the two-car units are expected to enter service later this year, working Limited Express services on the island’s principal non-electrified main lines. Serving Japan’s fourth-largest island, the JR Shikoku network ...
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NewsAcciona cleared to take stake in Spanish open access company ILSA
SPAIN: Competition authority CNMC has granted approval for infrastructure construction group Acciona to acquire a controlling stake in open access passenger service promoter Intermodalidad de Levante, which was founded by Valencia-based regional airline Air Nostrum. ISLA is developing plans to launch a passenger service between Madrid in Spain and Montpellier ...
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NewsBogies ordered for Sakhalin gauge conversion
RUSSIA: Transmashholding’s Tver plant has been awarded a contract to supply 138 broad gauge bogies to Sakhalin to facilitate the regauging of passenger rolling stock. This forms part of the programme to convert the island’s rail network from 1 067 mm narrow gauge to the 1 520 mm broad gauge ...
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NewsAmtrak seeks Amfleet I replacements
USA: Amtrak has issued a Request for Proposals for the supply of single-deck coaches to replace its 470 Amfleet I and ex-Metroliner vehicles, which are more than 40 years old. This follows a request for information issued last July. Requests to participate should be submitted by February 13. The base ...
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Rail Business UKHeathrow Express EMU fleet contract awarded
UK: Leasing company Porterbrook has awarded Bombardier Transportation an £11m contract to modify 12 Class 387 Electrostar electric multiple-units for use on the Heathrow Express shuttle service between London Paddington and the airport. Last year the airport owner outsourced the operation of the non-franchised premium service to GWR under a ...
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NewsPortuguese incumbent awarded public service contract
PORTUGAL: The government has formally awarded national passenger operator CP a public service contract running for 10 years from the start of this year, with an option to extend it by five more. This sets out how the government will compensate the operator for loss-making services to be provided under ...
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NewsMore trains and better security in SNCF-PACA agreement
FRANCE: SNCF President Guillaume Pepy and the President of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Renaud Muselier, signed a co-operation agreement on January 17 covering the development of regional passenger services in 2019-23. The improvement plan covers the remaining period within SNCF’s current agreement to operate local passenger trains. The contract to operate TER ...
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NewsDMUs delivered for freight line’s passenger launch
GERMANY: Local freight railway Bentheimer Eisenbahn has taken delivery of the first two of the five Alstom Coradia Lint 41 diesel multiple-units which it has ordered to enable the reintroduction of passenger services on the 30 km Bad Bentheim – Nordhorn – Neuenhaus route. Passenger services had been replaced by ...
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NewsBelarus orders more Flirts
BELARUS: Stadler announced on January 17 that it had received an order from Belarussian national railway BC for a further 10 Flirt trainsets. The 1 520 mm gauge, five-car Flirt EMUs will be delivered in 2020, joining an existing fleet of 18 trainsets supplied in various batches since 2010. ...
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NewsSlovakian passenger service reinstated
SLOVAKIA: Passenger services on regional Line 153 running 74 km south from Zvolen to Šahy on the Hungarian border were reinstated by national operator ZSSK with effect from January 2. Services had been withdrawn in February 2003 owing to low ridership. The revived service is aimed at students and ...
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NewsDB sets out five-point improvement plan
GERMANY: Passengers travelling with Deutsche Bahn can expect to see better punctuality and performance later this year thanks to a package of ‘step-by-step’ improvements announced on January 17. Presented to Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer and other government representatives by CEO Dr Richard Lutz on January 17, and board members Ronald ...
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NewsTaiwan orders 50 inter-city trainsets
TAIWAN: A NT$44·3bn contract for Hitachi to supply 50 12-car inter-city trainsets was signed by Taiwan Railway Administration and its procurement agent Bank of Taiwan on January 15. The contract covers half of the new trains to be ordered under TRA’s development plan for 2015-24. The 1 067 mm ...
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NewsState approves Bangalore suburban rail network
INDIA: The Karnataka state cabinet has approved a four-route suburban railway network planned for Bangalore. Services would use dedicated tracks to serve 81 stations, including 30 elevated. The estimated Rs230·1bn cost would be funded by the central government (20%), the state government (20%) and loans from multilateral or domestic ...
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NewsAlstom train makes first run in Dakar
SENEGAL: President Macky Sall was among the invited guests who joined the first test run of an Alstom Coradia Polyvalent multiple-unit in Senegal on January 14. The train’s first run marks a further step in preparations for the opening of the 55 km Train Express Régional rail link between the ...
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NewsWork starts on Mandalay – Kunming study
MYANMAR: A joint team of local and Chinese engineers has started work on ground surveys to finalise the alignment for the planned 431 km rail link from Mandalay to the Chinese border at Muse. Intended to link Myanmar with Kunming, the line is being promoted as part of the China-Myanmar ...
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NewsČD buys ex-DB GTW DMUs
CZECH REPUBLIC: National operator ČD has purchased 12 second-hand Stadler GTW2/6 two-car diesel multiple-units from DB Regio for an undisclosed price. The Class 646 DMUs were previously deployed on RE6 Prignitz-Express regional services north of Berlin, but were replaced by other types following a series of engine fires in 2017. ...
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Rail Business UKWheelchair ramp on test
UK: Greater Anglia has worked with design consultancy Trainways and manufacturer Portaramp to test a prototype wheelchair ramp, ahead of the entry into service of its new fleets of Bombardier Transportation and Stadler trainsets. Testing included consultation with people with assistance animals to ensure the ramp meets a range of ...