Passenger rail news – Page 145
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NewsLocomore shows the need to remove barriers to market entry, says ALLRAIL
GERMANY: Locomore filing for insolvency highlights the crippling cost challenges and entry barriers' in the rail sector which are 'limiting the growth of eco-friendly transport', according to the Alliance of Rail New Entrants. ALLRAIL said Locomore was the fourth start-up in recent years to 'fall flat' when trying to ...
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NewsCzech open access fleet certified for Poland
POLAND: Rail regulator UTK has awarded Czech open access operator LEO Express certification enabling it to operate its five Stadler Flirt electric multiple-units on the PKP-PLK network. This follows modifications to the units undertaken in early January under a €1·5m programme which was 85% funded by the European Union. On ...
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NewsBelmond Andean Explorer launched
PERU: Hotel and cruise train operator Belmond launched what it describes as ‘South America’s first luxury sleeper train’ on May 4. Operating on the PeruRail network between Cusco and Arequipa, the Belmond Andean Explorer offers a two-night journey through ‘some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world’, its large ...
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NewsAlexa 'Skill' for train times and fares released
UK: Independent ticket retailer RedSpottedHanky.com can now be accessed via Amazon Echo and Echo Dot smart devices using an Alexa intelligent personal assistant add-on 'Skill' developed by Atos company Worldline. Worldline says the personal assistant functionality is a first for the UK rail industry, and claims it will help travellers ...
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NewsRENFE plans for profit in 2017
SPAIN: The national operator is expecting to make a pre-tax profit of €39∙2m in 2017, RENFE President Juan Alfaro has told MPs. For the first time since the present corporate structure was adopted in 2005, this positive result would be due to income generated by the group’s own activities. At ...
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NewsTwilight Express Mizukaze to launch next month
JAPAN: West Japan Railway is to launch the Twilight Express Mizukaze (fresh breeze) luxury cruise train in June, adopting a similar concept to JR East’s Train Suite Shiki-Shima. With five one night or two-night itineraries, the luxury 10-car train will give up to 30 passengers the opportunity to travel to ...
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NewsCrowd-funded open access operator Locomore files for insolvency
GERMANY: Open access operator Locomore announced on the evening of May 11 that that it had filed for insolvency at the district court in Charlottenburg. Locomore launched a partly crowd-funded daily return service between Berlin and Stuttgart in December 2016 using refurbished coaches and with a focus on sustainability. ...
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NewsIsrael Railways orders more Twindexx Vario coaches
ISRAEL: Bombardier Transportation announced on May 10 that it had signed a €56m contract to supply a further 33 Twindexx Vario double-deck push-pull coaches to Israel Railways by February 2019. The order has been placed within the terms of an October 2010 framework agreement, and will take ISR’s fleet of ...
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NewsTrainline to sell Westbahn tickets
AUSTRIA: Independent ticket retailer Trainline now sells tickets for travel with Wien – Linz – Salzburg open access operator Westbahn. Announcing its first Austrian partnership on May 10, Trainline said it was the first independent retailer to integrate Westbahn tickets into its booking system, which means for the first time ...
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NewsPassenger night trains in Europe: the end of the line? report published
EUROPE: The European Parliament's Committee on Transport & Tourism has published a research report into the future of night train services which was produced by consultancy Steer Davies Gleave with support from Politecnico di Milano. Passenger night trains in Europe: the end of the line? looks in detail at the ...
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NewsX’Trapolis Mega EMUs enter revenue service
SOUTH AFRICA: The first 13 X’Trapolis Mega electric multiple-units for Metrorail commuter routes entered revenue service on the Pretoria suburban network on May 9 after being unveiled by President Jacob Zuma. ‘This is the beginning of the revival of passenger rail after 40 years of underinvestment.’ ...
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NewsČD leases ELL Vectrons for Hamburg – Praha route
CZECH REPUBLIC: On May 4 the board of national operator ČD approved the signing of a 10-year agreement to lease 10 Siemens Vectron 200 km/h multi-system electric locomotives from European Locomotive Leasing of Austria. The €48m deal will include maintenance. Eight of the locomotives are scheduled to arrive in mid-November, ...
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NewsSliding seats could enable passenger trains to carry freight
UK: A working demonstration module containing seats which can be automatically stowed to enable passenger train interiors to be reconfigured to carry low density, high value freight at off-peak times will be unveiled by 42 Technology at Railtex 2017. According to the developer, 20 rows of seats in a typical ...
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NewsShiki-Shima luxury cruise train launches
JAPAN: East Japan Railway welcomed the first passengers aboard the Train Suite Shiki-Shima (Island of Four Seasons) luxury cruise train for a tour of eastern and northern Japan starting on May 1. Passengers board the champagne-liveried 10-car train via the lounge car where the windows are designed to resemble trees ...
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NewsCaltrain ‘cautiously optimistic’ on federal support for rail investment
USA: San Francisco to San Jose commuter rail operator Caltrain said on May 3 that it expected the Trump administration’s 2017 budget would include a $100m investment in the Peninsula Corridor Electrification Project. Caltrain had agreed contracts in July last year with Balfour Beatty and Stadler for electrification work and ...
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NewsDB Regio orders Saarland EMUs
GERMANY: DB Regio has signed a €150m contract for 25 four-car Coradia Continental electric multiple-units, Alstom announced on May 3. The firm order has been placed within a 2012 framework agreement covering up to 400 units. The latest batch of units are to be used on SaarRB Lot 1 services ...
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NewsBLS selects Stadler for its largest rolling stock order
SWITZERLAND: BLS has selected Stadler for the largest rolling stock order it has placed, a SFr650m contract covering the supply of 58 single-deck electric multiple-units in 2021-26. The order includes 30 EMUs for RegioExpress services and 28 for S-Bahn Bern routes. The 105 m long six-car 160 km/h Flirt units ...
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NewsRoca electrification reaches City Bell
ARGENTINA: Electric services began operating between Berazategui and City Bell on April 24, marking completion of the latest phase of the project to electrify the Roca commuter route between Buenos Aires and La Plata at 25 kV 50 Hz. According to the Ministry of Transport, work continues with the aim ...
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NewsAbellio orders Talent EMUs
GERMANY: Abellio has placed a firm order for Bombardier Transportation to supply a further five Talent 2 electric multiple-units for use on the Neckartal services from Stuttgart which it is to operate from June 2019 under a contract awarded by the Land of Baden-Württemberg. The order for two three-car and ...
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NewsHitachi trainset for Devon and Cornwall sets sail from Japan
UK: The first of the Hitachi AT300 electro-diesel trainsets for Great Western Railway services from London to Devon and Cornwall left the Japanese port of Kobe on April 26, and is expected to arrive in Southampton during June. GWR and leasing company Eversholt Rail ordered 22 five-car and ...