Passenger rail news – Page 219
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NewsWellington suburban rail upgrading package agreed
NEW ZEALAND: A package of infrastructure upgrades on Wellington’s Tranz Metro suburban rail network and transfer of the train fleet from KiwiRail to Greater Wellington Regional Council was approved on July 5. GWRC has assumed ownership of the stations (other than Wellington), stabling and depot facilities. It ...
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NewsRapid transit plan agreed as last train leaves Singapore
SINGAPORE: The final KTMB train left Tanjung Pagar station for Johor Bahru in Malaysia at 23.00 on June 30, driven by the Sultan of Johar and watched by a crowd of onlookers. At midnight ownership of the 26 km rail corridor south of Woodlands Train Checkpoint on the Singapore ...
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NewsDB Regio awarded RE-Netz Südwest operating contract
GERMANY: On July 5 the Rheinland-Pfalz Nord and Süd, Rhein-Main, Baden-Württemberg and Saarland transport authorities announced the selection of DB Regio Südwest for a 15-year contract to operate RE-Netz Südwest services from December 2014. The contract covers two groups of services to be operated under the planned Rheinland-Pfalz-Takt 2015 timetable. ...
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NewsNîmes – Montpellier bypass moves closer
FRANCE: Réseau Ferré de France announced on July 4 that it had launched final negotiations with the three shortlisted bidders for the PPP concession to build the Contournement Nîmes – Montpellier, which it describes as the country’s first ‘mixed traffic high speed line’. RFF expects to receive Best & Final ...
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NewsPKP awards station rebuilding contracts
POLAND: Major contracts have been awarded for the rebuilding of Lódz Fabryczna and Warszawa Zachodnia stations. PKP PLK has selected Torpol to rebuild Lódz Fabryczna at a cost of 1·45bn zloty. The contract covers demolition of the existing station and construction of four new platforms below ground level, approached by ...
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NewsATACS launch on September 25
JAPAN: East Japan Railway confirmed on June 30 that it intends to put its Advanced Train Administration & Communications System into full revenue operation on the Senseki Line near Sendai with effect from September 25. Following extensive development and test running using communications-based train control on the pilot section of ...
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NewsFrauenfeld-Wil-Bahn orders Stadler trains
SWITZERLAND: Frauenfeld-Wil-Bahn has awarded Stadler Rail a SFr31m contract to supply five electric multiple-units for its 18 km metre-gauge line in Thurgau, the manufacturer announced on June 30. Scheduled to enter service in mid-2013, the three-car trainsets will be custom designed for FW, which is electrified at 1·2 kV DC ...
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NewsRZD proposes fast trains to serve 2018 World Cup
RUSSIA: Proposals to develop a network of high speed or accelerated train services ready for the 2018 FIFA World Cup are included in the Modernising Existing Rail Infrastructure strategy produced by Russian Railways’ Institute of Transport Economics & Development. The strategy offers ‘a practical tool’ for transporting ...
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NewsBeijing - Shanghai high speed line opens
CHINA: The world's longest high speed line was inaugurated with simultaneous departures from Beijing and Shanghai at 15.00 on June 30, as part of events marking the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. Construction of the Beijing - Shanghai Passenger-Dedicated Line officially began on April 18 2008, and the ...
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NewsV/Line returns after North East Rail Revitalisation
AUSTRALIA: Daily V/Line inter-city passenger services from Melbourne returned to Albury on June 26, the day after ceremonies were held to mark the completion of the North East Rail Revitalisation Project. The project to increase passenger and freight capacity on the route between Melbourne and the border with New South ...
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NewsVeolia takes over from troubled DSBFirst
SWEDEN: Veolia Transport is to take over local services in southern Sweden which are currently operated by DSBFirst Sverige, Gunnar Wulff, Chief Executive of regional transport authority Öresundståg announced on June 28. This follows an agreement between DSB and Öresundståg which aims to ensure continued operations and also to stabilise ...
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NewsOttawa O-Train expansion plan approved
CANADA: Ottawa Transit Commission has voted unanimously to move ahead with a C$59m plan to expand the O-Train diesel light rail service, including the purchase of six new vehicles. Two new passing loops would be added and signalling upgraded, allowing a cut in headways from 15 min to 8 min. ...
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NewsGauge-changing trains ordered for Moscow – Berlin
RUSSIA: RZD's Federal Passenger Co and Patentes Talgo signed a contract for seven 20-car long-distance passenger trains at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 18. Talgo said the contract worth more than €100m ‘marks the culmination of 15 years of bilateral contact between the two companies’. Three trains ...
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NewsRégiolis regional train rolls out
FRANCE: Alstom unveiled its first Régiolis regional multiple-unit to 300 guests at its Reichshoffen plant on June 14, and expects to start running trials with 10 trainsets from the end of June. Part of Alstom's Coradia Polyvalent product line, Régiolis is a 160 km/h multiple-unit offered in a range of ...
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NewsTours – Bordeaux concession signed
FRANCE: RFF President Hubert du Mesnil and Chief Executive of Vinci Constructions Xavier Huillard signed the PPP concession for construction and operation of LGV Sud-Europe Atlantique on June 16. The ceremony in Paris followed confirmation of the terms by the RFF board on June 9 and approval by the Prime ...
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NewsSiemens beats Bombardier to Thameslink train order
UK: Rail Minister Theresa Villiers named Siemens plc and the Cross London Trains (XLT) consortium of Siemens Project Ventures GmbH, PPP fund Innisfree Ltd and investment company 3i Infrastructure plc as preferred bidder to build, own, finance and maintain new trains and depots for the Thameslink Programme on June 16. ...
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NewsTraxx UK aimed at two franchises
UK: Bombardier is targetting Greater Anglia and InterCity East Coast as possible customers for a UK version of its successful Traxx electric locomotive family. According to Alberto Lacchini, Director, Sales, in Bombardier’s Locomotives Business Unit, ‘we are well advanced in the design and are ready to launch the product’.Bombardier believes ...
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NewsReturn of the Bicol Express
PHILIPPINES: Following three test runs in late May, Philippine National Railways announced on June 9 that long-distance passenger services between Manila and Bicol province would resume on June 29. The announcement marks the completion of a four-year, 18bn pesos programme to rebuild PNR’s 479 km Main Line South between the ...
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NewsDual gauge to enable high speed to Madrid Airport
SPAIN: The cabinet has given its approval for the Ministry of Development to spend €15·86m on equipping the rail link to Barajas Airport in Madrid for dual-gauge operation, enabling high speed services to use the new €190m route from Chamartín. Following the completion of upgrading work on 4·1 km of ...
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News'Reliable and economical' Russian EMU to roll out next year
RUSSIA: Following Alstom's acquisition of a 25% stake in Transmashholding, on June 6 the companies confirmed details of their ongoing project to develop a 'reliable and economical' electric multiple-unit for the Russian market. The ED10 modular EMU platform will offer a range of regional and suburban options combining modern ...