Passenger rail news – Page 232
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NewsFuzhou - Xiamen high speed passenger services begin
CHINA: Passenger services on the 275 km railway paralleling the coast between Fuzhou and Xiamen in Fujian province began on April 26, following from the start of freight services on December 31. The 15·3bn yuan direct line is much shorter than the previous inland rail route, and the CRH2 trains ...
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NewsDB confirms Arriva takeover bid
EUROPE: Deutsche Bahn continues its rapid expansion across the European rail and bus sectors, with the announcement on April 22 that it had agreed terms to acquire Arriva plc. The cash bid had been for the UK-based rail and bus operator was discussed by the DB AG ...
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NewsStadler wins Czech railcar contract
CZECH REPUBLIC: On April 20 Ceské Dráhy awarded Stadler Rail a KC1·776bn contract to supply 33 Regio-Shuttle RS1 partly low-floor diesel railcars to replace the ubiquitous Class 810 railbuses on regional services in Vysocina and Liberec. This is the first contract under the national passenger operator's programme of extensive ...
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NewsDesiro ML framework to meet ÖBB's expansion plans
AUSTRIA: On April 20 Siemens Mobility announced a framework agreement to supply Austrian Federal Railways with up to 200 Desiro ML regional electric multiple-units over five years. Similar to trains currently being built for Belgium's SNCB, the 160 km/h Desiro ML will be equipped for use in Germany, where ÖBB ...
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NewsOTIF expands to meet modern needs
INTERNATIONAL: The recent accession of Russia is a major development for the Intergovernmental Organisation for International Carriage by Rail, according to Secretary General Stefan Schimming, even through only a limited number of RZD routes are initially covered by the convention establishing a uniform system of regulations for cross-border traffic. Montenegro ...
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NewsEurostar restructuring closer
EUROPE: A framework agreement enabling the final stages of the restructuring of Eurostar from a partnership into a corporate entity has been signed by the three national shareholders SNCF, SNCB and London & Continental Railways. Announcing the move on April 12, recently-appointed Eurostar CEO Nicolas Petrovic said 'I am very ...
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NewsElektriraudtee opts for Stadler Flirt trains
ESTONIA: Tallinn area passenger operator Elektriraudtee announced on April 9 that Stadler Rail had been selected to supply 18 electric and 10 diesel multiple-units. The EU Cohesion Fund is covering 85% of the 1·25bn kroon cost of the 3·3 kV DC Flirt electric units, with the government providing the remainder. ...
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NewsCD reveals rolling stock requirements
CZECH REPUBLIC: National passenger operator CD published its 2010-14 rolling stock modernisation strategy on March 16, setting out plans to spend up to KC16bn rejuvenating one of the oldest fleets in the EU; at present just 6% of CD's 2 199 coaches are air-conditioned cars suitable for 160 km/h operation. ...
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NewsRZD restructures long-distance passenger business
RUSSIA: A further step in the reform of Russian Railways has been taken with the establishment of the Federal Passenger Company as a stand-alone subsidiary responsible for long-distance passenger transport activities. The creation of FPC was proposed by the RZD board in 2008 and received government approval last year. The ...
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NewsRZD launches Moscow - St Petersburg high speed line project
RUSSIA: Proposals for the construction of a 660 km high speed line linking Moscow and St Petersburg were unveiled by Russian Railways at a high-level conference in St Petersburg on April 1. The event was attended by representatives from various state bodies, the Russian scientific and business sectors. According to ...
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NewsAmtrak returns to Metrolink in June
USA: Amtrak is to succeed Veolia as the operator of Metrolink commuter services in Los Angeles from June 26 2010. The contract finalised with Southern California Regional Rail Authority on March 26 runs for four years with options for two three-year extensions. Amtrak was the original operator of the network ...
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NewsWestern reopening to encourage regional development
IRELAND: Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey formally launched Ireland's first revival of an inter-city route on March 29. The following day a regular service of five daily return trains ran between Limerick and Galway for the first time since 1976. The €106·5m Phase 1 of the project to reopen the ...
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NewsBLS buys double-deckers for Bern S-Bahn
SWITZERLAND: BLS has placed its largest ever rolling stock order, awarding Stadler Rail a SFr493·7m contract to supply 28 four-car double-deck electric multiple-units to increase capacity on Bern S-Bahn services. The 160 km/h units will be delivered from Stadler's Bussnang plant between autumn 2012 and the end of 2014. They ...
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NewsRFF selects Vinci to build Tours – Bordeaux LGV
FRANCE: Infrastructure manager RFF has announced its intention to start exclusive negotiations with a Vinci-led consortium to build and maintain the 340 km Tours – Bordeaux high speed line under a PPP concession. The consortium, led by Vinci and including Caisse des Dépôts and Axa, was selected from a shortlist ...
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NewsYakunin sets out investment plan
RUSSIA: Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin set out details of RZD’s 555bn rouble 2010-11 investment budget at a meeting on implementation and financing sources which was chaired by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on February 27. RZD’s projects total 435·5bn roubles, and 120bn will be used for road and rail links ...
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NewsAmtrak launches high speed rail department
USA: National inter-city passenger operator Amtrak has created a dedicated department to pursue opportunities for the development of high speed rail corridors. Announced on March 22, the department will begin with a programme to improve the existing Northeast Corridor between Washington, New York and Boston. Priorities include reducing journey times ...
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NewsDB looking at Arriva bid
EUROPE: Deutsche Bahn confirmed on March 18 that it had approached Arriva about a possible takeover bid, adding that 'discussions are ongoing and there is no certainty that any offer will be made'. As required under the UK's takeover regulations, the international bus and rail operator had issued a ...
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NewsSNCF takes up regional train options
FRANCE: SNCF has signed further firm orders for regional multiple-units within its large-scale framework agreements with Alstom and Bombardier. SNCF is placing the orders on behalf of the regions which are funding the trains. On March 24 Alstom announced a €135m order to supply a further 23 Régiolis single-deck units ...
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NewsAGV reaches 300 km/h on Italian tracks
ITALY: Alstom's AGV demonstrator trainset has reached 300 km/h during trials on the Roma - Napoli high speed line, the planned maximum running speed of the production trains currently being built for the launch of services by open access operator Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori in 2011. Alstom has now completed dynamic ...
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NewsLGV Est contract awarded
FRANCE: The first contract for civil engineering work on the second phase of the Ligne à Grande Vitesse Est européenne was approved by the board of Réseau Ferré de France on March 18. Under a package valued at €78·9m, a consortium of Guintoli, Maia Sonnier and NGE GC has been ...