Passenger rail news – Page 241
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NewsWisconsin wants Talgo trains
USA: Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has announced that his state will purchase two 14-car Talgo trainsets for $47·5m. They are to be assigned to Amtrak's Hiawatha line, which provides seven daily return trips between Chicago and Milwaukee. Doyle visited Spain in February to inspect Patentes Talgo's production facilities ...
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NewsSiemens offers Desiro City to the UK market
UK: Siemens unveiled Desiro City, the latest addition to its Desiro range for the UK market on July 16. The high-capacity commuter EMU forms the basis of the company's bid to win the contract to supply 1 300 cars for expanded north-south cross-London Thameslink services, the procurement of which is ...
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NewsSky Harbor airport peoplemover contracts signed
USA: The City of Phoenix and Bombardier Transportation have signed contracts for the construction of an automated peoplemover at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The agreement announced on July 14 consists of a US$186m design and build contract, plus a separate 10-year operations and maintenance contract worth US$69m. ...
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NewsLondon Overground Class 378 ready to enter service
UK: London Overground is to put the first Bombardier Class 378 Electrostar high density inner-suburban EMUs into revenue service on July 20, following a formal launch by Mayor of London Boris Johnson on July 13. Bombardier's Derby plant has delivered the first five of 24 dual-voltage 750 V DC/25 kV ...
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NewsTweeting train passengers update from the crowd
PASSENGER INFORMATION: A service alerting passengers to ‘crowd sourced’ information about train delays has been developed by Ben Smith, an IT consultant specialising in mobile technologies who commutes into London by rail. @uktrains provides news on disruption via the Twitter website, which allows people to publish 140 character messages. ...
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NewsTailored times
PASSENGER INFORMATION: Mobile applications company mxData has launched LiveTrain, providing UK customers of mobile phone company Orange with location-based timetable and live train running information from National Rail Enquiries. The second phase of LiveTrain will offer enhanced WAP and web services with service disruption information and enhanced planning capabilities. ...
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NewsFyra brand for Amsterdam - Brussels high speed
EUROPE: Amsterdam - Brussels high speed services will be branded 'Fyra', NS Hispeed and SNCB revealed on July 7. The announcement at NedTrain's Watergraafsmeer high speed train depot was accompanied by a formal presentation of the prototype of the AnsaldoBreda 250 km/h V250 trainsets, previously known as 'Albatros'. NS ...
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NewsCan you hear me?
INFORMATION: As the extent of station public address coverage has increased, so have complaints from residents living nearby. Technology is available to automatically sample background noise before an announcement is made and adjust the volume to ensure it is heard without causing too much disturbance beyond the station, but many ...
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NewsDSB agrees Desiro DMU framework contract
DENMARK: DSB and Siemens Mobility have reached a framework agreement for the supply of up to 100 Desiro Classic regional diesel multiple-units. DSB placed a firm order for an initial eight two-car units on July 2, and has options for a further 92 units. The price is not being disclosed. ...
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NewsEuroMaint wins Arlanda Express refurbishment
SWEDEN: EuroMaint Rail has won a SKr100m contract to refurbish the Arlanda Express trainsets. 'The fleet of seven Arlanda Express trains is to be given a brand new, modern design', said Per Thorstenson, Chief Executive of A-Train, operator of the dedicated shuttle service from Stockholm C to the capital's main ...
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NewsMore Talent 2 EMUs on the way
GERMANY: DB announced a €100m order for a further 22 Bombardier Talent 2 electric multiple-units on July 1. They are to be deployed on E-Netz Franken regional and regional express services from the end of 2011, when DB Regio subsidiary Regional- und Stadtverkehr Bayern GmbH takes over responsibility for operations ...
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NewsVeolia prepares to expand
EUROPE: Changes in the regulatory landscape are opening up opportunities for Veolia Transport, according to CEO Cyrille du Peloux. Speaking to Railway Gazette International on June 10, he highlighted the Public Service Regulation which comes into force in December, and the liberalisation of international passenger rail services from January 1 ...
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NewsGovernment to take over National Express East Coast franchise
UK: Secretary of State for Transport Lord Adonis announced on July 1 that the government was taking back control of the Inter-City East Coast franchise currently operated by National Express Group. The move followed publication of the group's pre-close trading statement ahead of its half-year results due on July 30, ...
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NewsCompetition gets going
SWEDEN: The first open access trains on the national inter-city network began running on June 22, when Veolia Transport launched an overnight service between Malmö, Göteborg and Narvik using traction supplied by Hector Rail. The launch follows a decision by the Swedish government to end the monopoly enjoyed by ...
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NewsJR East unveils Series E5 trainset
JAPAN: East Japan Railway has unveiled the pre-mass production Series E5 trainset for 320 km/h operation on the Tohoku Shinkansen. It will undergo performance and endurance tests later this year, ready for the series-build trains to enter service on the high speed line extension from Hachinohe to Shin-Aomori when it ...
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NewsSoutheastern ready to launch High Speed service
UK: Domestic passenger services will begin using High Speed 1 on June 29, when Southeastern launches a limited ‘preview’ service between Ashford and London ahead of the introduction of the full service with the December timetable change. The train operator will then have three service groups: High ...
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NewsPPP possibility for Auckland electric trains
NEW ZEALAND: The government is study the possibility of using a public-private partnership model for the acquisition of electric multiple-units for the Auckland electrification project. 'The use of public private partnerships can be a sensible way to procure this kind of expensive, long-life asset' said Transport Minister Steven Joyce ...
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NewsLine 3 completes high speed network
BELGIUM: Line 3 between Liège and the German border was inaugurated on June 12, completing the last link in the star-shaped national high speed network and making Belgium the first European country to have a network of high speed lines linking its borders. Line 3 became available to ...
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NewsMontréal may electrify
CANADA: Agence Métropolitaine de Transport and Hydro-Québec agreed on May 5 to invite proposals for a study to determine the feasibility of electrifying four of Montréal’s commuter rail routes totalling 250 km. Only one line, the Deux-Montagnes, is now operated by electric traction. Converting the Dorion, Blainville and Delson routes ...
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NewsGovia retains South Central franchise
UK: The Department for Transport has awarded the next South Central passenger franchise to incumbent Govia, a joint venture of Go-Ahead (65%) and Keolis (35%). The other shortlisted bidders were National Express Group, NedRailways and Stagecoach. The new franchise will retain the name Southern. It runs for five years ...