Passenger rail news – Page 59
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NewsSwiss narrow gauge railways merge
SWITZERLAND: Metre gauge railway operators Appenzeller Bahnen and Frauenfeld-Wil-Bahn have merged following approval by their respective boards on June 11 and June 17. The two companies in northeast Switzerland have co-operated closely for almost 20 years, and began to explore a merger at the beginning of ...
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Rail Business UKGovia Thameslink Railway contract extended to March 2022
UK: The Department for Transport has extended Govia Thameslink Railway’s Emergency Recovery Measures Agreement from September 20 2021 until March 31 2022 on the existing terms, and laid the ground for a directly-awarded contract which could run up to a further six years. Govia Thameslink Railway ...
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NewsNight train start-ups European Sleeper and Moonlight Express join forces
EUROPE: Night train start-up companies European Sleeper and Moonlight Express have decided to join forces rather than develop competing initiatives to launch overnight services from Belgium and the Netherlands. On June 16 the companies said they would work together under the European Sleeper brand to launch ...
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NewsGerman operating contracts awarded
GERMANY: Rhein-Main-transport authority RMV has awarded Hessische Landesbahn a contract to operate Lahntal, Vogelsberg and Rhönbahn regional passenger services for 15 years from December 10 2023, and with its Rheinland-Pfalz Nord counterpart has awarded VIAS the next contract to operate Rheingau services. The Lahntal, Vogelsberg and ...
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NewsCommercial services begin on Lagos – Ibadan standard gauge railway
NIGERIA: Nigerian Railway Corp launched full commercial services on the 157 km Lagos – Ibadan standard gauge line on June 15, President Muhammadu Buhari having attended an inauguration ceremony on June 10. The President said the government’s aim is to revitalise the ...
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Rail Business UKWelsh rolling stock strategy evolves as three-phase post-pandemic recovery envisaged
UK: TfW Rail has again revised its fleet strategy as it seeks to ensure passenger services can be improved despite the financial constraints caused by Covid-19, Managing Director Jan Chaudhry-van der Velde tells Rail Business UK.
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In depthEurope: Reviving the overnight network
An array of revived and new overnight services is planned across western and central Europe. Murray Hughes provides an overview of the latest developments.
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NewsIarnród Éireann digitalises revenue protection
IRELAND: Iarnród Éireann has worked with technology companies Famoco and Theta to increase the level of digitalisation in its revenue protection process.
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NewsNorthern Ontario passenger rail service to be studied
CANADA: The government of Ontario has allocated C$5m to support the development of plans to reintroduce passenger train services running north from Toronto to Timmins or Cochrane. Ontario Northland’s Northlander train service between Toronto and Cochrane ended in 2012; at the time the province said demand ...
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In depthFrance: Report presages night train renaissance
A detailed report on the revival of domestic and international overnight passenger services on the French network indicates a potential market of 5∙7 million trips a year.
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NewsFlixTrain enters the overnight market
GERMANY: Open access operator FlixTrain is to launch an overnight service between Hamburg, Berlin and München on June 17. The company says many FlixBus passengers like to travel overnight, and that it has always believed there is ‘great potential’ for a night train service. ‘We would ...
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NewsContract for jaguar inspired Tren Maya fleet signed
MEXICO: The 36·6bn pesos contract to supply 42 diesel and electro-diesel trainsets for the Tren Maya project was signed in the presence of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on June 9. National tourism promotion fund Fonatur announced on May 26 that it had chosen a consortium ...
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NewsLeft bank of the Rhein operating contract awarded
GERMANY: The Rheinland-Pfalz Nord, Süd and Rheinland transport authorities have jointly awarded incumbent Transdev company Trans Regio Deutsche Regionalbahn the next contract to operate RB26 MittelrheinBahn regional passenger services linking Köln, Koblenz and Mainz via the scenic route along the left bank of the River Rhein. ...
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NewsInterim diesel contracts awarded pending switch to zero-emission operation
GERMANY: Nahverkehr Rheinland has awarded two contracts for the operation of diesel-worked local passenger services around Düren as interim measure pending a switch to fuel cells or other zero-emission traction. Both contracts were awarded to incumbent Rurtalbahn and run for four years from December 12 2021. ...
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NewsAmtrak raises concerns over CSX-Pan Am deal
USA: National passenger operator Amtrak has raised concerns over the proposed acquisition of New England regional railroad Pan Am Railways by CSX Corp.
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NewsAlstom starts assembling Perth EMUs
AUSTRALIA: Alstom officially began train manufacturing at the Metronet Bellevue assembly plant in Western Australia on June 7, describing the occasion as ‘a watershed moment’ for the local rail sector.
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Rail Business UKLondon King’s Cross station remodelling completed
UK: Network Rail has completed its remodelling of the approaches to London King’s Cross station as part of its £1·2bn East Coast Main Line upgrading programme. Wholesale replacement of the track layout installed in the early 1970s has allowed the station platforms to be extended for ...
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Rail Business UKEx-Grand Central Mk IVs to operate Swansea – Manchester service
UK: Transport for Wales has purchased a batch of 30 refurbished Mk IV inter-city carriages to operate its Swansea – Manchester route from December 2022, replacing the current Class 175 DMUs.
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NewsCAF Oaris EMUs enter service with Flytoget
NORWAY: The first CAF Oaris high speed EMUs entered traffic with Oslo airport express operator Flytoget on June 3.
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NewsPassenger organisations demand better TER services
FRANCE: Passenger lobbying and campaign group FNAUT, consumer association UFC-Que Choisir and cycling lobby federation FUB are calling for improvements to regional passenger services across France ahead of the regional elections due to take place on June 20 and 27.