Passenger rail news – Page 77
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Rail Business UKDaily tourist trains to serve England’s ‘most scenic’ railway
UK: With the coronavirus restrictions significantly impacting on the leisure market, a new company has been established to operate dedicated tourist services on the picturesque Settle & Carlisle line this summer.
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NewsPerth level crossings to go
AUSTRALIA: As part of the Metronet suburban rail expansion programme, Western Australia’s Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has announced plans to remove six more level crossings on Transperth’s Armadale Line, southeast of the city centre.
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NewsEU funds rail cybersecurity research
EUROPE: The Safety4Rails research programme to improve the resilience of railways and metros to cyber and physical attacks is one of five projects that will share €38m in funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research budget.
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In depthComment: Getting back on track
An essential first step will be to overcome the perception that public transport is dangerous, and emphasise that the risks can be managed. As well as putting the appropriate processes in place, it is vital to get the messaging right, and that needs to start now.
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Rail Business UKRestoring Your Railway Fund could provide a toolkit for town transformation
UK: The Department for Transport launched the Restoring Your Railway Fund in January to support the development of proposals to reopen closed railway lines and stations. The introduction of this new stream of funding for the rail industry ...
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NewsStudy finds uncertainties in rail to bus conversion
Source: Lokaltog DENMARK: Conversion of the Østbanen local railway in eastern Sjælland into a busway could be a viable alternative to renewing the life-expired rail infrastructure, a study has suggested. The infrastructure rail renewals which are required are expected to take 2½ years and cost at least ...
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NewsVirginia Railway Express operating contract extended
USA: The Virginia Railway Express partnership of the Northern Virginia and Potomac & Rappahannock transport commissions has exercised an option for Keolis to continue operating commuter rail services linking towns in the middle and north of the state with Washington DC for a further five years. VRE ...
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NewsSnälltåget targets 2021 expansion
EUROPE: Citing uncertainties over international travel as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, open access operator Snälltäget has decided to suspend its seasonal overnight trains between Sweden and Germany for 2020 and focus on developing an increased service from 2021.
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NewsEurostar to test facial biometrics for ‘walk-through’ check-in
EUROPE: A walk-through facial biometric verification system is to be tested which would enable Eurostar passengers to complete ticket checks and border exit processes at London’s St Pancras International station without contact with people or hardware. Passengers opting the use the accelerated pre-boarding option would use ...
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NewsHow the rail sector fought Covid-19
INTERNATIONAL: The International Union of Railways’ coronavirus task force has published its third document on the sector’s response to the crisis, focusing on how the rail industry fought Covid-19 during lockdown periods and looking at the mitigation measures put in place to stop the spread of ...
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Rail Business UKEast Coast Trains Class 803 production begins
UK: Production of the five Class 803 trainsets which FirstGroup subsidiary East Coast Trains has ordered for its future London to Edinburgh open access service is underway at Hitachi Rail’s Newton Aycliffe factory.
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NewsMBTA seeks cost certainty with Keolis commuter rail contract extension
USA: Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Fiscal & Management Control Board has approved an extension of Keolis’ contract to operate commuter rail services. The eight-year contract began on July 1 2014, with two two-year options for extension, both of which will now be exercised to take the contract ...
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Metro Report InternationalNorth American Transit Alliance formed
NORTH AMERICA: Six public transport operating groups have formed the North American Transit Alliance, which aims to promote ‘innovative transportation solutions that ensure transit is safe, clean, and prepared for the challenges that lie ahead’. First Transit, Keolis, MV Transportation, National Express, RATP Dev USA and Transdev ...
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NewsSNCF launches ‘unprecedented’ regional rail and tourism campaign
FRANCE: What SNCF terms an ‘unprecedented relaunch’ of its TER regional passenger services was announced on June 12 as the country starts to open up after the coronavirus pandemic. Branded ‘TER de France’, the campaign is being led by SNCF in conjunction with regional authorities acting through ...
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Rail Business UKFace coverings now mandatory on trains in England
UK: It became mandatory for public transport passengers in England to cover their nose and mouth on June 15. Government advice remains to avoid public transport where possible, however mandating the use of face coverings is intended to help prevent infected people from spreading coronavirus as lockdown ...
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NewsCalgary – Banff passenger service to be studied
CANADA: Alberta’s Ministry of Transportation has signed a memorandum of understanding with Canada Infrastructure Bank to investigate the feasibility of introducing a passenger rail service between Calgary and Banff, which were last linked by regular inter-city trains in January 1990. The proposal envisages the construction of dedicated ...
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NewsCo-operative group seeks to launch Lyon – Bordeaux open access service from 2022
FRANCE: Nascent open access operator Railcoop lodged a formal application with the Autorité de Régulation des Transports on June 9 to launch a Bordeaux – Lyon inter-city service using the conventional route via Périgueux and Montluçon. Photo: Christophe Masse A direct Lyon - Bordeaux service could be revived ...
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NewsAlpen-Sylt Nachtexpress links the Alps and the North Sea
EUROPE: RDC Deutschland has opened bookings for the Alpen-Sylt Nachtexpress, a seasonal overnight train between the German North Sea island of Sylt and Salzburg in Austria which will launch on July 4. ‘We believe in the successful renaissance of night trains in Europe’, said Managing Director Dr ...
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NewsReliability focus and capital investment in NJ Transit strategic plan
USA: Reconstruction of Hoboken Terminal to improve flood resilience and a trial of battery-electric trains are among the rail projects identified in the NJT2030 10-year strategic plan unveiled by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and NJ Transit President & CEO Kevin Corbett on June 8.
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Rail Business UKNorthern review looks beyond Covid-19 recovery
UK: ‘Covid-19 has not changed our commitment to deliver a “new Northern” that will deliver real and tangible improvements for passengers’, said Managing Director Nick Donovan on June 8, as the operator published the results of the ‘100-day review’ commissioned when control of the franchise was transferred to the Department for Transport’s Operator of Last Resort on March 1.