All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 1097
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Tide of technology pours into China
More than 1000 locomotives are being built under technology transfer deals to augment Chinese Railways' fleet of high-horsepower traction. Murray Hughes finds that both North American and European companies are reaping the rewards - although Chinese products may soon be rolling west
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Meeting the high-altitude challenge
The first of 361 passenger cars Bombardier Sifang Power is building for the new line to Lhasa was dispatched to Tibet for trials in February. Designed to operate at altitudes up to 5000m, they have special equipment to cope with ultra-violet radiation, low oxygen levels and reduced atmospheric pressure
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NewsUK gives a cautious welcome to ERTMS
ERTMS remains the great hope for train control in the future, but costs must come down. Richard Hope talked to Clive Kessell, who believes that current trends which compromise true interoperability must be challenged if the real benefits are to be achieved
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Capitol streetcars
PLANS are taking shape for a light rail line in the heart of Washington DC as work forges ahead on a 4·3 km pilot project in the suburb of Anacostia. Director of the District of Columbia's Department of Transportation Dan Tangherlini expects to have light rail services running between ...
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Doing business in the Chinese metro market
Over the next decade 55 new metro lines totalling more than 1000 km are due to be built in 20 Chinese cities. The scale of work and the demand for advanced technology are opening up many opportunities for western suppliers and their local partners
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Passenger News in Brief
Netherlands Railways is to re-organise its service patterns in December, eliminating semi-fast regional trains to reduce conflicting train paths and enable more services to operate. There will generally be four inter-city and four stopping services in each direction per hour in the Randstad area, with two inter-city and two stopping ...
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Industry News in Brief
Industry News in BriefIndustry News in BriefSteel Authority of India and the Ministry of Railways’ Lucknow-based Research Design & Standards Organisation are co-operating in the development of micro-alloyed rails for high axleloads and corrosion-resistant rails for coastal areas.On January 20 China Railway Construction subsidiary 20th Bureau Group formed a joint ...
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Products in Brief
Metronet is carrying out a three-month trial of Scotchguard Protector Graphic Film 8050 on the doors of trains on London Underground’s Metropolitan Line. The graffiti-resistant film is coloured to match existing paintwork, and can be replaced quickly without repainting.3M, UK EuroMaint has awarded Trelleborg Industrial a €2m contract to supply ...
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BNSF spends on capacity expansion
UNVEILING a $2·4bn capital programme for 2006 on January 24, BNSF Chairman, President & CEO Matthew K Rose said the railway was planning to invest 10% more than it did in 2005. 'We are increasing our capital investment programme to meet anticipated future volumes because we are confident that our ...
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Tunnel bids invited
EXPRESSIONS of Interest have been called for design teams to undertake engineering services on the proposed Trans-Hudson Express tunnel. New Jersey Transit hopes to have preliminary engineering completed during 2007, with the aim of having the link ready for revenue service in 2015. The winning bidder may also be ...
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Belgrano investment proposal
A CONSORTIUM of motorway concessionaire Sideco and Sanhe Hopeful Grain & Oil Group of China has submitted to the Argentinian government a proposal for reviving the 1000mm gauge Belgrano Cargas network. The plan involves a total investment of 2·46bn pesos over a period of 24 years. Taking a 73% stake ...
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Push-pull ban
A LEGISLATIVE committee in California investigating the January 26 2005 level crossing collision at Glendale, near Los Angeles, that killed 11 people and injured 200 has called for an end to push-pull working in the state. A sports utility vehicle had been deliberately driven onto the track, triggering a triple ...
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Bush budget backs new rail starts
TRANSPORT funding totalling $65·6bn is included in the Bush administration’s budget proposals for the 2007 fiscal year, which were announced on February 6.The budget allocates $8·9bn for the Federal Transit Administration, including $1·5bn for work on 23 existing projects and five more approved for federal funding in the annual New ...
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QR moves on Western Australia
JOINT venture partners Genesee & Wyoming Inc and Wesfarmers announced on February 14 that they had 'entered into a definitive agreement' for the sale of Australia Railroad Group's operations in Western Australia to Queensland Rail and Babcock & Brown for A$1·3bn. Under the deal, which has been under negotiation since ...
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Auburn closure
ON FEBRUARY 15 Bombardier confirmed that its Auburn plant in New York state would close by the end of May. The company had started negotiations on January 30 with the unions representing 160 people employed at the plant, which produces rail and aerospace components.’Closing down a site is never easy’, ...
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Alstom shares heavy haul build with Datong
The agreement signed by Alstom and the Ministry of Railways and its agent CNTIC in June 2004 will see the first of 180 locomotives take to the rails in China in January 2007.Based on the Prima design being supplied to SNCF, China’s Prima 2U will be a twin-unit locomotive intended ...
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Alger awards metro E&M contract
AT A CEREMONY on January 24, Entreprise Métro d'Alger formally awarded a €380m turnkey contract to a consortium of Siemens, Vinci Construction and CAF for electrical and mechanical systems on the Algerian capital's first metro line. First proposed in 1981, construction of the metro network began in the early ...
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Beijing starts work on airport link
CONSTRUCTION work began in January on the 27·3 km metro line to Beijing Capital International Airport, which is due to be completed in June 2008.Expected to cost 5·4bn yuan, the line is being built by a consortium of five Chinese companies. It will start from an interchange with Beijing Metro ...
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TGV Rhine-Rhône goes ahead
CONSTRUCTION work is expected to get underway in May on the first section of TGV Rhine-Rhône, after the final element in the complex financing package was put in place on February 8. French Transport Minister Dominique Perben welcomed the agreement, which followed his meeting on January 31 with regional presidents ...
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High speed creeps on to the UK agenda
A MODERATE head of steam is building up behind proposals for construction of a high speed line from London to northern England and possibly Scotland. But supporters should be aware that many pitfalls lie ahead before a sod is turned - if indeed that moment is ever reached in a ...