All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 402

  • Photo: Sebastien Joly.
    News

    Containers by rail from China to France

    2017-11-29T15:40:37Z

    INTERNATIONAL: For its customer PSA, Gefco has operated its first trainload of 40 ft containers between Wuhan in China and Dourges in northern France. Having departed on November 3, the train arrived in Dourges on November 22. Operating via Kazakstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland and Germany, the service was handled by ...

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    News

    RNV becomes first Mercedes-Benz Citaro electric bus customer

    2017-11-29T14:55:41Z

    GERMANY: Rhein-Neckar transport authority RNV and Daimler subsidiary EvoBus have signed a memorandum of understanding for the supply of an unspecified number of electric buses. Daimler says that this will make RNV the launch customer for the new Mercedes-Benz Citaro electric bus. As part of the agreement, the operator ...

  • Plzeň is to receive up to 16 EVO2 trams.
    News

    Trams ordered for Plzeň

    2017-11-29T12:35:13Z

    CZECH REPUBLIC: Sole bidder Krnovské Opravny a Strojírny is to supply up to 16 Pragoimex EVO2 trams to Plzeň under a KC524m framework agreement. The 100% low-floor two-section trams will be 21·7 m long. Pragoimex, which is majority-owned by KOS, has to date produced one EVO2 tram, which entered ...

  • The first of a ‘new generation of long-term regional partnerships’ is to be introduced in 2020 on the East Coast Main Line, combining the current InterCity East Coast franchise with responsibility for infrastructure.
    News

    Strategic vision to bring infrastructure and operations closer

    2017-11-29T11:46:38Z

    UK: On November 29 Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling published the government’s ‘strategic vision’ for rail, containing what it says are ‘sweeping proposals’ to bring infrastructure and train operations closer together. In what is described as ‘an evolution’ of the franchising system, single management teams are to be ...

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    News

    Hyderabad metro inaugurated

    2017-11-29T11:13:45Z

    INDIA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Telangana Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao inaugurated the Hyderabad metro on November 28. Revenue services starting the following day on what has become the 10th metro network in India. Two lines have opened, which share an interchange at Ameerpet. Line 1 is 12·2 km ...

  • The first heavy haul coal trains began operation over the Nacala Corridor in 2015 and the line was formally inaugurated in May this year.
    News

    Nacala investment package complete

    2017-11-29T09:57:15Z

    MOZAMBIQUE: Brazilian mining and steel group Vale has signed binding financial contracts which complete the investment structure for the Nacala Logistics Corridor. Announced on November 27, the deal covers US$1·03bn from Japan Bank for International Co-operation, a US$1bn loan insured by Nippon Export & Investment Insurance and a US$400m loan ...

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    News

    World rolling stock market - November 2017

    2017-11-29T07:00:00Z

    Austria: ÖBB has resumed tendering for a fleet of coaches for daytime and overnight inter-city services following the withdrawal of an objection by Siemens, which had complained about specification changes. Bombardier is understood to have proposed sourcing bodyshell components from CRRC. Siemens has ordered 128 U-Lift ...

  • Rail ridership in France is dominated by commuter routes around Paris, but occupancy rates on regional and conventional inter-city trains remain weak, according to Arafer.
    News

    Rail market share falling in France, says regulator

    2017-11-28T15:54:28Z

    FRANCE: In a report on rail passenger services covering 2015 and 2016, regulatory body Arafer found that rail’s market share had fallen by an average of 0·5% a year since 2011, whereas that of other modes had increased. Published on November 16, the report said that rail had a 9·2% ...

  • PRASA's order for 600 EMUs from the Gibela consortium is on of the largest rolling stock procurement programmes of recent years.
    News

    SNCF to assist PRASA with renewal programme

    2017-11-28T14:58:46Z

    SOUTH AFRICA: Under a tripartite agreement signed on November 27, SNCF and French government development agency AFD have agreed to provide technical and financial assistance worth R6·2m to suburban passenger operator Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa. Commencing from the start of December, the 12-month partnership will provide technical expertise, ...

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    News

    Dudley extension receives government funding

    2017-11-28T14:27:46Z

    UK: The government is to provide £250m from its Transforming Cities Fund towards the construction of an extension of the Midland Metro light rail network serving Birmingham, the West Midlands Combined Authority announced on November 20. The 11 km branch would serve 17 stops. It would run southwest from ...

  • Tatra-Yug has tested the K1M6 tram in Kamianske.
    News

    Latest Tatra-Yug tram tested in Kamianske

    2017-11-28T11:45:33Z

    UKRAINE: Tatra-Yug has completed tests of its latest tram design on the network in Kamianske. The Dnipro-based tram manufacturer began testing the K1M6 in September on the 33 route-km 1 524 mm gauge network in Kamianske. Tests were undertaken every day. Tatra-Yug says that it deliberately chose a ...

  • Toshkent Plant for the Construction & Repair of Passenger Cars is to deliver the first batch of coaches built to its own design for export.
    News

    Toshkent plant produces coaches for export

    2017-11-28T07:00:00Z

    UZBEKISTAN: Toshkent Plant for the Construction & Repair of Passenger Cars is to deliver the first batch of coaches built to its own design for export. National railway UTY said the plant was improving its capabilities every year, and its ‘Made in Uzbekistan’ Type 61-911 open and Type 61-907 ...

  • The 8·5 km twin-bore tunnel will be the longest on the Georgian main line network.
    News

    Tunnel bores completed as Tbilisi – Makhindzhauri upgrading progresses

    2017-11-27T16:23:07Z

    GEORGIA: Staff from national railway GR, contractors and policymakers gathered on November 21 to celebrate the completion of the longest tunnel on the Georgian rail network. Formed of two single bores, the 8·5 km Kvishkheti – Zvare tunnel forms a central element of the modernisation of the main line between ...

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    News

    PPF Group buys Škoda Transportation

    2017-11-27T11:28:41Z

    CZECH REPUBLIC: Investment company PPF Group has acquired rolling stock manufacturer Škoda Transportation under an agreement finalised overnight on November 24-25. Although the purchase price has not been formally announced, it is understood to be in excess of KC10bn. In 2016 Škoda Transportation reported consolidated sales of KC15·7bn, down by ...

  • DB Cargo UK Chief Executive Hans-Georg Werner launched the start of construction of the freight operator's steel logistics hub in Wolverhampton on November 23.
    News

    World rail freight news round-up

    2017-11-27T09:21:27Z

    On November 23 DB Cargo UK marked the start of work to construct a Logistics Centre in Wolverhampton for the steel market. Once completed in mid-2018, the centre will be able to handle and store up to 40 000 tonnes of steel coil which would arrive by rail for onward ...

  • Freight yard (Photo: DB).
    News

    Web tool simplifies train path request process

    2017-11-27T08:00:00Z

    EUROPE: Hit Rail’s H20 Path Request tool has been verified by the European Union Agency for Railways as TSI-compliant, enabling operatiors to streamline their processes for handling path requests across Europe without needing to develop their own tools. The web app hosted in Hit Rail’s HEROS cloud platform allows a ...

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    News

    World rail market - November 2017

    2017-11-26T07:00:00Z

    Asia: MyHSR of Malaysia and Land Transport Authority of Singapore have invited companies to ‘share the latest ticketing technology and developments for the purposes of developing a robust ticketing and fare collection approach for the Kuala Lumpur – Singapore High Speed Rail project’. Germany: Go-Ahead is deploying ETC - ...

  • Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan and representatives of Guide Dogs Victoria inspect the High Capacity Metro Train mock-up.
    News

    High Capacity Metro Train mock-up supports design process

    2017-11-25T07:00:00Z

    AUSTRALIA: The Evolution Rail consortium of Downer, CRRC and Plenary has produced a full-scale mock up of the 65 electric multiple-units for Melbourne suburban services which it is to supply and maintain under the Victorian government’s High Capacity Metro Trains PPP contract. As part of the design process, the 39 ...

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    News

    Sinara locos arrive in Cuba

    2017-11-24T15:27:41Z

    CUBA: During a ceremony at the port of Habana on November 23, Unión de Ferrocarriles de Cuba Director General Eduardo Hernández took delivery of seven of the 75 Type TGM8KM diesel-hydraulic locomotives being supplied from Russia by Sinara Transport Machines. UFC is expecting to take delivery of 15 locomotives this ...

  • The National Audit Office has raised concerns about the ability of the suburban network around London to handle the increase in services envisaged under the Thameslink Programme.
    News

    Thameslink Programme completion deferred by a year

    2017-11-24T10:52:00Z

    UK: The Department for Transport has agreed to a proposal from Network Rail and train operator Govia Thameslink Railway which would see introduction of the full 24 trains/h timetable on the Thameslink route through central London deferred by a year to December 2019. With a total value of £7bn, of ...