All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 571
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NewsSarah Feinberg
Having been nominated by President Barack Obama in July, Sarah Feinberg was confirmed as head of the Federal Railroad Administration by the Senate in a vote on October 28. She had been acting FRA Administrator since January.
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NewsNanjing – Anqing PDL opened
CHINA: The 258 km Nanjing – Anqing Intercity Railway was opened to revenue service by China Railway Corp on December 6, following four months of test running. Under construction since 2010 at a cost of 25bn yuan, the 200 km/h Passenger-Dedicated Line mainly serves the province of Anhui, with a ...
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NewsEIB loan to fund Südbahn upgrading work
AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways and the European Investment Bank signed a €1·8bn loan agreement on November 30 for upgrading work on the Südbahn route between Wien and Graz to 2026. The loan is to be disbursed over the next three years in tranches of €600m. The money will support ...
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NewsZSSK to end Bratislava – Košice inter-city services
SLOVAKIA: National passenger operator ZSSK announced on December 4 that it would withdraw all of its inter-city services on the 445 km Bratislava – Košice main line with effect from January 18, having previously cut service levels by 40% earlier this year. Czech open access operator RegioJet had warned in ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - December 2015
The European Commission has approved a €38·6m Cohesion Fund grant to Košice transport authority DPMK for the €47·8m purchase of 33 Pragoimex Vario LF2+ trams which were ordered in three batches in 2014-15. The French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is to provide a €4·2m grant for the ...
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NewsRail industry news in brief - December 2015
Following discussions between DB, local authorities, environmental and community bodies, the German government has announced that the long-proposed Y-shaped new line from the Hannover area towards Hamburg and Bremen has been dropped in favour of the Alpha-E alternative of upgrading existing lines. With its remit expanded to cover motorways ...
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NewsFourth Follo Line civil works package awarded
NORWAY: Infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket has awarded two contracts worth in excess of NKr2bn for civil and railway remodelling works as part of the Follo Line project to build a 22 km cut-off to enhance capacity between Oslo and Ski. Running largely in tunnel, the Follo Line is scheduled for completion ...
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NewsRhätische Bahn takes first delivery of Albula line trainset
SWITZERLAND: StadlerRail delivered the first new-generation trainset for Rhätische Bahn’s Albula line to Landquart depot on December 2. Testing of the 1 000 mm gauge trainsets ordered to operate express services between Chur and St Moritz, is due to begin between December 7 and 11, with certification by the ...
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NewsNetwork Rail awards East West Rail contract
UK: Network Rail announced on December 4 that it has awarded an alliancing contract to Atkins, Laing O’Rourke and VolkerRail covering the design and construction of Phase 2 of the East West Rail scheme. Involving the reopening of currently disused railway infrastructure between Bletchley and Bicester, Phase 2 would enable ...
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NewsJR Central considers Texas Central investment
USA: Central Japan Railway confirmed on November 23 that it was considering whether to take a financial stake in Texas Central Partners, which is promoting a privately-financed 386 km high speed line between Dallas and Houston. JR Central has been working closely with the promoters, and is acting as technology ...
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NewsMobile ticketing joint venture formed
FRANCE: The creation of the Wizway Solutions joint venture dedicated to developing mobile ticketing technology was announced on December 3. Four founder members each have a 25% share: Paris transport authority RATP, national railway SNCF, digital security company Gemalto and telecoms provider Orange. The venture is supported by the Ministry ...
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NewsCeremony launches Laos railway construction
LAOS: A groundbreaking ceremony in Vientiane on December 2 marked the formal start of construction of a Chinese-backed standard gauge main line running north-south through Laos from the Chinese border to the Thai frontier at Nong Khai. Lao President Choummaly Sayasone ceremonially dug into a pyramid of sand, telling assembled ...
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NewsAbellio receives first R-net Flirt 3 EMU
NETHERLANDS: The first of six Stadler Flirt 3 electric multiple-units ordered by Abellio to operate services on the Gouda – Alphen aan den Rijn route arrived at NedTrain’s Leidschendam depot on December 3. In 2014 the province of Zuid-Holland awarded NS Reizigers and Abellio Rail NRW GmbH a contract ...
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NewsSharon Dijksma
Sharon Dijksma was appointed as State Secretary at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure & Environment with effect from November 3. She replaces Wilma Mansveld, who resigned following the publication of a critical report into the Fyra high speed train debacle.
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NewsPR to take over in Kujawsko-Pomorskie
POLAND: National regional train operator PR is to take over operation of local services on electrified lines in Kujawsko-Pomorskie with effect from the December 2015 timetable change. In 2013 Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship awarded Arriva RP a two-year contract to operate the electric services, but it subsequently chose to award the next ...
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NewsFret SNCF tests 1 000 m trains
FRANCE: Fret SNCF has been conducting trials of operating trains up to 1 000 m in length, running between the marshalling yard at Somain south of Lille to Woippy outside Metz. Comprising two coupled formations each with their own locomotive and driver, 12 test trains were due to be operated ...
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NewsCairo metro depot signalling contract awarded
EGYPT: National Authority for Tunnels has awarded Alstom a €15m contract to supply signalling for the new depot on Cairo metro Line 1. Alstom is to supply computer-based interlocking, SCADA systems for traffic and traction power supplies, and telecommunications to support fire detection, phones and CCTV systems. The fit-out ...
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NewsNomad Digital and Bombardier announce North American partnership
NORTH AMERICA: Nomad Digital and Bombardier Transportation announced a partnership to provide passenger and fleet management connectivity technology across the region on December 3. Nomad said the agreement would provide Bombardier with access its expertise in the development, implementation and management of on-board systems including passenger information, media and ...
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NewsMoscow Small Ring EMUs ordered
RUSSIA: On December 2 Moscow operator Central Suburban Passenger Co signed a contract for Transmashholding’s Demikhovo plant to supply 35 Type ED4M-500 electric multiple-units between February and July 2016. The six-car 3 kV DC EMUs are to be used on the 54 km Small Ring line in Moscow, where passenger ...
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NewsLondon Midland agrees direct award franchise contract
UK: On December 3 the Department for Transport announced a direct award agreement which will see incumbent Govia continue to operate the West Midlands passenger franchise under the London Midland brand from the expiry of its current deal in April 2016 until October 2017. The Govia joint venture of Go-Ahead ...