All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 793
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NewsJeddah and Makkah metro plans approved
SAUDI ARABIA: Plans to develop metro networks in Jeddah and Makkah have been approved. A 62bn riyal strategy to develop a metro and bus network in Makkah was announced on August 14. Four metro lines totalling 182 km with 88 stations are planned, supplementing the existing Al Mashaaer Al Mugaddassah ...
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NewsHydrogen locomotive demonstrated at Hydrail conference
UK: A demonstration run by the UK’s first hydrogen-powered locomotive provided a highlight for the seventh International Hydrail Conference on July 3-4, hosted by the University of Birmingham and sponsored by the Birmingham Centre for Railway Research & Education. The 260 mm gauge locomotive had been built by the university’s ...
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NewsLondon Underground pulls the plug on Powerlink PFI
UK: London Underground gave notice on August 16 that it intends to terminate the 30-year Powerlink private finance initiative contract for the operation and maintenance of its high-voltage electrical power network. LU will end the contract in August 2013 by exercising a half-way break clause. It will be required ...
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NewsDB orders Traxx locomotives
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn has placed a firm order for Bombardier Transportation to supply a further 32 Class 146 Traxx electric locomotives for regional passenger services. The €108m contract announced on August 16 an option on existing agreements. Delivery is planned for 2014, with the 160 km/h locomotives to be used ...
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NewsGotthard alliance signed
EUROPE: Swiss Federal Railways and Italian infrastructure manager RFI have agreed to strengthen their co-operation on the Gotthard corridor ahead of the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016. Two agreements were signed by head of SBB Infrastruktur Philippe Gauderon and RFI Director Michele Mario Elia on ...
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NewsYuxi - Mengzi line completed
CHINA: Construction of 141 km line from Yuxi, south of Kunming, to Mengzi on the route to the Vietnamese border was officially completed on August 14. Just over half of the route is on viaducts or in tunnel, reflecting the challenging local topography, and the 4·5bn yuan ...
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NewsWärtsilä engine on test in Russia
RUSSIA: The first TEM18V shunter produced by TMH’s Bryansk plant with a 882 kW Wärtsilä 20LA engine is undergoing field testing following certification by the federal railway agency. The Wärtsilä TMH Diesel Engine Co joint venture has announced plans for an engine factory at TMH’s Penzadieselmash plant, broadening the Finnish ...
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NewsChemnitz orders electro-diesel tram-trains
GERMANY: Vossloh has won an order to supply eight electro-diesel tram-trains for the network under development around Chemnitz, with an option for two more. Delivery is planned for 2014. The €42·3m contract was signed by transport authority Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen on August 14, with funding from the Land of Sachsen and ...
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NewsFirstGroup awarded Inter-City West Coast franchise
UK: First West Coast Ltd has been selected to operate inter-city services on the West Coast Main Line between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland for up to 15 years, Transport Minister Theresa Villiers announced on August 15. Running for 13 years and 4 months from December 9 2012, with an ...
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NewsMotivePower signs contract for first Tier 4 passenger locos
CANADA: Greater Toronto transport authority Metrolinx has signed a US$45m contract for MotivePower to repower 11 of its diesel locomotives with twin Cummins QSK60 engines. The MPXpress locomotives were built by MotivePower about five years ago for use on commuter services. After repowering, they will be the first North American ...
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Ben Martins
Ben Martins has succeeded S’bu Ndebele as South Africa’s Minister of Transport, while Sindisiwe Chikunga becomes Deputy Minister of Transport.
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Harrison named CP CEO
Following the appointment of Paul Haggis as Chairman, Canadian Pacific has selected Hunter Harrison (photo) as President & CEO. The former head of Canadian National replaces interim CEO Stephen Tobias. Harrison is widely viewed as the preferred choice of William Ackman, whose Pershing Square Capital Management firm owns a 14.2% ...
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NewsWorld rolling stock market August 2012
Australia: Siemens is to supply BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance with 13 electric locomotives for use from late 2013 on 1067 mm heavy-haul coal trains from the Caval Ridge and Daunia mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin to Hay Point Coal Terminal. Downer EDI and EMD are to supply 19 SD70Ace/LCi locos ...
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NewsFirst Chinese-built locomotive shipped to an EU customer
ESTONIA: The first locomotive built by China Northern for a customer in the European Union was loaded onto a ship at the port of Tianjin on August 11. Estonian freight operator EVR Cargo announced the €30·2m contract for 16 single-cab shunting locomotives in August 2011. The 1 520 mm ...
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NewsCNR Dalian locomotives arrive in Angola
ANGOLA: CNR Dalian has delivered the first five of 15 diesel locomotives ordered last year. Rated at 1715 kW, the 1067 mm gauge CKD8F locomotives have a top speed of 160 km/h and feature air-conditioned cabs and dust filters for use in the desert environment. Rehabilitation of the ...
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NewsCzech infrastructure manager sets out 2015 priorities
CZECH REPUBLIC: Infrastructure manager SZDC has earmarked five priority projects for completion by 2015. All five projects, postponed several times, are part of the modernisation of Corridors 3 and 4. KC1·0bn for reconstruction and resignalling of Beclav station to enhance safety and raise freight speeds. KC1·1bn for remodelling ...
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NewsNews in Brief - August 2012
Passenger services have been restored between Salta and General Güemes on the metre-gauge Belgrano network in northwest Argentina, operated by federal agency Sofse with ex-FEVE DMUs. Demand for the single service operating in each direction on weekdays has been such that an increase in frequency is now being contemplated. ...
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NewsProducts & Technology in Brief
HaCon has introduced a proximity search function to the HAFAS journey planner, enabling passengers to search by travel time rather than location, for example when seeking inspiration for leisure trips. ZTR Control Systems’ Locomotive Battery Saver has a contactor simulating the main battery disconnect switch. It opens automatically after a ...
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NewsMining companies back Labrador Trough railway study
CANADA: Canadian National announced on August 10 that five mining companies have committed to support a feasibility study for the construction of an 800 km railway to link iron ore deposits in the Labrador Trough area of northern Québec and Labrador with the Port of Sept-Îles. Cliffs Natural Resources, ...
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NewsLevel crossing voice warnings
UK: Equipment which issues spoken messages saying ‘warning, another train is approaching’ is being installed at 63 UK level crossings. Infrastructure manager Network Rail hopes this will reduce the risk of users mistakenly believing that it is safe to cross after the first train. Research by industry ...