All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 795
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NewsFour consortia prequalify for Riyadh metro contract
SAUDI ARABIA: Four international consortia have prequalified for a contract to build a metro network in Riyadh, the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh announced on August 1. Bids were submitted by a total of 38 consortia. The shortlisted groups now have four months to submit their financial and ...
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NewsCSR Zhuzhou awarded Ankara metro train contract
TURKEY: Following a final review of bids, CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive has been confirmed as the winner of a contract to supply 342 metro cars to Ankara. Announcing the 2·5bn yuan contract on August 1, the Chinese company said it would set a precedent which could help it to ...
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NewsSupercapacitor energy storage for South Island Line
CHINA: Sojitz and Meidensha have won a ¥25bn contract to supply two 2 MW Capapost regenerated energy storage units for Hong Kong’s South Island Line metro project. The installation of the supercapacitor technology is expected to reduce traction power consumption by 10% on the 7·1 km five-station line, which ...
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NewsSBB orders eight New Pendolino tilting trains
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has placed a firm order for eight more New Pendolino tilting trains, Alstom announced on August 2. They are scheduled to be delivered in 2015, replacing ETR470 trainsets on international services from Genève and Zürich to Milano. The SFr275m order is an option on a contract ...
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NewsMerMec awarded Algerian ETCS contract
ALGERIA: MerMec has won a contract to provide iCAB 1 ETCS Level 1 trackside equipment for a project to modernise the 55 km Thénia - Tizi Ouzou route. The single-track line is being upgraded and electrified by a consortium of Teixeira Duarte, ETRHB-Haddad, Özgün Insaat and signalling contractor ENYSE with ...
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NewsCzech Railways gets more accessible
CZECH REPUBLIC: National passenger operator CD has begun testing a coach which has been refurbished by Slovak company ŽOS Trnava and made more accessible to passengers with disabilities. The air-conditioned coach has four six-seat compartments and a 12-seat open area. The refurbishment included installing a wheelchair lift and an accessible ...
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NewsDouble-deck sleeping car on test in Russia
RUSSIA: Transmashholding's Tver Carriage Works has completed the first phase of acceptance testing with a newly-developed Type 61-4472 double-deck sleeping and crew car. Designed to carry 50 passengers, the coach has a compartment with wheelchair access and secure storage. In December 2010 Russian Railways awarded Tver Carriage Works a ...
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NewsHonolulu metro track and electrification contracts awarded
USA: Electrification and track supply subcontracts have been awarded for the $5·2bn Honolulu driverless metro project, a 32 km elevated line between East Kapolei and Ala Moana Center which is scheduled to open in phases from 2015 to 2019. On August 1 Siemens Infrastructure & Cities announced it had won ...
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NewsAll Aboard Florida appoints station planners
USA: Florida East Coast Industries has appointed architects to plan the stations for its proposed 'All Aboard Florida' inter-city service between Miami and Orlando. The $1bn plan for a privately-owned, operated and maintained passenger service using FECI lines and new construction was announced in March, with a target launch ...
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NewsFirst phase of the Dallas Orange Line opens
USA: The first phase of the $1·3bn DART light rail Orange Line in Dallas opened to passengers on July 30, following an inaugural train on July 27. The initial section runs for 8·6 km from Bachman on the Green Line to Irving Convention Center, with intermediate stops at the ...
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NewsEntity in Charge of Maintenance certified
GERMANY: Wagon leasing firm VTG has become the first company to receive Entity in Charge of Maintenance certification from German rail authority EBA. Voluntary certification was obtained as a pilot project enabling EBA to gain experience of the process ahead of European rules coming into force on June 1 ...
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NewsMiami International Airport metro extension opens
USA: Miami-Dade Transit's Orange Line was launched on July 28, extending Metrorail metro services to Miami International Airport. The groundbreaking for the AirportLink Metrorail Extension was held in May 2009. The 3·8 km elevated branch starts at Earlington Heights station on the existing Green Line, and terminates at Miami Intermodal ...
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NewsWork starts on LGV Bretagne
FRANCE: RFF President Hubert du Mesnil joined Eiffage Managing Director Pierre Berger, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and the presidents of the Bretagne and Pays de la Loire regions at Etrelles on July 27 to officially mark the start of work on the 132 km high-speed line that will connect ...
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NewsHigh speed centre of excellence established
UK: High speed rail lobby group Greengauge 21 has announced the formation of an HSR Industry Leaders Group to bring together companies with expertise in all aspects of high speed rail implementation including engineering, operations, planning and delivery. Founder members Atkins, Bechtel, Carillion, CH2M Hill, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Siemens and the ...
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NewsPrototype shunter rolls out
CZECH REPUBLIC: CZ Loko has rolled out a prototype diesel-electric locomotive for shunting and light mainline duties. The Class 744 Bo-Bo loco has asynchronous traction motors and a 1 MW Caterpillar 3508C engine meeting the EU Stage IIIA emissions standards. Maximum speed is 100 km/h. The 72 tonne locomotive ...
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NewsTata Steel invests €12m to make longer heat-treated rails
FRANCE: Tata Steel is to more than double annual production of heat-treated rail at its Hayange mill from 55 000 to 120 000 tonnes, under a €12m investment plan announced on July 25. The project is scheduled to be completed by autumn 2013, and will equip the ...
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NewsQatar Foundation awards €100m Doha tram contract
QATAR: Siemens Rail Systems has been awarded a turnkey contract valued at more than €100m for the development of a 11·5 km catenary-free tramway in Doha for opening in late 2015. The contract announced on July 30 has been awarded by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science & Community Development, ...
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NewsEtihad Rail issues Stage Two invitations to tender
UAE: Railway project promoter Etihad Rail has issued invitations to tender for the first three contracts for Stage Two of the planned national rail network. Prequalified companies have been invited to bid for two construction contracts, and a third contract covering railway systems and commissioning. The lines to be ...
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NewsPesa DMU brings international standards to local service
KAZAKHSTAN: National railway KTZ has deployed a diesel multiple-unit supplied by Polish manufacturer Pesa on a daily return working between Turkestan and Shymkent. The new unit is intended to bring 'international standards' of passenger comfort to 19 minor stations where long-distance trains do not stop. Similar to the ...
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NewsStadler Rail looks to new markets
STADLER RAIL: The past year’s results were dominated by the falling value of the euro against the Swiss franc and the EU debt crisis, Stadler Rail announced on June 15. Although orders received in 2011 were below the average of the past few years, the high levels of orders received ...