All articles by Railway Gazette International – Page 957
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NewsAbu Dhabi unveils transport master plan
UAE: Tenders for construction of the first of 30 light rail routes are to be invited in the next two months, following the official launch of the emirate’s Surface Transport Master Plan 2030 by the Crown Prince, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at the end of April. Prepared by ...
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NewsTrans-Siberian in seven days
RUSSIA: Meeting in Moscow on April 29, RZD’s Scientific & Technical Council endorsed plans to improve the efficiency of container transport, notably transit shipments on the Trans-Siberian landbridge. According to the railway, achieving international quality standards for container transport is one of RZD’s strategic priorities. Although freight volumes have fallen ...
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NewsTrain scheduling research benefits commuters
OPERATIONS: While automatic generation of timetables remains a goal for many train operators, the Sujic programme optimises passenger benefit and is seen as a valuable decision support tool.
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NewsFerroeste consolidates its expansion plans
Samuel Gomes, Chairman & CEO, Estrada de Ferro Paraná Oeste SA This year will be a decisive time for Ferroeste, as we press ahead with our long-term expansion strategy. By the end of the year, we expect to have completed all the technical and environmental studies for a series of ...
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Lyon T4 first phase opens
FRANCE: Phase 1 of Lyon’s fourth tram line entered service on April 20. Linking Jet d’Eau to Feyzin, the €185·3m line T4 is 10 km long with 18 stops, and is operated by 13 Citadis trams. Sytral, the city’s transport authority, was one of the first to choose Alstom’s Citadis ...
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NewsWork set to start on Mongolian coal line
MONGOLIA: Construction of a 260 km railway to carry coal from Energy Resources LLC’s mine at Ukhaa Khudag to the Chinese border at Gashuun Sukhait is set to begin by the end of the year, with the first trains running in 2011. Having already completed a preliminary study, DB ...
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NewsA ‘sound launching pad’
VOSSLOH: Sales at Vossloh were up 19% at €1·2bn in 2008, with EBIT up 24% on 2007 to €138m. Earnings jumped from €71m to €139m, with €47m from the disposal of Vossloh Infrastructure Services to Vinci Group. After adjusting previous figures to allow for the divestment, Vossloh’s Rail Infrastructure division ...
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NewsMarubeni buys into Australia
RJV: Marubeni Corp has signed a deal to acquire a 49% stake in the Australian arm of Chicago Freight Car Leasing Co for an undisclosed price. Rail Joint Venture has a A$200m fleet of 37 locomotives and 805 grain and container wagons on lease across Australia. CFCLA Managing Director Ian ...
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NewsNottingham’s next step
UK: The government approved the Transport & Works Act Order granting joint promoters Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire County Council legal powers to build Nottingham Express Transit Phase Two on March 30. However, full government approval is still needed before construction can begin. The next step is to seek ...
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Tram on test
CZECH REPUBLIC: A prototype of Škoda’s Type 15T ForCity articulated low-floor tram began trials in Plzen on March 19. A total of 250 three-car unidirectional vehicles have been ordered by Praha operator DPHMP (RG 5.08 p279) at a cost of KC16bn, to augment its fleet of 60 Škoda Type 14T ...
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NewsHelsinki lines open
FINLAND: Helsinki’s public transport operator HKL began operations on two new sections of tram line on March 30, adding 7·2 km to take the total network to 112·3 km. The extensions significantly increase service flexibility. The figure -of-eight 3T/3B routes now wind through several central pedestrian zones and 3T ...
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NewsUIC assembly endorses ‘a new start’
INTERNATIONAL: Meeting in Paris on March 31, the General Assembly of the International Union of Railways unanimously approved a package of new statutes and governance rules which had been agreed by the Executive Board on the previous day. Based on the principles established last December (RG 1.09 p21), the ...
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NewsPointers May 2009
A Slovenian and Italian joint commission approved the final version of the construction plans for a 35·6 km direct link from Trieste to Divaca on April 15, and agreed to form a joint co-ordination body for the €2·4bn project (RG 10.08 p789). Armenia and Iran have agreed to undertake a ...
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NewsUrban rail news in brief - May 2009
The central government approved a revised budget on April 20 for the planned Taichung Mass Rapid Transit system in central Taiwan, increasing funding to NT$51·4bn from the previous NT$28·8bn. The 16·7 km 18 station project will link Taichung City’s Beitun district to Taichung County’s Wuri, based on an amended plan. ...
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NewsStrong interest in Sydney metro contract
AUSTRALIA: New South Wales’ Transport Minister David Campbell announced on April 29 that 13 groups had registered an interest in the contract to build the infrastructure for the planned CBD metro line in Sydney. These include both local and international companies. Formal Expressions of Interest are to be returned by ...
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NewsOn a mission
MEXICO: With the Mexican government planning US$49bn of rail investment by 2012 and all tariff barriers on industrial goods removed by the free trade agreement with the European Union and Mexico, UK suppliers have identified the country as a potential market opportunity. UK Trade & Investment, the government’s international ...
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NewsSeeking cost efficiency through benchmarking
USA: In order to learn from international best practice, Amtrak has started to benchmark its infrastructure performance and expenditure against a group of European operators.
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NewsSNCB reforms intermodal freight
BELGIUM: As part of the ongoing rationalisation of its freight business unit, SNCB is consolidating the activities of its two intermodal subsidiaries with effect from May 1. Within SNCB Groupe Fret, IFB (Inter Ferry Boats) and TRW (Transport Route Wagon) have operated in parallel for several years, with IFB specialising ...
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NewsEdmonton launches South LRT extension
CANADA: The first 2·3km segment of Edmonton Transit’s C$673m South LRT extension from Health Sciences Centre to South Campus was ceremonially opened on April 25, along with a new intermediate station at McKernan/Belgravia. Construction of the extension began in 2005, and the remaining 5·2 km to Century Park is expected ...
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NewsThe heat is on
AUSTRIA: Reflecting a steady transition from standard grade rails to high-strength premium steel grades, Voestalpine has recently inaugurated a new heat treatment facility at its Leoben rail rolling mill in Austria. According to the supplier, this is the largest dedicated rail mill in Europe, able to produce a broad range ...