Railway Gazette International articles from August 2006

Railway Gazette International archives from August 2006

Idrac arrives in a bear garden.(COMMENT)
August 1, 2006... ALL EYES are on France as new SNCF President Anne-Marie Idrac takes up the reins in the toughest management challenge in Europe's railway business. Formally appointed on July 12, Idrac succeeds Louis Gallois, who has returned to the...

No interest for the creditors.(COMMENT)
August 1, 2006... EUROTUNNEL effectively declared itself insolvent on July 13, after last-ditch negotiations failed to reconcile conflicting interests among its creditors that were blocking agreement on a debt restructuring plan. Chairman & Chief Executive...

Africa needs to cut border delays.(COMMENT)
August 1, 2006... ACCORDING TO Spoornet CEO Siyabonga Gama, delays to freight trains at international borders on the Cape gauge network serving southern Africa are costing the region US$48bn a year. Gama told the ninth AfricaRail conference near Johannesburg...

Golmud-Lhasa inaugurated.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... CHINESE Premier Hu Jintao presided at ceremonies on July 1 to mark the official opening of the 1 142 km line from Golmud in Qinghai to Lhasa in Tibet. Cutting the ribbon at Golmud station, Hu told an audience of 2 600 people gathered in...

SBB funding package approved.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... ON JUNE 21 Swiss Transport Minister Moritz Leuenburger confirmed that Parliament had approved SFr5.88bn of state funding to support Swiss Federal Railways over the next four years. The budget allocation had been passed by the Bundesrat in...

Trackwork contracts.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... SWEDISH infrastructure manager Banverket has awarded three contracts totalling [pounds sterling]40m to UK-based infrastructure services and construction company Carillion. The largest contract covers double-tracking of the Mjolby-Motala...

EIB provides [euro]10bn for PEIT.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... UNDER AN AGREEMENT signed in Madrid on July 4 by its President Philippe Maystadt, the European Investment Bank is to provide up to [euro]10bn in 2007-13 to support the Spanish Ministry of Development's PEIT strategic infrastructure and...

Subsidiaries progress RZD reforms.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... JULY 1 saw the formal start of operations for Russian Railways' Federal Passenger Board, which has been established as an early priority for the third stage of the RZD reform programme. The reform of RZD's passenger operations is based on...

Arriva expands in Europe.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... ON JULY 4 Arriva announced that it had won a contract to operate trains between Munchen and Oberstdorf in the Bavarian Alps, and also to Lindau in southern Germany. The contract starts from December 9 2007 and is expected to generate total...

PPPs to fund TGVs.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... FRENCH infrastructure manager RFF announced on July 20 that it had appointed financial advisors to assist with the development of PPP funding packages for three major investment projects (RG 11.05 p668). Royal Bank of Canada's Capital...

Wires to Nanjing.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... ELECTRICALLY-hauled freight trains began running on Chinese Railways' Shanghai-Nanjing main line on July 1, with the completion of wiring work on the southern section of the Beijing-Shanghai corridor. CR's Shanghai Railway Bureau expects to...

US$47m Belgrano spend proposed.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... THE GOVERNOR of Argentina's Salta province, Juan Carlos Romero, has presented a plan that would see US$47m invested in the metre-gauge Belgrano network (RG 7.06 p376) to restore key routes over a 16-month period. The 500 km identified as...

UIC hosts first Middle East Assembly.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... FOLLOWING a decision taken by the UIC General Assembly in Montreal on June 8 to set up five UIC Regional Assemblies worldwide, the first meeting of the Regional Assembly for the Middle East took place in Istanbul on June 13-14. Chaired by...

Reims and Angers choose APS.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... ON JULY 13 the Communaute d'agglomeration Reims Metropole signed a [euro]1.4bn turnkey contract with the Alstom-led MARS consortium for construction of an 11.2 km light rail line, and for the operation of trams and buses in the city over 30...

Metrolink tries a little bang instead.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... NEXT MONTH is due to see a call for expressions of interest in building three light rail lines in Manchester, following the agreement of a [pounds sterling]650m funding package which will allow work to start on part of the long-planned 'Big...

Lyon-Torino.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Meeting in Roma on July 11, Italian Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi, Infrastructure Minister Antonio di Pietro and French Transport Minister Dominique Perben confirmed their commitment to start work on the Lyon-Torino rail link before...

MAV Cargo.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Hungarian Transport Minister Janos Koka announced on July 5 that the government had decided to privatise the national railway's freight business MAV Cargo within the next 12 months. Proceeds from the sale would be used to write down MAV's...

Daqin Railway Company.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... China's Ministry of Railways has received approval to float the Daqin Railway Company on the Shanghai stock market. The Initial Public Offering for the heavy haul coal line is expected to raise at least 14bn yuan. It would be the first railway...

Grand Central.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... UK open access operator Grand Central announced on July 7 that it expected to launch its thrice-daily London-York-Sunderland service on December 10, subject to a court challenge from incumbent franchisee GNER. A timetabling exercise by Network...

SNCF.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... SNCF is reported to have selected Bombardier as preferred bidder for the [euro]4bn framework contract to supply up to 330 Nouvelle Automotrice Transilien single-deck EMUs for the Paris suburban network, starting with a firm option for 172 sets...

Bellinzona and Milano.(NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Last month the Nord Milano line to Malpensa airport was used for testing the first Flirt RABe 524 EMU built by Stadler for TILO services between Locarno, Bellinzona and Milano. On July 21 Stadler announced that 10 Flirt EMUs had been ordered by...

Bangalore metro launched.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... INDIAN Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone for the Rs64bn Bangalore metro project on June 24, paving the way for the start of construction in October. 'I hope this project will become a milestone in Bangalore's...

Light rail go-ahead for Ottawa.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... OTTAWA city council voted on July 12 to approve the contract for construction of the city's planned north-south light rail line, clearing the way for work to begin later this year. The 29.7 km route will link Barrhaven with the University of...

Granada light rail funding agreed.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... CONSTRUCTION of a 15.5 km light rail route in the Spanish city of Granada is expected to begin this autumn, following the signature of funding agreements by the Andalucia regional government and the municipalities of Granada, Armilla, Albolote...

Tram modernisation.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... TENDERS were called last month for a [euro]25.2m contract to modernise the tramway infrastructure in the Romanian city of Arad. Bids were due by July 5 for the project, which includes rehabilitation of trackwork over 17.6 route-km and...

East Side tunnelling.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... A JOINT venture led by a division of Spanish civil engineering company Dragados has been awarded a tunnelling contract valued at nearly $428m for work on Long Island Rail Road's East Side Access project. Due for completion in about six...

Dhaka metro moves closer.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... THE BANGLADESH Ministry of Communications has selected a local construction company to develop a metro network in Dhaka, subject to final clearance from the government's Private Sector Investment Committee. After meeting with Contech...

Madrid LRT contracts awarded.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... THE MADRID regional government has selected a consortium of Madrid Metro, the Caja Madrid bank and bus operator Alsa as preferred bidder for a 30-year concession to operate and maintain the light rail route currently under construction between...

SSB announces midlife car refit.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... STUTTGARTER Strassenbahn AG announced on July 5 that it intends to start a midlife refit for around a third of its 164-strong fleet of LRVs. The 60 cars in the DT8.4 to DT8.9 series, which are coming up to 20 years old, will be fully...

Cavite concession.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... FOUR international consortia have expressed interest in a PPP concession to build the planned southern extension of Manila light rail Line 1 from Baclaran to Cavite. LRTA Administrator Mel Robles confirmed last month that bids have been...

Line 15 proposed.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... SHANGHAI's city planners have announced their intention to develop another north-south metro line across the rapidly-growing conurbation. Due to be completed after 2010, Line 15 will connect the Shanghai University campus in Baoshan with...

Czech orders.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... SKODA Transport has won two framework contracts for the supply of low-floor trams to two Czech cities over the next decade. Praha transport operator DphmP plans to acquire up to 200 cars in 2009-18 at a cost of KC 12.2bn, or [euro]2.1m a...

Buenos Aires branches revived.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... UNDER A 180m pesos investment programme funded by the Argentinian government, work was expected to begin this month to renew track on four diesel-worked sections of the Buenos Aires commuter network. On TBA's Sarmiento route, the...

RATP's Speno.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Preparations are being made to open the Bondy-Aulnay tram-train route to the east of Paris in the autumn. On July 13 RATP's Speno rail grinder was at work when one of the first TGV trainsets to take over Paris-Metz-Luxembourg services from June...

Rail Runner Express.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... New Mexico's Rail Runner Express commuter rail service was inaugurated on July 14, with trains initially running between Albuquerque and Highway 550 station in Sandoval County. Services are expected to be extended to Belen in September, with...

Charlotte Metropolitan Transit.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... On June 28 the Charlotte Metropolitan Transit Commission unanimously approved the route for the 17.7 km Northeast Corridor light rail line from the city centre to the University of North Carolina. Estimated to cost around $585m, this is...

CPCS Transcom.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... CPCS Transcom has been appointed to assist the Nigerian government with the development of a metro network in Abuja. Provision for the construction of a mass transit system was made when the new capital was laid out in the 1970s, including...

Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority.(CITY NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority has invited international bids for a joint venture concession to operate and maintain the Dubai Metro network now under construction. The first section of the Red Line is expected to be completed in September...

Bangladesh.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Bangladesh: Work will begin this month to convert the metre gauge line between Joydepur and Kamlapur station in Dhaka to dual metre and 1 676 mm gauge by October 2007. A contract awarded to Chinese company First Metallic Construction Co in...

Belgium.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Belgium: Infrastructure manager Infrabel joined the European Rail Infrastructure Managers association on July 1.

Canada.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Canada: Island Corridor Foundation appointed Southern Railway of British Columbia to operate freight and passenger services between Victoria and Courtenay from July 1, under the name Southern Railway Vancouver Island Ltd.

Croatia.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Croatia: HZ was restructured with effect from July 1, to comply with EU requirements to separate infrastructure and operations. The structure is based on Austrian Federal Railways, and comprises the four operating units HZ Cargo, HZ Putnicki...

Czech Republic.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Czech Republic: Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek inaugurated the completed 25 kV electrification and second track on the 47 km Kadan-Karlovy Vary route on May 26. Funded by the State Transport Infrastructure Fund and undertaken by Skanska, Viamont...

Europe.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Europe: Work has begun to rehabilitate the line from Kumrovec in Croatia to Imeno in Slovenia. Krumrovec's services will be incorporated into Zagreb's suburban rail network. On June 7 Czech Railways, Bohemiakombi and Kombiverkehr ran their...

International.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... International: Aiming to harmonise vehicle procurement frameworks, UIC has published Leaflet 345 on 'Environmental Specifications for New Rolling Stock'.

Netherlands.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Netherlands: On July 13 Zuid-Holland announced it was awarding NS a three-year temporary concession to operate Gouda-Alphen aan den Rijn light rail services from December.

Spain.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Spain: Transfesa subsidiary Activa Rail has been granted a licence to operate freight trains on the national network, joining Continental Rail, Acciona Rail Service and Comsa Rail from the private sector. Azvi and FCC have also submitted...

Sweden.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Sweden: Banverket has approved proposals for the construction of a 42 km cut-off between Kalix and Haparanda. Designed for 30 tonne axleloads, it could open in 2011.

Switzerland.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Switzerland: BLS Lotschbergbahn and Regionalverkehr Mittelland merged on June 27. The combined BLS AG has 2 600 staff and 440 km of rail lines, with through running across a 690 km network.

United Kingdom.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... United Kingdom: On July 4 Birmingham Intermodal Freight Terminal received its first train, carrying containers from Southampton. Operated by Roadways Container Logistics and located at the Birch Coppice Business Park near Tamworth, it is...

USA.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... USA: On July 1 Iowa Interstate Railroad completed its purchase of OmniTRAX's Great Western Railway of Iowa, a terminal shunting and wagon repair company with 50 km of track in Council Bluffs. Metro-North Railroad has signed a new seven-year...

Mitsui Rail Capital Europe.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... In order to obtain certification for use in Belgium and Germany, the lower noise levels produced by a sound-proofed Mitsui Rail Capital Europe Class 66 were measured during tests on the BLS route between Jerzers and Muntschemier at the end of...

8.8 MW eight-car.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... Siemens has completed a [euro]500 000 mock-up of a driving trailer for the Velaro high speed trains which will be supplied to China. The 8.8 MW eight-car trainsets will have half their axles driven, and bodyshells 3 265 mm wide Photo: H...

Africa.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... Africa: The Indian government has granted a US$7.1m line of credit to fund the purchase of a loco and 12 metre-gauge coaches for use on services between Dakar in Senegal and Bamako in Mali from August 2007.

Canada.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... Canada: Transport Canada has announced C$2.1m of operating funding to continue CN subsidiary Algoma Central Railway's passenger services between Sault Ste Marie and Hearst in northern Ontario until April 2007. An additional C$1.5m will fund...

China.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... China: Guangshen Railway is to list A shares on the Shanghai stock exchange later this year. Cash from the sale of 2.75bn shares representing 63% of the company will fund the acquisition of the Guangzhou-Pingshi railway from Guangzhou Railway...

Mexico.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... Mexico: The government is to provide US$15m to rebuild the 280 km section of the Chiapas-Mayab Railway between Tonala and the Guatemalan border, inoperable after being hit by Hurricane Stan in October 2005. Concessionaire Genesee & Wyoming is...

Russia.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... Russia: Brunswick Rail Leasing has agreed a five-year US$350m loan from Hypovereinsbank and an additional US$37.5m from International Finance Corp. The rolling stock leasing firm plans to acquire around 2 000 wagons to expand its current fleet...

Serbia.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... Serbia: On July 14 ZS signed a [euro]60m 15-year loan with EBRD to fund the purchase of 1 100 wagons. These will bring the fleet up to what director Milanko Sarancic said is the optimal size of 6 000 vehicles.

Spain.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... Spain: A total of [euro]111m is to be provided by the Ministry of Development (66%), the regional government (26%) and the city council (8%) for a scheme to relocate underground 4 km of railway in the city of Murcia. Including a new station,...

USA.(Finance)
August 1, 2006... USA: The Californian budget for 2007 allocates $14.3m for the High Speed Rail Authority, ensuring continuation of engineering and environmental studies and preservation of the alignment. Putting the scheme to voters has been delayed to November...

CAF.(INTELLIGENCE)
August 1, 2006... On July 10 larnrod Eireann Chief Executive Dick Fearn, Spanish Ambassador Jose de Caravajal and CIE Chairman John Lynch officially launched IE's fleet of Spanish-built intercity coaches. CAF will deliver all 67 of the vehicles in time for the...

Algeria.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Algeria: SNTF has awarded a consortium of Siemens and Estel a [euro]43.5m contract to supply relay interlockings and telecoms for the 204 km line under construction from Tebessa to Ain M'Lila, and for upgrading an 8 km line between Gue de...

Bangladesh.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Bangladesh: To regain passengers lost to competing road services from Dhaka to Chittagong and Sylhet, BR is to import 30 air-conditioned metre-gauge coaches from Changchun Coach Works at a cost of 946m taka. An additional 50 metre and 50 broad...

Belarus.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Belarus: BC has taken delivery of the first two of five 160 km/h TEP70BS diesel locos of 4 000 hp ordered from Transmash Holding's Kolomna plant earlier this year. 18 type 5-26DG-01 diesel engines are being supplied to re-engine M62 freight...

Cameroon.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Cameroon: Socofer is manufacturing five 500 kW engine and cooling circuit kits for Camrail under a [euro]1.36m contract. Based on sets supplied for SNCF X2100 and X2200 DMUs, they will be use used to repower Camrail's ZE 500 metre-gauge DMUs.

China.(Market)
August 1, 2006... China: Balfour Beatty Rail Power Systems has been awarded a [euro]78m contract to electrify the 619 km double track line between Tianjin and Shenyang, with the provision of 11 substations and the installation of electronic interlockings and...

Denmark.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Denmark: Nine Coradia Lint diesel multiple-units have been ordered from Alstom by Vestsjaellands Lokalbaner at a cost of [euro]23m. The second order under a framework agreement signed in November 2004, they will be used from September 2007 on...

France.(Market)
August 1, 2006... France: Socofer has begun modernising the first of 19 SNCF BB64700/64800 diesel-electric locos and powered slug pairs. Work is underway on the first set, and two per month are to be completed from May 2007. SNCF has placed a [euro]135m...

Germany.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Germany: Rhein-Main Transport Authority has approved the acquisition of a further three two-car Bombardier Itino DMUs for Odenwaldbahn Route 64 and 65 services.

India.(Market)
August 1, 2006... India: AD Praha has completed its sixth interlocking installation in India, at Yelgur station. The company developed the ESA 11 IR as a tropicalised version of a Czech interlocking, and is increasing its local presence by establishing strategic...

Jordan.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Jordan: CPCS Transcom and Dar Al Handasah are undertaking an integrated study of Jordan's railway development strategy, assessing the viability of proposed links to neighbouring countries and developing timescales and alignments.

Romania.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Romania: On June 29 Plasser & Theurer formally handed over the first two of seven maintenance machines ordered by CFR for use in the upgrading of Trans-European Corridors IV and IX.

Senegal.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Senegal: Using US$7.86m of government funding, SNCS will this month take delivery of five metre-gauge diesel locos and 20 coaches made surplus by gauge conversion in India. RITES is to survey a proposed rail connection between Tambacounda...

South Africa.(Market)
August 1, 2006... South Africa: Over the next 18 months Spoornet is to buy 26 000 wheels from Smorgon Steel; this is the Australian firm's largest export order to date.

Spain.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Spain: Elecnor has been awarded a [euro]2.8m contract to install 7.5 km of rigid catenary in the new tunnel for suburban services between Madrid Atocha and Charmartin.

Sweden.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Sweden: K Industrier has signed a SKr800m framework agreement to supply LKAB with up to 680 iron ore wagons of 100 tonne capacity. If LKAB confirms all the orders, it will secure work at K Industrier's Malmo plant to spring 2010. ...

United Kingdom.(Market)
August 1, 2006... United Kingdom: GNER has placed a [pounds sterling]1m order with Corys TESS for eight driver training simulators to be delivered by April 2007. Four will represent Class 91 electric locomotives and four diesel HST power cars. The inter-city...

Zimbabwe.(Market)
August 1, 2006... Zimbabwe: Spoornet has sold 31 diesel-electric locos to the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Railway.

Gosa by Iranian Islamic Republic Railways.(Market)
August 1, 2006... The first of 30 enclosed car carrying wagons ordered from Serbian firm Gosa by Iranian Islamic Republic Railways has been on test in Croatia at up to 160 km/h. A further 30 of the 26.4 m long wagons which can carry 12 cars are to be assembled...

Slovak Republic.(Pointers)
August 1, 2006... Railways of the Slovak Republic has announced plans to build a rail link to Bratislava airport, and electrify the line between Devinska Nova Ves and Marchegg in Austria. Half the funding would come from the EU's TEN-T programme.

The East West Line Parks.(Pointers)
August 1, 2006... The East West Line Parks consortium has invited six major steel producers to join a study into the feasibility of its 'Iron Boomerang' proposal for a A$55bn rail line running 3 000 km from Bowen in Queensland to the Pilbara region of Western...

Argentina Nestor Kirchner.(Pointers)
August 1, 2006... President of Argentina Nestor Kirchner has announced that his government intends within the next few months to establish a framework for building a high speed line between Buenos Aires and Mar del Plata for a journey time of 2 h 30 min. On June...

Uruguay.(Pointers)
August 1, 2006... Having identified infrastructure investment as a priority in its recent budget, the government of Uruguay has allocated US$24m to establish a new railway corporation that would be responsible for upgrading the national network. The private...