Railway Gazette International articles from August 2008

Railway Gazette International archives from August 2008

Freight majors will dominate in Europe.(COMMENT)
August 1, 2008... Making rail freight more competitive is an intrinsic element of the European Commission's transport strategy, as most recently outlined in its official Communication on Greening Transport which was adopted on July 8. This sets out initiatives...

Stadler wins S-Bahn order.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways announced the award of two major rolling stock contracts worth a total of SFr 1.5bn on June 30. The competition to supply Zurich's third generation of double-deck stock has been won by Stadler, which will...

High speed strategy.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SWEDEN: Infrastructure manager Banverket has submitted a report to the government recommending the construction of two high speed corridors over the next 20 years, at an estimated cost of SKr100bn to SKrl50bn. According to BV Director...

NTV launch.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... ITALY: Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori unveiled plans on July 15 to compete against Trenitalia in the high speed passenger market, targeting 20% of the business by 2015 (p500). NTV Chairman Luca di Montezemolo (third from right) said his...

India.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... India's Northeast Frontier Railway will this month begin regular services to Agartala, the capital of Tripura. Work on the 119 km line from Kumarghat began in 1996, and the first train arrived in Agartala on June 29. Construction of a further...

Bulgaria.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... Bulgaria's Ministry of Transport has commissioned Faber Maunsell to produce a national multi-modal transport masterplan. EU accession has made [euro]2bn available for infrastructure investment in 2007-13, and the [euro]2.5m study will inform...

New Zealand.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... This month a Rail Development Group is due to present the government of New Zealand with recommendations for the future structure of the rail industry. Services are now operating under the KiwiRail brand following the transfer of rail and ferry...

Laos.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... The 3.5 km metre-gauge link into Laos from Nong Khai in Thailand is expected to be inaugurated this month. State Railway of Thailand began running test trains on July 4; travel was free of charge, but passengers were unable to alight in Laos...

UK.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... The UK's Rail Safety & Standards Board has developed a methodology for assessing the impact of higher sea levels, increased wave heights and storm surges on coastal rail routes. A study into rebuilding the sea wall route at Dawlish is due to be...

Saudi Arabia.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... During July Saudi Arabia's council of ministers formally established a joint stock company to undertake the east-west Landbridge project. The consortium selected for the concession will take an 80% stake in the new company; the government will...

Hungarian.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... On June 2 the European Commission approved the Hungarian government's plans to provide HF3bn of state aid in 2008-11 to meet 30% of the cost of a rolling motorway service to carry lorries and drivers from Szeged to the Austrian town of Wels.

Germany.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... From December 12 2010 Hessische Landesbahn will replace DB Regio as operator of Frankfurt - GieBen - Siegen and GieBen - Marburg regional services provided under contract to the Rhein-Main and Westfalen-Lippe transport authorities in Germany.

Gautrain EMU unveiled.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SOUTH AFRICA: Premier of Gauteng province Mbhazima Shilowa visited Bombardier's Derby factory in the UK on July 8 to witness the unveiling of the first EMU for Gautrain (RG 6.08 p362). Jerome Govender, CEO of concessionaire Bombela, said the...

High-capacity double-decker sought.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... FRANCE: SNCF has called tenders for a fleet of up to 860 double-deck electric trainsets (RG 11.07 p677). Designated Porteurs Hyperdenses -literally Ultra-High-Capacity Carriers - they are intended for busy regional and outer-suburban routes and...

EIB funds 200 km/h.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... POLAND: Infrastructure manager PKP PLK signed a [euro] 400m loan agreement with the European Investment Bank on June 30. The money will fund the modernisation of the main line between Warszawa, Gdansk and Gdynia to enable trains to run at up to...

CAF wins order.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SAUDI ARABIA: On July 4 Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF announced it had signed a [euro] 104.9m contract to supply Saudi Railways Organisation with eight 200 km/h passenger trainsets. Each set will be formed of a diesel-electric...

Freight to stand alone.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SPAIN: Unveiling a package of measures aimed at reviving the national economy, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced on June 23 that RENEF's freight business would be established as a stand-alone company within three months....

Extra cars expand NS fleet.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... NETHERLANDS: The first of 51 additional VIRM double-deck EMUs for NS Reizigers was formally handed over at Bombardier's Talbot plant in Aachen on June 27. Ordered in 2006, they will bring the number of VIRM cars to 872, with 87 000 seats...

Galicia upgrade nears end.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SPAIN: With the exception of the final 2.3 km into Vigo, where design studies are underway, contracts have now been awarded for all sections of the 155.6 km A Coruna-Santiago de Compostela - Vigo route upgrade. Opening of the 13.1 km...

Signalling deal.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... BRAZIL: Mining company Vale has awarded GE Transportation a US$60m contract to overhaul signalling and telecoms on the EFVM network. To be completed by 2010, the project covers the port of Tubarao and 600 km of metre-gauge double track...

Cross-acceptance.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... EUROPE: Legislation to require the cross-acceptance of rail vehicles between EU member states moved forward on July 9, when the European Parliament voted to approve the second reading of amendments to the 2004 Railway Safety Directive. The...

Signalling accord.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... EUROPE: At a meeting in Roma on July 4, the European Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding with six railway industry associations to co-ordinate and clarify the deployment of ERTMS. It is also intended to speed up ETCS and GSM-R...

Freight merger agreement.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... EUROPE: Czech Minister of Transport Ales Rebicek and his Slovak counterpart Lubomir Vazny reached an agreement on June 23 to prepare for the merger of national freight operators CD Cargo and ZSSK Cargo. They are to draw up a timetable for the...

Largest ERTMS order.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SPAIN: Infrastructure manager ADIF has awarded a consortium of Dimetronic and Thales a contract to supply signalling and telecoms for the Madrid - Valencia high speed line, which at [euro]585m is thought to be the largest ERTMS order placed to...

DMU framework in place.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... GERMANY: Following a month-long tendering process, DB has awarded five framework contracts covering the supply of up to 300 regional DMUs to Alstom, Siemens and Stadler. Orders can be called off as required up to 2011 at a total cost of...

Triple-track completion.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... USA: BNSF Railway is on course to complete the triple-tracking of its busy Cajon Pass line in southern California by October. The company has invested more than $90m to increase capacity on a 26 km segment of its Cajon Subdivision. This...

Regional high speed contracts.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... SPAIN: Corsan and Bruesa have been awarded a [euro]34.9m contract for civil works on the 7 km Fuente de Piedra - Antequera section of the 128 km high speed line between Sevilla and Antequera being built by the Andalucia regional government....

Segregation for 200 km/h running.(MAIN LINE)
August 1, 2008... UKRAINE: Minister of Transport & Communications Yosyp Vinsky has announced the designation of a number of UZ's major intercity routes as dedicated passenger lines under a US$6.5bn project to permit the operation of 200 km/h services by the time...

Ukraine.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... On July 15 the board of Russian private freight operator Globaltrans (RG 5.07 p324) approved the creation of a Ukrainian subsidiary. 'Ukraine provides significant current and future opportunities', said CEO Sergey Maltsev.

Steer Davies Gleave .(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... Steer Davies Gleave is studying business models for the development of a station to serve both Badajoz in Spain and Elvas in Portugal, which are less than 10 km apart. Opening is planned for 2013.

Polish.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... Last month Italian firm Team Engineering sold its 80% stake in Polish electric locomotive repair company ZNLE to Newag for an undisclosed price. An initial 24.9% stake has been transferred, with the remainder subject to regulatory approval.

Swiss.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... BLS has sold a 25% stake in BLS Cargo to DB Schenker, which now holds 45% of the Swiss freight operator. The deal was an option on a 2002 agreement to co-operate on trans-Alpine freight traffic. BLS AG intends to remain the majority shareholder...

Netherlands.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... On June 23 Dutch Transport Minister Camiel Eurlings signed off a [euro]2.1bn package of rail and road infrastructure investment to improve links to the Netherlands' northern provinces. It replaces the planned Zuiderzee line between Lelystad,...

German.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... With the December 14 timetable change Keolis subsidiary Eurobahn will take over regional services currently operated by DB between the German towns of Munster, Dortmund, Soest, Hamm and Warburg.

Argentina.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... On July 4 passenger services operating between Cordoba and La Calera in Argentina (RG 09.07 p525) were extended by 36 km to Cosquin. A further extension of the Tren de las Sierras to Cruz del Eje is planned.

Tanzania.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... On June 19 Tanzania Railways Corp reinstated services on the northern line from the port of Tanga to Moshi and Arusha. Operations had been suspended in October 2007 because of serious infrastructure deterioration, largely due to vandalism.

Germany.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... Rheinland, Westfalen-Lipper and SPNV Nord transport authorities have confirmed DB Heidekrautbahn as the winner of a tender to operate Rhein-Sieg-Express services between Aachen, Koln and Siegen in Germany from December 12 2010 until December 13...

Hamburg's DT5 takes shape.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... GERMANY Hamburger Hochbahn AG presented its next generation U-Bahn trainset at the Alstom LHB works in Salzgitter on July 1, unveiling a full-size mock-up showing the car end, driving cab and interior layout. HHA ordered 27 trainsets in...

Trial running to Jinzhou.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... CHINA: Test running has commenced on a 14.3 km extension of the Dalian Fast Rail Link. The first trains took to the branch on July 8 after the extension was handed over by the China Railway Electrification Bureau, which led the construction...

Double-deck on Line A.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... FRANCE: Following a finance agreement with STIF, the Ile-de-France transport authority, RATP intends to call tenders for replacement rolling stock on RER Line A. At the end of June, RATP presented STIF with its proposals to procure an...

CPTM contracts.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... BRAZIL: Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF has been awarded a [euro]442m contract to supply 40 eight-car trainsets to Sao Paulo suburban operator CPTM. Deliveries are scheduled for completion in 2010. CPTM has awarded Union Switch &...

Mumbai car order.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... INDIA: CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock Company is to supply 16 four-car trains for Line 1 of Mumbai metro under a Rs6bn contract. The first four trainsets are due to be delivered in 18 months' time, with the whole fleet arriving in Mumbai by...

Beijing ready for Olympics.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... CHINA: Two extensions to the Beijing metro network opened for traffic on July 19, when public services commenced on the dedicated airport link which had been ceremonially inaugurated on June 30 (RG 7.08 p443). With the start of the Olympic...

CDG Express bidder chosen.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... FRANCE: A consortium of Vinci Concessions, Vinci SA, Caisse des Depots et Consignations, Keolis and Axa Infrastructure Investissement has been selected as the preferred bidder for a concession to finance, build and manage the Charles-de-Gaulle...

East End Corridor construction.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... USA: Houston's $1.3bn Metro Solutions expansion programme took a significant step forward on June 30 with the start of construction along the East End Corridor, one of five planned extensions to the existing single-route light rail network. ...

Croydon.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... Ownership of the Tramlink light rail system in Croydon was transferred to Transport for London on June 27. Tramtrack Croydon Ltd held a 99-year private finance initiative concession to build and operate the 28 km network in south London, but on...

Edmonton.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... The first of 37 Siemens SD160 LRVs ordered at a cost of [euro]77m was unveiled in Edmonton on June 23. The high-floor cars have a slightly modified cab end compared to earlier SD160 builds, and will double the Canadian city's LRV fleet ready...

Chicago.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... On July 16 Chicago Transit Authority announced a pilot programme to remove the seats from a number of metro cars to increase capacity by 25 to 50 people per car. Eight-car peak trains would have one or two seatless cars, running initially on...

Madrid.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... Madrid Metro has opened a new station at Rivas Futura on Line 9 between Puerta de Arganda and Arganda del Rey, built at a cost of [euro]16m including a 522-space park and ride facility. The station has 115 m long platforms capable of...

New York.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... Last month boring was completed on the first 2.2 km Manhattan tube between New York's Grand Central Terminal and the 63rd Street tunnel to Queens. On completion in about five years the East Side Access will bring Long Island Rail Road trains to...

Orleans.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... The Metropolitan Authority of Greater Orleans has agreed an [euro]89.6m contract with Alstom for the supply of 21 Citadis 302 cars for the French city's second tram route. The cars are expected to enter service in 2011.

Zaragoza.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
August 1, 2008... As the city hosts Expo 2008 from June 14 to September 14, Spanish national operator RENFE has inaugurated its first suburban route in Zaragoza, having invested [euro]10.7m in two Civia EMUs and station equipment. Line C1 runs for 16 km from...

Perth plans to expand.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... AUSTRALIA: Perth's suburban network is primed for a major expansion to the north, south and east of the city under a plan announced by the Western Australia state government on June 29. State Premier Alan Carpenter said the programme would...

RijnGouwe design award.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... NETHERLANDS: Movares has been awarded a contract by ProRail to design the project to convert the Gouda - Alphen aan den Rijn - Lam-menschans line to light rail standards. The section from Gouda to Alphen is expected to be completed in 2010, the...

Valley LRV on test.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... USA: The first Valley Metro light rail vehicle entered central Phoenix under its own power on July 10 accompanied by Mayor Phil Gordon and a host of dignitaries. Construction of the 32.6 km system is about 90% complete and line testing is...

Izmir suburban order.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... TURKEY: On July 10 Spanish rolling stock manufacturer CAF signed a [euro]123 m contract to supply 22 three-car suburban EMUs to IZBAN, a joint venture of state railway TCDD and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. The 25 kV AC units will center...

Automation in Sao Paulo.(URBAN RAIL)
August 1, 2008... BRAZIL: Alstom has been awarded its largest metro signalling contract covering the conversion of lines 1,2 and 3 of the Sao Paulo metro to fully automated operation. The contract is worth around [euro]280m and covers the complete renewal...

France.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... FRANCE: Finnish technology group Teleste has won a [euro]1m extension to a previous contract to supply SNCF with CCTV equipment.

India.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... INDIA: Under a [euro]4m contract Bombardier is to supply traffic management and passenger information systems covering 53 km of Central Railway's suburban network in Mumbai (p496).

Nigeria.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... NIGERIA: German firm Lukas Hydraulik recently supplied NRC with re-railing equipment.

Switzerland.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... SWITZERLAND: Keymile is supplying UMUX electronic data handing equipment to support 200 Thales axle-counters in the Gotthard base tunnel.

UK.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... UK: In the first implementation of Atos Origin's AVANTIXmetro e-ticketing package, Heathrow Express passengers can now receive e-tickets by mobile phone or PDA.

USA.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... USA: French firm Gerken SAS is to undertake photographic surveys of Metro-North Railroad's overheard electrification in Connecticut. Roof-mounted cameras will be used under a programme to identify potential trouble spots.

Amtrak is to use Oracle software for a real-time.(CONTRACTS)
August 1, 2008... Amtrak is to use Oracle software for a real-time ticket sales and validation system to be launched on the Capitol Corridor next year. Handheld scanners will be used to automate ticket sales and validation.

ISR coaches delivered.(MARKET)
August 1, 2008... ISRAEL: The first of 87 coaches ordered from Siemens for inter-city and regional services arrived in Ashdod on June 18. ISR expects to begin trials this month, and regular service by November. Built in Praha with bogies from Graz, the...

Algeria.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... ALGERIA: Railway agency Anesrif has awarded Nortel a contract to supply GSM-R equipment on the Tabia - Mecheria and Bordj Bou - Arreridj M'Sila routes currently under construction (RG 4.07 p205).

Argentina.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... ARGENTINA: TBA has taken delivery of an 08-16 split-head levelling and lining tamper as well as a PBR 400 ballast regulator from Plasser & Theurer, acquired at a total cost of 9.86m pesos. The first deployment will be on track renewals on the...

China.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... CHINA: A consortium of Ansaldo STS and Beijing HollySys has won a [euro]62m contract to supply ETCS Level 2 equipment for the Zhengzhou - Xi'an high speed line. The two companies are to establish a joint venture to bid for future ERTMS...

Czech Republic.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... CZECH REPUBLIC: Skanska is to modernise the 30 km Stribo - Plana section of the Plzen - Cheb route by May 2011 at a cost of KC2.3bn.

Finland.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... FINLAND: RHK has selected a consortium led by Poyry to undertake detailed design costing [euro]10.6m for the 8.1 km tunnel forming part of the planned [euro]512m Helsinki-Vantaa airport link (RG 3.08 p 122).

Italy.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... ITALY: Ferrovie del Nord Barese has awarded DEC and IPA Precast a [euro]47.8m contract to divert 8 km of its inland route between Bari and Barletta to serve Bari airport.

Malaysia.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... MALAYSIA: The MMC-Gamuda joint venture responsible for doubletracking the 329 km route from Ipoh to Padang Besar has selected a joint venture of Ansaldo STS and Balfour Beatty to provide signalling, communications and electrification under a...

Namibia.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... NAMIBIA: South Korean firm Samsung has signed a contract to supply TransNamib with digital communications equipment for the 400 km Windhoek - Walvis Bay route.

Russia.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... RUSSIA: Last month Nippon Steel began delivering 20 000 tonnes of high-specification rail which will be installed on the Moscow - St Petersburg route as part of an upgrading for operations above 200 km/h.

Spain.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... SPAIN: The Ministry of Development has awarded Puentes y Calzadas and Ortiz a [euro]59.95m contract to build a double track alignment over the 7.3 km between Perafort and A1-cover, completing civils tendering for the new connection between the...

Sweden.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... SWEDEN: Peab is to install a second track on the 7 km Skanninge - Fogelsta section of the Motala - Mjolby line in a SKr105m contract.

Bridge replacement begins.(MARKET)
August 1, 2008... EUROPE: Work to replace the bridge over the Rhein river between Kehl and Strasbourg was launched on July 8, with a ceremony attended by representatives of the French and German railways and governments. Scheduled to open in 2010, the truss...

Turkey.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... TURKEY: Invensys company Dimetronic has won its first major order in Turkey, a [euro]25m contract from civils contractor Yapi Merkezi to supply ETCS Level 1 and 2 equipment for the 212 km Ankara - Konya 250 km/h line now under construction.

UK.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... UK: Network Rail has selected Telent to upgrade telecoms infrastructure under the Thameslink project (RG 3.08 pl72).

USA.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
August 1, 2008... USA: Sound Transit has awarded the Seattle Tunnel & Rail Team joint venture of Jacobs Engineering Group and CH2M Hill a construction management contract for the 5-1 km light rail extension to the University District. Construction begins next...

Benin.(ROLLING STOCK)
August 1, 2008... BENIN: RITES has placed an order with India's Golden Rock workshop for the refurbishment of three metregauge diesel locos for use in Benin. They will be shipped in October.

Bosnia.(ROLLING STOCK)
August 1, 2008... BOSNIA: BHZJK has awarded Croatian firm TZV Gredelj a [euro]4.1m contract to modernise three ex-DB Class 212 diesel-hydraulic locomotives and one Class 642 diesel-electric by September 2009.

Croatia.(ROLLING STOCK)
August 1, 2008... CROATIA: HZ has awarded TZV Gredelj a 30m kuna contract to modernise four locos by September 2009.

Czech republic.(ROLLING STOCK)
August 1, 2008... CZECH REPUBLIC: In June CD Cargo rolled out a Class 218 electro-diesel loco converted from a Skoda Class 210.028 by the Ceske Budejovice works and CZ Loko. The frame, bogies and cab have been retained, and it has been fitted with a 384 kW...