Railway Gazette International articles from July 2007

Railway Gazette International archives from July 2007

The search for sustainable mobility will focus on energy.(COMMENT)
July 1, 2007... 'THE DEBATE about transport should not be left to experts or to engineers', suggested Dr Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, Executive Director of the UN-HABITAT urban development programme on May 24, signing a memorandum of association with the...

Technology roadmap is taking shape.(COMMENT)
July 1, 2007... WORK is in hand to draw up a technical strategy for North America's railroads covering the next 20 to 25 years. It is being put together by a small working group drawn from the Association of American Railroads, TTCI and its sister business...

Separation is here to stay.(COMMENT)
July 1, 2007... A CLEAR indication of the European Union's commitment to the separation of infrastructure management from train operations came on June 5, when the European Parliament's Transport Committee voted 37:1 to adopt the Cramer Report on the...

PN stays intact as Toll splits.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... LAST MONTH saw the start of trading in shares of Asciano, after Toll Holdings won approval from its shareholders on May 28 to split the giant Australian freight conglomerate into separate infrastructure and operating companies. Under the...

Russian Railways.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... Russian Railways President Vladimir Yakunin confirmed on May 24 that Alstom Transport was the sole bidder to supply high speed trains to the Karelian Trains joint venture formed by RZD and VR to upgrade the Helsinki-St Petersburg service. The...

Franchise remapping bears fruit.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... NEW OPERATORS have been named to take over two of the three franchises in central England which are to start on November 11 (RG 11.05 p666). The Department for Transport announced on June 21 that GOVIA will run the re-mapped West Midlands...

On June 9 a ceremony was held in Strasbourg to celebrate the launch of revenue services on TGV Est Europeen the following day.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... On June 9 a ceremony was held in Strasbourg to celebrate the launch of revenue services on TGV Est Europeen the following day. Among the guests were Prime Minister Francois Fillon, the then Minister for Ecology & Sustainable Development Alain...

Joint venture formed.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... AS PART of the preparations for the launch of commercial services on TGV Est on June 10, SNCF and DB AG signed a joint venture agreement on May 25 setting up a new subsidiary to manage the international services between France and Germany....

ECP braking to Richards Bay.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... PLANS have now been confirmed for the phased rollout of ECP braking on Spoornet's Richards Bay heavy haul coal line. Described at the IHHA conference in Kiruna by Marshall Beck of New York Air Brake as 'the first real fleet implementation', the...

Norfolk Southern.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... Norfolk Southern announced last month that it plans to invest more than $2bn to develop a 2250 km Crescent Corridor between New Jersey and Louisiana. Capacity expansion along the route and construction of two new terminals is expected to boost...

MAV Cargo sale.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... HUNGARIAN STATE Railway announced on May 29 that it had invited bids for the sale of its freight subsidiary MAV Cargo, which has a nominal value of almost HF30bn.lndicative bids are invited by July 23, with final tenders to be submitted by...

Bidders line up for Uruguay's PPPs.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... FOUR BIDDERS are seeking to prequalify for the contest to acquire a majority stake in a new freight operating joint venture with Uruguayan state operator AFE (RG 1.07 p7). To be selected within three months according to AFE President Antonio...

Deutsche Bahn has joined partners CMA-CGM and Zim Logistics of Israel in taking an 8% share in China Rail Intermodal.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... Deutsche Bahn has joined partners CMA-CGM and Zim Logistics of Israel in taking an 8% share in China Rail Intermodal. CRI has a budget of US$1.5bn to develop terminals in 18 of China's largest cities to facilitate container traffic from the...

China backs Cambodian link.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... A FEASIBILITY study into the construction of a 128 km line costing US$438m between Ho Chi Minh City and the Cambodian border was submitted last month to Vietnam's transport ministry by China's Railway Construction Corp and the China Machinery...

On June 15 a ceremony took place at Frutigen to mark the opening of the 34.6 km Lotschberg base tunnel.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... On June 15 a ceremony took place at Frutigen to mark the opening of the 34.6 km Lotschberg base tunnel. A long stretch of single track remains at the northern end, and tunnel operator BLS stipulates that any train running more than 6 min late...

Argentina plans new strategy.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... THE FEDERAL congress has begun considering a government bill to create two new public bodies, in order to 'definitively restructure the railway industry in Argentina' in the words of Planning Minister Julio De Vido. An infrastructure...

Rift Valley wins vital guarantees.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... ONE DAY short of a deadline set by the World Bank, the Ugandan Parliament agreed on May 29 to a US$15m partial risk guarantee protecting private sector operator Rift Valley Railways from political problems that might upset its 25 year...

RhB starts fleet renewal.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... THE AWARD of a contract for dual-system EMUs on May 30 marked the start of a four-stage programme under which Swizerland's metre-gauge Rhaetische Bahn plans to renew the bulk of its passenger fleet over the next decade. At a cost of around...

Freight deal follows crucial vote.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... EUROTUNNEL confirmed on June 1 that shareholders holding 87.3% of the 2.55 billion twinned shares in Eurotunnel SA and Eurotunnel plc had voted to accept the Exchange Tender Offer which forms the next step in the company's complex financial...

Auckland electrification funded.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... ELECTRIFICATION of the Auckland suburban network and capacity enhancements around Wellington have been sanctioned by the New Zealand government in its 2007 budget. Unveiled on May 17, the investment package is worth more than NZ$1bn in...

Spanish opening slips.(NEWS)
July 1, 2007... THE SPANISH Ministry of Development announced on June 8 that it had approved the alignment of the last remaining section of the high speed line between Madrid and the French border, the 5.6 km running under the centre of Barcelona to connect...

Variotrams chosen for Bergen.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... STADLER Pankow has been selected to supply 12 low-floor Variotrams for the 10 km Bybanen light rail line in Bergen, which is scheduled to open in 2010. The initial contract covers technical and cosmetic design of the vehicles, as well as...

Last month ProInversion was due to begin tendering a 40-year concession to operate Lima metro Line 1 and build an 11.7 km extension from Atocongo to Hospital Dos de Mayo in the Cercado de Lima district of the Peruvian capital (RG 6.07 p336).(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... Last month ProInversion was due to begin tendering a 40-year concession to operate Lima metro Line 1 and build an 11.7 km extension from Atocongo to Hospital Dos de Mayo in the Cercado de Lima district of the Peruvian capital (RG 6.07 p336). As...

Serco wins Dubai.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... DUBAI'S Roads & Transport Authority named Serco as preferred bidder for the contract to operate and maintain the first two lines of the Dubai Metro on June 19. The contract is valued at more than [pounds sterling]400m over 12 1/2 years,...

Tel Aviv signs LRT concession.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... A CONCESSION agreement to design, build and operate the first light rail line in Tel Aviv was signed on May 28. The MTS consortium led by Africa-Israel Investments Ltd was told in December 2006 that its tender had been accepted, but the signing...

Delhi awards metro contracts.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... TWO significant contracts have been awarded by Delhi Metro Rail Corp as part of the rapid expansion of its network. Delhi opened its first line in 2002 and now has three lines in operation totalling 65 km and 59 stations. ABB India will...

Berlin tram route M2 reached Alexanderplatz on May 30 as a new stop opened on Dirckenstrasse.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... Berlin tram route M2 reached Alexanderplatz on May 30 as a new stop opened on Dirckenstrasse. The 1.2 km branch from Mollstrasse/Prenzlauer Allee is the second tram line into Alexanderplatz and avoids a long diversion via Schonhauser Strasse

HK merger bill approved.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... THE PLANNED merger of Hong Kong's metro operator MTR Corp and the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corp moved a step closer on June 8, when the Rail Merger Bill was approved by the region's Legislative Council. The bill puts in place the legal framework...

Cabinet authorises Bangkok Red Line.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... ON MAY 22 the Thai cabinet authorised State Railway of Thailand to call tenders for construction for the 14.7 km Taling Chan to Bang Sue first phase of the planned Red Line in the suburbs of Bangkok. Tenders will be called in the next few...

Line H almost there.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... HEAD of the Buenos Aires city government Jorge Telerman formally opened the first section of metro Line H from Once to Caseros on May 31. With intermediate stations at Venezuela, Humberto I and Inclan, the 3.4 km route cost US$286m to build,...

Citybanen survives.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... FUNDING for the projected [euro]1.8bn Citybanan project in Stockholm appears secure again following an agreement between the Swedish government, the city authority and the neighbouring regions. City council elections in the autumn of last...

MTR Laing wins London Overground.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... MAYOR of London Ken Livingstone announced on June 19 that 50:50 joint venture MTR Laing had been selected to operate a 107 km network of inner suburban lines under a contract to be signed on July 2. The contract will last for seven years from...

Turkish turnkey.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... ANTALYA Metropolitan Municipality has awarded Alarco and CAF a [euro]110m contract to design, build and commission an 11.1 km light rail route for the Turkish city. The contract includes the construction of 16 stops and a rolling stock...

Metro goes light in Madrid.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... MADRID'S first 'light metro' route opened to traffic after two months of trials on May 24, when LRVs began operating over the 5.5 km line between Pinar de Chamartin and Las Tablas in the city's northern suburbs. By June 20 the Madrid...

Bids in for airport express.(CITY NEWS)
July 1, 2007... TWO consortia have submitted proposals for construction of the Guarulhos airport rail link in Sao Paulo. CPTM's Planning & Management Coordinator Renato Viegas confirmed that two bids of 'a high standard' had been submitted by the Novo...

Tenerife's Tranvia tramway opened on June 2 with a day of celebrations in Santa Cruz.(City News in Brief)
July 1, 2007... Tenerife's Tranvia tramway opened on June 2 with a day of celebrations in Santa Cruz. Passengers were given free rides along the 12.4 km route between Intercambiador, Santa Cruz's bus and tram interchange, and La Trinidad. The route serves 21...

Services were expected to begin on June 30 on the first phase of Marseille's light rail network, operating initially between Les Caillols and Euromediterranee-Gantes via Longchamp.(City News in Brief)
July 1, 2007... Services were expected to begin on June 30 on the first phase of Marseille's light rail network, operating initially between Les Caillols and Euromediterranee-Gantes via Longchamp. This service pattern incorporates sections of routes 1 and 2...

Construction of the first underground metro line in Chongqing got underway on June 8.(City News in Brief)
July 1, 2007... Construction of the first underground metro line in Chongqing got underway on June 8. The route will serve 23 stations between University Town in the west of the city and Chaotianmen in the east, a total distance of 36 km. Line 1 is expected to...

Alstom is the preferred bidder to supply 53 Citadis vehicles to RET after it saw off competition from Bombardier.(City News in Brief)
July 1, 2007... Alstom is the preferred bidder to supply 53 Citadis vehicles to RET after it saw off competition from Bombardier. The decision, taken on June 5, paves the way for further negotiations between Rotterdam tram operator RET and Alstom on the detail...

The [euro]1.3bn, 15.8 km Line B of the VAL in Toulouse was scheduled to commence public operation on June 30.(City News in Brief)
July 1, 2007... The [euro]1.3bn, 15.8 km Line B of the VAL in Toulouse was scheduled to commence public operation on June 30. Running from Borderouge to Ramonville, the route has an interchange with Line A at Jean-Jaures. Operator Tisseo is also updating its...

Metronet Rail BCV.(City News in Brief)
July 1, 2007... Metronet Rail BCV, the arm of Metronet responsible for upgrading the Bakerloo, Central and Victoria lines, has begun proceedings to recover additional PPP costs from London Underground by inviting the PPP Arbiter to conduct an Extraordinary...

Algeria.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Algeria: On June 4 national railway infrastructure company ANESRIF signed a [euro]16m contract appointing Italferr to provide technical advice for the development of new lines over the next five years, along with staff training and management...

Brazil.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Brazil: BR Distribudora has begun supplying CVRD with B20 diesel containing a 20% biodiesel admixture. The fuel will power locomotives on the Carajas and Vitoria-Minas lines, and CVRD expects to meet 66% of its loco fuel needs with biodiesel by...

Canada.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Canada: On June 8 the federal and Ontario governments and GO Transit announced the start of construction of a third track between Mississauga and Oakville along with station upgrades costing a total of C$88m as part of the C$1bn GO TRIP...

Czech Republic.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Czech Republic: In May CD sold a 49% stake in its station, train and lineside advertising business Railreklam to advertising firm Tardus for KC15.1m.

Denmark.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Denmark: DSB is introducing a special summer timetable valid from July 1 to August 26, hoping to avoid last year's problems with late running during the hottest summer weather.

Europe.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Europe: On June 18 an agreement to establish Eurasia Logistics as a joint venture to improve freight services between Berlin, Warszawa, Minsk, Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod was signed by partners RZD (40.1%), DB (34.9%), PKP (15%) and Belarusian...

France.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... France: A 5000 [m.sup.2] headquarters building for the European Railway Agency is due to be brought into use in Valenciennes on January 1 2009. Cost of the project is [euro]6.5m, with the national and regional governments each providing...

Iran.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Iran: Pakistan's Minister of Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad visited Tehran during May, when an agreement was reached to complete the 1435 mm gauge Bam-Zahedan link by December 2008.

Macedonia.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Macedonia: Last month Minister of Transport & Communication Mile Janakieski said that the restructuring of state railway MZ into infrastructure and operating companies is to be completed during July.

Nigeria.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Nigeria: Aerial surveys have been completed for the 1126 km Lagos to Kano standard gauge line and 195 km Minna-Abuja-Kaduna loop. Ground surveying is underway, and turnkey contractor Chinese Civil Engineering & Construction Co expects work on...

Pakistan.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Pakistan: The government has authorised the acquisition of 584 acres of land required to rebuild to 1676 mm gauge the 295 km mothballed 762 mm gauge railway between Bostan and Zhob, and construct a 150 km extension to Dera Ismail Khan. This...

Poland.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Poland: The arrival of a PCC Rail train on May 30 inaugurated Deepwater Container Terminal Gdansk's new rail terminal, which will be run by PCC Rail as neutral operator.

Serbia.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Serbia: On June 16 the first of four Z1 coaches which are being modernised by Gosa to provide wheelchair access re-entered service between Beograd and Subotica.

Spain.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... Spain: ADIF's Talgo BT test train has begun dynamic trials of ERTMS Level 1 signalling between Albacete and La Encina on the 1668 mm gauge network. Balise positioning and track-train data transfer are among the parameters being tested. ...

USA.(INTELLIGENCE)
July 1, 2007... USA: RailAmerica shortline Dallas, Garland & Northeastern Railroad has put into service two National Railway Equipment Co genset N-ViroMotives which were partly funded through the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan.

Australia.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Australia: As part of a five-member consortium, Comsa subsidiary MVM Rail has been awarded work worth [euro]27m under the project to quadruple the 13 km between Kingsgrove and Rebesby in Sydney.

Belgium.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Belgium: Infrastructure manager Infrabel has concluded a [euro]414m five-year master agreement covering signalling modernisation with the Belgosignal joint venture of Alstom and Siemens. Alstom will supply 1400 sets of lineside equipment and...

Croatia.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Croatia: Consultancy IGH has won a 749m kuna contract to prepare documentation for an 8bn kuna upgrade of the Botovo-Zagreb-Rijeka route which is expected to be completed by 2013.

Cuba.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Cuba: UFC has taken delivery of 40 flat wagons and 10 cement hoppers for Wagon Pars of Iran, part of an order worth US$196m for 630 wagons and 200 passenger cars agreed last year.

Europe.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Europe: The Momentum Services joint venture of Cremonini Group and SSP Financing is responsible for providing onboard catering services for Eurostar from June 1, under a five-year contract with the international operator which includes a...

Finland.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Finland: Poyry has been awarded a [euro]1.1m contract to plan an 18 km urban railway linking the Martinlaakso line with the main line out of Helsinki via the capital's airport. Plans for the line and seven new stations will be completed by...

Georgia.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Georgia: Electro Car Repair Works and a Chinese partner have won US$ 16m order to supply one eight-car and two two-car EMUs for use on a shuttle service to Tbilisi international airport.

Greece.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Greece: OSE has awarded Ansaldo STS a [euro]25m three-year contract to supply ETCS Level 1 equipment for 178 trainsets

Italy.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Italy: Rail Traction Company has agreed to lease three Traxx 3 kV DC locos from Angel Trains. The first was rolled out of Bombardier's Vado Ligure plant last month, and a total of 10 of the E483 locos will be completed for Angel this year.

Norway.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Norway: NSB has awarded Bombardier a NKr180m contract to modernise its 13 three-car BM69C EMUs over two years.

South Africa.(Market)
July 1, 2007... South Africa: Ansys has won a contract worth R11.7m to install and commission three MRX Technologies lineside electronic wheel profile monitoring systems for Spoornet. Two will be installed at Ermelo on the Richards Bay heavy haul line.

Spain.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Spain: ADIF has awarded Ploder and Rover Alcisa a [euro]68.7m contract to undertake civil works on the 10 km La Alcoraya-Alacant section of the Madrid-Alacant high speed line. Tesca and Dragados are to build the 7.3 km through Albacete for...

Sweden.(Market)
July 1, 2007... Sweden: Last month Green Cargo awarded Bombardier a [euro] 115m six-year contract to modernise 42 Rc2 electric locomotives and 62 T44 diesel locos dating from the 1960s. The work is expected to extend the locos' lives by 15 years, and will...

UK.(Market)
July 1, 2007... UK: First GBRf has signed a lease agreement with Porterbrook for five EMD Class 66 locos which will be delivered in March 2008. Until now the freight operator has leased locos from HSBC Rail. Freightliner Heavy Haul has purchased Lafarge's...

USA.(Market)
July 1, 2007... USA: Under a $33m multi-agency procurement agreement, Southern California Regional Rail Authority, Metropolitan Council of Minnesota and New Mexico's Mid-Region Council of Governments have each exercised options for four MPXpress locos, to be...

China.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... China: On May 31 Bombardier announced a [euro]53m contract from Guangzhou Metro Corp to supply a fully-automated 4 km underground peoplemover by June 2010. The nine-station Zhujiang Xincheng Central District Passenger Automatic Transportation...

France.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... France: Last month Lyon transport authority Sytral placed a [euro]27.4m order with Alstom for 13 five-section Citadis trams. They are to be delivered between September 2008 and April 2009 for use on the 9.5 km Line T4 now under construction...

Nigeria.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... Nigeria: Work is reported to have begun on a US$36m monorail in Calabar, 150 km east of Port Harcourt, which is expected to open within 18 months. The 12.9 km line linking Margaret Ekpo Airport to the Tinapa business area is being funded by the...

Philippines.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... Philippines: On June 19 the Department of Finance announced it had begun negotiations to buy-out the remaining 18 years of the 25-year Metro Rail Transit Corp franchise for Manila MRT Line 3. The Department of Transportation & Communication has...

Poland.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... Poland: On May 31 Warszawa's Highways department signed a [euro]3m contract with Sytra for the design of a 280 m bowstring bridge over the River Wisla. The Krasinski Bridge will carry a double-track tram route and four road lanes. Warszawa...

South Africa.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... South Africa: On May 16 Malaysian firm New Sight Vision signed an undertaking with Gauteng province for the construction of a 44 km privately-funded monorail linking Johannesburg with Soweto. Newcyc is providing R12bn for the scheme, and will...

Spain.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... Spain: Free to passengers for a trial period of 30 months, a 2.1 km circular light rail route in the city of Murcia opened to traffic on April 29, serving Plaza Circular, the Espinardo-El Punal university campus and the new football stadium....

UAE.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... UAE: MVA is developing ridership forecasts after recommending the construction of a 14 km tramway in Dubai as part of the Al Safouh Transport Masterplan.

UK.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... UK: Serco has been awarded a contract to manage the Old Dalby test track on behalf of Metronet, the PPP contractor which has leased the site for testing of new Bombardier trains for the London Underground. Metronet plans to electrify a 4 km...

USA.(Metros)
July 1, 2007... USA: On May 16 Denver RTD held a formal groundbreaking ceremony in Lakewood, Colorado, for the 19.5 km West Line between Auraria Campus in Denver and Jefferson County Government Center in Golden. Initial work will consist of removing existing...

Australia.(Finance)
July 1, 2007... Australia: On May 16 Transport Minister Mark Vaile announced A$18.1m of AusLink funding towards a A$60m re-sleepering and loop extensions on the Perth-Kalgoorlie line to permit 1.8 km long trains and speeds of up to 115 km/h.

Canada.(Finance)
July 1, 2007... Canada: On June 16 the Ontario government announced a 50-year transport financing plan for the Toronto area. The province is seeking federal funding for one third of the C$17.5bn capital cost of the 52 projects, which include a rail link to...

Europe.(Finance)
July 1, 2007... Europe: German national railway DB took a 10% stake in international high speed passenger operator Thalys on June 16. SNCF now has a 62% stake, and SNCB 28%.