Railway Gazette International articles from July 2008

Railway Gazette International archives from July 2008

Railway research in a changing world.(COMMENT)
July 1, 2008... 'Spring is a season of hope', began South Korea's transport minister Chong Jong-Hwan, inau- gurating the 8th World Congress on Railway Research in Seoul on May 19. Welcoming delegates from more than 40 countries, Chong commented that the rail...

Rio Tinto to go driverless.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... AUSTRALIA: Driverless trains will be operating on Rio Tinto's Pilbara heavy haul iron ore railway in Western Australia within five years, the mining company announced on June 16. The first automation trials began in early 2007, initially...

Northern Ireland upgrade.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... UK: An [pounds sterling]86m upgrade of the Belfast--Londonderry line was announced last month by Translink, the holding company which runs Northern Ireland Railways. Tenders will be called in early 2011 and the work is to be completed in 2013,...

Czech.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... The Czech government has reached an agreement with the Praha city and regional authorities for the construction of a KC28bn rail link to Praha Ruzyne airport by December 2013. A PPP model is proposed, with funding to upgrade the existing line...

Spanish.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... Complying with legislation which requires that spending by the national government in Catalunya should match the region's contribution to Spanish GDP, the Ministry of Development is to spend an additional [euro]250m on railway projects, divided...

South African.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... According to South African Transport Minister Jeff Radebe, a memorandum of understanding is being finalised between the departments of Transport and Public Enterprises and Transnet Freight Rail that will see tourist lines, branches and 'no...

Netherlands.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... Responsibility for passenger operations on the 75 km electrified line between Zwolle and Emmen was transferred from Netherlands Railways to the provinces of Overijssel and Drenthe on May 19.

UK.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... The Gatwick Express service linking London Victoria station with Gatwick Airport was merged into Govia's Southern train operating company on on June 22. The UK rail franchise had been operated by National Express, but was merged as part of a...

Russia's.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... During June as agreement was signed to build a railway to link Kyzyl, capital of Russia's Tyva republic, with coalfields at Kuragino.

Egypt-Sudan.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... The Egypt-Sudan Railway committee has been formed to promoted the construction of a 450 km link between the Egypt's 1 435 mm gauge rail network and the 1 067 m gauge system in Sudan.

South Africa's.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... South Africa's reinstated Kei Rail weekends-only passenger service between Mthatha and Amabele junction is to run daily from August 1, and an overnight train is to be introduced on Fridays (RG 6.08 p372). Refurbishment of the dormant 282 km...

Freightliner bought.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... UK: Freightliner Group announced on June 13 that it had been bought by Arcapita, the first investment in rail logistics by the Bahrain-based bank specialising in corporate, real estate and asset-based investments and venture capital. The deal...

Madrid--Valencia contracts awarded.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... SPAIN: Infrastructure authority ADIF has awarded 14 contracts worth a total of [euro]430m for construction of the high speed line that will connect Madrid with Valencia, Alacant and Cartagena. On the branch to Cartagena, two civil works...

Rehabilitation complete.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... MOZAMBIQUE: Work to reconstruct the 80 km branch of the Sena line from Inhamitanga, 175 km north of the port of Beira, to Marromeu on the Zambezi River has been completed. The main traffic on the re-opened line will be sugar for export....

Arriva chosen.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... SWEDEN: Arriva Skandinavien has been awarded a contract to run Kinnekulletaget passenger services between Goteborg and Orebro from June 14 next year. The agreement with transport authority Vasttrafik runs for seven years, with an option for a...

UIC training centre opens.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... SOUTH KOREA: The International Union of Railways officially inaugurated its training centre for the Asia region during the recent statutory meetings in Seoul. International Railway Training Centre Asia is located at Korail's Railway Human...

More Talgo work for RENFE.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... SPAIN: RENFE's Integria rolling stock maintenance business is to build Talgo rolling stock for other operators under an agreement signed with the train builder on June 16. Running for a term of 14 years from 2009, the agreement should guarantee...

DMU handover.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... TURKEY: The first of 12 DMUs ordered from Hyundai Rotem was formally handed to Turkish state railways Director General Suleyman Karaman at a ceremony in Seoul on May 22. The [euro]42m order for the 140 km/h two-car air-conditioned DMUs for...

Spanish.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... The Spanish Ministry of Development has issued a freight operating licence to Logitren Ferroviaria (RG 4.08 p222), which will be able to operate up 1 million train-km a year once it obtains a safety certificate. This brings to 10 the number of...

Taiwan.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp's services broke even for the first time during April, when 2.5 million trips were made. Services began in January 2007 (RG 2.07 p55), and will be increased to 140 trains/day this month.

Zambian.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... The Zambian government has cancelled its agreement with Northwestern Railways, which was to build a 350 km line from the Chingola railhead to serve mines at Lumwana. NWR earlier stated it had raised the us$250m needed, but US financiers...

Liechtenstein.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... On June 16 the governments of Liechtenstein, the Swiss canton of St Gallen and the Austrian Land of Vorarlberg signed an agreemnt to establish the FL.A.CH S-Bahn, which will provide half-hourly services between Feldkirch and Buchs. Longer-term...

Australian.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... Australian Rail Track Corp has introduced centralised traffic control on the Muswellbrook--Gulgong line in New South Wales, under a project to increase the number of paths and allow faster cycle times for coal trains. ARTC Chief Executive David...

Transport Scotland.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... On June 6 Transport Scotland began seeking expressions of interest in building 2 km of new track and upgrading 9 km of existing line under the Glasgow Airport Rail Link project. A contract worth up to[pounds sterling]l30mis expected to be...

USA.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... Short line holding company Patriot Rail Corp is to acquire Louisiana & North West Railroad Co, which operates a 110 km line between McNeil, Arkansas, and Gibsland, Louisiana, in the USA. L&NW also leases a 11 km branch line between McNeil and...

Moscow airport rail link opens.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... RUSSIA: First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov attended the formal launch of rail services between Sheremetyevo international airport and Moscow's Savylovaky station on June 10. The 29 km journey from the airport to the city centre takes...

QR to spend A$220m.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... AUSTRALIA: QR has announced plans to strengthen its position in the general freight market by investing almost A$200m in new rolling stock and an upgrade of freight terminals. A$187m will be spent buying 18 locomotives and 488 wagons for...

Armenian concession starts.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... ARMENIA: South Caucasus Railways took over the management of Armenian Railways under a concession agreement on June 1. SCR, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Russian Railways, received 2 000 freight wagons, 58 passenger coaches, 85 locomotives and...

Gateway to China.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... KAZAKHSTAN: Eurasian Natural Resources Corp has signed a 28-year concession agreement to build and operate the 298 km Zhetigen--Korgas rail link between Kazakhstan and China. Work is expected to begin later this year, with operations to...

Tunnel opens this month.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... SPAIN: Suburban services will begin using the 8.5 km Atocha--Chamartin tunnel under the centre of Madrid during the second week of July, the Ministry of Development has announced. Testing on the new route, which has cost [euro]550m to build,...

Pacific transfer approved.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... COLOMBIA: National concession agency INCO has given its approval for the concession to upgrade and operate the 498 km Pacific rail network to be transferred to a new owner, Ferrocarril del Oeste SA. The 30-year concession had originally...

Paris--Le Havre goes regular interval.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... FRANCE: SNCF and the Haute-Normandie region have agreed a package of measures to improve passenger services on the Paris--Rouen--Le Havre main line. A regular-interval timetable is to be introduced to the route in December, increasing the...

Inter-city Regina order.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... SWEDEN: Passenger operator SJ has placed a [euro]221m order with Bombardier for 20 Regina EMUs which will be fitted out to inter-city standards. The four-car units for use on services from Stockholm to Varmland and Dalarna will have more...

Amman--Zarqa back on again.(MAIN LINE)
July 1, 2008... JORDAN: A replacement contract has been awarded for the construction and operation of the long-planned 26 km inter-urban railway between Amman and Zarqa. The US$332m 30-year build-operate-transfer concession has been awarded to Spanish...

Emirate finalising ambitious rail plans.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... KUWAIT: Tenders for the construction of a four-line metro network totalling 165 km are expected to be called this month, Dr Hussain Al-Sayegh, Chief Consultant at the Kuwait Overland Transport Union, told the Rail Infrastructure MENA conference...

Funding boost for Manchester.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... UK: In a statement to the House of Commons on June 9, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly 'granted programme entry' to the first business case requesting support from the Transport Innovation Fund for a major programme of local transport...

Beijing.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... ERG Group of Australia has successfully completed testing of central clearing house for the Beijing Metro automatic fare collection system. This involved processing 10 million journeys for 115 stations and 5 128 devices covering 832 102...

Parla.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... The 8.25 km circular light rail route in the Spanish town of Parla (RG 6.07 p331) was completed on May 21 with the opening of a 700 m link between Plaza de Toros and Poligono Industrial Ciudad de Parla. This last section will have one...

Espoo.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... On May 19 Espoo council voted in favour of financing its part of the [euro]714m Lansimetro project to extend the Helsinki metro into the neighbouring city. Helsinki is contributing [euro]144m for the section within its boundaries, and Espoo...

Santiago.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... Metro de Santiago has exercised an [euro]47m option with Alstom for a further 12 three-car Metropolis trainsets to operate its steel-wheeled lines 4 and 4A in the Chilean capital. Deliveres from Alstom's Lapa plant near Sao Paulo will be...

Paris.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... A 1.9 km extension of Paris metro Line 13 from Gabriel Peri to Les Courtilles with one intermediate station was opened on June 14.

Cluj.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... The Romanian city of Cluj has proposed the construction of a light rail line to serve the city's international airport. The line would parallel an existing road from the city centre over a distance of around 10 km. An underground station...

Dublin's.(NEWS IN BRIEF)
July 1, 2008... On June 18 planning permission was granted for an extension of Dublin's Luas Red Line to citywest and Saggart. Construction of the spur is expected to commence later this year and services will begin in early 2011. In May Alstom completed a...

First section of Delhi Phase 2 opens.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... INDIA: The first extension built under Delhi Metro Rail Corp's Phase 2 expansion programme was inaugurated on June 3, and began carrying passengers the following day. The 3.1 km elevated extension east from Shahdara to Dilshad Garden...

East-west corridor approval.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... INDIA: The central government has approved plans for a 13.8 km east-west metro in Kolkata which will link Salt Lake Sector V to the neighbouring area of Howrah. The line, 8 km of which is planned to be underground and 5.8 km elevated, is...

A [euro]14bn vision for Ile-de-France.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... FRANCE: The President of the Ile-de-France region Jean-Paul Huchon was joined by the presidents of RATP, RFF, SNCF and the Mayor of Paris to unveil an ambitious regional transport vision for the next 12 years on June 19. Huchon hopes to...

Kayseri cars.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... TURKEY: The first cars to operate the 17 km light rail line in Kayseri are set to arrive next month. The line will serve an east-west corridor across the city from an industrial park to Mimar Sinan with 31 stops. Trams will run at 4 min...

Underground station.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... USA: Work is nearing completion at Soto, one of two stations in the twin 2.9 km tunnels beneath Boyle Heights which form part of the 9.7 km extension of the Los Angles Gold Line from Union Station to East Los Angeles. The $899m light rail...

Tokyo Line 13 inaugurated.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... JAPAN: Ceremonies were held at Shinjuku-3chome station on June 13 to mark the inauguration of Tokyo Metro Line 13. Now officially known as the Fukutoshin Line, the 8.9 km north-south route connects the districts of Ikebukuro, Shinjuku and...

GE to resignal Rotterdam.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... NETHERLANDS: Rotterdam transport operator RET has selected GE Transportation to undertake the resignalling of the city's 55 km two-line metro network. GE said the [euro]62m contract is the company's largest-ever rail signalling order and its...

Frankfurt LRV handed over.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... GERMANY: Frankfurt Transport Authority VGF has taken delivery of the first of 146 Flexity Swift light rail vehicles which are being built by Bombardier. A further 11 will be supplied from the Bautzen factory this year, with deliveries...

Expansion programme confirmed.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... ARGENTINA: The Buenos Aires city legislature has passed a bill confirming the metro expansion programme that will be undertaken by the administration of Mauricio Macri, who was elected to lead the municipal government at the end of last year....

Amsterdam fleet tenders.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam has called tenders for the replacement of the city's metro trains, and the supply of stock for the north-south line now under construction. GVB is seeking 23 six-car trainsets 114 to 118 m long and 3 m wide, with all...

Metro to reach Bulacan.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... PHILIPPINES: Universal LRT Corp signed a concession agreement on June 18 to build and operate the MRT-7 line to link the existing elevated metro network in Manila with San Jose del Monte in Bulacan. The US$1.23bn project has been approved...

Riga buys Skoda trams.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... LATVIA: Riga urban transport authority SIA Rigas Satiksme has awarded Skoda Transportation a [euro]51.7m contract to supply 20 low-floor trams. The 1 524 mm gauge vehicles will be based on Skoda's latest Type 15T design, branded ForCity, of...

Tren Suburbano inaugurated.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... MEXICO: The first 20 km of a planned suburban rail network in Mexico City was inaugurated on June 2, following three weeks of fare-free trial operations. Known locally as El Tren Suburbano, the line links the former inter-city terminus at...

Tram-trains and electrification planned.(URBAN RAIL)
July 1, 2008... AUSTRALIA: Plans to electrify four suburban lines around Adelaide have been outlined in the South Australian government's latest budget, which offers A$2bn for transport projects over the next decade. Preliminary work to electrify the...

Germany.(CONTRACTS)
July 1, 2008... GERMANY: Following the rejection of a legal challenge from DB, Hamburger Hochbahn has been confirmed as the winner of a contract to operate regional services in Regensburg and the Danube valley for 12 years from 2010.

Italy.(CONTRACTS)
July 1, 2008... ITALY: RFI has awarded a consortium lead by Thales a [euro]15m contract to supply security systems including CCTV and access control for 86 stations, 11 control centres and seven police sites.

South Africa.(CONTRACTS)
July 1, 2008... SOUTH AFRICA: On June 17 Bombela announced that J&J Group and Absa Capital Infra-structure Equity Investments had acquired 8% stakes in the Gautrain concessionaire (RG 6.08 p362). Bouygues Travaux Publics and Bombardier each sold an 8% share...

UK.(CONTRACTS)
July 1, 2008... UK: Network Rail has awarded telecoms firm BT a three-year contract worth [pounds sterling]30m to replace legacy communications infrastructure with new fixed-line voice and internet services. Electronic payment company CyberSource has been...

USA.(CONTRACTS)
July 1, 2008... USA: On June 2 Genesee & Wyoming completed its $78.4m acquisition of CAGY Industries, the parent company of the Columbus & Greenville, Chattooga & Chick amauga and Luxapalila Valley short lines.

Cuban delivery.(MARKET)
July 1, 2008... CUBA: The first 11 of 40 type DF7G-C diesel-electric locomotives ordered from China Northern's February 7th Locomotive Works were shipped from Tianjin on June 12. The rest are due to be shipped next month, along with five DF7K-C Bo-Bo shunting...

Over the top.(MARKET)
July 1, 2008... SWITERLAND: The first of 13 four-car EMUs being built jointly by Alstom and Bombardier for BLS local services on the original Lotschberg route was rolled out in May. The silver and grey livery is enhanced with images of the Bern--Brig line...

Australia.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... AUSTRALIA: QR has begun a A$550m upgrade of its Goonyella coal network to increase the annual capacity of the Jilalan yard from 92 million to 130 million tonnes by 2010.

Bulgaria.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... BULGARIA: Sofia Metro has appointed Systra to supervise the construction of Line 2 in partnership with local firms Infra Project and Metro Consult. Commissioning of the 10 km north-south line with five stations is scheduled for 2012. Systra...

Canada.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... CANADA: On June 2 EPCOR Technologies began work on a two-year contract worth C$6m to erect the overhead electrification for a 7.6 km extension of the Edmonton light rail network's South Line from Health Sciences to Century Park.

China.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... CHINA: CNR Shenyang Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co has won a US$26.2m contract to build bridges for the Harbin--Dalian passenger-dedicated line (RG 10.07 p595).

Croatia.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... CROATIA: Italian firm Salcef Costruzioni has been awarded a [euro]41.7m contract for track and civils upgrading on the Vinkovci--Tovarnik section of the main line to Serbia.

Czech republic.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... CZECH REPUBLIC: On June 15 infrastructure manager SZDC launched an KC170m modernisation of Ceska Kubice station on the German border. The 22 km line from Domazlice to Furth im Wald in Germany will gain a remote electronic interlocking fully...

India.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... INDIA: The Ministry of Railways has approved Rs2.3bn plans for the construction of a 88 km link between Sonipat and Jind by late 2011.

Malaysia.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... MALAYSIA: IRCON signed the contract for the 100 km Seremban--Gemas double-tracking project in May. Work is expected to take 48 months and cost around US$1bn. A joint venture of IJM and Norwest will undertake part of the work.

Pakistan.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... PAKISTAN: PR has signed an agreement with two private companies for the establishment of a Rs2.2bn dry port at Prem Nagar, 48 km south of Lahore.

Saudi Arabia.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... SAUDI ARABIA: Owing to what RZD President Vladimir Yakunin described as a 'a problem in international relations', a US$800m contract for RZD to build the 520 km A1 Zabirah--King Khalid Airport section of the north-south rail link has been...

South Africa.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... SOUTH AFRICA: A new R200m link from the Richards Bay coal line to Umlabu colliery is to be electrified at the expense of South African Coal Mining Holdings.

Spain.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... SPAIN: Within a budget of [euro]28.5m, tenders are to be called for civil works to accommodate high speed services on the 5km between Onzonilla and Leon station. Work is expected to take 20 months to complete. The Valencia regional...

Sweden.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... SWEDEN: On May 29 Banverket announced a further contract with a consortium of Bombardier and Balfour Beatty Rail for the roll-out of ERTMS. Expected to be worth SKrl89m in the first year, it covers a pilot installation of Bombardier's Interflo...

UK.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... UK: Network Rail has awarded Westinghouse Rail Systems the contract to design, install and commission signalling and telecoms for the [pounds sterling]300m Airdrie--Bathgate line reopening.

USA.(INFRASTRUCTURE)
July 1, 2008... USA: HNTB and Pistorino & Alam have been awarded the engineering and supervision contract for the $300m Miami Intermodal Center -Earlington Heights Metrorail extension. The 3.7 km elevated line from Earlington Heights will provide a direct...

Australia.(ROLLING STOCK)
July 1, 2008... AUSTRIA: Voestalpine company Logistik Service has ordered two Siemens Eurosprinter ES 64 U4 electric locomotives equipped for use in Austria and Germany.

Bosnia.(ROLLING STOCK)
July 1, 2008... BOSNIA: On June 12 BHZJK signed a [euro]5.3m contract with Croatian manufacturer Koncar for the production of a prototype low-floor 25 kV 50 Hz EMU for regional passenger services. It will be funded by long-term loans provided by Croatian...

China.(ROLLING STOCK)
July 1, 2008... CHINA: Hyundai Rotem has won a contract to supply traction, control and power supply equipment for trains to be built for the 33 km Shenzhen Metro Line 3, scheduled to open in 2011. Faiveley has announced a 'strategically important'...

Czech republic.(ROLLING STOCK)
July 1, 2008... CZECH REPUBLIC: CD is to call tenders for the supply of eight DMUs for services from Praha to Ceske Budejovice and Rakovnik. They will be funded using KC12bn which CD has been allocated in compensation for the July 1 transfer of property to...

France.(ROLLING STOCK)
July 1, 2008... FRANCE: SNCF has awarded Alstom a [euro]1.3m contract to modify four of the 20 type X73500 DMUs allocated to Franche-Comte region for use on services from Morteau to La Chauxde-Fonds in Switzerland. This includes integrating SBB balise readers,...