Railway Gazette International articles from June 2006

Railway Gazette International archives from June 2006

ETCS is really rolling out, but the costs are still too high.(COMMENT)
June 1, 2006... MORE MILESTONES are passing in the development and deployment of ETCS/ERTMS. From May 19 trains began running at 250 km/h on the Madrid-Lleida section of the Madrid-Barcelona AVE line using Level 1, while from July 2 Swiss Federal Railways goes...

Change in Alice.(COMMENT)
June 1, 2006... FURTHER upheavals can be expected in the Australian rail sector with the news that a stake in the Adelaide-Alice Springs-Darwin rail link is up for sale. Operator Freight Link announced at the beginning of May that it was looking for 'a...

Re-regulation threat to capacity investment.(COMMENT)
June 1, 2006... CAPITAL INVESTMENT by the Class 1 railroads in North America continues to rise. We have reported before that the operators are moving rapidly to add extra capacity on key corridors in the face of unprecedented levels of demand. Rolling...

Nurnberg-Ingolstadt opens at 300 km/h.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... READY FOR this month's football world cup, German Railway inaugurated its upgraded route between the two Bavarian venues at Nurnberg and Munchen on May 13. DB Chief Executive Hartmut Mehdorn was joined for the celebrations by Federal...

Nanjing-Hangzhou approved.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... CHINA'S MINISTRY of Railways announced on May 9 the go ahead for construction of a 300 km/h passenger railway between Nanjing and Hangzhou, with the aim of starting work by the end of this year. Due to be completed by 2010, the 251 km line...

Ressano Garcia line ready this year.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... REHABILITATION of the 90 km line from Maputo to the South African border at Ressano Garcia is to be completed by the end of this year, according to Mozambique's Minister of Transport & Communications Antonio Munguambe. Addressing a...

Argentina to join high speed club.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... ON MAY 8 the government of Argentina launched the tendering process for what it hopes will be Latin America's first high speed line, where trains will operate at up to 300 km/h over the 708 km between Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba....

Visiting Namibia on April 20, Botswana's President Festus Mogae held talks with his Namibian counterpart Hifikepunye Pohamba over the construction of the proposed Trans-Kalahari rail link.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... Visiting Namibia on April 20, Botswana's President Festus Mogae held talks with his Namibian counterpart Hifikepunye Pohamba over the construction of the proposed Trans-Kalahari rail link. Botswana's Assistant Works & Transport Minister Frank...

Velaro RUS to St Petersburg.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... PARTICIPATING in the 1520 Forum conference of broad gauge railways being held in Sochi, Russian Railways Vice-President Valentine Gapanovich formally signed a [euro]276m contract with Siemens President Hans M Schabert on May 18 for the supply...

Israel Railways has completed a 1.2 km south-to-west curve connecting its Lod-Rosh-ha-Ayin line with the branch now under construction from Ben Gurion Airport to Modi'in.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... Israel Railways has completed a 1.2 km south-to-west curve connecting its Lod-Rosh-ha-Ayin line with the branch now under construction from Ben Gurion Airport to Modi'in. Expected to open towards the end of this year, the link will enable...

Venezuela plans $2.2bn spend.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... A CONSORTIUM OF Italian companies Astaldi, Impregilo and Ghella has been selected by the Venezuelan government to build two new lines following the signature of a co-operation agreement between Italy and Venezuela. Once contracts worth a...

As part of an programme to modernise the rail network serving Antwerpen docks, Infrabel has invited proposals for financing and construction of a 16.2 km link between Bundel Zuid and Antwerpen Noord with a tunnel under the River Schelde.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... As part of an programme to modernise the rail network serving Antwerpen docks, Infrabel has invited proposals for financing and construction of a 16.2 km link between Bundel Zuid and Antwerpen Noord with a tunnel under the River Schelde. A...

Huancavelica upgrade.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... PERU's MINISTRY of Transport & Communications has selected Ferrocarril Central Andino to undertake an upgrade of the 914 mm gauge Huancayo-Huancavelica Railway that will include conversion to 1435 mm gauge. To be completed within 480 days,...

ALL acquires Brasil Ferrovias.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... AMERICA Latina Logistica is to take control of the Ferronorte, Ferroban and Novoeste concessions after signing an agreement on May 9 to purchase parent company Brasil Ferrovias from shareholders Funcef and Previ, both pension funds. Under...

Funding agreed for Basque Y.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... ON APRIL 24 two agreements were signed by the Spanish government, the Basque regional government and infrastructure authority ADIF, establishing the division of funding and other project responsibilities for the Y-shaped high speed network...

Meeting in Brazzaville on April 13-14, under the auspices of the African Union, ministers responsible for rail transport in 27 countries agreed to form the Conference of African Transport Ministers, and to establish an investment fund to promote the development of railway infrastructure.(NEWS)(Conference news)
June 1, 2006... Meeting in Brazzaville on April 13-14, under the auspices of the African Union, ministers responsible for rail transport in 27 countries agreed to form the Conference of African Transport Ministers, and to establish an investment fund to...

Port link upgrade.(NEWS)
June 1, 2006... AUSTRALIA's Federal Transport Minister Warren Truss and his Victoria counterpart Peter Batchelor inaugurated work on the A$120m Dynon Port Rail Link on April 21. The project includes replacement of the existing single-track mixed-gauge...

The Tanzania government has signed a letter of agreement with RITES under which the Indian consultancy is expected to take over Tanzania Railways Corp's metre-gauge lines in August.(News On Line)
June 1, 2006... The Tanzania government has signed a letter of agreement with RITES under which the Indian consultancy is expected to take over Tanzania Railways Corp's metre-gauge lines in August. RITES has been awarded a 25-year concession to operate the...

Following the Slovak government's decision not to sell freight operator ZSSK Cargo, the company has announced plans to invest SKr1.1bn during 2006.(News On Line)
June 1, 2006... Following the Slovak government's decision not to sell freight operator ZSSK Cargo, the company has announced plans to invest SKr1.1bn during 2006. Of this, around half will go on modernising the fleet of 850 locos and 16300 wagons.

BOT concessionaire Incheon International Airport Train Co began test running on the first section of the Incheon Airport rail link (IREX) on April 3.(News On Line)
June 1, 2006... BOT concessionaire Incheon International Airport Train Co began test running on the first section of the Incheon Airport rail link (IREX) on April 3. A 9 km section of the line linking the rolling stock depot, airport station and Woonseo is...

Indian Railway Construction Corp.(News On Line)
June 1, 2006... Indian Railway Construction Corp announced on May 11 that it had begun final negotiations for a US$110m contract to upgrade the 250 km Bong Mining Railway in Liberia. Ircon Managing Director B S Kanpur hoped to sign the contract by the end of...

On April 27 Rio Tinto announced that it planned to start work immediately on the US$1bn Hope Downs iron ore project (RG 8.05 p460), following approval by the government of Western Australia.(News On Line)
June 1, 2006... On April 27 Rio Tinto announced that it planned to start work immediately on the US$1bn Hope Downs iron ore project (RG 8.05 p460), following approval by the government of Western Australia. The project includes A$390m for a 58 km branch off...

Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev, BDZ Executive Director Oleg Petkov and NRIC Director-General Dimitar Gaidarov met at the end of April to discuss ways of improving the financial position of the Bulgarian rail network.(News On Line)
June 1, 2006... Transport Minister Petar Mutafchiev, BDZ Executive Director Oleg Petkov and NRIC Director-General Dimitar Gaidarov met at the end of April to discuss ways of improving the financial position of the Bulgarian rail network. The sale of...

The Connecticut state legislature has approved a 10-year transport programme totalling $2.3bn.(News On Line)
June 1, 2006... The Connecticut state legislature has approved a 10-year transport programme totalling $2.3bn. This envisages a new commuter rail service from New Haven to Hartford and Springfield, extension of the Norwalk-Danbury route to New Milford, and...

Bombardier wins Chicago race.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... ON MAY 10 the Board of Chicago Transit Authority approved the purchase of 406 metro cars from Bombardier Transit Corp in a deal valued at $577m. They will be CTA's first cars to have AC propulsion and regenerative braking. The contract...

Paris MF2000 order placed.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... JULY 2007 has been set as the target date for delivery of the first series-built MF2000 metro cars for Paris. The consortium of Alstom, Bombardier and Areva TA announced on May 10 that RATP had ordered an initial batch as part of its framework...

On May 3 RATP unveiled the first of 91 MS61 trainsets being refurbished for further use on RER Line A.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... On May 3 RATP unveiled the first of 91 MS61 trainsets being refurbished for further use on RER Line A. With the first of the 125-strong fleet now more than 35 years old, RATP expects the [euro]72m refit programme to give the three-car units a...

Smart card accord.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... NEWLY-APPOINTED UK Secretary of State for Transport Douglas Alexander and Mayor of London Ken Livingstone announced on May 10 that they had reached agreement to expand the use of Transport for London's Oyster smart card ticketing to suburban...

French President Jacques Chirac formally inaugurated the Mulhouse light rail network on May 20, built at a cost of [euro]249m.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... French President Jacques Chirac formally inaugurated the Mulhouse light rail network on May 20, built at a cost of [euro]249m. Revenue services had already started on May 13, with the two lines totalling 12 km operated by a fleet of Alstom...

Contracts placed.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... DELHI Metro Rail Corp confirmed on May 1 that it had awarded contracts for all six projects in Phase 11 of the Indian capital's metro network, and said work was expected to get underway on all of them shortly. Construction has already...

Moscow ring line.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... CONSTRUCTION of the first stage of an outer metro ring line around the Russian capital will get underway in mid-2007, according to Moscow Metro President Dmitri Gayev. He said on May 12 that a second ring line was needed urgently to...

Basler Verkehrsbetriebe and Baselland Transport announced on May 11 that they had ordered a fleet of 60 Tango low-floor LRVs from Stadler Bussnang AG at a cost of SFr276m.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... Basler Verkehrsbetriebe and Baselland Transport announced on May 11 that they had ordered a fleet of 60 Tango low-floor LRVs from Stadler Bussnang AG at a cost of SFr276m. Four prototypes are to be built at Altenrhein for delivery in May 2008,...

Interconnector study starts.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... IARNROD EIREANN announced on May 12 that it was starting work on the ambitious plan to build a cross-city suburban rail tunnel under the heart of Dublin. Bids have been invited from consultants to assist with detailed design of the 5.2 km...

DART expansion approved.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... WORK WILL start this year on two extensions to the DART light rail network in Dallas, following approval by the Federal Transit Administration of a $700m Full Funding Grant Agreement. This is intended to support a $2.4bn programme that will...

Hailed as Japan's 'first light rail line', the Toyama PORTRAM was officially inaugurated on April 29.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... Hailed as Japan's 'first light rail line', the Toyama PORTRAM was officially inaugurated on April 29. Running for 7.6 km from JR West's Toyama station to Iwasehama, PORTRAM makes use of the former Toyamako branch, which was closed at the end of...

Portland picks Avanto for MAX.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... ON May 10 the TriMet board approved a $75m contract with Siemens Transportation Systems for 21 S70 Avanto light rail vehicles, with an option for another three. Intended to operate the Interstate 205 and Portland Mall extensions of the MAX...

South Africa's urban railway operator Metrorail was formally transferred from the Transnet holding company to the Department of Transport on May 1, after a postponement of 11 months pending negotiations with the unions.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... South Africa's urban railway operator Metrorail was formally transferred from the Transnet holding company to the Department of Transport on May 1, after a postponement of 11 months pending negotiations with the unions. Originally part of...

Beijing signal contracts signed.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... BEIJUNG metro operator BMOC has awarded a [euro]28m contract to Alstom for resignalling Line 2 in time for the 2008 Olympic Games. Working with its joint venture subsidiary CASCO and Electrification Engineering Bureau, Alstom will equip 23...

Quebec's Economic Development Minister Raymond Bachand announced on May 11 that Montreal metro authority STM would negotiate exclusively with Bombardier for 366 rubber-tyred cars to replace 40-year-old MR63 stock from 2010.(CITY NEWS)
June 1, 2006... Quebec's Economic Development Minister Raymond Bachand announced on May 11 that Montreal metro authority STM would negotiate exclusively with Bombardier for 366 rubber-tyred cars to replace 40-year-old MR63 stock from 2010. Bachand said if STM...

Canada.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... Canada: On May 4 Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon announced that the federal government is to retain ownership of its fleet of 12100 grain hopper wagons. An agreement in principle to transfer the wagons to the Farmer Rail Coalition had been...

China.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... China: Electrification of the 942 km Hangzhou-Zhuzhou route was completed in April. The Ministry of Railways said wiring the route will improve transport between the Yangtze and Pearl River delta regions.

Europe.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... Europe: French Transport Minister Dominique Perben has signed an agreement with Luxembourg counterpart Lucien Lux confirming arrangements for the autoroute ferroviaire to be launched between Bettembourg and Perpignan in April 2007. It will be...

Spain.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... Spain: The 4.6 km Bregua cut-off on the A Coruna-Santiago de Compostela route opened to traffic on April 27. Including 2.8 km in tunnel, the new double-track alignment has cost [euro]58.4m to build.

Switzerland.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... Switzerland: BLS AG was incorporated on April 24, with 25% of the shares owned by the federal government and 75% by the cantons of Bern, Luzern, Solothurn, Valais and Neuchatel. Shareholders of BLS Lotsch-bergbahn and Regionalverkehr Mittelland...

Taiwan.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... Taiwan: On April 9 TRA opened a 5 km elevated line between Sijhih in Taipei and Wudu in Keelung, built at a cost of NT$3bn.

United Kingdom.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... United Kingdom: A [pounds sterling]2m customer service academy at Stratford in east London was officially opened by Transport Minister Derek Twigg on April 27. It will be used for staff training by operator One, which will take delivery later...

USA.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... USA: The Surface Transportation Board has approved the planned sale of CP subsidiary Soo Line's 150 km Latta subdivision between Bedford and Louisville in Indiana to Indiana Rail Road Co. On May 1 Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern...

Zimbabwe.(INTELLIGENCE)
June 1, 2006... Zimbabwe: Hwange Colliery and NRZ have agreed to rehabilitate rail infrastructure to improve transport for tobacco farmers, starting in June. The mine is importing spares and machinery through Mozambique.

Australia.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Australia: Rocla has been named by Australian Rail Track Corp as preferred supplier of 1.35 million concrete sleepers for the A$100m upgrade of the Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane corridor. Rocla's sleeper plants in Grafton and Mittagong, NSW, will...

Bulgaria.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Bulgaria: A consortium of Typsa, Louis Berger, Systra, Trademco and local firm Rubicon Engineering has won a [euro]12.5m contract to supervise the design and construction works for the [euro]340m upgrading and electrification of the...

China.(Market)
June 1, 2006... China: The Power Electronics division of Turbo Genset has announced a US$1.5m order from Bombardier for 40 auxiliary power converters. They will be installed on 40 Advanced Rapid Transit Mkll driverless light metro cars which Changchun Railway...

Cuba.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Cuba: During 2007 Wagon Pars is to supply UFC with 500 passenger cars and wagons under a US$135m order funded by the Iranian government.

Finland.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Finland: On May 15 construction management firm CMC Terasto began work on a [euro]63m upgrade of 128 km of RHK's Tampere-Turku line, which is expected to take three years to complete. Talgo and VR have finalised an agreement for the...

France.(Market)
June 1, 2006... France: On May 10 STIF confirmed a [euro]120m order for 24 Bombardier dual-mode AGC electro-diesel multiple-units. They will be delivered from late 2007 for use on services from Paris Est to Provins and La Ferte Milon. Windhoff Bahn- und...

Germany.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Germany: DB has ordered a further 13 Class 425.2 S-Bahn EMUs for use in Hannover under the terms of a 2001 contract, funded by the Land of Niedersachsen.

Greece.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Greece: Poyry has a [euro]1m share of a contract won in co-operation with Salfo & Associates and S Liaros Helida Engineering, to review and update the feasibility study for constructing a railway between Kozani and Siatista. Civil works would...

Indonesia.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Indonesia: SNCF is to assist the November 10 Institute of Technology with a review of railways in Surabaya, analysing demand and advising on management restructuring.

Kenya.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Kenya: 120 Ugandan wagons have been leased by Kenya Pipeline Co to alleviate inadequate pipeline pumping capacity from a refinery in Mombasa.

Netherlands.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Netherlands: Limburg province has named Veolia as preferred bidder for a 10-year concession to operate regional buses and the Roermond-Nijmegen and Maastricht-Heerlen-Kerkrade rail routes from December.

Pakistan.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Pakistan: PR is to procure a further 45 Chinese diesel locos of 2000 and 3000 HP. The underframes will be strengthened compared with 30 already supplied by Dongfang Electric, which will be modified under warranty to reduce their axleload. ...

Poland.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Poland: A Czech-Polish consortium of TCHAS, PUIK and Grupa ZUE has been awarded a contract to upgrade the 121 km Siedlce-Lukow route for 160 km/h operation. The EU is financing 75% of the [euro]50m cost.

South Africa.(Market)
June 1, 2006... South Africa: Alstom is replacing mechanical signalling between Oogies and Delmas on Spoornet's Germiston-Witbank main line with CTC in a R50m contract which forms part of a five-year programme of signalling modernisation costed at R2bn (p351)....

Spain.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Spain: EuskoTren has ordered 12 metre-gauge electro-diesel Bo-Bo freight locos from Team for [euro]36m. Tafesa has begun deliveries of 42 wagons ordered for [euro]4.34m.

Sweden.(Market)
June 1, 2006... Sweden: Storstockholms Lokaltrafik has exercised an option with Alstom for 16 Coradia Lirex X60 trains worth [euro]120m, for delivery between September 2007 and April 2008. According to Alstom up to 95% of each articulated trainset is...

United Kingdom.(Market)
June 1, 2006... United Kingdom: Cross London Rail Links has appointed Mott MacDonald to develop reference designs for the Central Tunnels & Stations East section of the Crossrail project, and to act as systems and rolling stock consultant. Halcrow will provide...

USA.(Market)
June 1, 2006... USA: Systra has completed a review of Metro-North and Amtrak 650 V DC and 13 kV AV traction supply systems on behalf of MNR and Connecticut Department of Transportation, using Railsim Load Flow Analyzer to model traffic growth to 2020. On...

Canada.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... Canada: SNC-Lavalin has awarded Westinghouse Rail Systems a contract to design, install and commission its SystematlCS technology to provide systems control and communications for the Canada Line now under construction in Vancouver.

France.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... France: SMTC of Toulouse has confirmed a [euro]65.7m order for 18 Alstom Citadis trams with an option for a further nine cars (RG 5.06 p246).

Japan.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... Japan: On April 1 Okayama Electric Tramway affiliate Wakayama Electric Railway took over the 14 km Kishigawa Line from Nankai Electric Railway.

Kuwait.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... Kuwait: A ministerial committee has been established to manage the planning of a metro in Kuwait. International consultants will be employed to carry out a study, according to Bader Al-Humaidi, Minister of Public Labour & Housing, but no date...

Norway.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... Norway: On April 15 Westinghouse Rail Systems handed over a Westrace interlocking and Westcad control system at Carl Berners Plass, allowing services to resume on Oslo metro Line 5 on April 18. The installation forms part of the Metro Ring...

Poland.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... Poland: Last month Metrovagonmash signed a contract to provide Warszawa with 14 Type 81-714 metro cars. The steel-bodied intermediate cars will have four 100 kW traction motors, and be used to lengthen the existing trainsets from four to six...

Spain.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... Spain: Madrid Metro has put into service a track and catenary recording train capable of inspecting 5 km in 15 min at a speed of up to 20 km/h. Developed by the metro operator, onboard equipment can measure 39 parameters at the same time.

UAE.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... UAE: The Japanese-Turkish Metro Joint Venture has engaged WS Atkins as design programme manager and detailed designer for the Dubai Metro Red Line. Atkins has replaced Capita Symmonds, which negotiated a withdrawal from the project after...

United Kingdom.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... United Kingdom: Tube Lines has awarded Kone a [pounds sterling]133m contract to maintain the 112 escalators on London Underground's Jubilee Line Extension until 2018.

USA.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... USA: An agreement has been reached between the Port of Seattle and Sound Transit allowing construction to begin on a 2.7 km extension of the Central Link light rail line from South 154th Street to Sea-Tac airport. The extension will be...

Venezuela.(Metros)
June 1, 2006... Venezuela: Infrastructure Minister Ramon Carrizalez announced last month that the US$860m Caracas metro Line 4 from Capuchinos to Plaza Venezuela is due to open at the start of July.

Canada.(Finance)
June 1, 2006... Canada: CN has filed prospectuses in the USA and Canada for the issuance of up to US$1.5bn of debt securities over two years. Proceeds will be used for 'redemption and refinancing of outstanding debt, share repurchases, acquisitions and other...

Chile.(Finance)
June 1, 2006... Chile: On May 10 EFE placed a final tranche of bonds worth US$84m to finance its 2003-05 investment programme (RG 4.06 p217). With a 30-year term and bearing 4.4% interest, the bonds have been given an AAA rating by Fitch Ratings and Humphreys....

Kazakhstan.(Finance)
June 1, 2006... Kazakhstan: Standard & Poor's has assigned its BB+ long term senior unsecured debt rating to a proposed notes issue of up to US$850m by KTZ Finance BV.

Russia.(Finance)
June 1, 2006... Russia: TransCreditBank is to establish a leasing subsidiary with charter capital of 5m roubles to serve the transport, energy and metals sectors. In 2005 TCB financed RZD's acquisition of more than 1400 wagons.

USA.(Finance)
June 1, 2006... USA: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's 2006 Rail Freight Assistance programe is to invest $8m in upgrading short line and region rail routes in the state, aiming to remove 1 million lorry trips. Ohio Rail Development Commission...

Vietnam.(Finance)
June 1, 2006... Vietnam: France is to provide [euro]40.3m towards the second phase of a [euro]51.4m project modernise signalling and telecoms on the Hanoi-Vinh route, and electrify the line following a feasibility study being funded by South Korea under an...

With tracklaying now complete and electrification work ongoing, the Cordoba-Antequera section of the Cordoba-Malaga high speed line is expected to be ready for commercial service around the end of 2006.(Pointers)
June 1, 2006... With tracklaying now complete and electrification work ongoing, the Cordoba-Antequera section of the Cordoba-Malaga high speed line is expected to be ready for commercial service around the end of 2006. ADIF announced on May 9 that it had begun...