Railway Gazette International articles from May 2006

Railway Gazette International archives from May 2006

Risks inherent in open access.(COMMENT)
May 1, 2006... TO MARK the opening up of the domestic rail freight market on March 31 (p252), six French transport unions declared a 'day of action' on May 5 to protest against 'the European project to deregulate passenger transport by road and rail'. ...

Beginning of the end for PN?(COMMENT)
May 1, 2006... UNCERTAINTY still clouds the future of Australia's rail freight market as the fiercely-contested eight-month takeover battle between Toll Holdings and Patrick Corp draws to a close. The Patrick board finally conceded defeat on April 13,...

Automation is the way to go.(COMMENT)
May 1, 2006... FULLY-AUTOMATIC metro operation looks set to be widely adopted over the next two decades, if feedback from delegates at the Metro Rail 2006 conference is anything to go by. Organised by Terrapinn in Barcelona on March 28-30, the event drew a...

IR tries double-stack service.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... INDIA'S FIRST double-stack train was flagged off by Minister of Railways Laloo Prasad Yadav on March 23. Starting from the Kanakpura Inland Container Depot near Jaipur in Rajasthan, the train ran to the Arabian Sea port of Pipavav in Gujarat, a...

Pacific concession goes to court.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... COLOMBIA's national concession agency INCO has begun legal proceedings against Tren de Occidente, which holds the 30-year concession to upgrade and operate the 498 km Pacific network connecting the port of Buenaventura with Cali, La Virginia...

Three replacement franchises start.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... LOW-KEY celebrations were held in London on April 3 to mark the start of three replacement train operating franchises at the beginning of last month. FirstGroup has retained the First Great Western branding for its expanded 'Greater...

Myanma Railways.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... In March Myanma Railways opened an 8 km branch from Toe Kyaung Ga Lay station on the Yangon-Mandalay main line to serve Dagon University in the outskirts of the capital. An initial service of 10 trains each way per day will serve the 19.6 km...

African concessions make progress.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... ETHIOPIAN Transport Minister Juneidi Sado confirmed on March 29 that Comazar of South Africa had been selected as preferred bidder for a concession to operate the Ethio-Djibouti Railway, ahead of a rival tender from Rites of India. ...

Final civils tenders for Pajares cut-off.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... ADIF has awarded OHL and Obras Subterraneas a contract worth [euro]89.5m to build 9.4 km of formation between La Robla and the southern portal of the Pajares base tunnel. Within a budget of [euro]105.5m, tenders have been called for the 4.3 km...

Renfe to build more trains.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... ON APRIL 18 RENFE President Jose Salguiero signed five agreements with rolling stock suppliers Alstom, CAF and Siemens that will see 258 passengers cars built by the operator's Valladolid workshops in 2006-09, representing 700 000 h of new...

Austrio's presidency of the European Union, Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... To mark Austria's presidency of the European Union, Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel, Vice-Chancellor Hubert Gorbach, Transport Minister Ursula Plassnik and OBB Chairman Martin Huber named the railway's first Siemens-built Class 1216 Taurus...

Arica-La Paz changes hands.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... RESPONSIBILITY for the Chilean section of the Arica-La Paz Railway (RG 2.06 p65) is to be taken over by EPA, the state-owned company which manages the port of Arica. According to EPA General Manager Mario Moya, major investment in track...

Replacement station at Burgos.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... THE SPANISH cabinet has given its approval for tenders to be called for the construction of a station on the new alignment avoiding the centre of Burgos on the Madrid-Hendaye main line. A budget of [euro]18.58m has been set for the work,...

Ministry of Railways.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... China's Ministry of Railways announced on April 3 that construction work would start this year on the 1 318 km Beijing-Shanghai high speed line, which is due to be operational in time for the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai. Serving 21 stations,...

Belgians to install interim ATP.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... PENDING the long-term introduction of ETCS, Belgian infrastructure company Infrabel is to fit interim automatic train protection equipment across its 3 500 route-km network to prevent drivers passing red signals. The programme will cost...

Meridian Speedway.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... On April 10 Kansas City Southern and Norfolk Southern confirmed that they had cleared the last regulatory hurdle for their Meridian Speedway joint venture (RG 1.06 p8), with the conclusion of the STB environmental review process. This clears...

Sabah modernisation begins.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... LAST MONTH was due to see the start of work to modernise the 134 km railway between Tanjung Aru and Tenom in the Malaysian state of Sabah. Assistant Infrastructure Development Minister Aklee Abbas announced in March that two contractors had...

Transandine tenders by August.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... DURING her first state visit abroad, President of Chile Michelle Bachelet announced in Buenos Aires on March 21 that tendering for the project to restore the 225 km route from Los Andes to Mendoza in Argentina (RG 4.06 p218) would start before...

Belgrano rescue.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... ON APRIL 18 President of Argentina Nestor Kirchner signed a decree placing operations at Belgrano Cargas SA in a 'state of emergency' for a period of 180 days. During this period, which can be extended for two similar terms, the government...

SNCF to order 120 TGV Duplex sets.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... FRENCH National Railways has called tenders for 120 double-deck TGV sets. Bids for the contract, which covers a firm order for 40 trainsets and options for 80 more, are due to be submitted by the end of this month. SNCF confirmed on April...

Representatives from B-Cargo, Fret SNCF, CFL and SBB formally signed a partnership agreement.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... Representatives from B-Cargo, Fret SNCF, CFL and SBB formally signed a partnership agreement on March 31 to set up the Sibelit freight alliance (RG 9.05 p520). Based in Luxembourg, Societe pour l'itineraire Benelux Lorraine Italie SA will...

Slovenia focuses on upgrades.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... RECONSTRUCTION of the Koper-Ljubljana line, including a second route from Koper to Divaca, and electrification of the Pragersko-Hodos route are the top priorities for infrastructure investment in Slovenia. At the end of March, Transport...

Stadler wins Alger contract.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... ALGERIAN national railway SNTF announced on March 18 that Stadler Bussnang AG had won an international tender called last summer for the supply of EMUs to operate suburban services around the capital. The Swiss manufacturer is to supply 64...

Montreal.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... Quebec Premier Jean Charest confirmed on March 17 that the provincial government had agreed to fund a C$300m commuter rail service between Montreal and the northern suburbs of Repentigny and Mascouche, mostly using an existing Canadian Pacific...

Porto Metro close to completion.(NEWS)
May 1, 2006... MARCH 31 saw the start of revenue services on two further sections of the Porto Metro, bringing the light rail network to 58.2 km serving 65 stations. The Green Line (C) was extended by 4.5 km from Forum Maia to Ismai, using the alignment...

Dubai Rapid Link underway.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... ON MARCH 21 the Prime Minister of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, attended a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction work on the Red Line of the Dubai Metro. The 52.1 km Red Line will link...

Montpellier Citadis rolled out.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... THE FIRST of 24 Citadis 302 low-floor cars being built by Alstom for Montpellier's second tramline was unveiled by city officials and TAM representatives on April 3. Tracklaying is nearing completion on the 19.8 km line, which is expected...

Delhi aims for 400 route-km.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... ON APRIL 1 Delhi Metro Rail Corp began commercial operation on the 6.5 km extension of Line 3 to Dwarka Sub-City, completing the 62 km Phase I network. Built in just 22 months at a cost of Rs3.2bn, the extension adds six stations to Line...

Ontario.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... Announcing the provincial budget on March 23, Ontario's Finance Minister Dwight Duncan allocated C$670m towards the cost of the planned Toronto subway extension to York University and Vaughn. TTC does not expect the line to open before 2014.

Scottish Parliament.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... On March 29 Members of the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of the Edinburgh Tram (Line One) Bill, having approved the Edinburgh Tram (Line Two) Bill on March 22. Transport Initiatives Edinburgh Ltd and City of Edinburgh Council are to...

Merger agreed in Hong Kong.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... MTR Corp signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with the government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on April 11, setting out terms for the proposed merger with Kowloon-Canton Railway Corp. The deal provides for MTR...

Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... Landesnahverkehrsgesellschaft Niedersachsen has awarded an eight-year contract to DB Regio for operation of the Hannover S-Bahn from December 10 2006. This provides for expansion of the network with two routes to Hildesheim from December 2008....

Siemens wins in Ottawa.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... A CONSORTIUM led by Siemens has been selected as preferred bidder for a DBOM contract to develop Ottawa's 31 km north-south light rail line linking the Rideau Centre to Barrhaven. The winning team includes Siemens Canada, PCL Constructors...

Paris to start fleet replacement.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... CONTRACTS are due to be placed later this year for 330 single-deck EMUs to work Paris area suburban services. Tenders from Alstom, Bombardier and Siemens are being evaluated by SNCF, which will operate the trains for Syndicat des Transports...

BB 827300 series.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... The first BB 827300 series Prima electric loco being built for Transilien services by Alstom was officially unveiled at Paris Montparnasse on March 20. The first of 60 locos are due to enter service on the Paris-Dreux route on September 18,...

More suburban spend in Buenos Aires.(CITY NEWS)
May 1, 2006... THE GOVERNMENT of Argentina was expected to begin tendering last month for a programme of electrification, resignalling, track renewals and station refurbishment on the Roca suburban network in Buenos Aires. Due to take two years to...

Septa.(City News in Brief)
May 1, 2006... On March 23 the SEPTA board approved a US$244m contract to buy 104 Silverliner V EMU cars from United Transit System to replace life-expired stock on the Philadelphia suburban network. Three prototypes are due in 30 months, and the remainder...

Cross London Rail Links.(City News in Brief)
May 1, 2006... Cross London Rail Links announced on March 28 that it had awarded the first of four multi-disciplinary design contracts for development work on Crossrail Line 1. Under the [pounds sterling]15m contract, Scott Wilson will work with Network Rail...

Semitag.(City News in Brief)
May 1, 2006... Grenoble transport operator Semitag inaugurated a 1.5 km extension of light rail Line B to Gieres on March 20, adding four stops. The extension was built as part of the Tram 3 project, which will see the opening of the 19 km Line C later this...

Daejon metro Line 1.(City News in Brief)
May 1, 2006... The initial 12.5 km section of Daejon metro Line 1 between Government Centre and Panam, serving Daejon University, was opened for revenue service on March 16. There are 12 stations, including an interchange with Korail at Daejon Station. Work...

Philippines Under-Secretary of Transport & Communications Guling Mamondiong.(City News in Brief)
May 1, 2006... Philippines Under-Secretary of Transport & Communications Guling Mamondiong signed a memorandum of understanding with the Deputy Mayor of Wien Sepp Rieder on April 4 under which the Austrian capital will donate 40 secondhand LRVs to relieve...

Tisseo.(City News in Brief)
May 1, 2006... Toulouse transport authority Tisseo has ordered 18 Citadis trams from Alstom for [euro]65.8, subject to ratification by SMTC on April 24. The contract includes a provision for maintenance and options for a further six cars. Due for delivery...

Argentina.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Argentina: ALL Mesopotamica has received the first of four General Motors GT18MC locomotives which will be put into service this year. The ex-Spoornet locos are being transferred from ALL's 1 000 mm gauge operation in Brazil.

Canada.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Canada: RailAmerica transferred ownership of the right of way of the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway to the Island Corridor Foundation on March 24 (RG 4.06 p176), receiving C$1m in cash for contract and regulatory rights and anticipating a C$5m tax...

Chile.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Chile: As part of its US$10m workshop investment programme, on April 6 EFE formally opened a maintenance facility at Victoria for the DMUs deployed on the route to Puerto Montt (RG 4.06 p217). The new facility has been built on the site of a...

China.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... China: The east-bound bore of the 21.05 km Wushaoling tunnel in Gansu province was opened on March 30, permitting 160 km/h running and reducing the Dacaigou-Longgou distance by 30.4 km. The west-bound bore will open in October. On April 18...

Europe.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Europe: SBB and DB are planning to alter the Stuttgart-Zurich service in December, with all trains worked by seven-car ICE-T sets rather than a mix of nine-car Cisalpino and five-car ICE-T trains. This will eliminate Stuttgart-Milano through...

Finland.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Finland: The cabinet has decided to keep VR under the Ministry of Transport & Communications when responsibility for most state-owned enterprises is moved from their respective ministries to the Office of the Prime Minister next year.

France.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... France: Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur regional council has voted in favour of taking over responsibility for the Chemins de Fer de Provence concession to operate the metre gauge Nice-Digne line. PACA is providing [euro]12m for two DMUs to be...

Germany.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Germany: The EuRailCo consortium of RATP Developpement and Transdev has been named as preferred bidder for a 15-year contract to operate regional passenger services on the Koln-Koblenz-Mainz route. EuRailCo holds a 75% stake in regional...

International.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... International: An agreement has been signed by the Chinese and Russian ministries of transport for China's Container Transport Co and TransContainer to operate heavy-duty 20 ft and 40 ft equivalent containers in cross-border traffic.

Japan.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Japan: Privatisation of JR Central was completed on April 5 when the Japan Railway Construction, Transport & Technology Agency sold its 286 071 shares. Yamato Transport has begun using three refrigerated containers developed in conjunction...

Netherlands.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Netherlands: On April 13 the cabinet confirmed the decision not to proceed with a proposed Lelystad to Groningen link, fearing budget overruns and that the project would not be cost-effective. The Transport Ministry has withdrawn [euro]2.7bn...

Poland.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Poland: PKP reduced its losses to [euro]178.8m in 2005, down from [euro]543.9m in 2004. The company blamed the failure of local governments to provide [euro]122.5m promised to support regional services. 'Only four out of 11 of the group's...

Spain.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Spain: Grupo Acciona subsidiary Press Cargo Tren has become the fourth company to be granted a licence to operate freight trains on the national network. Applications have also been submitted by Activa Rail (Transfesa), Traccion Rail (Azvi) and...

United Kingdom.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... United Kingdom: Royal Mail has renewed for a further 12 months GB Railfreight's contract to move around a million letters a day on one train in each direction between London and Scotland. On April 11 the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister...

USA.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... USA: On April 20 Wabtec Railway Electronics announced a contract to conduct a positive train control pilot programme with its Electronic Train Management System on two Union Pacific routes, in Nebraska and from Washington state to Idaho.

Tobu Railway.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... With effect from March 18, four of Tobu Railway's daily limited express services from Tobu-Nikko and Kinugawa-Onsen to Omiya have been extended over JR East tracks to Ikebukuro and Shinjuku, providing improved interchange with Tokyo suburban...

GB Railfreight.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Five Class 66 diesel locos ordered from EMD by GB Railfreight arrived at Newport Docks on April 8 and were dispatched to London the following day. GBRf is investing [pounds sterling]15m in nine locos and 172 wagons to work infrastructure...

France.(Finance)
May 1, 2006... France: Caisse des Depots has signed an agreement to lend Alsace [euro]103m, the first of a series of loans that the bank will be making to local authorities part-funding TGV Rhine-Rhone (RG 3.06 p112).

Peru.(Finance)
May 1, 2006... Peru: CPCS Transcom has participated in a five-day market and technical audit of PeruRail SA, undertaken by the International Finance Corporation for an appraisal of its support for the US$16m 2006-07 investment programme at PeruRail and sister...

Russia.(Finance)
May 1, 2006... Russia: Russkaya Troika has received a US$17m eight-year loan from TransCreditBank to finance the purchase of container flat wagons. A $25m eight-year wagon leasing agreement has been signed with Pacific Crest Shipping Co. Brunswick Rail...

Spain.(Finance)
May 1, 2006... Spain: On May 24 Spanish Development Minister Magdalena Alvarez is due to sign a framework agreement that will see the European Investment Bank provide [euro]10bn up to 2012 for the PEIT infrastructure programme, involving ADIF, FEVE, RENFE and...

United Kingdom.(Finance)
May 1, 2006... United Kingdom: In March Transport for London launched a [pounds sterling]200m 25-year bond with 4.5% interest. Lead managers were Royal Bank of Scotland and Morgan Stanley.

Argentina.(Market)
May 1, 2006... Argentina: Iecsa and Comsa have been awarded a 140.4m pesos contract to raise a 14.5 km section of the Buenos Aires-Mendoza main line between Diego de Alvear and Aaron Castellanos, currently submerged under the La Picasa lake (RG 12.05 p757)....

Australia.(Market)
May 1, 2006... Australia: QR has placed a [euro]97m order with Siemens for 20 Class 3800 electric locos, which will be delivered from Munchen in 2008 for use on coal trains. A joint venture of Thiess and United Group Infrastructure has won four South...

France.(Market)
May 1, 2006... France: Alstom has signed a [euro]50m contract with RFF for the supply of Smartlock 400 computerised interlockings.

Hungary.(Market)
May 1, 2006... Hungary: MAV has ordered 10 four-car Talent dual-voltage 15/25 kV EMUs worth [euro]45m from Bombardier. Electrical equipment is to be supplied by Elin EBG Traction.

Israel.(Market)
May 1, 2006... Israel: ISR has confirmed an order with Siemens worth [euro]125m for 86 push-pull coaches, to be delivered in 2007-09. Options cover a further 585 of the 160 km/h vehicles (RG2.06 p57).

Netherlands.(Market)
May 1, 2006... Netherlands: Mitsui Rail Capital Europe has appointed NedTrain Consulting to fit 11 Vossloh G1206 and 12 EMD Class 66 locos with ECTS equipment for use on the Betuwe Route (p252). NedTrain Consulting is also developing an STM which will allow...

Russia.(Market)
May 1, 2006... Russia: On April 14 Fosagro Holding signed a lease agreement with IMB Leasing covering 150 hopper wagons. A further 400 are sought by the end of the year, which will bring its leasing contract to US$25m. Following the award of four rolling...

Spain.(Market)
May 1, 2006... Spain: ADIF has awarded Electren, Alstom Transporte and Isolux Ingenieria a [euro]35.6m contract to install and maintain overhead electrification equipment on the Madrid-Segovia and Valdestillas-Valladolid sections of the Madrid-Valladolid high...

United Kingdom.(Market)
May 1, 2006... United Kingdom: Leasing company HSBC Rail has awarded Wabtec Rail a US$140m contract to overhaul passenger rolling stock bogies in Doncaster over the next 10 years. Network Rail has awarded two-year fixed-price contracts for operation of...

USA.(Market)
May 1, 2006... USA: On March 31 American Railcar Leasing signed an agreement to purchase 1 000 tank wagons from American Railcar Industries during 2007, with options for 300 covered hoppers if factory capacity is available and for 1 000 tanks and 400 covered...

Desec Oy.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... Finnish track machine supplier Desec Oy has delivered a TL70 radio-controlled turnout replacement machine to the Syrian port of Lattakia for use by CFS during a major programme of track renewals and network upgrading (RG 11.04 p666)

Desiro DMUs.(INTELLIGENCE)
May 1, 2006... The first of 12 Desiro DMUs being built by Siemens for the Oceanside-Escondido Sprinter light rail line in San Diego County was dispatched from the company's Krefeld plant at the beginning of April. The unit will be tested at Wildenrath before...

Work on the part-built 6.8 km metro line in the Brazilian city of Salvador was expected to resume in April.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... Work on the part-built 6.8 km metro line in the Brazilian city of Salvador was expected to resume in April, after a seven-year suspension. The government has allocated US$120m so that the consortium of Camargo Correa, Andrade Gutierrez and...

The municipality of Ciudad Juarez on the US/Mexican border is analysing a proposal.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... The municipality of Ciudad Juarez on the US/Mexican border is analysing a proposal from Ferromex that would see five level crossings on its main line through the city replaced with bridges. Rail operations are currently limited to the period...

The government of Turkmenistan has approved plans for a rail link from Dashoguz to Kounyaurgench.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... The government of Turkmenistan has approved plans for a rail link from Dashoguz to Kounyaurgench, which will open up mineral reserves in the northern region of Saparmurat Turkmenbashi.

Meeting in Brussels on March 27, the Transport Ministers of Finland, Poland, Estonia, Lavia and Lithuania signed a 'declaration of common interest'.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... Meeting in Brussels on March 27, the Transport Ministers of Finland, Poland, Estonia, Lavia and Lithuania signed a 'declaration of common interest' supporting the Rail Baltica project to develop a TEN-T rail corridor linking Warszawa, Kaunas,...

Texas Transportation Commission.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... Texas Transportation Commission is studying proposals from construction firms Zachry and Cintra for a 1 000 km high speed line from Dallas to the Mexican border at Laredo, serving the I-35 corridor. Part of the Trans-Texas Corridor scheme, the...

French Transport.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... French Transport Minister Dominique Perben said in Bordeaux on April 13 that construction of the TGV Atlantique extension from Tours would start in 2007 for opening by 2016. He saw no reason why development of the planned high speed lines from...

Indonesian parliament.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... The Indonesian parliament is expected to approved by June the government's Railways Bill, which would authorise private investment in the rail infrastructure and permit new train operators to compete with PT KAI. The intention is to boost...

Trinidad & Tobago Works & Transport.(Pointers)
May 1, 2006... Following a project information briefing on March 14, Trinidad & Tobago Works & Transport Minister Colm Imbert announced that 23 local and 68 international companies had registered interest in the Trinidad Rapid Rail Project (RG 1.06 p8). He...