An aerial view of the devastating aftermath of the Hixon level crossing crash on January 6, 1968. The remains of the low-loader still straddle the rail line. The transformer lies beyond the crossing, dislodged by the electric locomotive. PRESS ASSOCIATION In the last part of our mini-series looking back to events
Tag: communications
SMEs Are Vital to HS2 Success
Rail Supply Group Launches Coronavirus Recovery Survey
Design GWR train livery to support NHS & key workers
DAMM Cellular Systems A/S Owner Hans Damm Turns 70
The headquarters are still located in Sønderborg, Denmark, and have just been extended by 600 square metres to accommodate the growing number of people needed to accomplish the growing tasks that follow from running a successful business. DAMM’s growth is happening on a global level as they primarily export their
From the Archive: Mail Rail
The story of London’s little-known narrow gauge underground line Keith Fender visits the latest and most unusual tourist attraction to open in the capital. THE Post Office Railway (named Mail Rail in 1987) was a 6½-mile (10.5km) long, 2ft- (610mm) gauge automated electric railway that opened in 1927 to move mail between
The story of London’s little-known narrow gauge underground line
NOW: One of the new Mail Rail passenger trains in the boarding area. All pictures: KEITH FENDER Heritage Railway visited the latest and most unusual tourist attraction to open in the capital. The Post Office Railway (named Mail Rail in 1987) was a 6½-mile (10.5km) long, 2ft- (610mm) gauge automated electric railway
Cisco Announces Intent to Acquire Fluidmesh Networks
Fluidmesh Networks are thrilled to announce it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Cisco Systems. Fluidmesh Networks will join Cisco’s IOT business and will continue to deliver its innovative wireless solutions to customers globally through its network of specialized channel partners. The Fluidmesh innovative wireless technology will strengthen Cisco’s
Cisco Enables PLDT to Unleash the Full Potential of 5G
The transformation to a converged SDN transport network simplifies the network, increases capacity and improves scalability while maintaining a consistent and superior customer experience. It is capable of concurrently supporting fixed and mobile services pertaining to consumer broadband, enterprise, small and medium businesses, retail and wholesale business models, real-time immersive experiences,
DAMM Has Appointed Simon Riesen New Senior Solutions Manager
About DAMM DAMM is a world-leading provider of scalable, flexible and user-friendly digital radio infrastructure systems to industrial, commercial and public safety customers. Built for the future of critical communications, the DAMM MultiTech Platform enables voice and data communication across technologies, including TETRA, TEDS, DMR and Analog in one single system.
National Lottery Heritage Fund announce £50m emergency fund to support heritage sector
Merddin Emrys head towards Blaenau with a mixed Passenger & Slate Empties in 2005 Photo: Robin Stewart-Smith. The National Lottery Heritage Fund is making £50m available in response to the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK’s heritage. The new Heritage Emergency Fund will help those most in need over
National Lottery Heritage Fund announces £50m emergency fund to support heritage sector
Merddin Emrys head towards Blaenau with a mixed Passenger & Slate Empties in 2005 Photo: Robin Stewart-Smith. The National Lottery Heritage Fund is making £50m available in response to the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the UK’s heritage. The new Heritage Emergency Fund will help those most in need over
TCCA’s Critical Communications World 2020 Rescheduled to November
“Critical Communications World is the largest and most important show in its sector, and we are looking forward to it going ahead this November. “It is critically important that we prioritise the wellbeing of all those connected with the event, and that is our number one concern. CCW will continue to
Astronics Introduces Next-Gen Land Mobile Radio Service Monitor
The new FREEDOM R8200 includes several standard new features, plus a Process Automation Toolkit (PAT), which enables technicians at any level of expertise to compose automated test scripts. Additionally, the remote front panel allows users to monitor and control the analyzer from any networked PC and the extended generate output
Nomad Digital: Enabling Reliable and Available Connectivity
Alstom to Supply Rail Solutions on the Rhine-Danube Corridor
The works in question will take place on the Sighisoara-Basov section of the Rhine-Danube Corridor. Alstom has been involved in rehabilitating the rail network along the Romanian stretch of this corridor since 2012. Modernisation Contract The contract is for the modernisation of roughly 170km of railway infrastructure for passenger trains with top
Industry Insider Week 9 2020 · 14 Must-Read Rail News Stories
Rail Baltica Estonia Appoints Tõnu Grünberg CEO | Business Rail Baltica Estonia, part of the Rail Baltica Global Project, has appointed Tõnu Grünberg as its CEO. The appointment became effective on 1 March. His background lies in the telecommunications and IT sectors. Read more | Rail Baltica Estonia Appoints Tõnu Grünberg CEO British Stations
Rail Baltica Estonia Appoints Tõnu Grünberg CEO
Rail Baltica Estonia has appointed the Telekom executive Tõnu Grünberg as its CEO, effective 1 March. Tõnu Grünberg is a senior executive with a lot of experience in the telecommunications and information technology sector. His CV includes CTO of Telia Estonia, group CTO of TeliaSonera Eurasia and CEO of Ucell in
Unipart Rail Supports Network Rail SigX20 Event
Unipart Rail were pleased to support Network Rail’s Signalling Innovations Group (SIG) at their recent ‘Innovating for Resilience’ conference SIG-X20 at Brunel’s Iconic Passenger Shed at Bristol Temple Meads. The Unipart Rail team, along with Unipart Dorman and Park Signalling showcased a range of products to support the CP6 Rail resilience
Green Light for Panama Metro Line 2 Extension
The ministers also agreed to a 1.5 million PAB (1.4 million euros | 1.5 million USD) contract between Metro de Panamá and the consortium consisting of Thales SIX GTS France SAS and Sofratesa de Panama. This contract is for the preventive and corrective maintenance of the telecommunications equipment for Line
Hitachi Rail Commissions Phase 1 of Taipei Metro Circular Line
On 31 January 2020 Hitachi Rail successfully commissioned Phase 1 of Taipei Metro’s new Circular Line (Y). Hitachi Rail Group CEO Andrew Barr attended the new line’s inauguration, which took place at Shisizhang Station. Phase 1 of the Circular Line is the first turnkey project on the metro and the first
ERTMS: 200km/h Tests on Warsaw-Gdansk Line
The big bird that flew too far: Part 2
Sydney L2 CBD and South East Light Rail Opens
The ALTRAC Light Rail consortium, consisting of Alstom, Transdev, Acciona and Capella, provided the integrated light rail system, including the design, delivery and commissioning of 60 33m Alstom Citadis X05 light rail vehicles; the power supply equipment including APS – 2km of ground-based power supply – HESOP, signalling, communications, and
Nomad Digital Launch Private Trackside Radio Technology
Nomad Digital is delighted to launch its new Trackside Radio Networks solutions, available now for mainland rail and metro. Nomad has developed unique Trackside communications technology, that will provide passengers with a seamless, high-speed WiFi connection throughout their journey. In today’s rail environment providing good quality, consistent passenger WiFi is increasingly
DAMM Australia and Zetron Partner to Integrate Mission Critical Communication Systems
For more information, visit the Zetron (#73) and DAMM Australia (#71) booths at Comms Connect 2019 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 27th and 28th. About Zetron, Inc. Zetron has been designing and manufacturing integrated mission critical communications systems since 1980. Its offerings include NG9-1-1 call taking, CAD, mapping,
How Has Rail WiFi Technology Developed?
Spain: Recoletos Tunnel Project Completed
In just five months Alstom has completed the signalling upgrade works in the Recoletos Tunnel in Madrid. The project included modernising the signalling and protection systems, and installing new fixed communications systems. While Alstom was delivering its part of the project, it also had to co-ordinate with other contractors on site
Crossrail: Line will not open until 2021 as costs rise
Photo: Crossrail Crossrail will not open next year and its cost has increased by up to £650 million, the firm building London’s new east-west railway has admitted. Mark Wild, chief executive of Crossrail Ltd, insisted services would begin “as soon as practically possible in 2021”. He revealed the bill for the scheme
CAF Wins Signalling Contract in Uruguay
CAF Signalling has expanded its international operations, winning a customer in Uruguay. The company recently obtained the contract for the Ferrocarril Central project. The whole project value is close to 50 million euros, with CAF Signalling’s share lying at 30 million euros. Communications and Signalling Systems The Construction Consortium Ferrocarril Central, which
Alstom and FS Italiane Reconfirm Partnership with University of Bologna
Topics will cover in-depth analyses about railway infrastructure, line maintenance and control, communications systems, signalling systems, and integrated mobility in urban systems. There will also be workshops and site visits to production facilities. Students enrolling in the course will also have the chance to take up a training course for
Historic signal cabin closed
A SIGNAL cabin in use at London Underground’s (LU) Edgware Road station since 1926 closed for good on August 31 when it was replaced by a new signalling system. An extension to the Communications-Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling, which is being rolled out across all of the sub-surface lines, meant the
Socomec Launches Next Generation Modular Solution
Modularity – but Not as You Know It A flexible and truly modular approach has never been more important, with the increasing digitalisation of industry and the rapid expansion of the data centre market. Socomec’s next generation technology has been developed with changing data centre deployment and capacity models in mind –
Stadler Signs Contract for 22 Locomotives for ADIF
Stadler says its diesel-electric locomotives are both light and powerful. The diesel engines fulfil all EU norms for safety, emissions (IIIB, ready for level V) and environmental impact. The insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) power converter, AC traction motors, the innovative adhesion control system and the high transport capacity combined with
DAMM Delivers Infrastructure for Mauritius Metro Express
The second and final phase of the metro is planned for 2021 and will then provide a total connectivity of 26 km from Curepipe to Immigration Square. About DAMM DAMM is a world-leading provider of scalable, flexible and user-friendly digital radio infrastructure systems to industrial, commercial and public safety customers. Built for
The Infrastructure Progress Report
Spanish rail infrastructure manager Adif is investing more than 45 million euros in refurbishing the Recoletos Tunnel in Madrid. The original tunnel construction works began in 1933 but it wasn’t until 1967 that it entered service. These renovation works, which began in June this year, will affect the route, electrification and
Industry Insider Week 39 – 18 Must-Read Rail News Stories
Railway-News spoke to Ted Greener and Ian Jefferies from the Association of American Railroads (AAR) about the future of rail freight and the association’s activities at Railway Interchange 2019. The ARR represent major freight railroads in the US, Canada and Mexico as well as Amtrak and regional commuter railroads. AAR
ScotRail to Harness GSM-R for Passenger Information
Scotland: ScotRail has successfully trialled using GSM-R, the international wireless communications standard for railways, as a tool to give passengers more detailed information. Up until now ScotRail had used the digital communications system to allow train drivers and signallers to communicate with each other. Now, however, ScotRail is using GSM-R on
Changzhou Metro Line 1 Commences Passenger Service
Changzhou Metro Co. Ltd awarded the contract for the CITYFLO system to BNS in 2016. BNP acted as sub=contractor to NUG to provide the propulsion and control equipment. This aspect of the contract has also included the engineering, manufacturing, testing, commissioning and initial delivery of spare parts for traction converters. Future
Telegärtner: Robust Solutions for Rail Projects
Telegärtner Rail Distribution Box In rough conditions high-quality fibre-optical connections are needed despite the mechanical and climatic stress. For this purpose, Telegärtner has developed the train-approved distribution box, RDB. Because of its tested reliability against vibrations, shocks, heat, coldness and humidity, the RDB is perfectly suited for use in harsh environments. Besides its
GSM-R and the Road Towards FRMCS
Frequentis Wins Best Use of Critical Communications in Transport
Critical Communications World is TCCA’s flagship event, running for over 20 years. Award categories included; Best use of mission-critical communications during a major event, Best use of critical communications in transport, Best Use of Critical Communications in Utilities, Best Use of Critical Communications in Other Vertical Markets, Greatest Advance in
What’s in Store at Railway Interchange 2019
RSI Educational & Technical Training Conference The RSI Educational & Technical Training Conference aims to educate participants on new technologies and trends in the rail industry. There will be more than 50 educational sessions on subjects such as railcar maintenance, rail operations, air brake technologies, and leadership in the rail industry. A number
Tunnel Radio: Pioneers in Reliable Railway Communications
It was 1993 when Mark Rose, Founder of Tunnel Radio of America, got the call that dramatically changed the trajectory of his company’s growth. In the five years since its founding, Tunnel Radio had been working with mining operations, installing the wireless systems Rose and a partner had developed to ensure
DAMM Appoints New Regional Sales Director in North America
About DAMM DAMM is a world-leading provider of scalable, flexible and user-friendly digital radio infrastructure systems to industrial, commercial and public safety customers. Built for the future of critical communications, the DAMM MultiTech Platform enables voice and data communication across technologies, including TETRA, TEDS, DMR and Analog in one single system.
Entire DB Cargo Fleet to Go Digital by 2020
Meeting the digital future of rail strategically with IoT and analytics
SPONSORED CONTENT: To meet their promise as one of our most sustainable modes of transportation, railways in many developed countries are going to need a big upgrade, writes Karsten Oberle, Head of the Global Railway Practice at communications group Nokia. Often burdened with old and ageing infrastructure, they have fallen behind
Estonia plans rail electrification to meet 2030 climate goals
ESTONIA: The Ministry of Economic Affairs & Communications and the Ministry of the Environment are preparing a railway electrification strategy after receiving cabinet backing for the development of proposals. The government envisages that electrification works could be undertaken in 2022-28, supporting the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from
First New Train for Boston’s Orange Line Enters Service
CAF Wins 120 Million Euro European Signalling Contracts
CAF has won signalling contracts worth more than 120 million euros (134.48 million USD) for Spain, Slovenia and Bulgaria. High-speed train in Spain © Kabelleger / David Gubler under licence CAF Signalling Contract Details for Spain The contract covers the supply of the safety installations for the Nudo de La Encina-Xátiva-Valencia section
Siemens Mobility selects Softil software for LTE-R development
COMMUNICATIONS: Siemens Mobility is to use Softil’s BEEHD framework in the development of LTE-R communications technology to succeed GSM-R, and also mission-critical push-to-talk applications for transport use. The next-generation data communication system is required to support ETCS and automatic train operation as well as secure voice communication between drivers and signallers,
Televic Rail acquires information systems supplier GSP
EUROPE: Belgian communications and control technology company Televic Rail has acquired German train, metro and tram passenger information system supplier GSP Sprachtechnologie as part of its international growth strategy. The acquisition ‘gives us greater access to the highly attractive German market and the larger Germany, Austria and Switzerland region’, said Televic
Nine recommendations for rail in northern England
UK: Nine recommendations are set out in a review of the Rail North Partnership between the Department for Transport and Transport for the North which manages the Northern and TransPennine Express passenger franchises. Published on July 19, the review had been commissioned by Leeds City Council Leader Judith Blake and Rail
Robust cyber-security plans keep trains running on time
SPONSORED CONTENT: As primary movers of people and goods, railways play a central role in the economic and social life of most countries, writes Karsten Oberle, Head of the Global Railway Practice at communications group Nokia. Railways have also become an attractive target for potential cyber attacks, due in large
Phasor Achieves ISO 9001 Certification
Phasor, the leading developer of enterprise-grade electronically-steered antenna (ESA) systems for satellite-based mobile broadband applications has announced that it has achieved ISO 9001 Certification ahead of the commercial release of its products for the land mobile, maritime and aviation markets. ISO 9001 is the internationally recognised standard for a quality management
Industry Insider Week 30 – 10 Must-Read Rail News Stories
All the important rail news of the week, summed up for you in one place: our Railway-News Industry Insider Week 30 for 22–26 July 2019: Current Westbahn KISS interior © Westbahn Rolling Stock Siemens, Bombardier and DB reach an agreement about the ICE 4 trains © www.siemens.com/press Deutsche Bahn Will Resume Acceptance of ICE 4
Mallard to leave National Railway Museum to meet new Azuma trains
HGS100RW: All-Purpose Voltage Limiter for Railway Applications
The HGS100RW all-purpose voltage limiter is a piece of protective electro-technical equipment that has a conductive connection to a tower providing tractive support (OLE) and to the rail via a 10mm conductor. Since rails are insulated, devices are used that only allow through voltages higher than: 250 V – places accessible
National control centre approved
IRELAND: The construction of a €135m National Train Control Centre to manage the entire Iarnród Éireann network was approved by the Irish government on July 17. The new centre is to be delivered by IÉ, with government funding provided through the National Transport Authority as part of Project Ireland 2040. To be
Malmbanan resignalling to support ETCS
SWEDEN: Trafikverket has started work on a three-year project to resignal the Malmbanan heavy haul line between Boden and Riksgränsen with digital interlockings and ETCS at an estimated cost of SKr3bn. According to the infrastructure manager, most of the existing interlockings on the iron ore corridor are more than 50 years
ERTMS Level 2 Becomes Operational on High-Speed Line in Spain
ERTMS Level 2 in Spain: With Adif and the Spanish Railway Safety Agency completing their extensive testing of Alstom’s Atlas ERTMS Level 2 solution, the train control system has now become operational on the 163km stretch between Valladolid and León on the Madrid-León high-speed line. Talgo 350 high-speed trains for Renfe
‘Drone train’ completes first trial
FRANCE: National operator SNCF has successfully tested a remotely-controlled train over a distance of 4 km in the Paris suburbs. Representing a key stage in SNCF’s programme to develop automated operations, the ‘drone train’ ran from Villeneuve-Saint-Georges to Juvisy and was driven from a control centre established at Vigneux-sur-Seine. Describing the test
Finnish passenger tendering plan put on hold
FINLAND: Recently-appointed Minister of Transport & Communications Sanna Marin has suspended plans to call tenders for the operation of regional passenger services in southern Finland. On June 27 the ministry said that the preparatory process had shown that it would not be possible to proceed as planned. A fair and competitive
Industry Insider Week 26 – 12 Must-Read Rail Stories
All the important rail news of the week, summed up for you in one place: our Railway-News Industry Insider Week 26 for 24–28 June 2019: San Francisco APM guideway © Jef Poskanzer under licence Rolling Stock Coradia Lint for ODEG © Alstom Alstom to Supply 8 Coradia Lint Diesel Trains to ODEG Alstom will be
Motorola wins Israel Railways communications contract
ISRAEL: Motorola Solutions has won a contract to supply Israel Railways with up to 3 000 push-to-talk over cellular mobile devices equipped with its WAVE group communication service, and to operate and maintain the network for three years. Hot Mobile will act as the mobile network carrier. There is an option to
Critical Communications World 2019 Continues Tradition of Success
The worldwide mission critical communications community came together in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last week, for Critical Communications World (CCW) 2019. Organised by The Critical Communications Association (TCCA), CCW is the global showcase event for the sector, attracting thousands of attendees on an annual basis. Following on from 2018’s hugely successful show
Davenne takes over at UIC
INTERNATIONAL: The appointment of François Davenne as Director General of the International Union of Railways was formally confirmed at the UIC General Assembly in Budapest on June 25. Taking over with effect from July 1, he succeeds Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, who has served as UIC Director General since the organisation was restructured
Equality. Diversity. Inclusion. This Is Not Altruism.
On 23 June it is International Women in Engineering Day. HS2 Ltd is one of the companies in rail proactively working towards changing the employment landscape in construction and engineering. Curzon Street Station visual © HS2 Ltd At Railtex this year Mark Lomas, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at HS2, gave a
From the archive: The big bird that flew too far
Words: Nick Pigott As the most powerful single-engine diesel locomotive in the world at the time, Kestrel promised a motive power revolution… but it turned out to be ‘too good for its own good’! Shunned by BR despite its 125mph speed potential, it vanished behind the Iron Curtain where it became the
From the archive: The big bird that flew too far – Part One: The British Years (1967-71)
DAMM Launches World’s First VHF TETRA Radio at CCW
The Network in Transit(ion)
Global Demand for Transportation is on the Rise Co-authored by: Kyle Connor, IoT and Transportation Industry Principal, at Cisco &Dani Schrakamp, Global Government Market Manager, at Cisco The past year turned out to be a success for the rail industry – outperforming the original projected growth rate, rail traffic grew at 2.9
Transforming the Rail Industry with AI and IoT Technologies
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are being adopted globally by all industries to drive efficiency, improve productivity and reduce costs. The rail industry is no exception. Fuelled by intelligence from AI-driven systems and applications, railway operations are becoming safer, smarter and more reliable, significantly enhancing the passenger travel experience and freight logistics
nVent ERICO – Railway Electrical Protection
Lightning strikes can cause catastrophic damage to critical rail infrastructure and equipment. Unexpected transient events or momentary bursts of extremely high voltages can occur even during normal operations. That’s why railway electrical protection is a vital part of safe, reliable operations. nVent ERICO offers a comprehensive portfolio of products that
Industry Insider Week 23 – 13 Must-Read Rail Stories
All the important rail news of the week, summed up for you in one place: our Railway-News Industry Insider Week 23 for 3–7 June 2019: Eurodual six-axle locomotive © Stadler Rolling Stock FLIRT train for Dallas, Texas © Stadler Stadler to Deliver 8 FLIRT Trains to Texas Swiss train manufacturer Stadler has entered into a
Critical Communications for Australian Railways
With the increased number of passengers using rail as their mode of transport Frontline Safety Critical Communications becomes ever more vital and also challenging. Getting safety communications accurate, brief, clear and professional will help ensure the safe travel of billions of customers. In this article, Anton Abrahams, Chairman, Australasian Critical
Sydney Metro North West Enters Commercial Service
Sydney Metro North West entered commercial service on Sunday, 26 May. The operator, Metro Trains Sydney, will run the new trains every four minutes during peak times. This volume could be increased in the future, if needed. However, during the first six weeks, the operator will run trains every five minutes
600 km/h maglev prototype unveiled
CHINA: Two prototype vehicles intended to support research into a 600 km/h maglev system were unveiled by CRRC Qingdao Sifang on May 23. The 53 m long locally-developed prototype comprises a driving car and an intermediate vehicle. It has been built as part of a five-year maglev development programme announced by the
Industry Insider Week 20 – 12 Must-Read Rail Stories
All the important rail news of the week, summed up for you in one place: our Railway-News Industry Insider Week 20 for 13–17 May 2019: Rendering of Siemens Mobility’s Velaro Novo high-speed train © www.siemens.com/press Rolling Stock Alstom Coradia Polyvalent in France © Markus Eigenheer under licence Five Additional Coradia Polyvalent Trains for Région
Network Rail Creates New Regional Managing Directors
UK railway infrastructure manager Network Rail has created new regional managing directors. The purpose behind the move is to have a more passenger-oriented approach. Railway tracks at Acton Grange © Network Rail The new managing directors are for the regions Scotland, Souther, Wales and Western, Eastern, and North West and Central. Andrew
TCCA’s 21st CCW Event Set to Bring the Critical Communications World Together in Kuala Lumpur
Critical Communications World (CCW), the leading conference and exhibition dedicated to connecting critical communications professionals, will take place from 18th – 20th June in Kuala Lumpur, hosted by Malaysia’s Sapura Group. Registration for the event is now open. Produced by TCCA, CCW is the leading event for all stakeholders in mission-critical
Metrolink fleet modernisation contract awarded
USA: Southern California Regional Rail Authority has awarded a joint venture of Talgo and Systra a contract worth up to $138·9m for the refurbishment of up to 121 Bombardier BiLevel coaches used on Metrolink commuter services. There is a firm order for the modernisation of an initial 50 coaches, with work
Artesyn Launches New 10 Watt Isolated DC-DC Converter
Artesyn Embedded Technologies has extended its range of low power output industrial DC-DC converters with the launch of the ATA series 10 watt isolated DC-DC converters, comprising 14 variants. Targeting a diverse range of applications, including instrumentation, data communication, telecommunication and computer peripheral equipment, industrial automation and mobile battery-powered systems,
Polarteknik: Door System Products and Expert Services
More Safety, Reliability, Availability and Fire Integrity for Your Fleets The Polarteknik Door System products range includes: complete fire barrier wallsautomatic single or double leaf sliding doorstelescopic doors, curved doorsmanual doors All our products are tailored to customers’ specific needs. The service portfolio includes design, installation and commissioning support, maintenance, modernisation, spare parts and
Phasor: Ready to Transform Mobile Connectivity
Momentum has been building at Phasor, moving into the second half of 2019. The Electronically Steered Antenna (ESA) developer has begun a new phase, and is looking forward to the commercial rollout of its ESA products enabling true mobile broadband connectivity for the passenger rail mobile broadband market. With over five
Financing agreed for high speed line PPP
Rail agreements reached at the Belt & Road Forum
INTERNATIONAL: Railway projects were included in the ‘283 concrete results’ announced by the hosts following the Second Belt & Road Forum for International Co-operation, which was held in Beijing on April 25-27. The forum was organised by the Chinese government to bring together heads of government and other senior figures to
Nagpur Metro Deploys DAMM TetraFlex Radio Solution
Kapsch CarrierCom to upgrade Infrabel communications network
BELGIUM: Infrastructure manager Infrabel has awarded Kapsch CarrierCom a 15-year framework agreement covering the migration of its GSM-R communications network from R99/TDM to R4/VoIP and the provision of 12 years of maintenance. This is intended to provide the functionality and resilience needed for the use of ETCS Level 2 over GPRS.
Network Rail announces signalling and telecoms framework deals worth £750m
UK: Infrastructure manager Network Rail announced the award of six geographical Signalling & Telecoms framework contracts with an estimated total value of £750m on April 29. The S&T frameworks cover projects of varying value, including stand-alone level crossing works, major telecommunications works and related civil works, during regulatory Control Period 6
Crossrail Ltd: Our Plan to Get Back on Track
Yapı Merkezı enters signalling market
TURKEY: Infrastructure manager TCDD has begun testing signalling equipment developed by Yapı Merkezı Idis, the industrial controls and communications subsidiary of construction group Yapı Merkezı. The company has installed an interlocking, fixed block signals and level crossing control units compatible with future deployment of ERTMS. The equipment was commissioned on April
Londoners will be ‘hugely disappointed’ by new Crossrail delay
Updated 11.00 SOURCES at Crossrail are said to be warning that the new Elizabeth Line might not be open between Paddington and Liverpool Street before 2021, after fresh revelations about dynamic testing. The central section of Crossrail uses automatic train operation, as well as ETCS between Paddington and Heathrow, and most trains
Crossrail opening could face further delay
SOURCES at Crossrail are said to be warning that the new Elizabeth Line might not be open between Paddington and Liverpool Street before 2021, after fresh revelations about dynamic testing. The central section of Crossrail uses automatic train operation, as well as ETCS between Paddington and Heathrow, and most trains will
Dedicated FAdC Training Facility Supports Local Railway Experts
Frauscher India and RailTel Corporation joined hands to establish a training facility for users of the axle counter Frauscher Advanced Counter FAdC. It is situated at RailTel’s office in Delhi. The facility was inaugurated in January 2019 by Mr N. Kashinath, Director General S&T (Signalling and Telecommunications). Mr Puneet Chawla,
Flex: The go-anywhere train
With so many new trains being delivered and electrification schemes shelved, Porterbrook and Brush Traction are using their engineering expertise to convert surplus Thameslink commuter trains into ‘go-anywhere’ bi-mode trains. Ben Jones visits Loughborough to see how the project is progressing. When you’ve invested millions of pounds in maintaining and updating
East Coast Rail Link back on
MALAYSIA: Construction of the East Coast Rail Link to open up the country’s eastern seaboard is set to resume next month, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad announced on April 15. Contracts had been awarded in 2017 for China Communications Construction Corp to develop the 530 km ECRL linking Port Klang on the west
Norfolk Southern names transformation team
USA: Reporting ‘another year of record financial results’ on March 29, Norfolk Southern Chairman, President & CEO James Squires said the railway had seen strong growth in 2018, achieving an all-time best operating ratio of 65·4 after three consecutive years of improvement and a recording a 9% year-on-year increase in
Lithuania to reinstate rail link to Latvia
LITHUANIA: Following a competitive tender, national railway Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai has awarded Skinest Rail subsidiary Vitras-S a contract worth €9·38m plus VAT to reinstate the line connecting Mažeikiai with Rengė in Latvia, which had been closed in controversial circumstances. The project includes the rebuilding or repair of 19 km of track, five
Five recommendations in Lewisham detrainment report
UK: The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has published its report into an incident on March 2 2018 when nine Southeastern trains became stranded near Lewisham in London during bad weather and passengers evacuated themselves onto third-rail electrified tracks. The report published on March 25 is separate from an action plan which the