India’s first regional rapid transit system (RRTS) will operate trains at speed of 180km/h, cutting travel time between Meerut and Delhi to under one hour. Now the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) and manufacturer Bombardier have unveiled the design of the new rolling stock. The unveiling of the train, inspired
Tag: ICE
DB Launches Europe’s Largest Rolling Wifi Network
Deutsche Bahn has launched its new wifi service: [email protected], a free connected wifi network that already includes the operator’s entire ICE fleet, more than 100 stations, all DB lounges, some regional trains and buses. By the end of 2020 Deutsche Bahn will bring up the station total to 130. All IC
Unipart Rail Strengthens New Products Expertise
Unipart Rail is continually bringing new products to the rail sector, and has recently strengthened its New Products team with three new recruits joining the existing team and reporting to Marketing Director Jake Rudham. Paul Morris MAPM AMICE Paul joins as Senior Research and Innovation Manager and is supporting our internal innovation
RDG reshapes itself as franchises wind down
THE Rail Delivery Group has reacted swiftly to the decision to end franchises, and says it will now be making changes to its leadership that will ‘ensure the organisation is ready to support potential reforms stemming from the Williams Review into the future structure of the railway’. The personnel changes affect
Network Rail publishes Environmental Sustainability Strategy
Network Rail has published its Environment Sustainability Strategy about the steps to be taken over the next 30 years “for rail travel to be the cleanest, greenest form of mass transport”. The report details Network Rail’s vision to serve the UK with the cleanest, greenest mass transport, with four core priorities;
Works on historic Skerne Bridge ahead of 195th anniversary
Rail industry experts call for green investment post-pandemic
A new report from leading rail industry professionals calls for the government to put rail at the heart of a green post-pandemic economic recovery. The Building Back Better report, written by industry experts from the High Speed Rail Group and the Rail Delivery Group, calls for major investment into high speed
RMT to stage strikes on Caledonian Sleeper
MEMBERS of the RMT are to take industrial action on Caledonian Sleeper in October after a strike ballot, in protest at what the union claims is ‘SERCO's lack of concern for members’ safety and wellbeing’, and also the company’s ‘refusal’ to negotiate. Walkouts of sleeper hosts and sleeper team leaders have
How Remote Online Condition Monitoring (ROCM) Is Influencing the Railway Industry
Economic Standpoint The age of the train operator’s fleet(s) will be an influential factor, considering hardware capabilities and the cost of implementation versus return on investment (ROI). Fleets produced by the main-stream OEMs in recent years, already come equipped with remote condition monitoring devices and have some capabilities (in the worst-case
Warrnambool Line Upgrade Gets Underway
Victoria, Australia: construction have started on the major works package to upgrade the line between Warnambool and the Melbourne suburb of Newport. New underground cabling is being installed to support signalling upgrades along the line. A 2.2km crossing loop near Boorcan will also be built in the coming weeks. A site
Texas High-Speed Railway Receives Federal Approvals
The proposed high-speed railway line between Dallas Fort Worth and Houston has received federal approvals bringing it another important step closer to the start of construction. The US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued the Rule of Particular Applicability (RPA) approval to Texas Central LLP. The RPA
RAIB update on train derailment and fire at Llangennech
Photo: Network Rail The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has released more details into its investigation into the derailment and fire involving a tanker train at Llangennech last month. Network Rail revealed last week that the works at Llangennech are expected to continue throughout December ahead of a reopening in early
Safe Travels: Masks in the Time of Coronavirus
RN: You are selling these masks in batches of 200,000 or more, meaning you are not selling them to the end-user directly. Who are your key customers? Train operating companies or third parties? KA: It’s diverse. For the rail industry it includes operators and third parties and the same applies to aviation
Rail industry reacts to end of rail franchising
Photo: Arriva The rail industry has reacted to the government’s announcement of an end to rail franchising in a major shake-up for the rail network. A series of Emergency Recovery Management Agreements are replacing the current model, focusing on high performance targets, simplifying journeys and address the continuing impact of the
First Heavy Rail Contract Awarded to Keolis in Australia
South Australia’s Department of Infrastructure and Transport has awarded Keolis’s Australian subsidiary, Keolis Downer, a contract worth 1.32 billion euros to operate and maintain Adelaide’s commuter rail network (South Australia). The contract will come into force on 21 January 2021 and will run for an initial period of eight years but
USA: Cleveland Gets $15m Grant for New Rail Cars
Living the highlife
Many of Switzerland’s mountain railways play an essential role in keeping their communities alive, as Ben Jones discovered on a recent visit to the Lucerne region. EVERY year millions of people from all over the world squeeze into little trains in Switzerland, hoping to experience unforgettable mountain vistas and clean Alpine
Switzerland’s mountain railways keeping communities alive
Rigibahnen No. 22 leaves Rigi Staffel, heading back down the mountain towards Vitznau, with an afternoon service on January 9. This is one of the line’s most recent railcars, dating from 1986. BEN JONES Many of Switzerland’s mountain railways play an essential role in keeping their communities alive, as Ben Jones
British Government Ends Rail Franchising
Following the expiry on 20 September of the initial Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs) between the UK government and franchisees, the government has announced it is abolishing franchising and replacing it with a “simpler, effective model”. The EMAs, which were put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic, have been replaced by
Rail franchising ‘ended’ as Covid support extended
The government has announced an end to rail franchising in a major shake-up for the rail network. A series of Emergency Recovery Management Agreements replaces the current model, focusing on high performance targets, simplifying journeys and address the continuing impact of the pandemic on the railway. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says
Rail franchising comes to an end – official
THE Government has announced that rail franchising is over, after more than 24 years. The Emergency Measures Agreements introduced in England on 23 March have been extended by 18 months and will be known from now on as Emergency Recovery Management Agreements or ERMAs, while the Scottish Government announced just
EU: Parliament Votes in Favour of Waiving and Reducing Track Access Charges
The European Parliament has voted (17 September) in favour of a regulation to authorise infrastructure managers to reduce, waive or defer track access charges in recognition of the severe impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on railway undertakings. Given the unpredictable and sudden nature of the crisis, it was not able
CoMech Celebrate RISQS Success
We are thrilled to announce that CoMech Metrology have passed the latest RISQS (Rail Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme) audit with flying colours. This is truly a wonderful achievement, as it means we can continue to be recognised as a capable and trusted provider of products and services to the UK’s railway
Deadline approaches for fate of franchises
THE Government must decide the fate of most English rail franchises by Sunday, when the Emergency Measures Agreements which came into force on 23 March run out. However, transport secretary Grant Shapps refused to reveal what could happen when he was questioned by the Labour/Co-op. MP for Oldham West and Royton,
Digital Railway Maintenance – the New Rail Paradigm
Viper Innovations have brought together all of the benefits of data science, technology and process to introduce Digital products and systems that change the railway maintenance paradigm. Eliminating the need to put boots on ballast, eliminating road traffic accidents, improving electrical safety and ultimately forcing a step change in PRAMS
Alstom Signs Sale and Purchase Agreement with Bombardier
Alstom has signed the sale and purchase agreement for the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation with Bombardier Inc. and Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ). The terms of the agreement have been altered to reflect the up-to-date situation. The parties have agreed to a 300 million euro reduction. If there
Colour scheme for new £362m Tyne and Wear Metro fleet revealed
Franchising is Dead
A Conversation with Gareth Dennis In March 2020 the UK Government suspended rail franchise agreements, instead putting in place Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs), paying franchisees a 2 percent management fee to run trains, due to a collapse in passenger numbers as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. These EMAs due to
Mobile LiDAR Systems in Comparison
Mobile LiDAR Systems in Comparison: Tasks and Efficiency of Flexible and Permanently Installed Measuring Systems in Route Monitoring LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) surveying systems are characterised by specific technological advantages, including speed of data acquisition, independence from ambient light conditions and the ability to detect multiple targets in one direction. These
InnoTrans 2000: 20 Years On
InnoTrans 2000 took place 12–15 September. It experienced a doubling of exhibitor numbers, reaching 827 from 25 countries. The fair attracted 23,737 visitors over the four days. The year 2000 was the first that the InnoTrans Convention took place, giving the event a clearly structured expert framework programme. This was therefore
InnoTrans 2020: The Convention Goes Digital
Although InnoTrans 2020 has been postponed to April 2021, aspects of the event can still go ahead. Parts of the InnoTrans Convention will take place digitally. The German Transport Forum (Deutsches Verkehrsforum DVF) events will take place on their original dates. It is organising two specialist forums as video talks. These
Passenger Train in Ceneri Base Tunnel Evacuated
Australia: Victoria Orders 18 Additional Bombardier VLocity Trains
The Victorian State Government in Australia has exercised an option for 18 additional Bombardier VLocity regional trains. The original contract – the Rollingstock Manufacture and Supply Agreement – was signed back in 2018. These 18 trains will consist of three cars, meaning the contract is for 54 new VLocity carriages for
DfT declares war on railway graffiti
TRANSPORT secretary Grant Shapps has announced a new campaign to tackle the ‘blight’ of graffiti on railways and roadsides. In a letter to the rail industry, the transport secretary has called for long-term plans to tackle the issue in addition to action which has already been taken, including a review of
BNSF Names Katie Farmer President and CEO
Class 1 railroad BNSF has announced that the current Executive Vice President, Operations, Katie Farmer, will become President and CEO commencing 1 January 2021. The current President and CEO, Carl R. Ice, will retire at the end of 2020 but remain on BNSF’s board of directors. Katie Farmer started working with BNSF
Perrone Railway – A Focus on Hygiene
Travel providers, suppliers, and travellers each have their own role in jumpstarting the travel industry post-Covid-19. As domestic and international travel restrictions are lifted, Perrone Railway continues to take steps towards rebuilding confidence in travel while keeping sustainability at the forefront of the innovative process. Travel providers are responsible for the
Get your name in The North Yorkshire Moors Railway and the Esk Valley Line
NR Publishes Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy
Network Rail has published its Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy (TDNS), following the UK government’s June 2019 target of achieving ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. With regards to rail, the Department for Transport (DfT) asked the industry to examine the possibility of removing all diesel-only trains from the network in
The Aln Valley Railway – then and now
Network Rail signals end of the line for diesel trains
A NEW report from Network Rail is setting out plans for the future railway, and it reveals that the last diesel trains could be withdrawn or converted to other forms of traction within three decades or less. The report, an ‘interim business case’, sets out the strategy for decarbonising the network.
OEBB and Alstom Test Hydrogen Train in Passenger Service in Austria
Austrian Federal Railways (OEBB) is testing Alstom’s hydrogen train, the Coradia iLint, in passenger service during a ten-week test phase that will run until 26 November 2020. This is the first time the hydrogen train is carrying passengers in Austria. The iLint is replacing a diesel multiple unit and will operate
Monday essay: is franchising finished?
All the franchises in England were transferred to Emergency Measures Agreements in March this year, to coincide with the start of lockdown. The EMAs essentially removed commercial risk for the operators, who neither pay the bills nor keep the revenue but simply receive a management fee. At the time, the
Alstom Performs Digital Track Inspection in Madrid
Alstom has conducted a project in Spain to digitalise track inspections for the Metro Ligero, the light rail network in Madrid. Alstom carried out the project together with Metro Ligero Oeste (MLO), the network’s concession holder, as part of the services agreement in place between the two parties. This digitalisation project involved
BLS and Stadler Roll Out Latest-Generation FLIRT
GTR spreads messages of support on World Suicide Prevention Day
To mark World Suicide Prevention Day, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) has unveiled a moving art project to raise awareness of its support to those who may be feeling vulnerable. The project ‘Affirmation Art’ sees a team of artists spraying motivational messages in chalk across station entrances and exits. Working closely with
Stonehaven report: Climate change impact on railways ‘accelerating’
Photo: Network Rail A report into the Stonehaven derailment has found that the impact of severe weather events due to climate change is “accelerating faster than our assumptions”. An interim report by Network Rail admits that the rail industry must improve its response to extreme weather – following the fatal derailment
Network Rail Publishes Interim Report on Stonehaven Derailment
Network Rail has today (10 September) published its interim report on the Stonehaven derailment (Scotland), which was commissioned by the Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps following the incident on 12 August. The report details the immediate and longer-term actions that can be taken to make the railway more resilient
Grand Central abandons Blackpool plans
OPEN access operator Grand Central has scrapped its plan to run services between London and Blackpool. In a statement, the company said: ‘Following months of exploring all options to launch the proposed expansion of services to the North West route as planned, it is not now viable due to the economic
Grand Central’s North West route between Blackpool & London abandoned
A First Look at New Trains for Birmingham Cross-City Line
West Midlands Trains has published some first pictures of the new electric trains that will operate on Birmingham’s Cross-City Line. The train operator will introduce the new electric trains under its West Midlands Railway (WMR) brand to run between Lichfield, Bromsgrove and Redditch. The West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, inspected the new
VTG and DB Cargo Present New m2 Freight Wagon
m2 Freight Wagon DB Cargo and VTG present the m2 modular, multi-functional freight wagon © Deutsche Bahn AG | Pablo Castagnola The m2 project is designed to be modular and multi-functional – a building block system that enables wagons to be assembled tailored to customer needs. Depending on use, four-axle flat cars can
DfT reveals rejected rail restoration bids
THE Department for Transport has named the schemes which have failed to qualify in the first round of its railway funding competition. It had already revealed the successful bids which have qualified for a share in a £500 million pot which will help to pay for further development. These comprise passenger services
Tallysman Wireless Inc. Is Acquired by Calian Group Ltd
Tallysman is pleased to announce that effective September, 1, 2020, Tallysman Wireless Inc. has been acquired by Calian Group Ltd, a publicly owned Canadian company listed on the Toronto Stock exchange (CGY). Tallysman Wireless Inc. Is Acquired by Calian Group Ltd (TSX:CGY) © Tallysman Tallysman brings to Calian, a strong brand in precision
Frauscher Advanced Counter: Stable Concept, Flexible System
Ever Ready: Increased Availability Especially when the FAdC is used in the field of SIL 4 applications, availability is a key factor. For this reason, not only have a variety of redundancy concepts been developed over the years, but also some specific functions that further improve system availability. Autocorrection on the Track: The
Rail Straightness Inspection after 3D Scan Demonstration
DREAMTNS.LTD, RIEGL’s distribution partner based out of South Korea, performed a “Rail Straightness Inspection” demonstration with the RIEGL VZ-400i and the PointShape Inspector software to find out how precisely they could inspect the straightness of rails. The RIEGL VZ-400i was used for 3D scanning & post-processing for this test project. The rail measured is 25m long, clearly
Alstom Delivers First 2 Citadis X05 Trams to Athens
Work starts to clear wreckage from Carmont derailment
WORK to clear the line and restore train services through the site of the fatal derailment at Carmont near Stonehaven in north-east Scotland last month is beginning this week. Network Rail said a 600-tonne crawler crane is being used to remove the derailed vehicles, but this could only be done after
Network Rail to Begin Recovery of Stonehaven Derailment Wreckage
Network Rail will begin work to reopen the railway line near Stonehaven this week and recover the carriages involved in the derailment. The train from Aberdeen to Glasgow derailed on 12 August after hitting a landslip, causing the driver, the conductor and one of six passengers to lose their lives. Specialist engineers
The Ceneri Base Tunnel Opens – The NRLA Is Complete
The President of Switzerland, Simonetta Sommaruga, together with Member of the Swiss Federal Council Ignazio Cassis and the President of the Council of State for Ticino, Norman Gobbi, officially opened the Ceneri Base Tunnel on 4 September. This marks the completion of the New Railway Link through the Alps (NRLA), which
Rail industry wants passengers to be ‘confident’ as more trains run
Monday essay: knowing when to stop
They are not too happy in Kent, because Eurostar has announced that its trains are not expected to call at Kent’s two international stations at Ashford and Ebbsfleet again before 2022. Sim Harris wonders whether they will ever return. THE reason, says Eurostar, is that it must ‘take action to reduce
Graffiti vandals paralyse Island Line service
THE Island Line timetable was suspended on Monday morning, after the only serviceable train on the route was sprayed with graffiti. Passengers were being diverted to buses until the graffiti could be removed. The Island Line was already hampered by a fault on a second train, and passengers had been warned
HS2 Announces Formal Start of Construction
HS2 Ltd has today (4 September 2020) announced the formal start of construction on the high-speed railway line. This follows the DfT’s approval for HS2 Ltd to issue the Notice to Proceed to the project’s four Main Works Civils Contractors to begin full detailed design and construction of Phase 1. Today’s
BMT Drive Solutions: Driving up the Heat in China Plant
HS2 strengthen partnership to help ‘covid generation’ into work
HS2 is strengthening its partnership with the Social Mobility Foundation (SMF) to provide work experience places and 1:1 mentoring to ensure young people can access professional support. The rail company has been working with SMF for the last five years, though this year HS2 has adapted its traditional summer work
Bristol Temple Meads station celebrates 180 years
Photo: Network Rail Bristol’s Temple Meads marked 180 years since the station was built with a special celebration. Isambard Kingdom Brunel built the station in 1840 and to mark the occasion Network Rail and GWR celebrated its historic past and looked forward to a bright future as Bristol Temple Meads is
Operators announce increased services to meet demand
A NUMBER of train operators have announced increased services to coincide with the reopening of schools to all children and also to carry more commuters. Greater Anglia said it is now running a ’near normal’ timetable, and that from 7 September more than 93 per cent of Greater Anglia’s pre-pandemic services
Emergency Measures extended on Great Western Railway
THE Department for Transport has extended the Emergency Measures Agreement on Great Western Railway from 20 September to at least 26 June next year. The EMAs protect franchises from the financial impact of the pandemic, because all costs and revenues are handled directly by the DfT, with a management fee paid
Network Rail urges passengers to plan ahead over Bank Holiday weekend
PREVIEW | Darlington: Home of Rail Engineering in the North-East
It’s almost 200 years since the small town of Darlington emerged as the cradle for a rail industry that transformed travel around the globe. When Locomotion made its pioneering run in 1825, no one could have envisaged that, 200 years later, countries from all around the world would have embraced this
Trips with a difference: 40 years of rail ale rambles
Dave Richardson recalls more than 40 years of connecting railways with beer festivals and brewery visits, organised by former Salisbury area BR manager Gerald Daniels. REAL ale and rail travel somehow go together, especially with heritage railways, which often hold beer festivals at stations or on board trains. Both interests appeal
WiFi in Rail – What’s the Value?
Diesel fuel from derailed freight train is polluting river
DIESEL fuel has been reported to be polluting a protected marine area near Llanelli after Wednesday night’s derailment of a DB Cargo freight train at Llangennech. It has now emerged that the crew were able to detach the locomotive after the derailment, when several fuel wagons caught fire. Both members of
Ceneri Base Tunnel: The First Tracks
Llangennech diesel train catches fire after derailing
Photo: Fran Jones A freight train carrying diesel has derailed and burst into flames in Llangennech, South Wales. The train involved was the 21.52 Robeston Sidings (Milford Haven) to Theale (Berkshire) oil train. British Transport Police were called to the scene at 11.29pm on Wednesday 26 August. Police said it had been
Homes evacuated in freight train blaze
A FIRE on board a freight train in Wales caused an overnight evacuation of nearby homes in Llangennech, near Llanelli in Carmarthenshire. British Transport Police said the train had been carrying ‘large quantities of diesel’, and that a number of blazing wagons had derailed. The two members of crew escaped without
First tri-mode trains to be seen next year
Network Rail Launches Task Forces Following Stonehaven Derailment
Network Rail has set up two independent task forces to help it improve its management its earthworks and its understanding and response to severe weather events. Network Rail is responsible for a huge number of earthworks – cuttings and embankments – and following the train derailment after a landslip blocked the
France to Waive Track Access Charges for 2020
The French Prime Minister, Jean Castex, has said that France will waive track access charges for the remainder of 2020 and cut them in half for all of 2021, a decision welcomed by the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA). This French announcement follows a June proposal by the European Commission to
RAIB Publishes Stonehaven Derailment Update
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) – one of the bodies looking into the Stonehaven Derailment – has published an update on the passenger train derailment that occurred on 12 August in Aberdeenshire. The six-car train derailed at 9:38am after hitting a landslip roughly 2.25km north-east of Carmont. In total, the
HS2 Presents Amersham Vent Shaft Headhouse Design
Crossrail Central Section to Open in First Half of 2022
Monday essay: commuting catastrophe ahead?
ONCE again some media commentators are predicting the end of commuting as we have known it for well over a century, and implying that it also could spell disaster for public transport systems (writes Sim Harris). This kind of forecast is based on the quaint notion that transport organisations – rail
Crossrail delayed until 2022 and needs extra £450m
Obituary: R H N HARDY
1923-2018 RICHARD Hardy, who died on February 18, aged 94, was one of the last remaining professional links with the ‘Big Four’ and a railwayman who commanded as much respect in the preservation era as he did during his illustrious career with the LNER and British Railways. Known affectionately in his autumn
Remembering Richard Hardy
SBB Receives Authorisation for Ceneri Base Tunnel Trial Operations
Three weeks before the opening ceremony of the Ceneri Base Tunnel on 4 September 2020, the Swiss Federal Transport Office (BAV) has issued the authorisation for trial operations in the tunnel to SBB. These test trips will take place between September and December 2020 with commercial passenger and freight trains. The
Crossrail delayed until 2022, while costs are set to rise still further
Images reveal scale of flood damage on Edinburgh to Glasgow line
All photos: Network Rail It could take months to reinstate the Edinburgh to Glasgow line as the scale of flood damage is revealed. Network Rail will be working around-the-clock to repair flood damage on the main line near Polmont. With the flood water subsiding from the tracks, engineers have now fully inspected
ANALYSIS: Let’s be clear: there has been no decision about rail fares
Rail fares to rise 1.6% in January despite massive passenger slump
July RPI rises by 1.6%, no decision on rail fares yet
Cairo Metro Line 3 – Phase 4 Enters Commercial Service
Alstom has successfully supplied, tested and commissioned part of the Cairo Metro Line 3 – Phase 4. This phase features a total of ten stations from Heliopolis to Adly Mansour. The line was inaugurated by the president of Egypt, Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, the prime minister and the minister of transport.
July RPI 1.6%, but implications for rail fares are less clear
Bogie Lifters: Client Commission Results in New Product for Mechan
Sheffield manufacturer, Mechan, is extending its portfolio of rail depot handling equipment, after developing a new product for longstanding client, Siemens Mobility Limited. The firm is now offering bogie lifters to the rail market, after designing and producing a set of 22 for a specialist overhaul facility in Lincoln. Bogie lifters work
Historic Welsh locomotive to steam again at Gwili Railway
Photo: National Railway Musuem The National Railway Museum and the Gwili Vintage Carriage Group have signed a three-year overhaul agreement to bring the last surviving Welsh standard gauge locomotive back into steam. Originally agreed in October 2019, plans to begin the overhaul of Taff Vale Railway No.28 were disrupted by the nationwide
