International Railway Journal back issues from January 2003:
Britain faces a major rail funding crisis. (This Month).
Jan 01, 2003; ... THIS month, Britain's Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) will publish the annual update of its rolling strategic plan. It lists the projects being implemented and planned under the government's 10-year plan, which is supposed to provide [pounds sterling]33.5 billion in government funds and a ...
NS to invest more this year. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... NORFOLK Southern (NS), United States, plans to invest $US 798 million this year, which is almost $US 100 million more than in 2002. The 2003 plan includes $US 499 million for infrastructure projects and $US 246 million for equipment. Track projects will account for the bulk of ...
Guangzhou-Zhuhai link planned. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE Chinese province of Guangdong hopes to start construction by the end of the year of a 140km railway linking Guangzhou with the Zhuhai Special Economic Zone bordering Macao. The Yuan 20.8 billion ($US million) project would be completed in 2008. Trains travelling at 120km/h would ...
Cost of German high speed line increases. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE construction of the planned high-speed line between Erfurt and Nuremberg in Germany is now expected to cost [euro]4.91 billion, almost [euro]700 million more than estimated in 2001. Financing for parts of the 192km line, which will have 22 tunnels and 29 bridges, is still ...
GE unveils best-ever locomotive. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... LAST month, GE Transportation Systems (GETS), United States, unveiled what it described as the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly diesel-electric locomotive ever built. GETS has invested more than $US 200 million and six years of development to produce the ...
First European research agenda presented. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE European Rail Research Council (Errac), which was set up a year ago, presented on December 18 in Brussels its strategic rail research agenda to Mr Philippe Busquin, the member of the European Commission (EC) responsible for research. The agenda sets out research priorities ...
Trans-Andean rail link to reopen. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... PLANS to reopen the 252km trans-Andean rail link between the Argentine province of Mendoza and Los Andes, Chile, are gaining momentum. The two governments have already agreed in principle to proceed with the project, which will be funded entirely by the private sector. Tecnicagua, an ...
International Union of Railways (UIC). (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Caption: THE International Union of Railways (UIC) has appointed Dr Benedikt Weibel (above) as its chairman fur the next two years. Weibel, the chief executive officer of Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) takes over from Mr Etienne Schouppe. Three ...
Parramatta Link inaugurated. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... WORK has started on the $A 1.62 billion ($US 911 million) Parramatta Rail Link project in Sydney, Australia. An official ceremony marked the start of tunnelling on the first section of the 28km Parramatta-Epping--Chatswood line. The initial Epping-Chatswood section is being ...
British HST replacement planned. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... SIEMENS Transportation Systems (TS) and First Group, Britain, are jointly to develop a new generation of high-speed trains for the British market. The new trains will be a replacement for the ubiquitous InterCity 125 diesel trains, which have until recently held the record as ...
Green Cargo orders wagons. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... GREEN Cargo, Sweden, has ordered 54 new double freight wagons from malmo-based K Industry. The fleet, costing SKr 90 million ($US 10 million), will be used to provide services for SCA, a Swedish paper company. Mr Lars Nolander, the manager of Nordic land transport for ...
French National Railways. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Caption: FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) has taken delivery from Modalohr, France, of the first of 14 self-loading piggyback wagons. The lorry's tractor unit is used to ...
MAV to install ETCS level 1. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... HUNGARIAN State Railways (MAV) invites tenders by March 28 for the supply and installation of the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) and European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 1 on the Budapest Kelenfold- Kimle section of the main line to Vienna. The objective is to ...
DB Cargo launches block train offensive. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE freight subsidiary of German Rail, DB Cargo, is reorganising its block train services to offer three basic products: Plantrain, Variotrain, and Flextrain. 'This is new country for us," commented Dr Bernd Malmstrom head of DB Cargo. 'The product offensive is not just a question of ...
China to fund Philippine rail project. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE Chinese government has signed a memorandum of understanding to fund and upgrade the 423km main line from Calamba to Legaspi and extend it south to Matnog, at the southern tip of Luzon. A similar agreement was reached last year with Korea to fund the upgrading of the 55km Manila-Calamba ...
Loco overhaul contracts let. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... MOTLVEPOWER, a subsidiary of Wabtec, has been awarded two contracts worth a total of SUS 16 million to overhaul locomotives for two US commuter rail operators. Boston's Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has exercised an option for the overhaul of 12 locomotives ...
Tellier moves from CN to Bombardier. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... CANADIAN National Railway's president and CEO of 10 years, Mr Paul Tellier (left), has stepped down to take up the same position with Bombardier, the parent company of Bombardier Transportation, following the resignation of Mr Robert E Brown. Tellier is succeeded at CN by Mr E ...
UIC launches timetable database. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE International Union of Railways (UIC) has launched Europe's first central timetable database called Merits (Multiple European Railway Integrated Timetable Storage). Merits holds the new timetables which came into force on December 15, but it can also be updated. The data is now ...
National Express pulls out of Victoria. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... NATIONAL Express has told the Australian state of Victoria that with effect from December 23 2002 it would no longer fund its three rail subsidiaries to enable them to meet their liabilities. National Express and the Victorian government have failed to reach agreement on new terms for the ...
Danish State Railways (DSB). (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Caption: DANISH State Railways (DSB) has introduced the first four-car double-deck train being built by Bombardier Transportation and supplied under lease by Porterbrook Leasing. DSB ...
Rail Tec Arsenal. (World in Brief: Austria).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Rail Tec Arsenal is opening its two new climatic wind tunnels in Vienna for testing rail vehicles. The large tunnel will have a 100m long track and a 100m preparation hall. It will have a roller test rig with one driven axle. The small tunnel will be 31m long with a 60m preparation ...
Strategic Rail Authority (SRA). (World in Brief: Britain).
Jan 01, 2003 ... The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has agreed to provide a subsidy of [pounds sterling]58 million to Connex for its southeastern franchise which has got into financial difficulties. Connex will also pump [pounds]11 million of its own equity ...
Canadian National (CN). (World in Brief: Canada).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Canadian National (CN) is to shed 1146 employees to improve productivity ....
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation. (World in Brief: Colombia).
Jan 01, 2003 ... The Japan Bank for International Cooperation is guaranteeing a private syndicate loan of $US 120 million for the Pacific Railway rehabilitation project. This involves upgrading the ...
Euro-Interlocking harmonisation project. (World in Brief: Europe).
Jan 01, 2003 ... The 29 railway and signalling company members of the Euro-Interlocking harmonisation project have approved nine standards relating to the project. This is in addition to the 19 standards already approved. A further five standards will be approved in March. The ...
German Rail (DB). (World in Brief: Germany).
Jan 01, 2003 ... German Rail (DB) plans to invest [euro]1.6 billion to upgrade lines in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern up to 2008. This includes upgrading the 212km Lubeck Stralsund and the 250km Rostock-Berlin lines. * Work has started to repair a 22km section of the Dresden-Chemnitz main ...
Powder River Project a step closer. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE US railway, the Dakota, (DM&E), won a crucial legal battle last month with the state of South Dakota in its quest to build a $US 2 billion, 450km rail line into the Powder River Basin and upgrade about 960km of existing right-of-way. A federal district court in South Dakota ...
Shinkansen services. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Caption: SHINKANSEN services were extended north from Morioka to Hachinohe, Japan, last month. The official opening took place on ...
CD seeks passenger subsidies. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THIS month marks the separation of operations from infrastructure at Czech Railways (CD). A state-owned joint stock company now operates passenger and freight services, while a state administrative authority controls infrastructure. Behind the move, however, lies a problem for ...
Irish Rail orders 200km/h coaches. (World Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... IRISH Rail (JE) has ordered a I fleet of 67 new coaches from CAF, Spain, at a cost of [euro]117 million. The 200km/h coaches will be introduced on regular services between Dublin and Cork, where they will replace existing Mark III coaches. They will also be employed on key services linking ...
Indian Railways (IR). (World in Brief: India).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Indian Railways (IR) has launched its first design, build, finance and operate project by signing a revenue-sharing deal with Gujarat Adani Port (a joint venture of the Adani Group and the Gujarat state government) which owns Mundra port Under the deal, Gujarat Adani Port will build and ...
Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport. (World in Brief: Israel).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Work has started on a $US 191.5 million project to build a 14km line from Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport to ...
Syntus. (World in Brief: Netherlands).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Syntus and bus company Oad have won a 10-year concession starting in December to run the ...
Pakistan Railways. (World in Brief: Pakistan).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Pakistan Railways' earning increased from Rs 11.5 billion ($US 196.7 million) in 2000-01 to Rs 13.76 billion in 2001-02, when it ...
Slovenian parliament. (World in Brief: Slovenia).
Jan 01, 2003 ... The Slovenian parliament has authorised a referendum on January 19 to seek ...
The parent company of Spoornet. (World in Brief: South Africa).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Mr Mafika Mkwanazi, CEO of Transnet, the parent company of Spoornet, has allocated a Rand 200 million ($US 20.8 million) towards infrastructure improvements, returning mothballed ...
Viege station. (World in Brief: Switzerland).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Viege station is to be redeveloped at a cost of SFr 73 million ($US 50 million) to ensure optimal connections between trains from Bern, Lausanne, and Milan when the Lotschberg base tunnel opens in 2007. Trains from the three directions will arrive simultaneously each hour. Connections will ...
Syrian Railways. (World in Brief: Syria).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Syrian Railways is seeking consultants to conduct a preliminary technical and ...
Canadian consultancy. (World in Brief: Uganda).
Jan 01, 2003 ... According to the Canadian consultancy, Canarail, the privatisation of Uganda Railways has attracted considerable interest A freight concession is expected to be ...
Amtrak. (World in Brief: United States).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Amtrak and Caltrans are jointly funding a $US 65 million project to build a new maintenance workshop in West Oakland. The new ...
State Rail Authority. (World Market: Australia).
Jan 01, 2003 ... State Rail Authority of New South Wales (SRA) has awarded a $A 165 million ($US 93 million) contract to EDI Rail to supply 15 four-car 15kV dc Millennium trains and maintain them for 15 years. The trains will be delivered between early 2004 and early 2005. This order is a follow-up to a ...
Metropolitan Trains Company (CPTM). (World Market: Brazil).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Metropolitan Trains Company (CPTM) has awarded a Euros 9.5 million contract to Siemens to maintain a fleet of 10 emus for five years. * Central Atlantic Railway (FCA) has agreed to ...
Greater Toronto Transit Authority. (World Market: Canada).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Greater Toronto Transit Authority (GO Transit) has ordered 20 bi-level commuter cars from Bombardier Transportation at a cost of $C 55 million ($US 35 million) ....
Great North Eastern Railway. (World Market: Britain).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Great North Eastern Railway is to lease 10 additional coaches from Angel Trains. The Mark 3 coaches will firstly be refurbished by Bombardier Transportation and will be used to increase the length of GNER's existing high-speed diesel trains. * The Association of Train ...
Bids are invited to supply signalling. (World Market: Chile).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Bids are invited to supply signalling, a central control system, train radio communications ...
Hong Kong's MTR Corporation. (World Market: China).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Hong Kong's MTR Corporation has awarded a contract to United Goninan to build a mockup coach and then convert 12 existing rail cars to form three "fun-theme" trains which will operate services on the Penny's Bay Line being built to serve a new Disneyland complex under construction. The ...
Copenhagen Metro. (World Market: Denmark).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Bids have been invited for construction and electro-technical contracts covering the third phase of Copenhagen Metro which will involve ...
DB Cargo. (World Market: Germany).
Jan 01, 2003 ... DB Cargo, the freight division of German Rail (DB), is seeking to ...
Hungarian State Railways. (World Market: Hungary).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Hungarian State Railways (MAV) has invited bids to prequalify to carry out ...
Pioneer Friction. (World Market: India).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Pioneer Friction, a subsidiary of Wabtec, has been awarded a $US 5.5 million contract to supply composite brake shoes to Indian Railways (IR). * Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has appointed Systra, France, as ...
Railinfrabeheer. (World Market: Netherlands).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Railinfrabeheer, the infrastructure authority, has signed a general agreement with Siemens to upgrade interlockings to Siemens' Simis W ...
Romanian National Railway (CFR). (World Market: Romania).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Romanian National Railway (CFR) has invited bids from consultants to carry out feasibility studies for ...
Syrian Railways. (World Market: Syria).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Syrian Railways has invited bids separately to supply 41 diesel freight locomotives and 17 diesel ...
Kaohsiung Rapid Transit. (World Market: Taiwan).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Kaohsiung Rapid Transit has ordered a platform screen doors system for its Red and Orange metro lines from Singapore Technologies Electronics. The contract is worth $S 50 million ($US 28 million). * Toshiba, a member of the Taiwan High Speed Rail ...
Rail India Technical and Economic Services. (World Market: Tanzania).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Tanzania Railways has awarded a contract worth $US 1.7 million to Rail ...
Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF). (World Market: United States).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) has awarded a contract worth more than $US 420 million to Alstom to maintain 434 EMD SD70MAC diesel-electric freight locomotives for 12 years at BNSF's workshops in Alliance, Nebraska. BNSF employees will perform the work under Alstom management. Alstom ...
Show attracts record numbers. (Railtex Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... RAILTEX, the railway equipment exhibition staged in Birmingham, Britain, in November by Mack Brooks, attracted record numbers of both visitors and exhibitors. There were 585 exhibitors from 19 countries, compared with 543 in 2000. The three-day show attracted 9904 visitors from the railway ...
New driver training simulator. (Railtex Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... VISITORS to the Bombardier Transportation stand were able to test out the first of two new driver training simulators produced in conjunction with IIT Research Institute, United States. The one on show was designed for Maintrain, Britain. The simulator can be used to familiarise ...
INA and FAG exhibit jointly. (Railtex Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... Two German companies, INA and FAG, which merged in early 2002, were exhibiting on a joint stand but under their original names. Both companies were exhibiting new products for the rail market. INA, for example, had door guides on show with linear bearings and shafts and back ...
In-sleeper switch machines. (Railtex Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... SCHWIHAG, Switzerland, has started to market on behalf of Contec, Germany, a new range of in-sleeper switch machines for conventional points, moveable frog points, and derailers, Several advantages are claimed for in-sleeper ...
Prototype resilient wheel. (Railtex Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... BONATRANS, Czech Republic, which was exhibiting in association with Powell Duffryn Rail, had on show a prototype resilient wheel designed for 160km/h operation. The wheel does not ...
Acoustic panels cut noise levels. (Railtex Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... TECHNICAL Resin Bonders unveiled a complete system of acoustic floor panels designed to reduce both structure-borne and air-borne noise inside trains. It is based on conventional honeycomb floors which are lightweight, strong, and rigid, but are generally not so good for sound insulation. ...
Axle counters on display. (Railtex Report).
Jan 01, 2003 ... ALCATEL had on show its new Az LM microprocessor-based multiple-section axle counter. It allows parallel and serial interfaces to the interlocking and serial interfaces to diagnostic equipment. It consists of an evaluator, a rail contact, and an ...
London Underground finalises PPP deals. (Transit News).
Jan 01, 2003 ... CONTRACTUAL negotiations have finally been completed between London Underground (LUL) and its two preferred bidders for the public-private partnership (PPP) concessions to take over the maintenance and modernisation of the infrastructure and rolling stock. Tube Lines expects to reach ...
Macao plans LRT line. (Transit News).
Jan 01, 2003 ... THE government of the Macao Special Administrative Region, China, is planning a light rail line using the third cross-sea bridge that is due to open in 2005. The line will serve the western parts of Macao Peninsula and ...