International Railway Journal back issues from September 2004:
Reaping the benefits of technical innovation.(This Month)
Sep 01, 2004; ... THIS month we feature a number of world firsts in metro and light rail operation. Mike Knutton reports, in an IRJ exclusive, that Berlin is to test the use of unconverted ac power on an isolated section of the metro. This could start a revolution for the universal application of ac power ...
Huge Saudi rail expansion plan.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... SEMALY, France, in partnership with the Middle East engineering firm, Dar Al-Handasah, has won a Riyals 8 million ($US 2.1 million) contract to prepare preliminary plans for an electric railway network in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. The project is just the latest part ...
Bombardier group returns to profit.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... BOMBARDIER, the aerospace, rail transport, and financial services group, has returned to profit half-way through its three-year restructuring programme. Earnings before tax (EBT) were $US 44 million during the second quarter of its current financial year to July 31, compared with a loss of ...
French National Railways (SNCF) is drawing up plans for a 1007m-long 200km/h train that could carry 222 cars and minibuses and 704 passengers.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) is drawing up plans for a 1007m-long 200km/h train that could carry 222 cars and minibuses and 704 passengers. The train would carry cars in ...
KTX carries its 10-millionth passenger.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... KOREA Train Express (KTX), the French TGV-based high-speed train which opened for business between the capital, Seoul, and the southern port of Busan at the beginning of April, carried its 10 millionth passenger after 142 days in service. Revenues thus far reached Won 298.6 billion ($US ...
DB cuts losses in first half.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... GERMAN Rail (DB) reduced its losses for the first six months of the year from 148 million [euro] in the same period a year ago to 62 million [euro] this year. Revenues, at 11.7 billion [euro], were less than last year but Mr Hartmut Mehdorn, chairman of DB's board of management, said he ...
New Asian rail link planned.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE presidents of Iranian Islamic Republic Railways (RAI), Azerbaijan Railways, and Russian Railways decided at a meeting in Tehran in July to set up a company with an initial capital of $US 6 million to construct a new line from Qazvin via Rasht and Anzali in Iran to Astara in Azerbaijan ....
TRC privatisation moves a step closer.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A BIDDERS conference on August 20 marked the latest step in the process to find a private operator to start running Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) by June 2005. The Tanzanian government has adopted a vertically-integrated structure with operation by a single private operator, who will ...
China plans new funding system.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... CHINA's Ministry of Railways will unveil plans by the end of the year to change the way Chinese Railways is financed and how new line construction is funded. The objective is to allow private capital to be used to fund railway construction. This would be achieved by separating out ...
JR East has started to inspect concrete-lined tunnels on the Joetsu Shinkansen between Urasa and Nagaoka using a new vehicle developed by JR East and Mitsui Ship Builder Company.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... JR East has started to inspect concrete-lined tunnels on the Joetsu Shinkansen between Urasa and Nagaoka using a new vehicle developed by JR East and Mitsui ship Builder ...
Comsa wins Chilean concession.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE first concession for part of Chilean State Railways (EFE) has been won by Comsa, Spain. A second concession is due to be awarded this month and two others by the end of the year. Comsa, with a bid of $US 32 million (which corresponds to the cost of rehabilitation works to be ...
TGV speed-up in Switzerland.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... MODIFICATIONS to the transformers of TGV trains operating between Paris and Zurich, Switzerland, have increased their power from 2.8MW to 4MW, allowing the trains to run at a maximum operating speed in Switzerland of 160km/h. TGV trains in France operate from 25kV 50Hz ac and 1.5kV de ...
Texans think big on transit.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A FORMAL plan has been agreed by dozens of community leaders in North Texas for a $US 3.5 billion, 418km regional rail network covering six counties in the area. The next step will be to get approval from lawmakers and voters for a half-cent addition to the local sales tax that will be ...
Franchise offers improvements.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... FIRST Group, recently confirmed as the new operator for the Scottish rail franchise from October 17, plans a 40 million [pounds sterling] package of improvements. It will operate as First ScotRail. The franchise, which covers a 3000km network, will require a subsidy of about 1.9 billion ...
German job cuts predicted.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... PESSIMISM about the state of the German rail sector has come from two different sources: the VDB industry federation and the SCI consultancy group. Both agree that the business climate is unsatisfactory due to substantial cuts in German Rail's (DB) rolling stock and infrastructure ...
More autonomy in Botswana.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A BILL is going through the Botswana parliament that will give Botswana Railways (BR) more autonomy from the government and enable it to function more like a business than a government department. The legislation will empower BR to raise funds through loans or by issuing bonds, ...
Australia.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The Victorian state government has approved the transfer of Freight Australia's infrastructure lease of Victoria's intrastate rail network to Pacific National (PN). The decision will enable PN to proceed with its $A 285 million ($US 202 million) purchase of Freight Australia, including ...
Austria/Italy.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... New companies have been created as plans go ahead for construction of the new Brenner base tunnel. Brenner Basistunnel is owned 50:50 by the Austrian government and the Tirol regional government, while a similar ...
Britain.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The Strategic Rail Authority (SPA) has appointed Mr Nick Newton as its chief executive during the ...
Canada.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Via Rail suffered its worst punctuality performance for 16 years in 2003, with only 78% of services operating on time. Via blamed the decline on Canadian ...
Croatia.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Croatian Railways (HZ) has temporarily recalled a fleet of eight VT 612 tilting trains for checks only three weeks after putting them into service. This followed the discovery of a crack ...
Germany.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... German Rail's infrastructure division, DB Netz, will change from analogue to digital train radio technology on 2300km of its network from January 1 2005. It plans to complete the changeover to GSM-R standard throughout the 35,804km network by the end of 2005. * Work has begun on ...
India.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A 45km line between Kakinada and Kotipalli will be reopened by the end of next month, 64 years after it ...
Poland.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A new four-car emu, the EN95, has been developed by Pesa Bydgoszcz for WKD, the subsidiary of Polish State Railways (PKP) which operates suburban railway services in Warsaw. The 90km/h train can carry up to 500 passengers, ...
East African rail expansion urged.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... LAST month, the transport ministers of Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi signed a communique in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, agreeing to the extension of the existing metre-gauge railway linking Mombasa, Nairobi, Kampaia, and Kasese to cities in the ...
Keystone corridor to be upgraded.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... AMTRAK and the US state of Pennsylvania have agreed to share equally the cost of a $US 145.5 million project to increase the speed and frequency of passenger services on the 169km Keystone corridor between Philadelphia and Harrisburg. The objective is to reduce the journey time ...
Dual-mode vehicle developed.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A ROAD-RAIL passenger vehicle for local transport or airport access is being developed by JR Hokkaido. It requires only 10 to 15 seconds to change between modes. First prototype of the bus-based dual-mode vehicle (DMV) was delivered in January and has been tested since the end ...
The 55m-high railway bridge dating from 1885 over the Sao Joao River in Brazil collapsed on July 19.(World Report)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE 55m-high railway bridge dating from 1885 over the San Joao River in Brazil collapsed on July 19. Unfortunately, a freight train was passing over it and 35 wagons plunged into the river. The bridge was ...
Correction.(World Report)(Correction Notice)
Sep 01, 2004 ... IN the article: "Back-To-Basics Approach Lowers Costs" (IRJ August p25) we indicated that ARTC had taken control of the entire Australian interstate railway network. This is incorrect. The 655kmn interstate network in Western Australia, from Perth to Kalgoorlie is maintained and managed by ...
Netherlands.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The transport minister, Mrs Karla Peijs, has officially reopened the upgraded 48km Rotterdam Harbour branch line, which will form a ...
South Africa.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The minister of public enterprises, Mr Alec Erwin, has stated that Spoornet will remain in state ownership. However, the government is ...
Sweden.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A new impact-absorbing nose cone has been designed for Arlanda Express trains by W & J Tod, Britain, which is supplying 20 of the nose cones initially. The composite cones crumple ...
Switzerland.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The 57km Gotthard base tunnel is not likely to open before the end of 2015. The final hope of completion in 2014 seems to have vanished as a result of geological ...
Turkey.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The Japan Bank for International Cooperation has agreed to provide a loan of Yen 74 billion ($US 671 million) towards ...
Uganda.(World In Brief)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) has reopened the Mbale-Soroti section of line, following the recent reopening of the Tororo-Mbale section. So far, this represents 161km of reopened line at a cost of $US 5.4 million. URC plans ...
New York MTA unveils spending plan.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... NEW York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has unveiled plans to invest $US 17.2 billion between 2005 and 2009. The new capital budget is about $US 2.2 billion higher than comparable expenditure in the five-year plan now coming to an end. About $US 500 million is for enhanced ...
MTRC expands into sourcing.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTRC) has formed a new subsidiary to expand its business into global railway supply and sourcing services. Rail Sourcing Solutions International (RSSI) is headed by chairman, Mr Phil Gaffney, who is also managing director, operations and ...
Korean BOT concession awarded.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE Korean city of Yong-In, southeast of Seoul, has awarded a 35-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) concession to the Yong-In LRT Consortium for an 18.5km automatic light metro line to connect the Seoul metro with Yong-In and Everland, claimed to be the world's fifth most popular theme ...
Belo Horizonte Metro expands.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... FINAL engineering design has begun on lines 2 and 3 of the Belo Horizonte Metro in Brazil. Line 2, Barreiro-Hospitais, will be 16.5km long of which 10km will follow a freight-only line. Line 3, Pampulha-Sion, will be an entirely new line, 11km long. The Brazilian Urban Trains ...
DLR to convert part of North London Line.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... LONDON's Docklands Light Railway (DLR) plans to invest 90 million [pounds sterling] to convert a section of the North London Line between Canning Town and Stratford to a DLR service. The project, which should be completed in 2009, includes upgrading the track and power supply, adding four ...
Dubai bidders shortlisted.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... SHORTLISTED bidders for the civil engineering segment of the Dubai automatic light metro project are due to be announced this month, but according to the Dubai-based Khaleej Times six bidders have been selected from a field of more than 50 for the $US 3.9 billion project ...
Madrid orders Citadis LRVs.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... MINTRA, which is responsible for transport infrastructure in Madrid, has placed a 144.6 million [euro] order with Alstom for a fleet of 70 Citadis LRVs. The contract should be finalised this month. Delivery ...
London salutes stable funding.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A FUNDING package agreed between the British government and Transport for London (TfL) will enable TfL to invest almost 3 billion [pounds sterling] in its capital programme during the next five years. Mr Bob Kiley, London's transport commissioner commented: "This groundbreaking ...
Ho Chi Minh metro a step closer.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... FEASIBILITY studies for two metro lines totalling 21km in Vietnam's largest city, Hp Ch Minh City, are due to be submitted to the government in October. If all goes well, construction could start by the end of this year and the metro could open by 2008. The metro ...
Nagoya urban rail expands.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE first full metro loop line in Japan will open on October 6 with completion of a four-station section of Line 4 of the Nagoya Metro. The line will be 26.4km long and will be named the Meijo Line. The older part of this line to the harbour will be renamed the Meiko Line. ...
Bush backs aid for NY rail link.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE American president, Mr George W Bush, has given his backing to a scheme to allow $US 2 billion of September 11 aid money to be used to help fund a $US 6 billion rail link between the World Trade Center site in Manhattan and J F Kennedy international airport. Despite presidential ...
Bangkok plans elevated line.(Transit News)
Sep 01, 2004 ... THE Thai government's Transport and Traffic Policy Office is likely to recommend a public-private partnership project to build and operate a Baht 39 billion ($US 949.6 million) 23km elevated commuter railway ...
Streetcars (LRVs) may return to the Texan state capital, Austin, if a two-line proposal goes to ballot in November as part of the Cap Metro commuter rail proposal.(Austin)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Streetcars (LRVs) may return to the Texan state capital, Austin, if a two-line proposal goes to ballot in November as part of the Cap Metro commuter rail ...
Alcatel and Ansaldo Trasporti Sistemi Ferroviari have successfully completed an onboard, real-time video surveillance field trial in the fully automatic, driverless Copenhagen Metro.(Copenhagen)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Alcatel and Ansaldo Trasporti Sistemi Ferroviari have successfully completed an onboard, real-time video surveillance field trial in the fully automatic, driverless Copenhagen ...
The Metro has laid claim to becoming the first metro in the world to implement the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS).(Delhi)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The Metro has laid claim to becoming the first metro in the world to implement the European Rail Traffic ...
The Atlantis Resort on the Palm, a man-made area in the shape of a palm tree, is to be served by a monorail starting at Jumeirah on the "trunk" of the Palm.(Dubai)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The Atlantis Resort on the Palm, a man-made area in the shape of a palm tree, is to be served by a monorail starting at Jumeirah on the ...
A new public transport company, Rhein-Neckar Transport (RNV) was formed at the end of July through the merger of five transport companies in the Mannheim/Ludwigshafen/Hei delberg area.(Germany)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A new public transport company, Rhein-Neckar Transport (RNV) was formed at the end of July through the merger of five transport companies in the Mannheim/Ludwigshafen/Hei delberg area. The merged companies are Marmheim Transport ...
Atkins Rail, a partner in Metronet, which is responsible for renewing and upgrading two-thirds of the London Underground, has awarded four communications contracts worth 10 million [pounds sterling].(London)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Atkins Rail, a partner in Metronet, which is responsible for renewing and upgrading two-thirds of the London Underground, has awarded four communications contracts worth 10 million [pounds sterling] ....
A groundbreaking ceremony has marked the start of construction of the Los Angeles' highest-priority rail project, the 9.6km Eastside Extension of the Metro Gold Line light rail project.(Los Angeles)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A groundbreaking ceremony has marked the start of construction of the Los Angeles' highest-priority rail project, the 9.6km ...
Colombia's first mass transit aerial cable system opened in Medellin on July 30.(Medellin)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Colombia's first mass transit aerial cable system opened in Medellin on July 30. The $US 23 million Metrocable is 2km long with four stations including a connection with the Metro at Acevedo. It is operated by 90 ...
Plans are being developed for a 10km elevated electric train project in the Saudi holy city to facilitate the movement of pilgrims and visitors between the Prophet's Mosque, the Quba Mosque, and the Shuhada area.(Medina)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Plans are being developed for a 10km elevated electric train project in the Saudi holy city to facilitate the movement of pilgrims and visitors between the Prophet's Mosque, the Quba Mosque, and the ...
Australia's Victorian government has called tenders for a smart card public transport ticketing system for Melbourne to replace the troubled and unpopular Metcard magnetic stripe ticketing in 2007.(Melbourne)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Australia's Victorian government has called tenders for a smart card public transport ticketing system for Melbourne to replace the troubled and unpopular Metcard magnetic ...
Alstom is to supply 24 Citadis LRVs worth 58 million [euro] for the 19km Line 2 of the city's LRT system.(Montpellier)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Alstom is to supply 24 Citadis LRVs worth 58 million [euro] for the 19km Line 2 of the city's LRT system. The contract also includes options for fitting the 30m-long trams with 10m extensions, and for the ...
The city's Metropolitan Region Development Authority has called bids for a mass rapid transit system.(Mumbai)
Sep 01, 2004 ... The city's Metropolitan Region Development Authority has called bids for a mass rapid transit system in the ...
Alcatel has won a 64 million [euro] contract from Paris Transport Authority (RATP) to upgrade the private mobile radio network that covers the Metro, RER, and bus systems.(Paris)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Alcatel has won a 64 million [euro] contract from Paris Transport Authority (RATP) to upgrade the private ...
Systra has won a contract to provide technical and financial assistance in connection with the proposed 10km light rail line planned between Croix-Rouge and Orgeval via the town centre.(Rheims)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Systra has won a contract to provide technical and financial assistance in connection with the proposed 10km light rail line planned ...
Two light rail extensions opened recently--the $US 282 million 4.7km, four-station Tasman East section between Alder Drive and Hostetter Road, and the 5.6km Capitol Light Rail section, which continues from the end of the Tasman East extension to just south of Alum Rock Avenue.(San Jose)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Two light rail extensions opened recently--the $US 282 million 4.7km, four-station Tasman East section between Alder Drive and Hostetter Road, and the 5.6km Capitol ...
A Japanese banking syndicate led by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation is providing a loan of $US 259 million to finance Line 4 of the Metro.(Sao Paulo)
Sep 01, 2004 ... A Japanese banking syndicate led by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation is providing a loan of $US 259 million to finance Line 4 of the Metro. The line ...
Singapore Technologies Electronics has won a $US 35.6 million contract from Alstom/CTCI consortium to provide a communications system.(Taipei)
Sep 01, 2004 ... Singapore Technologies Electronics has won a $US 35.6 million contract from Alstom/CTCI consortium to provide a communications system for the Orange ...
The railways of the regional government of Valencia (FGV) has called bids by November 2.(Valencia (Spain))
Sep 01, 2004 ... The railways of the regional government of Valencia (FGV) ...