International Railway Journal back issues from March 2006:
Middle East Resurgence.(This Month)
Mar 01, 2006; ... THIS month we report on how the Middle East, until recently a railway backwater, has sprung into life in a relatively short time. Necessity and political will have combined to get projects moving in countries where rail has either played a very minor role or been non-existent. Now even ...
Record railway earnings.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... THE financial results for 2005 for Canada's two largest railways and three of the four biggest US Class 1 railways are universally positive. All five railways report record earnings and profits (see table) as freight traffic continues to surge ahead. Mr Robert Ritchie, CEO of ...
BNSF plans $US 2.4 billion capital programme.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... BNSF, United States, plans a 10% increase in capital spending this year, to $US 2.4 billion. The railway expects to invest $US 400 million in track and capacity enhancements, $US 1.4 billion on track replacements, upgraded signalling systems, rolling stock, and new technologies, ...
Unpopular Birmingham station to be rebuilt.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... A 500 million [pounds sterling] plan to rebuild the cramped and widely-disliked Birmingham New Street station, Britain, was unveiled last month following a lengthy consultation exercise. For some time, there have been major safety concerns about the numbers of passengers using ...
Brazil plans HSL.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... THE Brazilian government has announced plans for a 403km, 280km/h high-speed line between Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. It is expected to cost $US 9 billion. If built, the route would include 125km of bridges, and 95km of tunnels. International bids will be ...
More money for Argentine railways.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... MORE than $US 500 million could be spent on rail in Argentina this year--with more to follow. The biggest investment plan is the long-desired electrification of the San Martin line at a cost of $US 300 million: it is hoped private investors will be attracted to this project. ...
Korail calls for debt writeoff.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... KORAIL, Korea, is calling on the government to write off a Won 5.8 trillion ($US 5.87 billion) debt incurred during restructuring last year. The money was part of a Won 10 trillion loan the government borrowed to fund Korea's high-speed line. Korail's ...
IR profits exceed expectations.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... INDIAN Railways (IR) expects to achieve a profit of Rs 80 billion ($US 1.8 billion) for 2005-06. This is nearly 36% more than its budgeted profit of Rs 59 billion. After paying a dividend to the government of Rs 39.4 billion, which includes Rs 3 billion in deferred payments, IR will make a ...
Eurotunnel in financial crisis.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... EUROTUNNEL says it will go bust in January next year if it can't reach a deal with creditors. Negotiations with the lenders of its 6.4 billion [pounds sterling] debt continue, but as IRJ went to press, no deal had been reached. The company is currently not making enough ...
UP orders low-emission shunters.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... UNION Pacific Railroad (UP) has awarded a contract to National Railway Equipment, United States, for 60 low-emission, diesel shunting locomotives. The 1566kW triple-generator-set units will be used in UP's Los Angeles Basin yards. They will be powered by 522kW diesel engines ...
New DB Network chairman.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... GERMAN Rail's infrastructure subsidiary, DB Network, is to have a new chairman. Dipl-Ing Roland Heinisch, who has been chairman since 2000, is to step down on March 31. He will be succeeded by Dr-Ing Volker Kefer. Kefer has spent most of his career with Siemens, apart from a ...
US coal line gets approval.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... DAKOTA, Minnesota and Eastern Railway's application to build a 448km coal line into the Powder River Basin has been approved by the United States Surface Transportation Board (STB). Despite concerns about ...
GC wins New British franchise.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... GRAND Central Railway (GC), Britain, has won its bid to become the second open-access passenger operator in Britain. It will introduce passenger services on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) from 2007. However, the franchise holder on the ECML, Great North Eastern Railway, is ...
VOITH Turbo launched its new Maxima diesel-hydraulic locomotive design in January, and is set to reveal more at the September InnoTrans exhibition.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: VOITH Turbo launched its new Maxima diesel-hydraulic locomotive design in January, and is set to reveal more ...
CR traffic increased In 2005.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... CHINESE Railways (CR) carried more freight and passenger traffic in 2005 than 2004 according to the Ministry of Railways. Railfreight reached 2.69 billion tonnes in 2005, an increase of 6.9% over 2004, while passenger traffic recorded an increase of 3.3% to reach a record 1.15 billion ...
Dutch operators selected.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... DUTCH infrastructure manager Prorail and a new joint venture company called Golden Tulip Railway Company (GTRC) will be the respective track and train operators on the Betuwe freight line. GTRC is a joint venture of Prorail, Babcock & Brown, Towrail, the Port of Rotterdam, and ...
VR and RZD in joint venture.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... FINNISH Railways (VR) and Russian Railways (RZD) plan to set up a joint venture company by April i to introduce faster rail services between Helsinki and St Petersburg by 2008. The objective is to cut two hours off the current journey time of about six hours. Mr Mikhail Akulov, ...
Venezuela expands rail network.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... THE Venezuelan government has confirmed $US 40 million of investment in two new lines, and aspirations for massive expansion of the network. A 41.4km line from Caracas to Tuy Medio is due to open in October, after nine years' construction. The commuter railway connects with ...
Sideco, which is bidding for the operation of the Belgrano Railway with Sanhe, China, has presented plans to invest Pesos 860 million ($US 283 million), of which Pesos 700 million would come from the government.(Argentina)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Sideco, which is bidding for the operation of the Belgrano Railway with Sanhe, China, has presented plans to invest Pesos 860 million ($US 283 million), of which ...
Establishment of a new intermodal yard in the northern part of the Cordoba region.(Argentina)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Establishment of a new intermodal yard in the northern part of the Cordoba region is moving closer with ...
Commissioning of Voestalpine's new rail rolling mill in Leoben-Donawitz took place at the end of January.(Austria)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Commissioning of Voestalpine's new rail rolling mill in Leoben-Donawitz took place at the ...
The European Investment Bank has loaned 86 million [euro] to modernise the north-south, and east-west railway routes in Bosnia & Herzegovina.(Bosnia)
Mar 01, 2006 ... The European Investment Bank has loaned 86 million [euro] to modernise the north-south, and east-west railway routes in Bosnia & Herzegovina. The loan ...
Transport for London is to take over operation of Silverlink Metro services from the current operator Silverlink.(Britain)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Transport for London is to take over operation of Silverlink Metro services from the current operator Silverlink. The move is ...
Ambitious plans to spend 150 million [pounds sterling] to improve services in South Wales could see new stations.(Britain)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Ambitious plans to spend 150 million [pounds sterling] to improve services in South Wales could see new ...
The Thameslink station area at London St Pancras is to be fitted out at a cost of 50 million [pounds sterling].(Britain)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * The Thameslink station area at London St Pancras is to be fitted out at a cost of 50 million [pounds sterling]. There had ...
Independent train operator FM Rail became Britain's fifth freight operator last month when it hauled its first freight train.(Britain)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Independent train operator FM Rail became Britain's fifth freight operator last month when it ...
Czech Railways (CD) says its fleet of five Alstom Pendolino emus is now back in traffic after being withdrawn because of software problems.(Czech Republic)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Czech Railways (CD) says its fleet of five Alstom Pendolino emus is now back in traffic ...
French Rail Network (RFF) will spend 970 million [euro] on renewals and 1.8 billion [euro] on maintenance in 2006.(France)
Mar 01, 2006 ... French Rail Network (RFF) will spend 970 million [euro] on renewals and l.8 billion [euro] on maintenance in 2006. Among improvements planned are the lifting of a 60km/h speed restriction on the ...
Rail4chem, Germany, will operate freight trains between France and Germany after being granted permission to operate on the French network.(France)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Rail4chem, Germany, will operate freight trains between France and Germany after being granted ...
Kolkata's third railway station, Kolkata Terminal, was opened at the end of January.(India)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Kolkata's third railway station, Kolkata Terminal, was opened at ...
A feasibility study will be conducted on proposals to build a new 450km line from Isaka, Tanzania, to the Rwandan capital Kigali.(International)
Mar 01, 2006 ... A feasibility study will be conducted on proposals to build a new 450km line from Isaka, ...
Railion has started a new freight service between Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Gyor, Hungary.(International)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Railion has started a new freight service between Rotterdam, Netherlands, and Gyor, ...
Railion Netherlands, meanwhile, has started an intermodal service between Rotterdam.(International)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Railion Netherlands, meanwhile, has started an intermodal service ...
Canadian National (CN) and CSX have signed an agreement to move freight between Ontario, Canada, and Toledo, United States.(International)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Canadian National (CN) and CSX have signed an agreement to move freight between Ontario, Canada, and ...
Canadian National and BNSF have agreed to cooperate more closely.(International)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Canadian National and BNSF have agreed to cooperate more closely. In Vancouver, Canada, CN will obtain operational, dispatching, and ...
Australian Rail Group sold.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... AUSTRALIAN Rail Group (ARG) has been bought by Babcock & Brown (BB) and Queensland Rail (QR) for $A 1.3 billion ($US 977 million) from its United States owners. The new owners will operate freight trains in Western Australia, and contracted services operating in New South Wales ...
New Brazilian line approved.
Mar 01, 2006 ... CVRD's proposed 165km Southern Coastline railway has been approved by the government, paving the way for construction to start (IRJ February p2). The new route, which will replace an existing line which suffers from steep gradients and sharp curves, is expected to cost Reals 684 million ...
German Rail (DB) has ordered 30 Alstom Coradia Lint dmus at a cost of 70 million [euro].(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... GERMAN Rail (DB) has ordered 30 Alstom Coradia Lint dmus at a cost of 70 million [euro]. The two-car trains ...
The roof of the massive new Shanghai South railway station is the largest round roof of its kind in the world.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... THE roof of the massive new Shanghai South railway station is the largest round roof of its kind in the world ....
Rotem bids low for TCDD trains.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... TURKISH State Railways' (TCDD) director general, Mr Suleyman Karaman, says that Rotem, Korea, is the lowest bidder to supply a fleet of intercity passenger trains. Rotem also plans to build a factory in Turkey where the trains will be manufactured. ...
UIC launches efficiency study.(News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... THE International Union of Railways (UIC) is launching a study aimed at making operation of freight trains across Europe more efficient. It hopes it will help operators deal with increasingly congested core routes. UIC says the study could help ...
JR East's new president will be Mr Satoshi Seino, who takes on the role on April 1.(Japan)
Mar 01, 2006 ... JR East's new president will be Mr Satoshi Seino, who takes on the role on April 1. Seino ...
The first phase of the Northern Railway extension project from Tsumeb to Ondangwa is almost complete.(Namibia)
Mar 01, 2006 ... The first phase of the Northern Railway extension project from Tsumeb to Ondangwa is almost complete. Tracklaying on the 250km, $N 850 ...
The Betuwe freight line is being fitted with the ATB-NG train protection system in case the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signalling is not completed on time.(Netherlands)
Mar 01, 2006 ... The Betuwe freight line is being fitted with the ATB-NG train protection system in case the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 signalling is not completed on time. Should there be ...
An Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) Taurus electric locomotive set a new speed record for the Netherlands on February 2.(Netherlands)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * An Austrian Federal Railways (OBB) Taurus electric locomotive set a new speed record for the ...
Passenger services over the Utrecht-Boog connecting curve are expected to start in mid-April.(Netherlands)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Passenger services over the Utrecht-Boog connecting curve are expected to start in mid-April. It means two intercity ...
Central Andean Railway (FCCA) is investing $US 14 million this year.(Peru)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Central Andean Railway (FCCA) is investing $US 14 million this year on compressed ...
PKP Intercity is to receive a Zlotys 150 million ($US 48.4 million) loan to finance.(Poland)
Mar 01, 2006 ... PKP Intercity is to receive a Zlotys 150 million ($US 48.4 ...
Spoornet is upgrading power supplies on the 861km heavy haul line from Sishen to the Atlantic port of Saldanha.(South Africa)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Spoornet is upgrading power supplies on the 861km heavy haul line from Sishen to the Atlantic port of ...
Bombardier says it is examining the possible closure of its factory in Auburn, New York, in order to save money.(United States)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Bombardier says it is examining the possible closure of its factory in Auburn, New York, ...
Systra USA has appointed Mr Charles Stark as its new president and chief executive officer.(United States)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Systra USA has appointed Mr Charles Stark as its new president and ...
Brazilian metro investment plans.(Transit News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... BRAZILIAN urban passenger rail operators plan to invest at least Reais 2.2 billion ($US 967.1 million) this year. The figures are preliminary as some operators have yet to approve their budgets. Sao Paulo is far and away the biggest spender with a total of almost Reais 1.3 ...
Korean trains arrive in Rio.(Transit News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... THE first new trains bought by the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro for more than 25 years arrived in January. They will be operated by SuperVia. Built by Rotem, Korea, in association with Toshiba, Japan, the cars are similar to those built for Athens. They are air-conditioned with ...
Variation contract.(Transit News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... BOMBARDIER has been awarded a variation contract worth about 58 million [euro] by Metronet Rail for an additional 40 cars plus ...
US transit ridership grows.(Transit News)
Mar 01, 2006 ... USAGE of rail-based urban transport in the United States grew strongly in the third quarter of 2005 when fuel prices were high--and the trend continued in November when petrol prices dropped, according to studies by the American Public Transportation Association (Apta). This was ...
Egypt's National Tunnels Authority is evaluating tenders for construction of the 4.5km first phase of Cairo Metro Line 3 between Abbasiya and Attaba.(Cairo)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Egypt's National Tunnels Authority is evaluating tenders for construction of the 4.5km first ...
Expressions of interest have been called by March 22 for a concession to build and operate a 25km monorail for the Indian Union Territory of Chandigarh which serves as the capital for the states of both Punjab and Haryana.(Chandigarh)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Expressions of interest have been called by March 22 for a concession to build and operate a 25kin monorail for the Indian Union Territory of Chandigarh, which serves as ...
Sri Lanka's Railway Track Development Ministry has decided to provide a subsurface metro for the capital, Colombo.(Colombo)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Sri Lanka's Railway Track Development Ministry has decided to provide a subsurface metro for the capital, Colombo. Basic studies have already been ...
The Ministry of Home Affairs has given its tentative approval for a 21km extension of the metro to link Delhi airport with Connaught Place.(Delhi)
Mar 01, 2006 ... The Ministry of Home Affairs has given its tentative approval for a 21km extension of the metro to link Delhi international ...
Mtrans, Malaysia, and Bombardier are in the final leg of the competition to build a Dirhams 587 million ($US 159.8 million) automatic peoplemover or monorail in the City of Arabia.(Dubai)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Mtrans, Malaysia, and Bombardier are in the final leg of the competition to build a Dirhams 587 million ($US 159.8 million) ...
Work has started to extend tram line 16 from the present terminus of Moerwijk via Rijswijk to a new housing area at Wateringseveld and Dorpskade in the municipality of Wateringen.(The Hague)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Work has started to extend tram line 16 from the present terminus of Moerwijk via Rijswijk to a new housing area ...
Westinghouse Rail Systems, Britain, has launched Westran, its latest ATP/ATO system for mass transit.(International)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Westinghouse Rail Systems, Britain, has launched Westran, its latest ATP/ATO system for mass transit. It is a complete train-based ...
Siemens and Jupiter Plast, Denmark, are among three finalists for a composites innovation award to be decided at the JEC Composites Show in Paris this month.(International)
Mar 01, 2006 ... * Siemens and Jupiter Plast, Denmark, are among three finalists for a composites innovation award to be decided at the JEC Composites Show in Paris this month ....
JR East introduced the Suica system combining a mobile phone with a smart card at the end of January.(Japan)
Mar 01, 2006 ... JR East introduced the Suica system combining a mobile phone with a smart card at the end of January. It can be used for monthly tickets, prepaid ...
Two Israeli banks have each transferred $US 30 million to the concessionaire, City Pass, to start building the first 13.9km line of the Jerusalem light rail network.(Jerusalem)
Mar 01, 2006 ... Two Israeli banks have each transferred $US 30 million to the concessionaire, City Pass, to start building ...