12 Must-Read Rail News Stories for Week 48
The Railway-News Industry Insider week 48 (26–30 November):
Rolling Stock
Stadler GUARDIA Train Control System to be Installed on Swiss FLIRT Trains
In its joint venture ANGELSTAR, Stadler has developed the GUARDIA train control system. This ETCS system will give the company greater independence. The GUARDIA train control system will run on 52 FLIRT trains that will enter service for Swiss transport operator BLS in January 2018.
Read: Stadler GUARDIA Train Control System to be Installed on Swiss FLIRT Trains
Deutsche Bahn Awards Flat Car Tender to United Wagon Company
Deutsche Bahn has awarded a contract for 130 flat cars to United Wagon Company. This award follows an international tendering process. UWC says it will deliver the flat cars in the first half of 2020. The flat car model Deutsche Bahn ordered is the Sggrs80. The contract includes an option for additional units.
Read: Deutsche Bahn Awards Flat Car Tender to United Wagon Company
Siemens Mobility Receives Order for 6 Additional G1 Metro Trains for Nuremberg
In December 2015 Nuremberg’s public transport operator ordered 21 G1 metro trains for the city’s network. Now the operator has ordered an additional 6 units, bringing the total number ordered to 27. The G1 metro trains are four-car units and will replace the two-car units cur renting servicing Nuremberg’s U1 metro line.
Read: Siemens Mobility Receives Order for 6 Additional G1 Metro Trains for Nuremberg
Comment
The Future of Rail: A Panel Discussion with the Heads of Siemens Mobility, Alstom and Bombardier
Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility, Henri Poupart-Lafarge, CEO of Alstom, and Laurent Troger, President of Bombardier Transportation answer questions about multi-modality, digitalisation, automation and hydrogen power and how these factors are changing the rail industry.
Read: The Future of Rail: A Panel Discussion with the Heads of Siemens Mobility, Alstom and Bombardier
Future-Gazing: What Train Stations Will Offer by 2030
David Ashton, CEO of ticketing site Loco2, discusses his top 8 ideas for how train stations will change over the coming decade. Some of his ideas are shaped by his travels to China. He believes they will become more customer-focused, offering a wider array of services than they do today. Workout while you wait? Drop-in work spaces? Integrated medical services? Here’s one man’s vision.
Read: Future-Gazing: What Train Stations Will Offer by 2030
Manufacturing Sites
UK: Lincoln Gets New Siemens Bogie Service Centre
After receiving RISAS certification earlier in November, the Siemens bogie centre in Lincoln has now opened. Its first contract will be to service the bogies of the Velaro Eurostar e320 trains. It will also service the Thameslink Desiro City bogies and overhaul the wheelsets and bogies of the Desiro Classic trains.
Read: UK: Lincoln Gets New Siemens Bogie Service Centre
New Alstom Coradia Stream Production Line Inaugurated in Poland
Alstom has opened a new production line at one of its major sites in Poland. The new manufacturing hall in Katowice will produce trains for Dutch railway operator NS, based on the Coradia Stream platform. The hall is 6,500 square metres in size. Alstom’s entire site in Katowice is 250,000 square metres. Alstom says this new production line will complete one train car every working day.
Read: New Alstom Coradia Stream Production Line Inaugurated in Poland
Policy
DB Supervisory Board Supports Managing Board’s Objectives to Get the Company Ready for the Future
Deutsche Bahn’s Supervisory Board met to review the situation of the rail network in Germany. It focused on issues such as ‘quality and service’, ‘punctuality’ and ‘economic development’. Deutsche Bahn says its goals are to invest record sums into staffing, infrastructure, rolling stock, quality and digitalisation to meet the demands of the future.
Read: DB Supervisory Board Supports Managing Board’s Objectives to Get the Company Ready for the Future
Science & Technology
UK: New Faster Safer Isolations Technology to Save Time and Improve Worker Safety
Network Rail is implementing a new technology it calls ‘faster safer isolations’ technology. It says it will save time and improve worker safety. It will save track workers 1,600 hours per year. In addition, since track workers will no longer have to perform manual strapping, they will be safer as they will spend less time around live railway lines.
Read: UK: New Faster Safer Isolations Technology to Save Time and Improve Worker Safety
The ioki Mobility Network Symposium: More Mobility, Less Traffic
ioki, a Deutsche Bahn brand, has hosted its first mobility network symposium. The future, it says, is environmentally friendly, connected, shared and partially autonomous mobility. The goal of the symposium was to bring all members of the transport industry together to discuss what tomorrow’s mobility would look like. Important topics included alternative power sources, mobility as a service (MaaS) and autonomous vehicles.
Read: The ioki Mobility Network Symposium: More Mobility, Less Traffic
Electrification
Scotland: First Successful Electric Train Test Run on Stirling-Alloa Line
A class 380 electric train has completed the first test run on the route between Stirling and Alloa in Scotland. Electrified services will begin on this line on 9 December. Importantly, this successful test run means the Hitachi class 385s can run on the line. They have been approved by the operator ScotRail. Beneficially, these trains will reduce journey times between Stirling and Glasgow and Edinburgh. They will also be quieter, more environmentally friendly and offer more seats to passengers.
Read: Scotland: First Successful Electric Train Test Run on Stirling-Alloa Line
Education
Hitachi and Bombardier Announce a Global High Speed Rail Learning Programme
Hitachi and Bombardier, who have already set up a joint venture to bid for the HS2 rolling stock, have announced a Global High Speed Rail Learning Programme. The two companies want to ensure that with major investment taking place in the rail industry, they will have the skilled employees they need to meet demand in the future.
Read: Hitachi and Bombardier Announce a Global High Speed Rail Learning Programme
