Industry Insider Week 34 / 35 – 16 Must-Read Rail News Stories

All the important rail news of the week, summed up for you in one place: our Railway-News Industry Insider Week 34 / 35 for 19–30 August 2019:

New Electronic Interlocking at Linz Station | Infrastructure

Austrian Federal Railways (OEBB) announced that Linz Stations’s new electronic interlocking system has entered service. The system has been connected to the railway network since 9 August. The new electronic interlocking (signal box) was connected to the railway network at Linz Central Station by OEBB subsidiary, ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG. The trial phase was completed on 18 August. Connecting the interlocking to the Signalling and Control Centre (BFZ) in Linz was a 16-phase job.

Read more | New Electronic Interlocking at Linz Station

Vossloh Sells Locomotives Business to CRRC | Business

Vossloh G 2000 BB locomotive
Vossloh G 2000 BB locomotive

CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of CRRC Ltd., has bought Vossloh’s locomotives business. The German transport technology manufacturer is currently unable to reveal the purchase price, as various adjustments affecting the balance sheets are still outstanding. As part of this agreement Vossloh will receive proceeds from the future sale of certain assets. This will give the company a projected cashflow in the region of 10 million euros in the coming years. A further negative impact on the result from discontinued operations is expected to total around 30–35 million euros.

Read more | Vossloh Sells Locomotives Business to CRRC

ProRail Increases Capacity for 2020 Timetable | Infrastructure

The Dutch railway infrastructure manager ProRail has determined its 2020 timetable. The new timetable will come into force in December. ProRail used a new planning system to create the new timetable, which allows ProRail to plan in time blocks of six seconds which is ten times smaller than previous years. Due to this, ProRail was able to find extra capacity on its tracks. The 2020 timetable features substantial changes such as increased services between Zandvoort and Haarlem, and between Eindhoven and Dordrecht.

Read more | ProRail Increases Capacity for 2020 Timetable

Abellio Takes Over East Midlands Franchise | Business

Back in April of this year, the public transport company Abellio won the East Midlands franchise. The franchise contract is set to run for eight years. Abellio’s subsidiary East Midlands Railway has begun operating the line, which serves the Midland Main Line in the UK. The line features major calling points such as, London St Pancras, Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, Leeds, York and Scarborough. Abellio will be making an investment of more than 600 million GBP towards improvements on the line.

Read more | Abellio Takes Over East Midlands Franchise

Stadler Wins Tender for 12 FLIRT Trains for PKP Intercity | Rolling Stock

The Polish rail operator PKP Intercity has awarded Stadler a contract to supply 12 FLIRT trains. The contract for the electric multiple units also includes a 15-year maintenance period. PKP Intercity’s call for tenders was originally announced in December 2017. The objection period following the tender award passed without any appeals on 22 July. Consequently, the award is now legal and both parties can sign the contract. The signing will take place in Stadler’s factory in Siedlce, Poland. The total value of the contract is around 270 million Swiss francs (275.5 million USD | 248.3 million euros).

Read more | Stadler Wins Tender for 12 FLIRT Trains for PKP Intercity

Flat Cars for Deutsche Bahn Sent for Testing | Rolling Stock

Deutsche Bahn has received a number of flat cars from United Wagon Group’s subsidiary, Tikhvin Freight Car Building Plant. The Sggrs80 flat cars will be used to transport heavyweight containers. United Wagon Company (UWC) has signed a contract with Deutsche Bahn for 160 units. Deutsche Bahn will carry out extensive testing on the flat cars over the next several months. They will undergo both stationary and dynamic testing. The articulated flat cars for Deutsche Bahn weigh less than the conventional rolling stock of this type in Europe.

Read more | Flat Cars for Deutsche Bahn Sent for Testing

UK Government Launches Oakervee Review into HS2 | Policy

The High Speed 2 (HS2) project which would connect London to the North of England via Birmingham, has had a major setback. On the 21 August the UK government announced that it was opening up an independent review “into whether and how to proceed with the […] project”. The review will look at the benefits and impacts of HS2 as well as its affordability, efficiency, deliverability and scope. Work on HS2 will continue during the review process. The government expects the final report to be complete by this autumn.

Read more | UK Government Launches Oakervee Review into HS2

Dresden Picks Bombardier to Supply 30 FLEXITY Trams | Rolling Stock

Bombardier has been chosen to manufacture and maintain 30 FLEXITY trams for the transport authority in Dresden, Germany. The contract is worth 197 million euros (219 million USD) and includes a 24-year maintenance period with an option for an 8-year extension. The contract also includes the option for a further 10 FLEXITY trams. The trams which are being supplied by Bombardier will feature the company’s Obstacle Detection and Assistance System (ODAS) in order to prevent collisions. The trams will be delivered by the end of October 2023.

Read more | Dresden Picks Bombardier to Supply 30 FLEXITY Trams

Changsha Maglev Express 2.0 in Final Testing Phase | Rolling Stock

CRRC announced that Changsha’s second-generation maglev train began the speeding-up tests on 2 August. The second-generation maglev has been developed in four stages; conceptual design, component testing, assembly integration and test verification. The speeding-up tests will complete the final ‘test verification’ phase. The maglev 2.0 can carry more passengers and operate at faster speeds than the previous generation, which entered service in May 2016. CRRC says this speeding-up test marks a new step in its independent development of maglev technology.

Read more | Changsha Maglev Express 2.0 in Final Testing Phase

SOB and SBB in Co-operation Agreement | Traverso Presentation | Business

Schweizerische Südostbahn (SOB) and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) will co-operate on two long-distance routes starting in 2020. SOB will use its Stadler Traverso trains for these services. The two railway companies agreed their co-operation in July 2017. As part of the collaboration agreement, SOB will operate two routes on behalf of SBB. The routes which SOB will operate are the Gotthard mountain route to Locarno, alternating between Zurich and Basel at the other end, and the Bern-Chur route via Zurich which will run under the name ‘Aare Linth’.

Read more | SOB and SBB in Co-operation Agreement | Traverso Presentation

Alstom Delivers First Five Léman Express Trains | Rolling Stock

Alstom delivered the first five Coradia Polyvalent Léman Express trains to SNCF at its Technicentre in Annemasse. The trains will operate on the CEVA railway line between France and Switzerland around the south of Lake Geneva. Alstom will deliver five trains every month between now and the end of November. These trains will enter commercial service on 15 December 2019. SNCF originally placed an order for 17 Alstom Coradia Polyvalent trains for the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. In total, nine French regions have purchased trains from this family to date.

Read more | Alstom Delivers First Five Léman Express Trains

Entire DB Cargo Fleet to Go Digital by 2020 | Science and Technology

DB Cargo will equip its entire fleet of freight cars with intelligent sensors and telematics by 2020. In total, DB Cargo has 68,000 freight cars. The company has already equipped 34,000 freight cars with the new technology in Seelze, near Hanover. DB Cargo is investing a sum of almost 100 million euros. DB Cargo customers will greatly benefit from “more controllable logistics chains, a higher quality of transports and arrival times that can be planned”.

Read more | Entire DB Cargo Fleet to Go Digital by 2020

Turkey: Stadler Wins EURODUAL Locomotives Contract | Rolling Stock

Körfez Ulaştırma has awarded Stadler a contract to supply seven hybrid EURODUAL locomotives. The contract includes an eight-year maintenance period. Körfez Ulaştırma will use the EURODUAL locomotives to transport freight in Turkey. This is Stadler’s first contract in the country. Stadler has agreed to deliver the the first Co’Co’ hybrid locomotive by 2021 as well as spare parts. The EURODUAL locomotive is capable of hauling up to 2000 tons and can either run on electric power or on diesel.

Read more | Turkey: Stadler Wins EURODUAL Locomotives Contract

CAF Wins LeadMind Solution Contract in Saudi Arabia | Science and Technology

Saudi Railway Company (SAR) has awarded CAF a contract to install its LeadMind solution. Specifically, the system permits real-time remote monitoring and condition-based maintenance. CAF will install its real-time and advanced analytics functionalities for the trains on the Riyadh-Qurayyat line. CAF’s LeadMind digital solution allows trains to be even more connected through the continuous collection and analysis of data. The digital solution can increase train reliability and decrease overall life-cycle costs.

Read more | CAF Wins LeadMind Solution Contract in Saudi Arabia

Deutsche Bahn to Halve Use of Glyphosate in 2020 | Infrastructure

Deutsche Bahn (DB) will be adopting measures that are beneficial to our climate and our environment as part of its new strategy ‘Starke Schiene‘ (strong rail). Deutsche Bahn has announced that it will reduce its use of the broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate by half. Large sections of Germany’s railway lines will no longer be treated with glyphosate as of next year. Due to this, DB will incorporate mechanical and manual methods of removing vegetation form the track, thereby ensuring safe train operations.

Read more | Deutsche Bahn to Halve Use of Glyphosate in 2020

Toronto Transit Commission Retires Articulated Streetcars | Rolling Stock

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is retiring its articulated light rail vehicles on 2 September 2019. After 30 years in service, the original vehicles will be replaced with accessible, low-floor vehicles. TTC first introduced the articulated light rail vehicles in 1988. Now, in order to celebrate the retirement of the ageing vehicles TTC will offer free rides on 2 September on the last two ALRVs. Car 4204 will leave the Russell Carhouse at 2pm and car 4207 will be part of the Labour Day Parade on Queen Street.

Read more | Toronto Transit Commission Retires Articulated Streetcars

Previous Industry Insiders for you:

Industry Insider Week 33 – 9 Must-Read Rail News Stories
Industry Insider Week 32 – 10 Must-Read Rail News Stories
Industry Insider Week 31 – 12 Must-Read Rail News Stories
Industry Insider Week 30 – 10 Must-Read Rail News Stories

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