Industry Insider Week 44 · 8 Must-Read Rail News Stories

Business

by Josephine Cordero Sapién

Published
4 Nov 2019

All the important rail news of the past week, summed up for you in one place: our Railway-News Industry Insider Week 44 for 28 October–01 November 2019:

Talgo to Establish Manufacturing Base in Scotland | Business

Following Talgo’s recent announcement that it was setting up Talgo UK in order to see through its current and future bids in the United Kingdom, Talgo has now signed a framework agreement with Transport Scotland and Scottish Enterprise for the establishment of a manufacturing base in Longannet, Scotland.

Germany’s First Digital Signal Box for Long-Distance Services Begins Operations | Science & Technology

In the future, Deutsche Bahn wants to control all of Germany’s 33,400km of railway lines with digital signal boxes. This will require 280 in total, compared to the more than 2,600 conventional signal boxes currently in use. Now Deutsche Bahn is one step closer, having put its second digital signal box, and the first to control a long-distance route, into service.

Austria: WESTbahn Buys 15 Stadler KISS Trains | Rolling Stock

Private train operator WESTbahn has placed its third order with Stadler, this time for 15 double-decker KISS EMUs. WESTbahn recently announced it was selling its existing fleet of KISS trains to Deutsche Bahn. It will deliver the first of those units to Germany in December 2019. Stadler then will start delivering on this order in 2021.

Vivarail’s Ongoing Success Leads to Expansion | Business

British train manufacturer Vivarail began operating five years ago in Long Marston with the aim of providing affordable, environmentally friendly rolling stock for the UK’s regional lines. It has been converting former London Underground stock into diesel-electric multiple units and battery-powered trains – the Class 230s. Now Vivarail says business is going so well, it has outgrown its original location and is expanding and relocating to Southam.

Alstom Celebrates Hanoi Metro Contract Milestone | Rolling Stock

In 2017, Alstom, as part of a consortium, signed a contract to supply the integrated metro system for Line 3 of the Hanoi Metro. As part of that contract, Alstom is supply ten four-car Metropolis trainsets. Now, at the end of October, the first of these trainsets will complete final assembly. A delegation from Vietnam visited Alstom’s Valenciennes site to mark the occasion.

The United Kingdom’s Railway Improvements for 2020 | Business

British rail companies have published a joint investment report for 2020 in which they commit to running more than 1,000 extra services per week and to introducing 1,000 additional carriages. The railway improvements also cover infrastructure investments such as completing the redevelopment of Glasgow Queen Street Station and opening the Wolverhampton Interchange.

Glasgow Queen Street Station looking out

Gazpromtrans Purchases 120 Further UWC Tank Cars | Rolling Stock

Gazprom subsidiary Gazpromtrans has purchased 120 tank cars from UWC. The two parties signed the order contract at the International Transport and Logistics Forum PRO//Motion.1520 in Sochi, Russia. Gazpromtrans will use the new tank cars to transport molten sulphur. This order adds to a previous order of 60 tank cars dating back to August 2019. UWC says it will deliver all 180 units by the end of March 2020.

TfW Continues Station Improvement Vision on Borderlands Line | Infrastructure

As part of its 194 million GBP investment in its Station Improvement Vision, Transport for Wales is now investing 280,000 GBP in improving the 13 stations it manages on the Borderlands Line. Work will begin at the end of October 2019 and last for 40 weeks.