10 Must-Read Rail News Stories – Industry Insider for Week 7
All the important rail news of the week, summed up for you in one place: our Railway-News Industry Insider for 11–15 February 2019:
Rolling Stock
Italian National Safety Authority Authorises Bombardier TRAXX DC3 Italy Locomotive
The Italian National Safety Authority has approved Bombardier’s TRAXX DC3 (direct current) Italy locomotive for operation on the Italian rail network. Bombardier will now apply for ‘authorisation to put in service’, following which the locomotive can enter commercial operations. Bombardier believes this will be possible from March 2019.
Read: Italian National Safety Authority Authorises Bombardier TRAXX DC3 Italy Locomotive
CAF Wins Maintenance Contracts in Spain and Saudi Arabia
Spanish railway manufacturer CAF has won a maintenance contract with Renfe. This contract will see CAF maintaining the commuter fleet operating in Madrid. CAF has also won a contract to overhaul the bogies of the Bilbao Metro. Lastly, CAF has signed a fleet maintenance contract with both Saudi Railways Organization and Saudi Railway Company.
Read: CAF Wins Maintenance Contracts in Spain and Saudi Arabia
UWC to Supply 700 Grain Hopper Cars to Trade House RIF
United Wagon Company will supply 700 grain hopper cars to Trade House RIF. The company is one of Russia’s main exporters of cereal crops. UWC expects to complete delivery of this order by September 2019. Specifically, UWC will supply hopper cars type 19-9549 with bogies of the type 18-9855.
Read: UWC to Supply 700 Grain Hopper Cars to Trade House RIF
Transmashholding to Supply Yekaterinburg with New Metro Cars
Transmashholding will supply eight metro carriages for the Yekaterinburg Metro. Yekaterinburg is Russia’s fourth-largest city. Its metro system opened in 1991 and is 12.1km in length. The metro cars will be of the type 81-717.6/714.6. These metro cars will ship within 35 days of the signing.
Read: Transmashholding to Supply Yekaterinburg with New Metro Cars
MP14 Rolling Stock for Line 14 of the Paris Metro Begins Dynamic Testing
The new MP14 rolling stock, destined for Line 14 of the Paris Metro, has started dynamic testing on Line 1. Both of these lines are driverless. Line 14 is being extended both north and southwards as part of the Grand Paris Express Project. These new trains will handle the additional capacity required once those works are complete. In addition, they will be more environmentally friendly and more pleasant for passengers compared to the previous MP05 rolling stock.
Read: MP14 Rolling Stock for Line 14 of the Paris Metro Begins Dynamic Testing
UWC to Supply 101 Ammonia and Methanol Tank Cars to Shchekinoazot
United Wagon Company will supply 101 ammonia and methanol tank cars to Shchekinoazot. UWC will deliver this order by the end of March 2019. The order comprises two different tank car models: 66 tank cars type 15-6880 (methanol) and 35 tanks cars type 15-6926 (ammonia). With these new contracts, Shchekinoazot will have a total of 396 UWC cars.
Read: UWC to Supply 101 Ammonia and Methanol Tank Cars to Shchekinoazot
Risk of Death 56 Times Lower for Rail Passengers Than Car Passengers
Allianz pro Schiene has published findings that demonstrate that rail travel is not just the more environmentally friendly option. Over a ten-year period the data show that rail travel is also 56 times less likely to cause death to a passenger than car travel in Germany. Rail travel also fares better when compared to bus travel. And these figures hold true for all 28 EU countries.
Read: Risk of Death 56 Times Lower for Rail Passengers Than Car Passengers
Infrastructure
British Steel Secures New Long-term Supply Contract with Translink
British Steel is deepening its ties with Northern Ireland’s national rail operator Translink. The two companies have signed a new, long-term supply contract running for eight years. British Steel is to supply premium quality rail to support a number of projects, including the North-West Multimodal Transport Hub in Derry-Londonderry.
Read: British Steel Secures New Long-term Supply Contract with Translink
TfL and Balfour Beatty Sign New 4-Year Contract for Tube Track Renewals
Transport for London and Balfour Beatty have signed a four-year contract. Balfour Beatty will perform track renewal works on London’s underground network. The contract will begin in April 2019 and is worth around 220 million GBP. The contract also includes an option to extend by a further six years.
Read: TfL and Balfour Beatty Sign New 4-Year Contract for Tube Track Renewals
Business
Rail Cargo Group Launches Direct Service to Germany’s Main Baltic Port
Rail Cargo Group, which is part of Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB), has launched a direct service between its hub in Wels, Austria, and the north German port of Lübeck. This then creates a connection to intermodal transport options to Scandinavia. The service will initially run twice a week and is called TransFER Wels-Lübeck.
Read: Rail Cargo Group Launches Direct Service to Germany’s Main Baltic Port
