TEST running is now in full swing on the 681km high-speed line connecting the Chinese capital Beijing with Zhengzhou. The Ministry of Railways plans to open the new line before the end of the year.
IRELAND's Railway Procurement Agency has extended two maintenance contracts with Alstom relating to the Luas light rail network in Dublin in a deal worth €53m..
SPAIN's national train operator Renfe is ready to launch commercial services on the country's newest high-speed line next month.
www.progressiverailroading.com US Railroad News
Union Depot's $243 million restoration completed in St. Paul
Women Executive Network names CP's O'Hagan one of Canada's 'most powerful' female executives
Transport Canada: Light-rail station completed in Calgary, contract awarded for Evergreen Line in British Columbia
PANYNJ approves operating budget for 2013
CSX: New Georgia industrial park a 'Select Site'
STB seeks nominees for four rail advisory committee seats
Sen. Brown calls for relocating Amtrak service in Ohio
Washington transportation commission allocates funds for three crossing projects
www.railway-technology.com Updates
Prasa selects Alstom consortium for $5.9bn rail coach supply contract A consortium led by the French power company Alstom has been selected as preferred bidder by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) to supply 3,600 new passenger coaches worth R51bn ($5.9bn) under the first phase of a 20-year fleet renewal programme.
Macmohan and Bouygues to develop rail underpass in Australia
Australia's New South Wales (NSW) government has awarded a contract to Macmohan Holdings and Bouygues Travaux to jointly develop the North Strathfield Rail Underpass project.
Amtrak requests emergency funding to upgrade New York rail network after Sandy
Amtrak is seeking $336m in emergency federal funding to upgrade infrastructure and help recover losses in New York following Superstorm Sandy, which hit the US East Coast in October 2012.
Shedmaster Railway News
Including: Greengauge21 offer comments on half full trains leaving Euston.....
World Heritage & Railway News
From uk.news.yahoo.com - Britain looks to have been spared heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures from a weather front dubbed the 'Beast from the East' - but some areas will still struggle with freezing conditions.
industry.siemens.com - Siemens offers a new system for hot metal desulfurization using injection technology in the hot metal ladle. It is an innovative plant solution that adjusts the residual sulfur content precisely,
UK Office of Rail Regulation (ORR)
Greater transparency from industry will support a better railway
Greater transparency in the rail industry will support better customer satisfaction with rail services, improved value for money and greater public trust, said Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) Chair, Anna Walker, at the Rail Transparency Conference in London today.
The conference, hosted by ORR, brings together passenger groups, train and freight operators, governments, Network Rail, and technology developers, to discuss how the railways can work together to achieve the benefits that transparency can bring to passengers, taxpayers, business and the industry itself.
Highlighting the great strides the industry has taken over the past year in driving improved transparency, Anna Walker said:
"ORR believes that greater transparency in the rail industry can deliver great benefits for passengers, taxpayers, business, and the rail industry itself.
"We want to see rail passengers benefitting from live performance data, taxpayers with the scope to understand where public money in the railways goes and how it is used, and business viewing the railways as an opportunity for investment, growth and innovation.
"Transparency can also help to build confidence and trust in the railways. This matters because increased confidence can help drive better behaviours across the whole sector to deliver improved value for money and greater focus on customers. And it matters because lack of trust breeds suspicion that passengers are being ‘ripped off’ and taxpayers are not getting value from the railways.
"Customers expect to see more and better information on mobile devices. In some parts of the transport sector we have seen great innovation as businesses have made data available to third-party developers. Others have lagged behind, limiting innovation and depriving their customers of choice.
"The rail industry has taken huge strides in opening up over the past year. It is publishing more safety, performance and financial data than ever before. Our challenge to the railways now is to go even further to sustain this progress and to open up new opportunities for customers and businesses."To view Anna Walker’s speech in full, visit: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/
The full press notice can be read at: http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/
Network Rail
New hourly service on East Suffolk line
Abellio train operator Greater Anglia today (Monday December 10) introduced a new hourly service between Ipswich and Lowestoft after work to install a passing loop was completed at Beccles.
The £4m scheme, jointly funded by Network Rail and Suffolk County Council, has brought a previously disused platform at Beccles station back into use.
Track and signalling works have also been carried out, as part of a wider £21m project to resignal the East Suffolk Line, to improve reliability and performance.
The more frequent service will make train travel much more convenient and attractive for travellers to and from East Suffolk and a real alternative to the A12 throughout the day. Evidence from improvements to other local routes in the region demonstrates that an hourly service encourages many more people to choose rail.
Before this major upgrade, train services between Ipswich and Lowestoft ran every two hours. There was a single track between Halesworth and Oulton Broad, meaning that trains could not pass each other for more than 16 miles.
The timetable change represent the most significant improvement to East Suffolk line services for many years and as well as providing better and more frequent services for local people, the additional trains increase the choices for passengers travelling between London and key destinations in North Suffolk such as Halesworth, Beccles and Lowestoft.
Steve Knight, Network Rail general manager, said: “This upgrade will make a real difference to people living in the area and will help to boost the local economy, with a more frequent service for those travelling for leisure or business. The new hourly service between Ipswich and Lowestoft will give a boost to towns on the line and provide a better connection to mainline services."
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for roads and transport, said: “Suffolk County Council is very pleased to have worked with Network Rail to bring about this significant investment in the train service between Lowestoft and Ipswich – Suffolk’s two largest towns. The council is looking forward to working with Network Rail to bring about even better services for the people of Suffolk. There has already been an exchange of ideas on how improvements could be brought about without the necessity of spending huge amounts of capital.”
Ruud Haket, managing director, Greater Anglia said: "The introduction of the new hourly service on the East Suffolk line will help in providing a boost to tourism and the local economy, improving the travel opportunities for rail passengers in Suffolk. We have worked very closely with Network Rail, Suffolk County Council and other partners in developing the improved services for the benefit of the local community."
Greater Anglia and Network Rail are committed to working with Suffolk County Council to look at the options for reducing journey times on the East Suffolk line between Ipswich and Lowestoft.
All aspects of the line's operation will be looked at including line speeds, level crossings and the trains utilised to ensure that any proposals or developments are consistent with the approach outlined in the East Anglian Rail Prospectus launched earlier this year.
Track and signalling works have also been carried out, as part of a wider £21m project to resignal the East Suffolk Line, to improve reliability and performance.
The more frequent service will make train travel much more convenient and attractive for travellers to and from East Suffolk and a real alternative to the A12 throughout the day. Evidence from improvements to other local routes in the region demonstrates that an hourly service encourages many more people to choose rail.
Before this major upgrade, train services between Ipswich and Lowestoft ran every two hours. There was a single track between Halesworth and Oulton Broad, meaning that trains could not pass each other for more than 16 miles.
The timetable change represent the most significant improvement to East Suffolk line services for many years and as well as providing better and more frequent services for local people, the additional trains increase the choices for passengers travelling between London and key destinations in North Suffolk such as Halesworth, Beccles and Lowestoft.
Steve Knight, Network Rail general manager, said: “This upgrade will make a real difference to people living in the area and will help to boost the local economy, with a more frequent service for those travelling for leisure or business. The new hourly service between Ipswich and Lowestoft will give a boost to towns on the line and provide a better connection to mainline services."
Cllr Guy McGregor, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for roads and transport, said: “Suffolk County Council is very pleased to have worked with Network Rail to bring about this significant investment in the train service between Lowestoft and Ipswich – Suffolk’s two largest towns. The council is looking forward to working with Network Rail to bring about even better services for the people of Suffolk. There has already been an exchange of ideas on how improvements could be brought about without the necessity of spending huge amounts of capital.”
Ruud Haket, managing director, Greater Anglia said: "The introduction of the new hourly service on the East Suffolk line will help in providing a boost to tourism and the local economy, improving the travel opportunities for rail passengers in Suffolk. We have worked very closely with Network Rail, Suffolk County Council and other partners in developing the improved services for the benefit of the local community."
Greater Anglia and Network Rail are committed to working with Suffolk County Council to look at the options for reducing journey times on the East Suffolk line between Ipswich and Lowestoft.
All aspects of the line's operation will be looked at including line speeds, level crossings and the trains utilised to ensure that any proposals or developments are consistent with the approach outlined in the East Anglian Rail Prospectus launched earlier this year.
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