Scandal of museum threat
First they took the trains. Now they want to take the museum that celebrates their invention away. What a way to mark the 50th anniversary of the Beeching report which did for a third of Britain’s railway lines. One suspects that even the old axeman would be outraged.
The fact that there is even the remotest possibility that the National Railway Museum in York, along with the two other less well known museums in Manchester and Bradford, could be closed is a scandal that must be nipped in the bud.
The railways are a British invention which spread rapidly around the world. The Manchester Museum of Science & Industry in fact houses the original station built for the world’s first major railway, the Liverpool & Manchester which opened in 1830. The NRM is one of the country’s most successful museums precisely because people have an understanding of that heritage and Britain’s role in developing an invention which, for nearly a hundred years, was the principal mode of transport for journeys of any distance.
The NRM is most assuredly not just a place for trainspotters to snap their favourite locomotive. Quite the opposite. It is a fantastically well designed museum that shows the place of railways in a wider social context and demonstrates their importance in history.
That role can hardly be exaggerated. Before the advent of the railways, most people’s lives were confined to a very small area round their town and village. The railways opened up the world and remarkably, within twenty years of the inauguration of the Liverpool & Manchester, Britain had more than 5,000 miles of line, an absolutely remarkable achievement in the pre-mechanised age.
No other country in the world would think of jettisoning its heritage in such a cavalier way. In the end, the railways saw off Beeching because they survived and thrived. So must the National Railway Museum.
On The Wrong Line (Kemsing Publishing, 2012)
How ideology and incompetence wrecked Britain’s railways
Britain’s rail privatisation has been one of the greatest political failures of recent history. A well-functioning industry was torn apart to satisfy political dogma and privatised in a way that not only compromised safety and wrecked performance but also resulted in financial melt-down. In this new Kindle edition, read a new preface and a never-before-published statement written by Sir John Major on the privatisation of the railways; a subject he never mentions once in his autobiography. Read more >>Cumbres & Toltec railroad opens 2013 season with new rides, high hopes for higher ticket sales
Study predicts increase in UK rail manufacturing investment
The majority of rail industry experts believe that investment in UK-based rail engineering and project management will rise over the next two to three years, according to a survey by TE Connectivity.
The majority of rail industry experts believe that investment in UK-based rail engineering and project management will rise over the next two to three years, according to a survey by TE Connectivity.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide a loan of €50m to help fund the purchase of new rolling stock for Lithuanian Railways.
Siemens to install Sitras SES Energy Storage Unit on TriMet light rail line
Siemens will install the first Sitras SES Energy Storage Unit with supercapacitor technology on the new TriMet Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Line in Oregon, US, to tap braking energy to be reused on the network.
New South Wales to trial electronic ticketing system for trains in June
The New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia is planning to trial its Opal electronic transport ticketing system on certain train routes in Sydney.
CER - The Voice of European Railways
Fourth Railway Package – rail sector needs Technical Pillar
The Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER), the Association of the European Rail Industry (UNIFE), the International Union of Wagon Keepers (UIP), the European Passenger Train and Traction Operating Lessors Association (EPTTOLA) and the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) wish to confirm their strong support for the Technical Pillar of the Fourth Railway Package and stress the importance and urgency for reaching an agreement between the European Council and the European Parliament on this part of the proposal as laid out in the compromise text prepared by the Irish Presidency in April 2013.
Today’s situation is proving challenging for the railway sector and the competitive performance of the railways as a mode of transport. The authorisation and certification procedures are costly and time consuming. The overall authorisation process for vehicles in Europe can last longer than two years, immobilising assets worth EUR 1.2 billion that are waiting for authorisation and cannot be put in service.
The authorisation and certification processes must be simplified as quickly as possible and the European Railway Agency (ERA) must become progressively a one-stop-shop for authorisation and certification. To achieve that, there shall be an evolutionary plan for competencies growth at ERA and clear responsibilities for single safety certificate and vehicle authorisation.
The European rail sector regards the simpler and quicker authorisation and certification processes as a pre-condition for achieving the objectives set by the European Commission’s 2011 Transport White Paper: increase capacity of the railway system and build the Single European Railway Area. They are furthermore needed to increase the competitiveness of the sector vis-à-vis other modes of transport in order to attract citizens and goods to railways for a sustainable, and potentially carbon-free transport system.
The European rail sector encourages the European Parliament and the European Council to reach an agreement during the current parliamentary mandate, starting from the forthcoming Transport Council meeting on 10 June, and to not miss this historic opportunity to revitalise the European railway system.
CER Executive Director Libor Lochman added: “The discussions about the Technical Pillar are now heading into the right direction and need to be accelerated. CER shares the opinion of the necessity for a stronger European Railway Agency acting as a one-stop-shop and deciding about vehicle authorisation, safety certification and trackside ERTMS, while cooperating closely with the national safety agencies.”
UNIFE Director General Philippe Citroën highlighted: “The sector has long been calling for what the European Commission has proposed in the Technical Pillar. It must be adopted during this parliamentary term to give a needed boost to the development of rail industry in Europe.”
UIP Secretary General Gilles Peterhans stated: “If we want one day to see a competitive rail freight market at European level, the streamlining of administrative procedures, the setting of clear roles and responsibilities and the removing of superfluous national regulation are the priorities we all need to care about at hand.”
EPTTOLA President Tim Gilbert commented: “The proposals in the technical pillar, along with the detail recommendations for simplifying and speeding up authorisations, are essential for the industry.”
UITP Secretary General Alain Flausch concluded: “The regional and suburban rail operators of UITP support the enactment of the technical pillar with an emphasis on a clear and undisputable exclusion from under the scope of the legislation of the functionally separated local, suburban and regional passenger railway lines.”
Issue 7 June 2013
Russia has hinged a great deal of its economic ambition on the construction of a massive rail network. We find out why investment in rail infrastructure and the opening up of new transport links play a central role in the country's economic and political future.
We also explore the unique financing concept for an extension of London Underground's Northern Line, find out if the availability of free rail fare data in the UK will benefit the customers, and compare the findings of two conflicting surveys to assess passenger satisfaction in the country.
Moreover, we look at progress in the redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Station, profile the Radical Train project which seeks innovative ideas for future railways, and find out if LNG or hydrail could provide a long-term, sustainable solution for rail fuels.
SOUTH AFRICAN STEAM TOUR NOV 2013
REFRESHER COURSES MAY BE CHANGED
GAUTRAIN SPOT-ON; AIR TRAVEL LESS SO
PRIVATE PARTICIPATION IN ANGOLAN RAILWAYS
FINANCING ETHIOPIA’S GRAND RAILWAY
KENYA’S COLONIALIST-ERA RAILWAY “INEFFECTIVE”-
RAILFREIGHT TO RISE 50% – UGANDA MASTER PLAN
ZAMBIAN RAILWAY OVERHAUL TO START IN JULY
MENA Rail News
Symposium to Explore Private Sector Opportunities in Oman
The Oman Ministry of Transport and Communications is planning a public symposium in September to discuss the multitude of business and commercial opportunities expected to surround the development of the Oman National Railway Project.
Red Line Doha Underground Contracts Awarded in Preparation for World Cup Visitors
Contracts to build the underground sections of the Doha Metro Red Line South in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup have been awarded to a consortium led by QDVC, a Qatari Shareholding company comprising Qatari Diar Real Estate and VINCI Construction, the South Korean engineering construction company GS Engineering and Construction, and local company Darwish Engineering.
New Railway Links Turkmenistan and Iran
A joint railway project linking central Asian countries to the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf has been inaugurated by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The 88 kilometre Gorgun-Inceburun railway links the north western Iranian city of Gorgan with Inceburun in Turkmenistan, and brings the capacity to transport 10 million tons of freight and 4 million passengers per year.
Newsletter of ENOTRAC UK, June 2013
World Heritage & Railway News
GWR - Gloucestershire's mainline heritage railway - All in all, another brick in the wall
Holding the Line – Book Signing | North Yorkshire Moors Railway :: A steam train adventure through the stunning Yorkshire Moors
BBC Tees - Ali Brownlee, 05/06/2013: Steam train drive
Mixed Traction Weekend « West Somerset Railway
Railway Engineering News
railwaygazette.com - ARGENTINA: Minister of the Interior & Transport Florencio Randazzo announced on June 4 that the government was revoking the two freight operating concessions held by América Latina Logística SA
Bombardier
Bombardier Presents TRAXX AC Last Mile Locomotive at Transport Logistic 2013.
Courtesy: Bombardier (Press Release)
BOMBARDIER TRAXXAC
Last Mile Locomotive is currently in the approval process
The innovative TRAXX AC Last Mile locomotive is currently in the approval process. Operational tests have already proved its efficiency in hauling loads of more than 2,200 tonnes. The locomotive is able to run on both electric and non-electric tracks without stopping for transition. In addition, a radio remote control for shunting is available to increase its operational efficiency.
Over short distances, the locomotive can run exclusively on its battery and thus completely emission-free. This means that railway companies are able to transport goods directly into ports, freight terminals or loading warehouses without the additional use of trucks and shunting locomotives. The new technology offers customers seamless logistics in an increasingly competitive global market.
Railpool and Akiem have already ordered a total of twelve TRAXX AC Last Mile locomotives. Railpool is leasing three of these locomotives to the Swiss railway company BLS Cargo. Initial test runs are currently taking place on the public network in Switzerland.
Bombardier is also highlighting its new TRAXX Diesel multi-engine locomotive, which is low in fuel consumption and noise thanks to four Diesel engines. The four engines supply the complete locomotive in parallel and can be switched on and off according to the power requirement. The locomotive complies with the exhaust standard stage IIIB.
The theme “Extending your reach in rail” also applies to Bombardier’s latest strategic initiatives to meet customers’ needs in new markets more efficiently. At Transport Logistic, Bombardier also focuses on technical solutions such as the online service tool MyBTFleet and remote diagnostics that make maintenance and operation of Bombardier locomotives even easier for customers.
Locomotives are the backbone of most freight and many passenger services around the world. In Europe, TRAXX locomotives are the most widely used, with more than 1,600 of them sold in just over a decade. The TRAXX product family is designed for the transportation of goods and passengers on national and international routes on all networks. It is available in three electrical variants (for multi-system, AC and DC locomotives), as well as in a diesel-electric variant. All TRAXX locomotives set themselves apart thanks to their modular construction and their highly efficient BOMBARDIER MITRAC propulsion and controls systems. Bombardier plays a pioneering role with regard to new technologies in locomotive construction, enabling the transportation of more passengers and, especially in relation to the TRAXX AC Last Mile, more goods in an economically and ecologically efficient way.
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