Interntional & UK Railway News Tuesday 26th November 2013

        National Railway Museum - The Heart of International Steam Locomotive Preservation



International Railway Journal

A consortium of CAF and Thales has won a $US 451.86m contract from Santiago metro to supply and maintain trains and install communications-based train control (CBTC) on two metro lines

ÖBB Infrastructure has awarded a three-month proof of concept contract to OptaSense, Britain, to trial its Distributed Acoustic Sensing system in the Vienna area..

BRITISH infrastructure manager, Network Rail (NR), in cooperation with Bombardier, franchise operator Greater Anglia, the Department for Transport, and the cross-industry Enabling Innovation Team, has begun the process to fit batteries to emus...

ISRAEL Railways has completed a $US 186 million project to upgrade and double track the 20km Kiryat-Motzkin - Nahariya line..


www.progressiverailroading.com US News

Consumer spending outlook for holiday season more dim than bright, Baird says

New railroad bridge opens over Osage River in Missouri

Georgia port authority notes new cargo record, more state funds for harbor expansion

First refurbished SkyTrain vehicle enters service in Vancouver

Crossing projects advance in Washington, North Carolina

South Dakota DOT seeks input on state rail plan development

WMATA to upgrade lighting at all underground stations

Rail supplier news from Gross & Janes, AECOM, AXION, Hill International, Bombardier and Alstom (Nov. 26)

US HSR

HIGH SPEED RAIL IS UNDERWAY IN AMERICA!

  

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HIGH SPEED RAIL IS UNDERWAY IN AMERICA!

California High Speed Rail Authority is Seeking Qualified Firms for Construction Packages 2 and 3.   In August 2013, the California High Speed Rail Authority awarded a $985 million Design-Build contract to the Tutor Perini/Zachry/Parsons Joint Venture for Construction Package 1 of the First Construction Segment of the HSR line in California's Central Valley. Package 1 covers 29 miles of the line from Avenue 17 in Madera County to E. American Ave. just south of the Fresno city limits.   As work proceeds on Construction Package 1, the California High Speed Rail Authority is now in the process of qualifying firms for Construction Packages 2 and 3, which will cover civil works from E. American Ave. to the Kern/Tulare County line, for a total of 60 miles. On October 9 the Request for Qualifications was issued for this segment of the system.   The due date for Statement of Qualifications from interested firms is Dec. 6.   The RFQ and other related documents can be found here.   Now is the time to get more involved and become a member of the US High Speed Rail Association.  USHSR will keep our members updated on opportunities to get in on building the California High Speed Rail System as it progresses.  Join Now

PARALYZING CONGESTION PREDICTED YEAR-ROUND!

The #1 reason for building high speed rail   Two studies released Wednesday by the U.S. Travel Association and the Eno Center for Transportation, reveal that infrastructure in America is already struggling to keep up with current air travel demand. Expected growth in passenger volume threatens to overwhelm the system completely, and significantly harm the U.S. economy.   U.S. air travel infrastructure is in such bad shape that Thanksgiving-like passenger congestion will be a year-round reality at nearly all of the top 50 U.S. airports within the decade, two new studies find.  Highway congestion is in a similar condition across America, and growing worse each year.  "The U.S. transportation system is no longer the envy of the world--in fact, we've fallen way behind our global competitors," said Roger Dow, U.S. Travel President.   As if the current economic situation is not bad enough, our 2 forms of transportation are rapidly paralyzing the entire nation. This will lower the quality of life in America substantially.  While the Travel Association recommends major investment in more aviation, the smarter solution is a major investment in high speed rail.  High speed rail delivers very high capacity fast transportation that far exceeds the capacity of roads and airports combined. High speed rail is the only form of transportation not subject to congestion delays.  Report  |  Congestion Relief  |  Convenience of HSR

Click to watch...

Click to watch...

www.railway-technology.com Updates..

Bombardier-Alstom consortium and STM unveil first nine-car metro train for Montreal
A consortium comprised of Bombardier Transportation, Alstom Transportand Société de transport de Montréal (STM), has unveiled the first nine-car metro train for Montreal. 
       
TMV Control Systems deploys Opengear's Cellular Remote Management
Opengear's remote management gateways have been selected by TMV Control Systems, a locomotive systems designer and manufacturer, to help locomotive fleets to operate more efficiently. 
       
UK Government publishes HS2 hybrid bill
The UK Government has published a hybrid bill that includes the powers necessary to construct and operate phase one of High Speed 2 (HS2) railway line between London and the west midlands. 
       
Nomad Digital and EMEF form joint venture to address telemanagement on rail
Wireless solutions provider Nomad Digital and Portugese rail maintenance firm Empresa de Manutenção de Equipamento Ferroviário (EMEF) have formed a joint venture (JV). Called Nomad Tech, it aims to meet the growing demand for tele-management solutions in the rail sector.


Shedmaster Railway News

Laboratory testing for Independently-Powered EMU battery - Railway Gazette

Products & Technology in Brief - Railway Gazette


World Heritage & Railway News

Spring Steam Gala « West Somerset Railway

Vote for your favourite North Devon Day Out


Railway Engineering News

HS2 Phase One Hybrid Bill

Over 100 towns and cities could benefit from quicker, more frequent journeys - Network Rail