The main rail news today connects the past, present and future.
For the past, the Severn Valley Railway is keeping alive heritage skills ..whilst for the future, there is every possibility that there will be a signalling centre in space...although don't rush for job applications just yet!!
As to the present, HS2 stories include the likelihood of an appeal to the European Court, a proposal to take HS2 8 miles further than currently planned, and an appeal to consider South Yorkshire woodlands.
If you live in Nottingham, you will know about the passenger satisfaction with Nottingham Station and the local MPs seeking to get better services from Nottingham to Lincoln.
Mixed news on the jobs front, with a minister casting doubt on British industry, whereas Siemens is thinking in terms of British jobs for new rail bids.
And meanwhile, China just gets on with laying more high speed track between Hangzhou and Changsha. And Madrid metro freezes fares for the first time in 30 years.
Headlines
Future Rail Magazine
Full steam ahead as SVR keeps heritage skills alive
104.7 Minster FM - News - York MP Calls for HS2 To Go The Extra 8 Miles
Kuala Lumpur-S'pore high speed rail link well on track - Channel NewsAsia
Trains could be monitored from space to improve service - Telegraph
HS2 campaigners consider European appeal
South Yorkshire woodlands at risk from HS2
Rail improvements between Lincoln and Nottingham discussed in the House of Commons
Construction of Hangzhou-Changsha high-speed railway underway (1/5) - Headlines, features, photo and videos from ecns.cn
Rail minister casts doubt on future of UK manufacturing
Emphasis will be on British jobs in new rail bids, says Siemens director - Telegraph
Madrid Metro freezes fares for first time in 30 years
Jacques Barrot and Giorgio Diana receive the European Railway Award 2014
The European Railway Award 2014 was presented today to Jacques Barrot, former European Commissioner for Transport, for political achievements and to Giorgio Diana, Researcher and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, for technical achievements. Since 2007 the European rail sector has celebrated and recognised personalities in the political and technical field. The ceremony, which took place at the Musées Royaux D’Art et Histoire in Brussels, was followed by the joint CER-UNIFE Annual Reception and attracted more than 500 guests from all over Europe, including high-level politicians and transport stakeholders.
Keynote speaker of the gala evening was once again European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, who congratulated the winners and reflected on his work as Transport Commissioner to improve rail transport, remarking, “Throughout this time, my aim has been to find and deliver the best combination between policy and technical innovation: the two categories for the European Rail Awards. If European railways are to become more attractive and competitive, it is in both of these areas that we need to progress. It is why the Fourth Railway Package and SHIFT²RAIL programme work so well together.”
Representing the European Parliament, MEP Brian Simpson (S&D, UK), Chairman of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, addressed the work of his Committee on Rail Transport under his leadership and commented, "Without a doubt the biggest obstacle my Committee has faced in it's attempts to deliver a truly European Rail system has come from the Member States; many of whom have rules and regulations from the Steam era that are not only out of date but totally irrelevant for modern railways."
CER Chairman and CEO of ÖBB, Christian Kern commented on the Fourth Railway Package: "The fast approval of the Technical Pillar [of the Fourth Railway Package] will be crucial for higher efficiency in future rail system operations. Technical harmonisation together with high quality infrastructure will pose major cornerstones for further improvements in rail products and services for our customers.
Being CER Chairman since 1 January, Kern added: "The real challenge for the rail sector remains the development of competitive services that customers want with particular focus on punctuality, reliability, and value-for-money. New thinking is needed on the policy side in order to develop the right framework conditions for more competitive rail services, thus allowing the sector to reach its full potential within the wider transport system."
UNIFE Chairman Henri Poupart-Lafarge commented on the Fourth Railway Package and thanked the Commission for their work on the SHIFT²RAIL rail research initiative, stating, “UNIFE encourages the quick adoption of both SHIFT²RAIL and the Technical Pillar of the Fourth Railway Package, as the innovations and process improvements brought by both these initiatives are necessary to make the sector more efficient, competitive, and attractive.”
Political Award winner Jacques Barrot had a major influence on the development of the European rail system as European Commissioner for Transport from 2004-2008. As Commissioner for Transport, Jacques Barrot shed light on rail public service, public passenger transport services by rail and by road, and strengthened passengers' rights. Furthermore he supported the liberalisation of the rail transport sector and the development of sustainable mobility through a number of types of aid.
Sophie Boissard, Vice President Business Strategy & Development at SNCF Group, gave the laudatory speech for Jacques Barrot. When accepting the Award, Barrot commented, “I think that mobility in the single European market will take place increasingly by rail. After a period of decline, rail transport must regain its footing: doesn’t rail now deliver 40% of freight in the US? If we want Europe to lead the international community in CO2 reductions, we must go beyond even that!”
The laureate for the Technical Award 2014, Giorgio Diana, is a world renowned specialist of rail vehicle dynamics. In the past 30 years, he contributed to the advancement of knowledge regarding the running dynamics of rail vehicles and their interaction with the infrastructure, with practical implementations in several new generation trains including the new Frecciarossa 1000.
The laudatory speech for Giorgio Diana was given by Michele Mario Elia, the CEO of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana. When accepting his award, Giorgio Diana remarked, “Innovation is generally proposed and pushed by the research centres: the train operators and the infrastructure management have all the advantages of having innovation in a new product, to improve performance and reliability.”
Each award is accompanied by a donation of €10.000 to the charity of the laureate’s choice. Jacques Barrot gave the prize money to Velay-Burkina Sans Frontières, and Giorgio Diana gave his to the Italian Red Cross.
Keynote speaker of the gala evening was once again European Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, who congratulated the winners and reflected on his work as Transport Commissioner to improve rail transport, remarking, “Throughout this time, my aim has been to find and deliver the best combination between policy and technical innovation: the two categories for the European Rail Awards. If European railways are to become more attractive and competitive, it is in both of these areas that we need to progress. It is why the Fourth Railway Package and SHIFT²RAIL programme work so well together.”
Representing the European Parliament, MEP Brian Simpson (S&D, UK), Chairman of the Committee on Transport and Tourism, addressed the work of his Committee on Rail Transport under his leadership and commented, "Without a doubt the biggest obstacle my Committee has faced in it's attempts to deliver a truly European Rail system has come from the Member States; many of whom have rules and regulations from the Steam era that are not only out of date but totally irrelevant for modern railways."
CER Chairman and CEO of ÖBB, Christian Kern commented on the Fourth Railway Package: "The fast approval of the Technical Pillar [of the Fourth Railway Package] will be crucial for higher efficiency in future rail system operations. Technical harmonisation together with high quality infrastructure will pose major cornerstones for further improvements in rail products and services for our customers.
Being CER Chairman since 1 January, Kern added: "The real challenge for the rail sector remains the development of competitive services that customers want with particular focus on punctuality, reliability, and value-for-money. New thinking is needed on the policy side in order to develop the right framework conditions for more competitive rail services, thus allowing the sector to reach its full potential within the wider transport system."
UNIFE Chairman Henri Poupart-Lafarge commented on the Fourth Railway Package and thanked the Commission for their work on the SHIFT²RAIL rail research initiative, stating, “UNIFE encourages the quick adoption of both SHIFT²RAIL and the Technical Pillar of the Fourth Railway Package, as the innovations and process improvements brought by both these initiatives are necessary to make the sector more efficient, competitive, and attractive.”
Political Award winner Jacques Barrot had a major influence on the development of the European rail system as European Commissioner for Transport from 2004-2008. As Commissioner for Transport, Jacques Barrot shed light on rail public service, public passenger transport services by rail and by road, and strengthened passengers' rights. Furthermore he supported the liberalisation of the rail transport sector and the development of sustainable mobility through a number of types of aid.
Sophie Boissard, Vice President Business Strategy & Development at SNCF Group, gave the laudatory speech for Jacques Barrot. When accepting the Award, Barrot commented, “I think that mobility in the single European market will take place increasingly by rail. After a period of decline, rail transport must regain its footing: doesn’t rail now deliver 40% of freight in the US? If we want Europe to lead the international community in CO2 reductions, we must go beyond even that!”
The laureate for the Technical Award 2014, Giorgio Diana, is a world renowned specialist of rail vehicle dynamics. In the past 30 years, he contributed to the advancement of knowledge regarding the running dynamics of rail vehicles and their interaction with the infrastructure, with practical implementations in several new generation trains including the new Frecciarossa 1000.
The laudatory speech for Giorgio Diana was given by Michele Mario Elia, the CEO of Rete Ferroviaria Italiana. When accepting his award, Giorgio Diana remarked, “Innovation is generally proposed and pushed by the research centres: the train operators and the infrastructure management have all the advantages of having innovation in a new product, to improve performance and reliability.”
Each award is accompanied by a donation of €10.000 to the charity of the laureate’s choice. Jacques Barrot gave the prize money to Velay-Burkina Sans Frontières, and Giorgio Diana gave his to the Italian Red Cross.
For further information, please visit www.europeanrailwayaward.eu
ETHIOPIAN Railways Corporation (ERC) has appointed Italferr, the engineering subsidiary of Italian State Railways (FS), to provide consultancy services for maintenance and operations on the new 656km Addis Ababa standard-gauge line and the Addis Ababa light rail network.
SWITZERLAND will provide €120m towards gauge enhancement works on the Luino Ranzo – Gallarate/Novara line in northern Italy under an agreement signed in Berne on January 28..
SWEDISH train operator Tågkompaniet has awarded EuroMaint, Sweden, a contract to maintain the fleet of Bombardier X50 Regina emus used on X-Train services from Gävle to Sundsvall and Ljusdal.
CROATIA's Maritime, Transport and Infrastructure ministry confirmed on January 24 that it has abandoned the sale of a 75% stake in Croatian Railways (HŽ)...
BUDAPEST metro Line M4 moved another step closer to the launch of commercial services on January 23, with the launch of the final stage of testing..
- CP: Solid 4Q, 2013 financial results reflect ongoing turnaround
- South Florida RTA names Stephens interim director
- Metro-North logged record 2013 ridership in east of Hudson region
- Patriot Rail acquires rail-car repair shop in Virginia
- Southern Railway teams up with Canadian port, city to examine train-horn usage
- Charlotte officials OK $12 million in engineering work for Gold Line extension
- Progressive Railroading seeks nominations for Rising Stars 2014
- Foxx tours site of Pacific Harbor Line's new L.A. yard
US Department of Transportation
Statement attributable to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx:
“In his 2014 State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a bold vision for increasing opportunity for all Americans. The road to better opportunities can take many forms – a bridge that helps parents get home faster, a transit system that connects a community to new jobs, or a port that helps businesses sell to more markets – and we at the Department of Transportation look forward to doing our part to help connect all Americans to the 21st century economy.
“I will be working throughout the year from the federal to the local level to build more infrastructure while growing jobs now and making more jobs possible with first-rate transportation networks. We will also build ladders of opportunity, connecting every American to the global economy. I was especially glad to hear the President call on Congress to finish a much-needed transportation bill this summer, and the proposal to fund that bill through corporate tax reform can and should be done on a bipartisan basis.
“As his speech tonight shows, President Obama is committed to growing the economy, strengthening the middle class and empowering all those hoping to join it. The Department of Transportation is standing with him, and I am committed to building new opportunities for people to access good jobs, schools and healthcare. Transportation can move us forward, leading to a more prosperous and just America for all its citizens.”
“In his 2014 State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a bold vision for increasing opportunity for all Americans. The road to better opportunities can take many forms – a bridge that helps parents get home faster, a transit system that connects a community to new jobs, or a port that helps businesses sell to more markets – and we at the Department of Transportation look forward to doing our part to help connect all Americans to the 21st century economy.
“I will be working throughout the year from the federal to the local level to build more infrastructure while growing jobs now and making more jobs possible with first-rate transportation networks. We will also build ladders of opportunity, connecting every American to the global economy. I was especially glad to hear the President call on Congress to finish a much-needed transportation bill this summer, and the proposal to fund that bill through corporate tax reform can and should be done on a bipartisan basis.
“As his speech tonight shows, President Obama is committed to growing the economy, strengthening the middle class and empowering all those hoping to join it. The Department of Transportation is standing with him, and I am committed to building new opportunities for people to access good jobs, schools and healthcare. Transportation can move us forward, leading to a more prosperous and just America for all its citizens.”
BTS Releases November North American Freight Numbers:
Three of Five Modes Carried More U.S. NAFTA Trade in November 2013 than in November 2012
Three of the five transportation modes – truck, rail and pipeline - carried more U.S.-NAFTA trade in November 2013 than in November 2012 as the value of overall U.S. trade with its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico rose 1.3 percent from year to year, according to the November NAFTA freight data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
BTS reported that pipelines showed the most year-to-year growth at 7.4 percent. The increase in the value of freight carried by pipelines reflects the rise in prices for oil and other petroleum products, the primary commodity transported by pipelines.
Trade by Mode
Truck, which carries three-fifths of U.S.-NAFTA trade and is the most heavily utilized mode for moving goods to and from both U.S.-NAFTA partners, rose 2.5 percent in value year-to-year while rail rose 2.2 percent. Vessel declined 8.4 percent and air declined 4.0 percent.
Trucks carried 59.9 percent of the $96.1 billion of U.S.-NAFTA trade in November 2013 accounting for $30.2 billion of exports and $27.4 billion of imports. Truck was followed by rail at 15.8 percent, vessels at 9.0 percent, pipeline at 6.6 percent and air at 4.0 percent. The surface transportation modes of truck, rail and pipeline carried 82.3 percent of the total NAFTA freight flows.
Trade with Canada
U.S.-Canada trade by pipeline, consisting almost entirely of petroleum products of which 93.6 percent was imported, increased the most of any mode from November 2012 to November 2013, growing 6.6 percent. U.S.-Canada pipeline trade comprised 95.3 percent of total U.S.-NAFTA pipeline trade in November. Despite the overall decline in vessel trade, vessel freight exports to Canada increased by 77.2 percent from November 2012, primarily due to an increase in exports of mineral fuels.
Trade with Mexico
The value of U.S.-Mexico trade by pipeline was the least of any mode but had the largest percentage increase from November 2012 to November 2013, growing 25.8 percent. The increase in the value of freight carried by pipelines reflects the rise in prices for oil and other petroleum products, the primary commodity transported by pipelines.
See BTS Transborder Data Release for summary tables and additional data. See North American Transborder Freight Data on the BTS website for additional data for surface modes since 1995 and all modes since 2004.
Britain unveils new electric Class 700 train
Britain has unveiled a full-scale mock-up of the new electric Class 700 train that will transform rail travel into and across London, and generate thousands of new jobs.
Britain has unveiled a full-scale mock-up of the new electric Class 700 train that will transform rail travel into and across London, and generate thousands of new jobs.
Austrian local railway operator Stern & Hafferl has awarded a contract to deliver 11 metre-gauge Tramlink V3 light rail vehicles (LRVs) for use in the Upper Austrian town of Gmunden to Vossloh.
Ontario orders 65 new bi-level rail cars from Bombardier
The Ontario government has placed a $481m order with Bombardier to deliver 65 new bi-level rail cars, as part of its strategy to improve public transit and support jobs in Thunder Bay, Canada.
AB selects Stadler for new Tango light rail vehicles
Switzerland's Appenzell Bahnen (AB) has contracted Stadler Rail to deliver seven new Tango low-floor light rail vehicles (LRVs) for use on the Durchmesserlinie cross-town link to connect Trogen, St. Gallen and Appenzell.
Other News
EUROPA - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - Speech: The future of European rail: combining policy with innovation
Lithuanian Railways orders 20 shunting locomotives - Railway Gazette.
West Somerset Railway wins national award for its Day Out With Thomas™ Events
Faster track maintenance at RVR - Railway Gazette
All-night services in London Underground vision - Railway Gazette
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