As expected, the railway news today is dominated by 3 subjects, which can be summarized as follows..
High speed train moving slowly, Tube moving not at all, and some movement towards each other..at least from Siemens, with an offer for Alstom...
Read the details ..click on the links.....
Headlines
Website content during Tube strikes (blog.tfl.gov.uk)
MPs reject calls for HS2 rail plans to be halted.(BBC News)
HS2 bill takes express route through Commons.(FT.com)
HS2 bill clears second reading as senior minister threatens to resign.(The Guardian)
Donald Macintyre's Sketch: Slow-coach tactics keep HS2 a coming down the track.(The Independent)
HS2 opponents are Nimbys who only care about house prices, says Boris Johnson.(The Telegraph)
www.siemens.com
Siemens will make an offer to Alstom
Munich, 2014-Apr-29
The Managing Board and the Supervisory Board of Siemens decided on Tuesday to make an offer to Alstom. The prerequisite for this offer is, that Alstom agrees to give Siemens access to the company's data room and permission to interview the Management during a period of four weeks, to enable Siemens to carry out a suitable due diligence. A letter in this regard was submitted this afternoon to the French company. No further comments will be made at this time. Crossrail Press Release
New Crossrail Programme Director appointed
Simon Wright, currently Project Development Director at Network Rail, and previously Director of Infrastructure and Utilities with the Olympic Delivery Authority, will take up his role this summer.
Andrew Wolstenholme, Crossrail Chief Executive said: "Simon Wright is an outstanding candidate who successfully led the delivery and commissioning of the infrastructure for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games; Crossrail will benefit enormously from his knowledge and expertise.
"The Crossrail programme is now over halfway to completion with the end of major civils in sight and a team fully engaged on delivering stations fit-out and the transition to an operational railway. Simon will lead the delivery team during this important second half as we move closer to realising this critically important project for London and the UK."
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TRB is cosponsoring the Global Level Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Symposium on August 3-8, 2014, in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. Attendees at the conference will have the opportunity to share best practices on safety at level crossings and trespass prevention programs.
www.progressiverailroading.com
MTA committees call for speeding up PTC installation on Metro-North, LIRR; authority to consider LIRR bridge plan
STB: Miller onboard as member; more Partnership for Public Service recognition
cSX makes magazine's list of the top 100 'corporate citizens'
Montreal's transit-rail network welcomes first new Azur car
Canadian agency increases grain price index for 2014-15 crop year
Mill Steel to establish facility at rail-served Indiana port
Amtrak, IDOT begin to test pet policy between Chicago, Quincy
Rail supplier news from Alstom, Thales, Siemens Rail, Ansaldo, Protran, BenchMark, Schneider and WAGO (April 29)
Stay Tuned: New RAIL Magazine Edition on Streetcars to be Published This Week
The 34th Edition of RAIL Magazine will focus on the surge in new streetcar systems across the nation, with profiles focusing on the varied stages of development – from planning and funding to construction and operations. Feature articles will highlight systems in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boise, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Kansas City, Washington, D.C. and Newark. Visit www.railmagazine.org to subscribe to the all-digital RAIL Magazine for free!
Secretary Foxx Sends Transportation Bill to CongressGROW AMERICA Act would create jobs, provide certainty for country’s future growth
WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx today unveiled a long-term transportation bill he is sending to Congress for consideration as the House and Senate face looming deadlines to avoid the economic uncertainty and job loss that would ensue if the Highway Trust Fund runs out of money this summer. The GROW AMERICA Act reflects President Obama’s vision for a four-year surface transportation reauthorization bill that would create millions of jobs and lay the foundation for long-term competitiveness, rebuilding crumbling roads and bridges while providing much-needed certainty for local and state governments and addressing the country’s future needs. “I visited eight states and 13 cities as part of my Invest in America, Commit to the Future bus tour this month and everywhere I went, I heard the same thing – people want more transportation options and better roads and bridges to get them where they need to go,” said Secretary Foxx. “Failing to act before the Highway Trust Fund runs out is unacceptable – and unaffordable. This proposal offers the kind of job creation and certainty that the American people want and deserve. I have been pleased to see that members of both parties are already working together to solve these challenges, and I look forward to continuing our discussion and to supporting and building on the good work that’s already been done.”
On February 26, Secretary Foxx joined President Obama to announce a plan to address the nation’s infrastructure deficit with a $302 billion, four-year surface transportation reauthorization proposal. As outlined in the FY2015 budget, the plan will invest in our national infrastructure network, increase safety and efficiency, and provide greater access to ladders of opportunity, all without adding to the deficit, by relying on the President’s proposed pro-growth business tax reforms.
The GROW AMERICA Act is based on this plan, and represents a number of proposals that have historically attracted bipartisan support including:
• Addressing the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund and providing an additional $87 billion to address the nation’s backlog of deficient bridges and aging transit systems;
• Creating millions of new jobs to ensure America’s future competitiveness;
• Increasing safety across all modes of surface transportation, including increasing the civil penalties the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) can levy against automakers who fail to act quickly on vehicle recalls;
• Providing certainty to state and local governments that must engage in long-term planning;
• Reducing project approval and permitting timelines while delivering better outcomes for communities and the environment;
• Bolstering efficient and reliable freight networks to support trade and economic growth; and
• Creating incentives to better align planning and investment decisions to comprehensively address regional economic needs while strengthening local decision-making.
“GROW AMERICA makes the sizable investment needed to improve our country’s roads and bridges,” said Deputy Federal Highway Administrator Gregory Nadeau. “Improving U.S. infrastructure is a national priority, and will ensure America’s economy remains robust for generations yet to come.”
“The Administration’s proposal makes forward-leaning investments in ladders to economic opportunity for the many millions of Americans who want to work, or simply need a reliable and safe way to get to work,” said Deputy Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan. “The GROW AMERICA Act will put thousands of Americans to work on repairing and expanding our aging transit infrastructure, while training women, minorities, and veterans to fill the jobs gap in transit through innovative new workforce development programs.”
“The GROW AMERICA Act will provide rail with a predictable, dedicated funding source and the tools needed to drive the next generation of rail safety and development,” said Joseph C. Szabo, Federal Railroad Administrator. “It lays out a comprehensive strategy to eliminate risk on railroads through data-driven enforcement, proactive safety programs that identify risk in advance, and strong capital investment. The safety gains identified in the bill, coupled with new investments in a higher performance rail network will move rail into the 21st Century.”
“Commercial bus travel is increasingly popular and this legislation will build on our unprecedented efforts to make it even safer by expanding oversight to bus ticket brokers and the locations where motorcoaches can be inspected,” said Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator Anne S. Ferro. "In addition, it will ensure fair pay for long-distance bus and truck drivers who are often paid by the miles they travel, not their total time on-duty, and face economic pressure to jeopardize safety by driving beyond the mandatory limits.”
“Whether traveling by motor vehicle, walking or bicycling, we are committed to ensuring that Americans reach their destinations safely. Our approach will continue to support both safer behavior and safer vehicles to prevent deaths and injuries on our roadways,” said Acting Administrator David Friedman, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. “As the nation’s top regulator of the automotive industry, we hold manufacturers accountable for defect and compliance issues regarding their products and are seeking to further our ability to do so in the future, including increasing civil penalty limits nearly 10 times to $300 million."
“On a typical day, more than 6.1 million tons of hazmat move throughout our nation’s transportation network,” said Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administrator Cynthia Quarterman. “The GROW AMERICA Act promotes efficiencies and improvements that will help PHMSA ensure that the transport of hazmat by road, rail, air and water continues to move safely and efficiently.”
Earlier this month, Secretary Foxx traveled across the country on his Invest in America, Commit to the Future bus tour, with visits to manufacturers, bridges, freight facilities, and highway projects to raise awareness of America’s infrastructure deficit. Secretary Foxx met with business leaders, stakeholders and members of communities to discuss the projects that work, projects that are needed, and to ask them to commit to a future with an American transportation system that’s second-to-none.
In the face of current uncertainty of federal transportation investment, many states have postponed or canceled needed transportation projects altogether. And without additional investment, deficiencies in our nation’s infrastructure will cost businesses more than $1 trillion every year in lost sales. Despite this growing need, the Highway Trust Fund, which provides most of the federal support for state transportation projects, is on track to start bouncing checks as early as August. In January, the Department of Transportation began posting a ticker online so the American people can track the remaining funds, available here.
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TRAIN WATCH: Rail fans say goodbye to locomotive.(The Press-Enterprise)
Far East News
There will be $45 billion worth of new projects open to the rail industry over the next 18 years in rail-related projects in Qatar alone – according to the CEO of Qatar Railways, a past attendee of Middle East Rail.
Out of a total 236 rail “business opportunities”, 54% are in railway infrastructure, covering construction and operations maintenance, whilst 37% will be focused on rail technology tenders.
Companies from the following profiles are needed to support regional rail projects:
- Track infrastructure
- Rolling Stock
- Signaling & communication
- Operations & security
- Maintenance
- System integration
- Engineering/construction
- ICT
- Revenue management
- And more…
Middle East Rail is the region’s largest rail exhibition attracting government, rail operators, transport authorities and world-class solution providers.
Download sponsorship brochure for more information
Hangzhou-Changsha High-speed Rail to open in October .(Ningbo Life)
Changsha metro opens.(railwaygazette)
Pakistan Railways invites proposals for standard gauge line study - Railway Gazette
Australasia News
| $1.14 billion Auckland electric trains project launches with 5000 free tickets. |
By Luke Upton, 29 Apr 2014 07:00:00
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Five thousand Aucklanders in New Zealand took a free inaugural ride on their new electric trains after the official launch on Sunday 27 April. The tickets, each for a scheduled trip on the new electric units were snapped up in a few hours after release with passengers keen to take advantage of the new line, operated by Transdev, and built by Spanish manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF). The electrification project received the green light in 2007, which the cost of $1.14 billion delivering 57 electric trains each with a capacity of 375 passengers. Siemens Rail Automation (formerly Invensys Rail) supplied the Westrace interlockings and ETCS Level 1 for automatic train protection.
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