AMAZING OFFER this Saturday for the opening of the Young Engineer's Centre at Highley, Severn Valley Railway.
Bring along a Peter’s Railway book (or buy one on the day!)* and claim a FREE Child’s... ‘Freedom of the line’ ticket to use on a return visit to the Severn Valley Railway!
(*one ticket will be issued for each child presenting their Peter’s Railway book at The Engine House.)
The main news today is the UK Government announcement that it has awarded the Thameslink franchise to Govia Thameslink Railway Limited. The press release (below) holds out many promises for the franchise's passengers in the next 7 years...
China's expanding home network...and it apparent eagerness to build a link between Beijing and Washington..has one American writer saying... The USA has not built one single mile of high-speed rail track whilst China is expected to hit 15,000 kilometers by 2015.!
These, and other stories can be read by clicking on the links...
Headlines
Govia wins Thameslink rail franchise.(BBC News)
New Trains In Seven-Year Rail Franchise Win.(Sky News, via Yahoo)
Bidders await arrival of rail franchises with bated breath.(FT.com)
GOV.UK
New rail franchising deal set to transform passenger services across London and south east
DfT has announced its intention to award the new Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise to Govia Thameslink Railway Limited.
Three new state-of-the-art electric train fleets will mean more services and seats, faster journeys and better connections across many of the busiest rail routes in London and the south east after the government announced today (23 May 2014) its intention to award the new Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise to Govia Thameslink Railway Limited.
The 7 year franchise – the largest ever let in terms of passenger numbers – will help deliver the government’s multi-billion pound investment in the region’s rail network, opening up new routes across London and improving services to scores of destinations, including:
- Brighton
- King’s Lynn
- Peterborough
- Cambridge
- Bedford
- Luton
- Gatwick Airport
- Moorgate
In addition, the new franchise will see millions invested in improving stations and staffing, a simplified ticketing structure and tough new targets for Govia to improve punctuality by reducing delays by around a fifth and improve cleanliness.
Rail Minister Stephen Hammond said:
The TSGN franchise will play a crucial role in delivering the government’s £6.5 billion Thameslink programme – a major programme of infrastructure work that is helping create 8,000 jobs and will allow 24 trains per hour to travel in each direction from Blackfriars to St Pancras. New tunnels will link Peterborough and Cambridge to the existing Thameslink route providing easy access across London via St Pancras to Gatwick and Brighton.A world class railway is a vital part of our long-term economic plan. New state-of-the-art trains, more seats, better connections and improved stations will transform travel across London and the south east. That’s great news for businesses and the hundreds of thousands of passengers who use these vital services every day.
The franchise will introduce 1,140 new carriages – already under construction - on the Thameslink network, improving services to scores of destinations, including the introduction of new cross capital services and a connection at Farringdon to London’s newest railway - Crossrail.
In addition, Govia will order a new fleet of 108 carriages for the Gatwick Express service, replacing the current 25-year-old trains with a fleet better suited to the needs of airport passengers. It will also secure 150 new carriages to replace the 40-year-old trains currently operating on the route between Moorgate, north London and Hertfordshire.
That means the total number of carriages in service will grow to 2,631 by 2019 – an increase of 27%. It will also release some existing electric carriages to be used elsewhere in the country.
Govia will invest significantly in improving stations, including free wi-fi at more than 100 stations, better retail and catering facilities and improvements to customer information systems. Staffing hours will also be extended so that at more than 100 of the largest stations there will be staff available from the first train in the morning to the last train at night.
Demanding contractual obligations on the operator will deliver cleaner and more spacious trains and improve passenger satisfaction. Tough new benchmarks for performance, train and station cleanliness and customer service information have also been agreed.
The operator will also develop website, smartphone and tablet apps that will make door-to-door travel easier for customers, including planning journeys, buying tickets and booking onward taxis.
The TSGN franchise will replace the existing Thameslink and Great Northern franchise (operated as First Capital Connect) from 14 September 2014 and will include the South Central franchise (operated as Southern and Gatwick Express) when it expires on 26 July 2015. A small number of services and stations will also transfer from the South Eastern franchise by 21 December 2014. The current franchises provide around 273 million passenger journeys annually.
Following the announcement, and in accordance with usual procurement practice, there will be a standstill period of 10 days before the department will be a position to enter into, and complete, the formal contractual documentation and make the award to the successful tenderer.
View an interactive map of the TSGN network.
Rail staff at Bedford depot may strike over contract to build new trains.(Bedfordshire on Sunday)
HS2 needs to get ready for delivery – Tim Smart.(Global Rail News)
Work starts in North Lincolnshire on new £5m steam locomotive.(BBC News)
£1.3m Porthmadog Harbour station opens to serve the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways.(ITV News)
Trainspotting - share your stories and photographs - Get involved - National Railway Museum
Gefco launches China- Europe rail freight service.(Lloyd's Loading List)
Aberdare to Abercynon rail line reopens after lorry hits bridge.(BBC News)
Somerset councillor criticised in railway bid process.(BBC News)
Tube strike: Bank holiday walkout called off after deal is struck with power workers.(London Evening Standard)
www.siemens.com
Siemens equips three sections of track in Hungary with ETCS train protection system
Munich, 2014-May-20
Siemens has received three orders from Hungary to supply signaling and control technology. The company will equip two sections of the line between the Budapest suburb of Ferencváros and the small eastern town of Gyoma with ETCS (European Train Control System) Level 2. The third section to be fitted with the same system runs west from Ferencváros to Székesfehérvár. The order, which is worth around 60 million euros, was awarded by Hungary's state infrastructure development company (Nemezeti Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Zrt.), and commissioning of all three sections is scheduled to take place at the end of 2015.
The rail automation division of Siemens will supply the automatic train protection system Trainguard 200 for ETCS Level 2 for around 200 track kilometers. With Level 2 almost all information is transmitted to the vehicle from the Radio Block Center (RBC) using Euroradio. Information can also be sent from train to track and can be exchanged at any time, even when the train is stationary. Engine drivers using ETCS Level 2 receive instructions directly on a display in the driver's cab, which means that there are no longer any signals on the open track. The advantage here is that the train can accelerate immediately when the display changes from stop to go, whereas otherwise it would have had to brake again by the next transmission point on the line. This enables speeds of up to 300 km/h to be reached and increases line capacity.
Background information on ETCS Train protection systems provide safe rail transportation for passengers and freight. There are currently more than 14 different train protection systems in use in Europe, but they are not compatible with one another. To resolve these compatibility issues the European Union issued a directive in 1996 which requires European railway operators to install the ETCS train protection system on their lines. The standardized ETCS is gradually being introduced in selected corridors, successively replacing national safety systems. The system is not just intended for use in Europe, but constitutes a modern train protection solution which is suitable for global use as shown in a number of international projects.
ETCS has a modular construction and several levels are available. The main difference between ETCS Level 1 and ETCS Level 2 lies in the type of transmission medium.
The USA has not built one single mile of high-speed rail track whilst China is expected to hit 15,000 kilometers by 2015. (organized rage)
www.progressiverailroading.com
APTA expresses concern over appropriations bill's impact on transit
Expansion complete at B.C. rail terminal; Vancouver port ponders bigger container terminal
Houston METRO's board OKs controversial overpass project
North Carolina DOT allocates funds for 40 freight-rail projects.
Central Maine & Quebec launches U.S. operations.
Sound Transit accepts business group's offer to cover Tacoma Link fares.
North American rail traffic remained at high ebb last week.
NS recognizes 60 chemical shippers for safety efforts.
Rail supplier news from Bombardier, Thales, Siemens and Parsons Brinckerhoff (May 23).
Australia
A video showing construction of track between Deer Park and West Werribee Junction as part of the Regional Rail Link project.(DTPLI on YouTube)
China
Is China planning a high-speed rail line to Canada?(The Vancouver Sun)
High-speed rail route between Xiamen and Nanjing expected to open in July (whats on xiamen)
CHINA HIGH-SPEED RAIL:Girdling the Globe With a Tramway of Iron.(Executive Intelligence Review)
Other Railway Press
www.railway-technology.com
BNSF and Ferromex to launch new intermodal service
US freight transportation company BNSF Railway has partnered with Mexico-based cargo carrier Ferromex (FXE) to launch a new intermodal service from Chicago to Silao, Mexico.
GE Transportation to install train control system in Colombia
GE Transportation and PowerTrunk have jointly agreed to provide Colombian rail company Ferrocarriles del Norte de Colombia (FENOCO) with an incremental train control system (ITCS) over a digital TETRA land mobile radio network.
EIB agrees to fund construction of Beskyd railway tunnel
The European Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to €55m in funding for the construction of a new 1.8km twin-track Beskyd railway tunnel, which will link Ukraine with the EU.
US DoT to provide $2.1bn for Westside Purple Line Extension
The US Department of Transportation (DoT) will provide $2.1bn in federal grant and loan agreements to fund the construction of the 3.9-mile Westside Purple Line Extension running between downtown Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, California, US
And, finally...
Drunk man stops train on the tracks in South Yorkshire
A drunken man who stood on rail tracks, causing a train to slam on its emergency brakes, has been jailed for 16 weeks. Nathan Barker, 21 admitted obstructing the railway at the station near his home in Bentley on Tuesday 18th March. CCTV footage shows Barker, who was under the influence of drink and drugs, getting down onto the tracks and waiting there for several minutes. The driver of the Doncaster to Leeds service had to slam on his brakes after he spotted Barker on the tracks, stopping just feet in front of him. Report by Sarah Johnston. (ITN on YouTube)
Had the driver not been able to stop, then it would have been "FINAL" for Mr Barker.
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