International & UK Railway News Tuesday 20th May 2014

 Total Railway News

 

As expected, articles appear in relation to HS2.... but you wouldn't expect the HS1 chair to say that high speed rail is fundamentally flawed, would you?
But there is no doubting the importance of rail transport for economies as a whole, given its good performance in environmental, energy efficiency and safety terms, according to CER.
And if you have  just £225 you could experience locomotive driving at its most basic... on the replica Rocket at the NRM York..


Click on the links to read fuller details...



Headlines



HS1 chair: High speed rail is fundamentally flawed.(New Civil Engineer)



Colchester rail disruption: Abellio Greater Anglia apologises.(BBC News)


Russia crash: 'Four dead' in train crash near Moscow.(BBC News)


Tube strike could close London Underground all weekend.(The Week)





I wish Eurostar would rethink its Chunnel vision(Telegraph)




UK Heritage








1940s Wartime Weekend – 13th to 15th June(GCR)


Steam railway enthusiasts enjoy the Morayshire.(The Edinburgh Reporter)




Replica Rocket Driver Experience - Plan a visit - National Railway Museum

Ever dreamed of driving a train? Now's your chance to turn that dream into reality, with our great steam experience.

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Date:

22 Jul 2014

Time:

22 July

10am, 12:45pm, 3pm (experiences last 2 hours)

Price:

£225 per person or £350 'bring a mate' rate.

Audience:

Adults

Type:

Events

Location:

South Yard

Take yourself back to 1829, the fastest thing is the horse and the steam locomotive is a new invention – a steam pioneer. The replica represents the original as it was when it won the Rainhill trials (competition for the motive power for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway).
Steam experiences are available on the Tuesday 22 July and participants must be aged between 21 and 70 (for insurance purposes) for a 2-hour Driver Experience on our replica Rocket.
There will be three experiences on the day: 10am - 12pm, 12:45pm - 2:45pm, and 3pm - 5pm.
The 2 hour Experience package includes;

• Tea & coffee on arrival with the Driver
• A look around our workshop
• A talk about the duties of the Driver and Fireman in our workshop
• Rail Safety at the engine
• Introduction to the engine, preparation & oiling
• Firing and driving the engine up and down our track.
• Certificate and souvenir mug

How to book

This experience is the ultimate gift for someone special and is available at an introductory rate of £225 per person. Alternatively, why not bring a friend and get our "Bring a mate rate" for £350 (for 2 people saving £100).
Booking must be made in advance - places are limited and will be sold on a first come first served basis.
For further information and to book your place call 08448 153139 or email andy.gray@nrm.org.uk.

CER - The Voice of European Railways

State Aid in the context of TEN-T projects

As part of the ongoing modernisation of state aid policy, the Commission launched a stakeholder consultation on a Draft Communication on State aid to promote Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI). The aim of the IPCEI is provide guidance to Member States on how to support transnational projects which are of strategic dimension for the EU and for the realisation of the Europe 2020 objectives.   The undersigning associations in the transport sector, ASECAP, CER, EFIP, EIM, ESPO, IRU , welcome this initiative and would like to use this opportunity to draw the attention of the Commission to the specific issue of state aid in the context of TEN-T projects. For more information visit www.cer.be Economic effects of rail transport to be highlighted at ITF Summit   On 23 May, the Community of European Railway and Infrastructure Companies (CER) is organising a side event entitled “Economic Impacts of Railway Transport Activity” at the 2014 ITF Summit in Leipzig. Leading railway experts from the European Union, Turkey and Japan shall illustrate how railway transport and railway projects generate economic activity and jobs.   The event shall feature a keynote speech by CER Chairman and ÖBB CEO Christian Kern. This shall be followed by a presentation by Dutch consulting firm ECORYS, highlighting the channels through which rail transport activity as well as rail infrastructure projects can positively impact the broader economy thus contributing to GDP growth and job creation.   Country presentations will follow. Gunnar Alexandersson from the Swedish government will discuss the economic benefits of railway projects in Sweden. Masaki Ogata from the East Japan Railway Company (JR EAST) will highlight the social and business impacts of rail projects in Japan. Nazim Bükülmez from the Turkish State Railways (TCDD) shall present Turkeys most important recent and international railway infrastructure projects.   CER Chairman Christian Kern said: “Our sector is known for its good performance in environmental, energy efficiency and safety terms. But rail is much more than that. It is an essential component of the transport system, and transport is an essential function of any modern economy.”   CER Libor Lochman said: “The rail sector is embedded within the broader economy. Rail transport companies purchase and operate vehicles, technical systems, energy and materials. They deliver services to their customers thus responding to the mobility demand and the needs of the European economy. So rail transport creates growth and jobs – both upstream and downstream.”   The CER side event “Economic Impacts of Railway Transport Activity” will take place at the ITF Summit in Leipzig on 23 May 2014, 09:00 – 10:30, Hall 5, Level +1.   Siemens wins more Hungarian ETCS work - Railway Gazette Stadler Minsk unveils new 1 524 mm gauge tram - Railway Gazette Incheon Airport maglev unveiled - Railway Gazette Americas Intercity Rail Passenger Systems Update: May 2014 The TRB Standing Committee on Intercity Passenger Rail has released the latest issue of its Intercity Rail Passenger Systems Update. The online newsletter is published intermittently and is designed to disseminate information about current research and developments in intercity rail passenger systems. Articles in this issue review the Federal Railroad Administration's draft system safety regulation, the beginning of 110-mph passenger rail service in Illinois, federal legislative activities related to passenger rail, the results from three subcommittee meetings that took place during the Annual Meeting, and more. The opinions expressed in the Intercity Rail Passenger Systems Update are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Transportation Research Board or the National Academies.               E-Newsletter Type: In The Know     China Uncensored: China’s High-Speed Rail to US, Germany, and More!(The Epoch Times)     www.progressiverailroading.com PTC: Freight railroads, FCC agree to resolve issues involving previously constructed facilities Airports authority set to transfer Silver Line to WMATA this month   The T seeks public opinion on environmental impact document for TEX Rail   Public meetings slated to address California's proposed high-speed rail alignment SEPTA unveils plan to rebuild Levittown rail station   UP launches infrastructure upgrade project in Nebraska       TRB Publication Type: Technical Activity Division Committee Newsletters Australia Moving Victoria - Transforming Victoria's transport network The new $24 billion transport infrastructure program represents the biggest ever transport investment in Victoria. These new roads and rail lines will generate thousands of jobs, support new suburbs, build new transport links and expand the central business district. Other Railway Press www.railway-technology.com Russian and Bulgarian transport systems sign agreement to develop rail transport Russian Railways subsidiary RZD International has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bulgaria's National Railway Infrastructure Company to jointly develop a rail transport network between the two countries. Canada proposes new regulations to improve railway safety Canada Transport Minister Lisa Raitt has proposed new regulations to penalise railway companies that violate the Railway Safety Act. United Wagon begins work on new tank car plant in Russia United Wagon Company (UWC) has started construction of its new tank car production facility in Tikhvin, Russia. London Underground to launch new step-free ramps for disabled passengers UK's London Underground (LU) is set to launch new bridge-style boarding ramps across its Tube station network to allow mobility-impaired passengers to embark and disembark easily from street to train. eurotransport ITS & Transport Management supplement 2014 Mobility as a Service’ – the new transport model? York by Bus: a campaign to help passenger growth Cross-border travel information with EU-Spirit The future is green for Dutch trains A world first: Satellites control the Italian railway  How Andy Byford transformed Toronto's transit system  What urban city design and mass-transit will look like in 2064 The 5 biggest rail marketing fails SmartRail Speaks: Windhu Hidranto, President Director, PPP Indonesia By Luke Upton, 20 May 2014 10:38:00 With 28 million people in its metropolitan area and nearly 10 million vehicles in daily use, the building of a mass transit system in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is set to be a much needed addition to this quickly growing city. A two-line metro (MRT) system is under construction, which will be a combination of both subways and elevated rails. The project was revived in February 2013 after earlier construction had started in 2004 but was abandoned in 2008 due to financial problems and legal disputes. Today SmartRail World takes a closer look at this project and project finance by talking to Mr Windhu Hidranto, an engineer with over 15 years of experience in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Private Sector Participation (PSP) in the development of infrastructure, President Director of PPP Indonesia and an expert speaker at SmartRail Asia Call for Sessions & Papers: Smile in the city Public transport is called upon to change, both from the inside and in relation to the external trends affecting its socio-economic environment. On the one hand, public transport must perform better, be more efficient, answer changing expectations, be more customer-oriented and adopt a business-oriented approach. On the other, it can contribute to jobs and growth, make cities more competitive, attract investors, reduce congestion, and be the natural leader of urban mobility integration… Ambitious but realistic challenges are reflected in the slogan of Milan 2015: where “smile” is the acronym of five keywords directly related to these challenges and to UITP’s Grow strategy of doubling the market share of public transport by 2025 compared to 2005: •Sustainability: environmental protection (clean fuels/vehicles, energy efficiency), social equity, economic development, liveability, security; •Mobility: development of mass transit supply and enlarged scope of public transport including shared transport modes such as car-sharing, car-pooling, bike-sharing, taxis and shared taxis, the pedestrian environment, and their integration in and with the city; •Innovation: innovative urban policies, new technologies, smart cities, organisational approaches, which make the city more accessible, public transport more efficient and easy to use; •Lifestyle: quality of life in the city, health, values and brands, accessibility, customer-oriented, creative, cultural and design-oriented transport and mobility modes, walkability; •Economy: Contribution to jobs and growth, cities’ competitiveness, institutional framework, governance and regulation, funding architecture, fare policy, business culture, partnership with industry and private sector, technical harmonisation and standardisation. The above keywords will represent the main thematic clusters of the Milan 2015 Congress programme. The Call for Sessions & Papers is open until 31 July 2014