International & UK Railway News Thursday 4th September 2014

..Total Railway News




The point at which Network Rail spending decisions are referred to the board has been raised to £750 million..5 times the previous ceiling.. and not everyone is happy.


The regions are finding their voice when it comes for new or refurbished infrastructure...More trains on the Lincoln- Nottingham route needed; no cuts on Merseyrail; east - west link needed....George Osborne promises money .. and quite a lot of it...to the south west.. including Devon.. 


Enjoy the London Bridge video...
And a worrying report from Portugal where the Lisbon Metro has been running without emergency braking for a year or two, because they didn't work...so trains travelled slowly , within the capacity of their normal brakes....


Click on the links....



Headlines
UK
Exclusive: Anger as rail chiefs cut board out of more spending decisions.(The Independent)


Go-Ahead dividend driven up by rail franchise and bus successes.(FT.com)


Unity among Kirklees councillors in support for High Speed 3 linking northern cities .(Huddersfield Examiner)


Balfour Beatty sells Parsons Brinckerhoff for £820m.(insidermedia)


South West Trains services into London Waterloo to get 150 carriages.(BBC News)
.......in 3 years time.....


“Hands off our signal box,” village tells rail bosses.(Spalding Guardian)


More AND faster trains between Lincoln and Nottingham.(Lincolnshire Echo)


'No services to be cut' vow for Merseyrail network.(Liverpool Echo)


Hermes boss backs east-west rail link (Manchester Evening News)


Work to replace the railway bridge over the A161 through Misterton has been completed.(Doncaster Free Press)


Devon transport links set for upgrade as George Osborne promises overhaul money.(Exeter Express & Echo)


Creagh: Network Rail will be ‘guiding mind’.(Passenger Transport)


Fears of ‘chaotic’ race for northern franchises.(Published 20th August 2014) ( Passenger Transport)




Network Rail





Network Rail on YouTube.


Published on 2 Sep 2014

With a concourse bigger than the pitch at Wembley Stadium, it’ll be a breeze to walk to and from the platforms and shops at the new London Bridge station.
More at http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/

International
Australia




Regional Rail Link: July 2014(DTPLI on YouTube)
Published on 3 Sep 2014

July 2014: This flyover video shows the progress of construction on the Regional Rail Link project.

The video starts at the West Werribee Junction where the new rail over rail bridge and the new rail over road bridge is complete. It follows the eventual alignment of the new railway line through Wyndham Vale (including the cutting on the approach to Manor Lakes Blvd where the new station is being built) and Tarneit (where the new station can be seen). Numerous road over rail crossings and waterway crossing structures can also be seen.

The video then follows the existing corridor from Deer Park Sunshine to Southern Cross Station. Major works in this section include the new Sunshine railway station building, the new West Footscray railway station, the Anderson Road level crossing grade separations, works underway at the Footscray station, and the new Maribyrnong River rail bridge.

Find out more about the project at www.regionalraillink.vic.gov.au






China
$US 870m first-half loss for China Railways Corporation.(IRJ)


France
Besançon inaugurates "low cost" tram line.(IRJ)




Kenya
Kenya says construction of high speed railway to kick off in October.(GlobalPost)


Oman
Oman Railway Tender floated for the 207-km Sohar-Buraimi stretch of the country’s national railway network.(Mena Rail Post)


Portugal
Lisbon metro promises to fit missing emergency brakes.(BBC News)


USA
Backers of high-speed 'maglev' train to Washington claim $5 billion in funding (Baltimore Sun) 

www.progressiverailroading.com

Four noteworthy developments impact ethanol, crude-related rail facilities
 

Pembina Pipeline to build propane export facility at Portland port
 

National Grain Car Council to address harvest issues at Minneapolis meeting
 

VIA Rail reports smaller operating loss in second quarter
 

Comment period extended for two California high-speed rail projects
 

TriMet enhances service to reduce crowding, wait times
 

Fick to succeed Yoshitani as Seattle port's CEO; CPG to serve inland Charlotte terminal
 

Rail supplier news from Alstom, WSP, Parsons Brinckerhoff, General Cable, Jacobs, Maintenance Design and CII (Sept. 4)

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People trapped in traffic aren't working (or, for that matter, de-stressing after work, spending time with their children, or running errands), and that translates into money lost, not just frustration while sitting on the freeway or looking gloomily out a bus window. A trip that takes just 20 minutes in off periods can take two hours (or more) in the height of rush hour - and rush hours are growing longer and longer in many U.S. cities. Rail systems are also highly scalable - no more endless wasted construction funds on new highways and airports to accommodate growing populations. Just add a few cars to the train to ensure everyone has a seat. The increased mobility available through high-speed rail is another point in its favor. Economies tend to experience more even, healthy growth when people can easily get from place to place, no matter what their economic class or social status might be. With costs at a fraction of those associated with air travel, and travel times cut down radically from cars or inefficient public transit, the technology of high-speed rail could revitalize communities. Particularly those along the fringes. Those who live in "second-tier cities" like Bakersfield and Fresno can access the benefits of urban living through high speed rail - including culture, better medical care, and increased employment options. High-speed rail also tends to encourage dense, sustainable development around stations and terminuses, creating new communities and new opportunities. Even if residents can't find local employment, their commute is just a few minutes away on a train going hundreds of miles an hour.  For California, the question shouldn't be whether high-speed rail is the right choice for the state: It should be why the state has permitted so many stumbling blocks in the way of a project that could bring about so much positive change. For other states, the question should be why they aren't following suit.  "Despite modest investments, American lawmakers have not given high-speed rail the priority it deserves." -New York Times

Other Railway Press Releases


www.railway-technology.com


NTA and RPA awards new five-year Luas operation contract to Transdev
Ireland's National Transport Authority (NTA) and the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) has awarded a new five-year €150m Luas operation contract to Transdev Dublin Light Rail.
Thales Canada selects HUBER+SUHNER's antennas for New York City subway
Thales Canada Transportation Solutions has signed a contract with Swiss firm HUBER+SUHNER to supply trackside and on-board antennas and equipment for the New York City subway.
South West Trains awards £210m Desiro City EMU contract to Siemens
UK-based South West Trains has signed a contract with Siemens and Angel Trains to deliver a new fleet of trains worth £210m.
Swiss Federal Railways contracts ABB for new traction equipment
Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) has awarded a $75.4m contract to ABB Switzerland to deliver new traction equipment for its Re 460 fleet electric locomotives.