Network Rail deep alliance goes live
30 April 2012,
12:49:00
UK: The 'deep alliance' between
infrastructure manager Network Rail and passenger operator South West Trains
went live on April 29, with a 'single senior joint management team' now
responsible for infrastructure and train operations on NR's Wessex Route, one of
the busiest commuter networks in Europe. Planned to run until the end of the
current SWT franchise on February 4 2017, the alliance aims to improve
efficiency and the management of disruption by facilitating more collaborative
working and faster decision-making. Network Rail Chief Executive David Higgins
said the launch 'marks a new phase in the evolution of Network Rail as we
continue to push decision-making away from the centre, empowering our front-line
managers to run the railway more effectively'. He stressed that Network Rail
would continue to focus on delivering its obligations to all train operators,
including freight companies, 'protecting the interests of all customers whilst
maintaining the seamless operation of the whole network'. Aligned objectives and
incentives are promised by the alliance partners, with a single management team
for London Waterloo station, better planning of track maintenance work and an
improved response to disruption. Staff terms and conditions and collective
bargaining agreements remain unchanged, but 'operational efficiencies' are
expected from joint training, communications and occupational health processes.
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Gauge convertible sleeping car rolls out
30 April 2012,
11:00:00
RUSSIA: Siemens' Wien plant has completed
the first of 200 sleeping cars which Russian Railways ordered in July 2009 for
use on services to western Europe. Designed for 200 km/h and meeting RIC
standards for use on the rail networks of UIC members, the cars will swap bogies
at the breaks of gauge. TMH's Tver plant will produce the 1520 mm gauge bogies
and undertake some assembly work.
LA Expo Line starts revenue service
30 April 2012,
10:27:00
USA: Revenue service on the first phase of
Los Angeles’ Expo Line light rail route starts at 05.00 on April 30, following
an official inauguration on April 27 and a weekend of free rides and public
celebrations. Under construction since 2006, the 13·8 km first phase diverges
from the existing Blue line to follow a former Pacific Electric railway
alignment as far as Culver City, adding 10 new stops. However, services are
initially only running as far as La Cienega/Jefferson, and not serving Culver
City or Farmdale where construction is continuing. The 10·6 km second phase from
Culver City to Santa Monica will add another seven stops in 2016. The line is
being built by the Exposition Metro Line Construction Authority, and then handed
over to Los Angeles MTA to operate. Phase I is costed at $932m, and Phase II at
$1·5bn. Los Angeles Mayor and MTA Chairman Antonio Villaraigosa joined local
officials and representatives of both authorities for the official inauguration
ceremony on April 27, at Expo Park/USC Station near the University of Southern
California. He said the opening of the Expo Line marked ‘a critical step towards
creating the multi-faceted transit network that Angelenos deserve’. Expo Line
Construction Authority Chairman Zev Yaroslavsky said the long-awaited line was
the first rail extension west of Western Avenue ‘since the dismantling of the
red car system more than half a century ago’, adding that it would serve ‘one of
the most underserved areas of our region’. It brings the city’s metro and light
rail network to a total length of 140 km.
Hyundai Rotem signs Izmir suburban train contract
30 April 2012,
09:00:00
TURKEY: The IZBAN suburban rail joint
venture of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and state railway TCDD has awarded
Hyundai Rotem a YTL340m contract to supply 40 electric multiple-units to
accommodate growing ridership in Turkey's third most populous city. The EMUs
will be manufactured in Turkey by the Hyundai Eurotem joint venture of Hyundai
Rotem and local partners for delivery from February 2014. The Korean firm said
this local content helped its bid come in lower than rival offers from Spanish
firm CAF, which has previously supplied 33 three-car EMUs to IZBAN, and China's
CSR Zhuzhou. Hyundai Rotem said it has now won orders to supply Turkish
customers with around 1000 EMUs, DMUs, LRVs and electric locomotives with a
total value of $1·8bn, and it is now planning to use Turkey as a base for
supplying Egypt, Sweden and 'other areas around the region'. 'Hyundai Rotem and
TCDD have achieved win-win development through their deep bond of brotherhood
based on trust,' said Hyundai Rotem President & CEO Min-ho Lee when the
Izmir EMU contract was signed on March 17. 'Hyundai Rotem will return
friendship, trust and respect to Turkey by demonstrating the highest quality and
the state-of-the-art technology in this Izmir EMU project.'
- Eurotem General Manager Kim Jeong-Hoon described the company's expansion plans in the April 2012 issue of Railway Gazette International, which subscribers can access in the digital archive.
Tianjin metro train deliveries
30 April 2012,
05:00:00
CHINA: CNR Dalian has begun delivering 23
six-car Type B trains for Tianjin metro Line 2. The air-conditioned trains have
a total capacity of 1832 passengers and top speed of 80 km/h. They will be
equipped for automatic train operation, with 2 min headways. The 22·8 km
east-west Line 2 will run from the main station to the airport economic zone,
with 18 of its 19 stations underground.
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