16 August 2012,
15:09:00
London Underground pulls the plug on Powerlink PFI
16 August 2012,
15:09:00
UK: London Underground gave notice on August
16 that it intends to terminate the 30-year Powerlink private finance initiative
contract for the operation and maintenance of its high-voltage electrical power
network. LU will end the contract in August 2013 by exercising a half-way break
clause. It will be required to make termination payments estimated at about
£160m to the Powerlink shareholders in order to repay private financing
facilities, but expects to make an overall saving of £225m over the next 15
years. LU Commercial Director Sarah Atkins said the PFI contract signed in 1998
was 'performing well', but early termination would provide increased operational
flexibility and avoid future financing costs. The contract is with UK Power
Networks Services Powerlink Ltd, which is owned by UK Power Networks (80%), ABB
(10%) and Balfour Beatty (10%). Powerlink and LU will work together 'to ensure a
smooth transfer of staff and activities back to LU'.
DB orders Traxx locomotives
16 August 2012,
12:32:00
GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn has placed a firm
order for Bombardier Transportation to supply a further 32 Class 146 Traxx
electric locomotives for regional passenger services. The €108m contract
announced on August 16 an option on existing agreements. Delivery is planned for
2014, with the 160 km/h locomotives to be used with existing coaches and future
double-deck stock. Bombardier has now sold more than 1 550 Traxx locomotives in
16 countries.
Gotthard alliance signed
16 August 2012,
12:00:00
EUROPE: Swiss Federal Railways and Italian
infrastructure manager RFI have agreed to strengthen their co-operation on the
Gotthard corridor ahead of the opening of the Gotthard Base Tunnel in 2016. Two
agreements were signed by head of SBB Infrastruktur Philippe Gauderon and RFI
Director Michele Mario Elia on August 3. With demand increasing for both
passenger and freight traffic, more trains are using the transalpine route
linking Zürich and Luzern to Milano, and the two operators foresee major
challenges from 2014. SBB and RFI are to form joint working groups to address
technical and operational issues, aiming to improve network utilisation and cut
journey times. The Network Development team will oversee infrastructure projects
such as extending platforms and providing clearance to carry 4 m high lorries.
An Operations group will co-ordinate cross-border services to improve
punctuality, and review timetabling to optimise capacity. The second agreement
lays out 'tailored action plans' to equip lines on both sides of the border with
ETCS to boost interoperability. The base tunnel is being equipped with ETCS
Level 2, and SBB has already committed SFr300m to roll out Level 1 Limited
Supervision on the existing route. A ceremony at Airolo on July 13 attended by
representatives of the Swiss transport ministry, SBB Infrastruktur, Siemens and
Thales marked the commissioning of the first Eurobalise being installed as part
of the national rollout strategy, which is due to see the legacy ZUB and Signum
equipment replaced by the end of 2017.
Yuxi - Mengzi line completed
16 August 2012,
09:16:00
CHINA: Construction of 141 km line from
Yuxi, south of Kunming, to Mengzi on the route to the Vietnamese border was
officially completed on August 14. Just over half of the route is on viaducts or
in tunnel, reflecting the challenging local topography, and the 4·5bn yuan cost
has been funded jointly by the Ministry of Railways and Yunnan province.
Services are expected begin by the end of the year. Work is underway to continue
the line from Mengzi to the Vietnamese border town of Lao Cai as a key element
of China’s efforts to improve cross-border infrastructure. This section
parallels the existing metre-gauge line which links the Vietnamese capital Hanoi
with Yunnan province, but has speeds limited to just 30 km/h. The new route is
primarily intended for freight, with a maximum speed of 120 km/h. It will form
the easternmost of three north–south lines planned to link southwest China with
neighbouring countries in the Asean community.
Wärtsilä engine on test in Russia
16 August 2012,
05:00:00
RUSSIA: The first TEM18V shunter produced
by TMH’s Bryansk plant with a 882 kW Wärtsilä 20LA engine is undergoing field
testing following certification by the federal railway agency. The Wärtsilä TMH
Diesel Engine Co joint venture has announced plans for an engine factory at
TMH’s Penzadieselmash plant, broadening the Finnish firm’s activities into the
rail market and giving it a stronger industrial foothold in Russia. Up to 300
engines a year would be produced for locomotives, and other applications, in the
CIS market.
Chemnitz orders electro-diesel tram-trains
15 August 2012,
15:41:00
GERMANY: Vossloh has won an order to supply
eight electro-diesel tram-trains for the network under development around
Chemnitz, with an option for two more. Delivery is planned for 2014. The €42·3m
contract was signed by transport authority Verkehrsverbund Mittelsachsen on
August 14, with funding from the Land of Sachsen and the European Regional
Development Fund. The wheelchair-accessible CityLink tram-trains will 37 m long,
with 94 seats and a top speed of 100 km/h. Vossloh Kiepe will be responsible for
the traction and control equipment and air-conditioning, while Vossloh Rail
Vehicles will provide body shells, bogies and interior fittings. The tram-trains
will operate from the existing network's 600 V and 750 V DC overhead
electrification, changing to diesel to reach Burgstädt, Mittweida and Hainichen
along regional railway lines. These three routes form the first stage of a
five-phase programme to develop a 226 km network of light rail services by 2020.
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