World Railway News.... 24th August 2012

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International Railway Journal

BRAZILIAN mining giant Vale has announced on August 23 that it has concluded a Reais 3.9bn ($US 1.92bn) financing deal with Brazil's National Development Bank (BNDES) to fund its Logistics Capacity North (CLN) 150 enhancement project, which will boost iron ore throughput by 30.4% on the Carajás Railway (EFC) and at the port of Ponta da Madeira.

SENIOR Western Railway managers invited bidders to a meeting at Mumbai Churchgate station yesterday to brief them and answer questions about a Rs 210bn ($US 3.77bn) project to build a mainly-elevated line for commuter services...

THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has provided $US 500m to the East African Community (EAC), which covers Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, to roll out projects under its Railway Master Plan starting this year..


www.progressiverailroading.com US Railroad News


AAR: Weekly U.S. traffic held true to recurring carloads down, intermodal up trend

USDOT forms Freight Policy Council; LaHood tours Idaho port

New York MTA to appeal judge's ruling against payroll mobility tax

Santrol expands proppant, frac sand terminal roster in Eagle Ford Shale

Sound Transit recognized for environmental excellence

Tampa Port Authority installs Klug as interim chief executive

Las Vegas Railway Express picks architect for X Train project

Rail supplier updates from RR Mergers, Siemens, Axion, Alternative Motive Power, L.B. Foster, Parsons Brinckerhoff (Aug. 24)


www.railway-technology.com Latest Updates

Siemens to deliver seven Railjet trains to Czech Railways
Siemens has secured a €100m order from Czech State Railways Ceske Drahy (CD) to supply seven seven-car Railjet trains.    

Siemens Press Release
Siemens has won an order from Czech State Railways Ceske Drahy (CD) to supply seven seven-car Railjet trains. The contract is worth some 100 million Euros and includes the option of ordering an additional eight eight-car trains by mid-2013. The trains are scheduled for delivery from 2014.
The Czech State Railway is modernizing its vehicle fleet by ordering the Intercity trains from Siemens Rail Systems. Passengers will benefit in future from modern, comfortable trains and increased services on national routes as well as cross-border mainline services to Austria and possibly other neighboring countries.
The Railjet trains reach a top speed of 230 km/h and are suitable for international high-speed operation. The technical systems are based on the tried-and-tested Intercity vehicles marketed by Siemens under the name Viaggio Comfort. Each train has a total of 446 seats in three classes - First, Business and Economy – and offers a bistro car, a barrier-free WC for people with restricted mobility, a wheelchair lift, a small movie theater for children and room for baby buggies. The overall length of the seven-car trains is about 185 meters. The bogies will be manufactured at the Graz factory and final assembly of the vehicles will be at the Siemens factory in Vienna.




                   
Serbia secures rail loan from Russia
Serbia has received a loan of $800m from Russia for railway infrastructure projects in the country.       
                   
Union Pacific unveils UP 9900 locomotive at Roseville Yard in California
Union Pacific (UP) has unveiled a new experimental freight locomotive, the UP 9900, at its Roseville Yard in California as part of a $20m investment to meet the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 locomotive standard.       
                   
Crossrail starts work on second tunnel to Paddington
Crossrail's second tunnel boring machine (TBM), Ada, has broken ground at Royal Oak portal in west London in the UK and started tunnelling towards Paddington after the completion of the first tunnel.

Future Rail: A Lighter Choice
Lower emissions and relatively inexpensive operation is making light rail an attractive option for many cities. Future Rail investigates the advantages and challenges of light rail networks, and examines three case studies from around the world that highlight key trends in modern LRT development.
Read the full article HERE



Shedmaster Railway News.....HERE



YOUNG WELSH APPRENTICES ARE WELCOMED ABOARD (Network Rail) 

Network Rail today welcomes aboard 17 young apprentices to the Wales route to commence their three-year apprenticeship programme.
They will all attend a special welcome day at the Newport Maintenance Depot at Ebbw Junction on Friday, 24 August, from 11am to 3pm.
The apprentices will be given a warm welcome by Mark Langman, Network Rail’s Route Managing Director and his team.
Mark Langman said: “I am delighted to be able to offer 17 young local people the opportunity to join the rail industry in what is an extremely exciting time for the railways here in Wales.
“We are very keen to offer employment opportunities to local people within our route and are committed to an ongoing investment in young talent as the railways across Wales grow.
“Over the next 10 years the Wales route will see huge investment and significant change including the electrification to Cardiff, Swansea and the Valley lines. The recruitment of these apprentices will play a big part in making this happen and planning for maintaining the future modernised railway.”
The apprentices are part of a 200-strong Network Rail cohort who will train at HMS Sultan, Europe’s largest engineering training facility at Gosport in Hampshire, over the next 12 months, starting in September and will continue their apprenticeship back in their ‘home depots’ within the Wales route in June 2013.
As part of the programme, all 200 Network Rail apprentices from across Great Britain will attend the Ffestiniog Railway and Welsh Highland Railway to work during the winter’s work maintenance programme.
This visit to the FR&WHR provides them with their first real experience of working on an operational railway doing the type of maintenance and repair tasks that they can expect to be doing on a day-to-day basis when working in their Network Rail depots.
Whilst the track gauge may be narrower than the national rail network, the experience gained provides the apprentices with a valuable insight into track maintenance, and enables Network Rail to make a significant contribution not only to the FR&WHR, but also to Wales and the local community by buying all services (accommodation, food, vehicle and coach hire) from businesses within the local area of Porthmadog.

Notes:

Network Rail’s apprentice scheme offers 200 places every year. The apprentices gain vital experience as they specialise in track, signalling, telecoms and electrification and plant.
Over the next two years they will work under supervision gaining vital experience as they train to become maintenance technicians. Throughout this time they will return to HMS Sultan for further courses and ongoing training.



FGW Class 43 arrives at Honeybourne on a very wet Saturday (7th July 2012).... Oliver Cromwell (70013) came through a few minutes later with the Cotswold Venturer..... (Shedmaster)