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March 13, 2013

International & UK Railway News Wednesday 13th March 2013

International Railway Journal

FOUR regional railways operating in the Vaud, Fribourg, and Berne cantons of western Switzerland have awarded Stadler Bussnang a joint contract worth a total of SFr 150m ($US 158m) to supply 17 metre-gauge emus, which will be delivered between January 2015 and July 2016.

KAZAKHSTAN Railways (KTZ) has awarded a contract to Systra to oversee the design and construction of the country's first high-speed line. Systra has already conducted a feasibility study for the project.

SOARING traffic has encouraged Chilean State Railways (EFE) to dust off plans for a new suburban service in Santiago, and extensions to the commuter rail lines in Concepción and Valparaíso.

TRANSPORT for New South Wales (TfNSW) has formed an alliance with Australian partners Leighton Contractors and Abigroup to carry out the $A 265m ($US 273m) Epping – Thornleigh Third Track (ETTT) project, which will increase capacity through a major bottleneck in the Sydney area.

BOMBARDIER has appointed Mr Lutz Bertling as president and chief operating officer of Bombardier Transportation with effect from June 3.


www.progressiverailroading.com US News


  • Value of ag exports at Virginia port reached record level last year
  • Service returning to Hoboken Terminal, NJ Transit says
  • TriMet sues Clackamas County over Portland-Milwaukie light-rail project
  • CTA completes first phase of Wells Street Bridge reconstruction
  • CN reassigns three execs to VP posts
  • STB extends procedural time schedule for proposed costing system changes
  • Ohio utilities commission OKs crossing upgrades
  • Coming tomorrow: Progressive Railroading's free 'Derailment Prevention Strategies' webcast
  • Rail supplier updates from Bombardier, Amsted, Greenbrier, Tideworks, Ricardo and Parsons Brinckerhoff (March 13)

  • www.railway-technology.com Updates..

    Canadian National Railway testing natural gas as locomotive fuel Canadian National Railway (CN) has started a research project on the commercial and environmental benefits of using natural gas as a rail locomotive fuel. 
          
    Rail.One set to build railroad tie manufacturing plant in the US
    Germany-based concrete sleeper manufacturer Rail.One Group has announced that it will build a new a railroad tie production plant in Iowa, US. 
          
    East Coast to modernise Newcastle Central station
    British train operator East Coast has unveiled plans to modernise Newcastle Central station to create a new gateway to the city of Newcastle upon Tyne and the wider North East region of England. 
          
    Aurizon and GVK to jointly develop rail and port in Australia
    Aurizon and GVK Coal Infrastructure (GVK Hancock) have signed an agreement to jointly develop around $6bn worth of rail and port infrastructure with a capacity to handle 60 million tonnes of coal per year in the Galilee coal basin in Queensland, Australia.


    Plus...
    Shedmaster Railway News
    railwaygazette.com reports that Den Haag's city-owned company The Hague Trains Holding has invited expressions of interest in a two-year contract to operate inter-city services between Den Haag and Brussels.

    World Heritage & Railway News

    An invitation from eastlancsrailway.org.uk - Have you ever dreamed of driving a train from station to station through scenic countryside? The East Lancashire Railway’s Footplate Experience Days provide an ideal opportunity to fulfil your childhood dreams...

    Railway Engineering News
    railwaygazette.com reports that in Kazakhstan, the National railway KTZ has awarded Systra a contract to oversee the design and construction of a 1 011 km high speed railway between Almaty and Astana.




    ATOC

    Train companies helping disabled passengers 'get the most out of rail travel'

    11/03/2013

    Transport Minister Norman Baker MP will today launch an improved website designed with the help of disabled people for rail passengers who may need assistance when travelling by rail.

    The Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) has expanded and renamed its successful Rail Travel Made Easy website, adding more information and advice on rail travel for the increasing numbers of disabled people now travelling by train.

    The revamped site, now called Rail Accessibility – Rail Travel Made Easy, will be launched at a meeting of the National Rail Accessibility Group in Parliament this afternoon.

    The Rail Accessibility site contains more information for disabled passengers, including:

    - Advice and information for passengers about booking assistance
    - Tips for finding out information about station accessibility and how to get the most from rail services
    - Videos and feedback from disabled passengers on how to make successful journeys

    David Sindall, Head of Disability and Inclusion at ATOC, said: “Record numbers of disabled passengers are now taking the train and this improved site will help even more people get the most out of rail travel.

    “We are always looking for ways to make rail travel easier for disabled passengers and this site will provide helpful tips for those passengers who may not have travelled by train before.

    “The Rail Accessibility site is aimed at those older and disabled people who may not know about the different types of facilities that are available to them.”

    Developed in collaboration with Wideaware Ltd, a consultancy run by disabled people, the site is intended to give disabled passengers more information about travelling on the National Rail network.

    Maria Zedda, Managing Director of Wideaware said: “This has been a very exciting project to be involved in. The Rail Accessibility – Rail Travel Made Easy website will deliver really useful information to disabled and older passengers.”

    ENDS

    Notes:

    - The updated site can be found at its new address here
    - The Rail Accessibility site has been funded by the Department for Transport’s Railways for All fund
    - ATOC estimates that there were around 72 million journeys made by disabled people on the rail network last year, an increase of 58% compared to five years previously
    - More information on the Disabled Persons Railcard can be found here

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