CZECH open-access long-distance passenger operator Leo Express announced on June 24 that it has carried more than 400,000 passengers in the six months since the launch of its full timetable on January 18.
Courtesy: Leo Express
THE second phase of the light rail network in the Norwegian city of Bergen was inaugurated on June 21, when Hordaland county mayor Mr Tom-Christer Nilsen and Bergen mayor Mrs Trude Drevlan officially opened the 3.6km extension from Nesttun to Lagunen station in the district of Rådal.
RIFT Valley Railways (RVR) says it expects to begin test operation on its northern Uganda branch from Tororo near the the Kenyan border to Pakwach on the northern shore of Lake Albert by the end of July, 18 years after services were suspended.
TAIWAN High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) has awarded a consortium of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Toshiba the contract for trackwork and electrical & mechanical (E&M) works on the 9.2km extension of the Kaohsiung – Taipei high-speed line from Taipei Railway Station to Nangang.
The Future of Connectivity...Today! Profiling innovative and practical examples of regionalism, connectivity and co-location, this edition of DigitalCT magazine underscores themes the Association has reinforced for more than five years, stressing the importance of linkages between mobility networks and recognizing the value of the customer experience.
The Future of Connectivity...Today! - See more HERE
US Federal Railroad Administration
Federal Railroad Administrator Celebrates Groundbreaking at Tukwila Station, Tours Mudslide Sites on Pacific Northwest Corridor.
TUKWILA, Wash. – Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph C. Szabo today joined Congressman Adam Smith and other state and local officials for the groundbreaking of the new passenger rail station in Tukwila, Wash. The $46 million Tukwila Station project, which received $14.2 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation, will reconstruct and enhance the temporary station that’s currently in place, transforming it into a modern, multi-modal transportation hub.
“President Obama is committed to modernizing our nation’s transportation infrastructure and bringing more good transportation choices to all Americans,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “The Tukwila Station project will make connections between car, rail and bus easier and more efficient for thousands of area residents and visitors.”
The project involves construction of a new passenger rail station in Tukwila, including two new platforms, a parking lot with long-term parking for Amtrak patrons, an improved pedestrian underpass and enhanced passenger amenities, creating a modernized train station for Amtrak Cascades, Sound Transit (ST) commuter rail, ST Express and King County Metro Transit Bus customers.
The project received a portion of its funding from the FRA’s $814 million investment in the High-Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail Program (HSIPR) dedicated to the Pacific Northwest. These funds are paying for upgrades to one of the busiest intercity passenger rail corridors in the nation, which runs between Vancouver, B.C., and Eugene, Ore. The upgrades are essential, as the number of roundtrips between Portland and Seattle is expected to increase by 50 percent in just five years.
Later in the day, the FRA Administrator joined officials from BNSF Railway and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to tour portions of the Pacific Northwest Corridor affected by recent mudslides. The FRA is investing $16.1 million in HSIPR funds to alleviate mudslide problems there. The slope stabilization project, which commences this summer, will improve stability and construct catchment walls at six locations in and around the Seattle/Everett area.
“With congestion already costing Seattle and Portland $2.7 billion annually, it's important that we improve safety, reliability and trip times,” said Administrator Szabo. “The slope stabilization project set to begin this summer in Washington is fundamental to safety and will enhance reliability for passengers and freight.”
FRA and its 32 state partners continue to make significant progress on HSIPR projects across the country. With $12 billion in federal funding, the agency is moving forward with 152 projects nationwide, laying the foundation for a 21st century passenger rail network. Fifty-two HSIPR projects worth $3.6 billion in funding are currently completed, under construction or will soon start construction in 19 states and the District of Columbia.
www.railway-technology.com Updates...
European Commission asks UK and France to reduce Channel Tunnel charges
The European Commission (EC) has started legal proceedings by issuing a 'formal request' to the UK and France to reduce charges for trains running through the Channel Tunnel, as passengers and freight operators have been overcharged for using the service.
Tutor Perini wins San Francisco Central Subway Project
Tutor Perini has won an $840m contract to carry out the second phase of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency's (SFMTA) Third Street light rail project, including central subway stations, surface, track and systems.
World Bank funds Nanchang urban rail project in China
The World Bank has provided a loan of $250m to support the development of an urban rail line in Nanchang, China.
Ansaldo secures ERTMS signalling system contracts in Algeria and France
Ansaldo STS, a unit of Finmeccanica Group, has secured a €40m contract in Algeria and a €13m contract in France to install ERTMS signalling systems.
Shedmaster Railway News
Alstom to build trams for Ukraine - Railway Gazette
Moscow to get 120 Pesa trams - Railway Gazette
Christian Wolmar » Blog Archive
Subterranean Railway (Atlantic Books, 2012)
A social history of the tube
The Subterranean Railway celebrates the fantastic achievement of the Underground’s pioneers who created a transport system that was not only unique in the world but also was vital in creating the London we know today. Read more >>
World Heritage & Railway News
Dunster Country Fair « West Somerset Railway
News | The East Lancashire Railway
Super 70s Boogie Wonderland | North Yorkshire Moors Railway :: A steam train adventure through the stunning Yorkshire Moors
Railway Engineering News
Charleroi light rail returns to Gosselies - Railway Gazette
Encouraging Response on First Day of Free Travel Trial | Press Room
Africa Rail | 24 - 27 June 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell us your Railway News!