Bombardier Wins ‘Excellence in Technology’ Award at Inaugural European Rail Congress in London
Bombardier received the award for Excellence in Technology for the FLEXX Tronic WAKO system - an innovative mechatronic solution designed to compensate the natural roll movement of a train carbody. The system allows increased speed in curves resulting in shorter journey times with lower investment in infrastructure. The system also provides economic benefits to operators through lower energy consumption and reduced wheel and rail wear, which in turn extends wheel life. The FLEXX Tronic system will feature on the new BOMBARDIER TWINDEXX Express trains being provided for SBB in Switzerland.
The European Rail Congress aims to bring the European railway industry together to celebrate its achievements in providing efficient, high quality and safe connectivity across Europe. The summit provided a dynamic platform for key European rail industry figures to discuss key issues, share best practice and identify key challenges and opportunities for the European rail market. Speakers at the Congress included Vladimir Yakunin, President, Russian Railways, Alain Flausch, UITP, Mike Brown, Managing Director of London Underground and London Rail, and Anders Ygeman, Chair of Committee on Transport and Communications, Rikstag (Swedish Parliament).
Bombardier’s FLEXX bogie portfolio is the most comprehensive in the world. Every day, more than 200,000 FLEXX bogies operating around the globe cover a distance equivalent to 130 return trips from the Earth to the moon and under a variety of challenging conditions, ranging from Scandinavian winters to the Saudi Arabian heat in the desert and reaching altitudes of more than 5,000 metres near the roof of the world in China.
Bombardier Strengthens Presence in North American Rail Control Sector
November 14, 2013 New York Transportation, Press Release
- Latest technology for New York commuter lines will increase passenger safety
- Bombardier will bring its system integration experience to the project on sections of the two largest commuter lines in the USA
- Technology will serve more than 160 million passengers per year
The total LIRR contract for phase one delivery is valued at $105 million US (79 million euro) with Bombardier’s share valued at approximately $57 million US (43 million euro). If all phases and options are exercised, the total value to the consortium would be $218 million US (163 million euro) with Bombardier’s share valued at approximately $107 million US (80 million euro).
The total Metro-North contract for phase one delivery is valued at $86 million US (64 million euro) with Bombardier’s share valued at approximately $44 million US (33 million euro). If all phases and options are exercised, the total value to the consortium would be $210 million US (157 million euro) with Bombardier’s share valued at approximately $129 million US (96 million euro).
PTC automatically stops or slows a train before certain accidents could occur. In particular, the technology is designed to prevent train-to-train collisions, derailments caused by excessive speed, unauthorised incursions by trains onto sections of track where repairs are being made and movement of a train through a track switch in the wrong position.
Bombardier will lead the system integration, project management and design, as well as deliver the operational control centre sub-systems. In addition to the temporary speed restriction (TSR) and user interface (UIS) systems, communications systems and wayside transponders, Bombardier's scope will also include the roadway worker protection system (RWPS), a key element of PTC. Siemens will deliver the onboard equipment as well as wayside interface units. The upgrade will be delivered on up to 700 miles (1,100 km) of track and 1,500 vehicles across the two railroads. The US Congress’ Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires railroads in the United States to install PTC on tracks that carry passengers or toxic-by-inhalation materials.
Peter Cedervall, President, Rail Control Solutions, Bombardier Transportation, said: “These orders further strengthen our commitment to the North American signalling market and reflect our successful long-term partnership with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its rail agencies. Our experience in delivering the most advanced rail control solutions around the world, together with the focus of our United States-based team will ensure the successful delivery of the project.”
Bombardier’s Rail Control Solutions portfolio covers the whole range of BOMBARDIER CITYFLO mass transit solutions, from manual to fully automatic systems as well as communication-based systems. It also provides BOMBARDIER INTERFLO mainline solutions, from conventional systems to European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Level 3 systems. Bombardier solutions encompass a complete palette of wayside and onboard products.
Alstom delivers its 1,500th Citadis tram for the opening of the new T7 line in the Ile-de-France
On Saturday November 16th, Alstom delivered its 1,500th Citadis tram on the occasion of the launch by STIF (Ile-de-France Transport Union) and the RATP of the Ile-de-France's tram line 7. The inauguration of the new line was held in the maintenance and the storage depot in Vitry-sur-Seine in the presence of Jean-Paul Huchon, President of STIF, Pierre Mongin, President of the RATP and Jérôme Wallut, Managing Director of Alstom Transport France.
Alstom has supplied a total of 19 32-metre long trams, each able to carry about 200 passengers, equivalent to more than three buses. The trams will operate on the T7 line, 11.2 km long, which links Villejuif (Val de Marne) with Athis-Mons (Essonne) and serves 18 stations. There are plans to extend the line further between Athis-Mons and Juvisy-sur-Orge (2018). STIF ordered the trams in February 2011 as part of a contract covering the supply of 39 Citadis trams for the T7 and T8 lines (Saint-Denis to Epinay and Villetaneuse[1]). The deal covered by the contract includes the potential for up to 70 trams.
The delivery of the 1,500th Citadis tram demonstrates the success of this tram. Since it entered service in France, back in 2000, in Montpellier and Orléans, 1,500 Citadis trams have been delivered to 33 cities in France and abroad, the most recent being Tunis, Bordeaux and Tours. Citadis trams have already carried over six billion passengers and covered over 500 million kilometres. Ten cities are awaiting delivery of their Citadis trams, including Aubagne and Avignon in France and Dubaï and Cuenca abroad. 226 trams will be delivered in the next two years.
CAF TO PARTICIPATE IN AUSRAIL 2013 FROM 26 TO 28 NOVEMBER IN SYDNEY
CAF will participate one time more in the AusRail exhibition to be held in Sydney form 26 to 28 November.
Business steadying at Vossloh
- Order backlog at new all-time high of over €1.7 billion
- Sales up over year-earlier level, EBIT well short
- Forecast for all of 2013 reaffirmed
- For 2014, accelerating sales and improved profitability expected
Following a difficult first six months, business at the Vossloh Group steadied in the third quarter of 2013. Nine-month sales were well above the 2012 level. Although EBIT failed to match the good year-earlier volume, it did improve over the two preceding quarters. With order influx of €551.3 million in Q3, the Group’s order backlog has surged to a new all-time high of €1.75 billion. Also, the litigation largely accounting for the heavy one-off burdens was finally settled this October.
“For the year ahead, we are expecting sales to accelerate significantly and EBIT much improved compared with this year. This prediction is substantiated by the highest-ever order backlog in the history of the Group, especially thanks to the slews of orders booked by the Transportation division. We will also benefit from the fact that outside of Europe Vossloh is increasingly winning new contracts,” said Werner Andree, CEO of Vossloh AG. Over the past years, the Group has been rigorously internationalizing its business. Whereas at the start of 2007, the markets outside of Europe accounted for just under ten percent of the total, by September 30, 2013, the percentage had risen to 38.6. Concurrently, Vossloh has succeeded in expanding its foremost position inside Europe.
Nine-month group sales in 2013 amounted to €971.6 million, a sharp 9.0-percent gain over the year-earlier period. Sales in the third quarter grew 9.4 percent to €350.3 million. The Rail Infrastructure division was the chief propeller of this performance.
Vossloh generated a 3-quarter EBIT of €34.4 million in 2013 (down year-on-year from €61.1 million). The Group’s 9-month EBIT margin was 3.5 percent (down from 6.9). ROCE came to 5.1 percent (down from 9.7) for the nine months but, in Q3, did recover to 9.8 percent. Three-quarter group earnings contracted year-on-year from €31.4 million to €4.3 million, earnings per share from €2.62 to €0.36.
Rail Infrastructure
The Rail Infrastructure division which comprises all the related products and services, reported 3-quarter sales of €671.8 million (17.5 percent up). All three business units contributed, especially Vossloh Fastening Systems. Q3 sales by the Rail Infrastructure division rose from €218.4 million to €246.1 million. For the 9-month period, EBIT hiked up to €72.6 million, a 23.8-percent surge. The division’s Q3 EBIT likewise showed a sharp improvement, rising by 14.0 percent to €30.7 million. At September 30, 2013, the division’s order backlog totaled €542.5 million (down from €625.9 million).
Nine-month sales by the Fastening Systems business unit soared year-on-year by 45.5 percent to €291.7 million. Vossloh Fastening Systems reported significant sales increases this year in China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Poland, and the UAE.
Three-quarter sales by the Switch Systems business unit inched up from €334.3 million to €338.2 million. Business branching out beyond Europe largely made up for ongoing weak markets within Europe.
The Rail Services business unit lifted its 3-quarter sales by 11.5 percent to €44.3 million, with added revenue especially in high-speed grinding, the haulage of rails, and logistics.
Transportation
In the Transportation division that bundles rail vehicle and vehicle component business including the related services, sales in the first nine months of 2013 slipped from €320.4 million to €299.8 million. However, in Q3/2013 the division did improve its sales, by €2.2 million to €104.2 million. Its 9-month EBIT turned around from a black €16.1 million to €22.8 million in the red.
The prime reason for the plummeting EBIT was the double-digit million transfer to the provision for damages claimed, part of which had already been accrued before. The litigation in connection with the claim has meanwhile been settled. The division’s September 30 order backlog jumped from €925.3 million a year ago to €1,203.3 million in 2013. Hence, the division has a very solid sales base for 2014 and 2015, with an order backlog theoretically enough to keep it busy into 2016.
Three-quarter sales by the Transportation Systems business unit slid from €205.7 million to €188.0 million. At the German plant location in Kiel, 9-month sales mounted 5.9 percent to €84.8 million. Revenue at the Valencia location in Spain, which builds locomotives and local-transport rail vehicles, shrank in the period from €125.7 million to €103.2 million.
Nine-month sales at the Electrical Systems business unit receded from €120.7 million to €114.3 million.
Employees
At September 30, 2013, the Vossloh Group had a worldwide workforce of 5,603, up 586 year-on-year. In Germany, the September 30 workforce rose from 1,749 the year before to 1,802 in 2013.
Prospects
On the basis of the business trend after nine months, Vossloh reaffirms its 2013 forecast which, on the publication of the semiannual report as of June 30, 2013, had been adjusted to allow for project delays and one-off burdens in the Transportation division. For fiscal 2013, Vossloh is predicting a group sales growth of a good 5 percent and an EBIT margin of around 4 to 5 percent.
Given the new record order backlog, Vossloh expects for 2014 an appreciable rise in sales and so a growth of 10 to 15 percent is conceivable at group level. Moreover, without the one-off burdens that depressed fiscal 2013 and assuming a surge in sales, a significantly upgraded profitability can be expected in 2014.
Key indicators at a glance
| Vossloh Group | 9 months 2013 | 9 months 2012 | Δ % | Q3/2013 | Q3/2012 | Δ % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order intake | € million | 1,169.6 | 945.5 | +23.7 | 551.3 | 371.9 | +48.3 |
| Order backlog | € million | 1,745.8 | 1.550.3 | +12.6 | 1,745.8 | 1,550.3 | +12.6 |
| Sales | € million | 971.6 | 891.5 | +9.0 | 350.3 | 320.2 | +9.4 |
| EBIT | € million | 34.4 | 61.1 | –43.7 | 21.9 | 30.1 | –27.3 |
| EBIT margin | % | 3.5 | 6.9 | — | 6.3 | 9.4 | — |
| ROCE | % | 5.1 | 9.7 | — | 9.8 | 14.0 | — |
| Value added | € million | (22.9) | (2.1) | — | 2.8 | 8.6 | -67.3 |
| Group earnings | € million | 4.3 | 31.4 | –86.3 | 6.0 | 16.8 | –52.2 |
| Earnings per share | € | 0.36 | 2.62 | –86.3 | 0.67 | 1.40 | –52.1 |
Transmashholding
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CSX and GE Transportation Partner to Pilot Liquefied Natural Gas Locomotives
- Exploring potential to revolutionize locomotive technology
- Goal is to reduce emissions and fuel costs
“LNG technology has the potential to offer one of the most significant developments in railroading since the transition from steam to diesel in the 1950s,” said Oscar Munoz, executive vice president and chief operating officer, CSX Corporation. “That change took many years to complete and began with a lot of unknowns, and this one is no different. But aggressively exploring this technology is consistent with CSX’s focus on tomorrow, its longstanding commitment to efficient and environmentally friendly transportation, and its role in helping to promote U.S. energy independence. GE Transportation has the know-how to provide the right LNG solution for our locomotive fleet and help us better understand the feasibility of LNG technology from a safety, operations and economic perspective.”
Natural gas-fueled locomotives can travel longer distances without refueling stops, as well as provide environmental and economic benefits. Adoption of natural gas-fueled locomotives will make freight rail an even more attractive transportation solution and furthers the industry’s ability to absorb traffic from the nation’s highways in an environmentally efficient way.
“Locomotives are at an inflection point in balancing engine performance with efficiency and adherence to emissions standards,” said Russell Stokes, chief executive officer, GE Transportation. “As we enter a new era of energy sources and what’s possible for rail transport, we are excited to partner with CSX and lead the LNG transformation for the industry.”
GE has been testing low-pressure natural gas technology since spring of 2013, and is working closely with CSX and other Class 1 partners. Field tests are expected to begin in 2014. GE’s NextFuel(TM) kits allow railroads to use natural gas as a fuel source, reducing emissions and potentially reducing fuel costs while not compromising performance. An Evolution Series locomotive equipped with the NextFuel Natural Gas Retrofit Kit meets US EPA Tier 3 emission standards.
CSX will be working over the next few months to develop a test plan and secure regulatory concurrence. For CSX, GE Transportation will deploy its new NextFuelTM Natural Gas Retrofit Kits that enable existing Evolution Series locomotives to operate with dual fuel capabilities. CSX and GE will also work on the continued development of LNG technology for other classes of locomotives to promote gains across a larger portion of the CSX locomotive fleet, and will work closely with key stakeholders and agencies across government to ensure safety, realize environmental and other benefits, and advance LNG deployment.
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Adrian
Vaughan: The Great Western’s Last Year. Efficiency in Adversity
This is the latest offering from Adrian Vaughan. And
experienced readers of his previous books on Brunel , the Great Western
Railway and the history of Britain’s
railways (Railwaymen, Politics and Money…an essential read!) will know and
appreciate the meticulous research the author undertakes to tell the story as
it is….or in this case….as it was.
“The Great Western’s Last Year” is something of a
swansong for this most famous of railway companies. 112 years of service to the
nation, through two debilitating world wars, and yet, at the end, a solvent
company..a profitable dividend paying company without any government subsidies.
Having had its future “snatched from us” (W J Stevens p
223) it was still functioning as if it was going to go on serving the nation
forever!
Adrian Vaughan sets out the last year (1947) month by
month, and in each chapter recounts Board of Directors meetings and decisions,
staff issues, rolling stock and locomotive updates, derailments, collisions,
and a financial update month by month.
And what a year 1947 was! A ferocious winter strained the
GWR’s resources to the full..and beyond.. ..as well as coping with the demands of the 1946 Transport Bill heralding
nationalization. Viscount Portal (Chairman of the GWR Board) observed that
“Although it has long been recognized that the main transport problem is to be
solved by a greater measure of co-ordination between the various forms of
transport, the Bill contains no constructive plan for dealing with this
problem”
(It was ever thus!)
Still, the GWR continued as before….”Pride in the Job” being
one of its mottos…
This motto was well illustrated in the book, and the
subtitle “Efficiency in Adversity” says it all.
Here are some of the events….a breakaway in the Severn
Tunnel(p 67), prompt actions preventing
a serious mishap (p 69) , the sad case of Fireman Morgan (p97) , the last GWR Royal Train (p 178),
the demonstrating of the GWR patented ATC system (p 181)
and the Kings Sutton mishap (p 187)
Right up to the end, the GWR was busy renovating,
refurbishing, renewing its rolling and locomotive
stock…indeed, 1947 saw the introduction of the 9400 0-6-0 pannier tank class, 10 being
built at Swindon and the other 190 built by contractors including Robert
Stephenson and Co, who had built the first successful GWR locomotive “North
Star” in 1837!
At the last General Meeting (5th March 1948)
Viscount Portal concluded by saying “..we shall always remember with pride and affection the part we were
privileged to play in dealing with the administration of the company’s
affairs….”
The reader will be left with the distinct feeling that
this was not a business in decline, but had an ethos where public service came
first, whatever the challenges may have been…weather, accident, staffing ,
derailments, government policy..
What a legacy to have left behind!
Gone with regret. Gone , but not forgotten.
Steam Tube has 3 copies remaining of this excellent book . £15-00 including P & P
Contact shedmaster at peterlewis2@gmail.com
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