The big story today is that First Group will no longer be the ScotRail franchisee from Spring 2015.
Abellio is the new operator....So, First Group win one (a 5 year extension on the Great Western franchise awarded earlier this week.) and lose one..(ScotRail)
Elsewhere, an HS2 link at Toton looks like it will be shunted into the sidings....
A Cambridge to Oxford link championed...
An RMT strike soon on the Tube?
Bath residents' views on electrification of the main line...
Grand Central's £7.8 million investment plans...
In the USA, the lobbying group USHSR continues to bang the drum... but some commuters using Amtrak would like to think they could get where they are going a good deal more punctually than at present.....
Click on the links....
Headlines
UK
Scotland: No trains are running between Keith and Elgin because of flooding, affecting the Inverness-Aberdeen service.(BBC News)....check before travelling...
First Group loses ScotRail franchise. (BBC News)
Going Dutch: First Group loses out in race for £2.5bn ScotRail franchise.(heraldscotland)
FirstGroup statement on ScotRail franchise
08 Oct 2014
FirstGroup, the leading transport operator in the UK and North America, has been informed by Transport Scotland that it has not been awarded the new ScotRail franchise.
Commenting, Tim O’Toole, FirstGroup’s Chief Executive, said:
“We are very proud of our success in operating First ScotRail and our team were recognised last week, once again, as Rail Operator of the Year. We have kept our promises and more for ten years, delivering record levels of service including during this extraordinary summer in Scotland with the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup. Our bid would have delivered even greater levels of service and growth, and we are disappointed we will not have the opportunity to implement the credible plans we submitted, building on our record of improvement across every measurable score, for the benefit of ScotRail's passengers and employees.
“We shall continue to operate First ScotRail until the new franchise commences on 1 April 2015. Until that time we will deliver further enhancements to trains and stations including further free Wi-Fi and continue important work to enable the extension of smart ticketing across the whole country and the opening of the Borders Railway next year.
“Today’s news does not alter the Group’s stated medium-term targets. As one of the largest and most experienced rail operators we are actively participating in franchise competitions with the objective of achieving earnings on a par with the last round of franchising, with an acceptable level of risk. We are in negotiations with the Department for Transport (DfT) to operate the First TransPennine Express franchise until February 2016, and continue discussions with the DfT in respect of a potential longer direct award to operate First Great Western, our largest franchise, over the period when a substantial programme of infrastructure upgrades and introduction of new trains will take place on the network.”
FirstGroup has operated the First ScotRail franchise since 2004 and during that time has:
- Provided more services and introduced new trains: Scotland now has its biggest ever timetable of 2,300 services each day, up by 300 since 2004. In addition 215 extra coaches have been introduced. This has helped to attract new passengers, with customer numbers rising to more than 86 million – an increase of 34% since 2004.
- Improved service quality: Punctuality and reliability scores reached a record high this year of 95.3% - up from 84% in 2004, and customer satisfaction is at its highest ever level at 90% - eight points higher than the UK average and six points higher than in 2004.
- Invested in Scotland’s rail services: more than £82 million invested since 2004 including station improvements of £56m and improvements to rolling stock of £26.3m. More than 130 trains and 50 stations have been fitted with free Wi-Fi.
- Invested in our people to deliver performance and customer service: Employee numbers increased from 3,500 to 4,900 including nearly 300 more drivers. We achieved Investors in People Gold status, the largest UK Company to do so, and we launched a Modern Apprenticeship in Customer Service – the first of its kind in the rail industry.
- Awarded Rail Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards on 2 October 2014 for the third time in six years and also current Rail Business of the Year.
- Forged effective partnerships: First ScotRail was one of the first train operating companies to sign an alliance agreement with Network Rail, resulting in savings including the delivery of the industry-leading Paisley Canal line electrification project within 6 months whilst reducing the costs from £28m to £12m.
- Delivered Scotland’s successful year of events in 2014: First ScotRail carried more than 1.1 million people to the Commonwealth Games, and 50,000 to the Ryder Cup as well as Edinburgh Festivals and Bannockburn Live.
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Transport Scotland
New deal to transform rail services
New trains, revamped stations and a huge range of other benefits will overhaul the ScotRail franchise.
Transport Minister Keith Brown today announced that the competition to win the single biggest contract let by the Scottish Government has been won by operator Abellio.
The company will invest millions in providing an improved service and superior facilities for passengers and a better deal for staff.
Included in the new franchise, worth up to £6billion and launching on April 1, 2015, are measures to make train travel more attractive across the board.
There will be a break clause for the franchise after 5 years.
For passengers -
• free wifi on all trains
• new approach to cycling with more than 3,500 parking spaces and bike-hire at a number of stations.
• 23% more carriages across the network,
• reduced fares for jobseekers,
• high-speed intercity diesel trains, with over a third more seats,
• advance fares of £5 between any two Scottish cities,
• Great Scenic Railway scheme bringing more tourists to the north, the south west and the Borders,
• major shopping developments at the stations at Aberdeen and Inverness.
For staff –
• a commitment to earnings of at least the living wage for all staff and subcontractors,
• at least 100 apprenticeships,
• guarantee of no compulsory redundancies throughout the life of the contract,
• rail staff pensions and travel rights protected,
• introduction of guaranteed trade union representation on every franchise Board meeting.
Announcing the new contract, Mr Brown said:
“The Scottish Government believes good public transport improves the lives of the people and the economy of Scotland. Following extensive consultation by the Scottish Government, Scotland’s railway has attracted a world leading contract to deliver for rail staff and passengers.
“We’ve already ensured that regulated rail fares will stay in line with inflation or less, and Abellio has come up with some truly innovative ways to make rail even more affordable, such as the £5 intercity fare anywhere in Scotland and reduced ticket prices for jobseekers and those newly in work, as well as a Price Promise for guaranteed best value fares.
“There will be benefits all over the country, with faster services between all our cities, new trains in the Central Belt, a Great Scenic Railway scheme bringing more tourists to the north, the south west and the Borders and major shopping developments at the stations at Aberdeen and Inverness. Glasgow will be the new base for Abellio in the UK with around 200 jobs.
“Trains will have more space for prams and wheelchairs, there will be rigorous new service quality control measures ensuring cleaner trains and improved right-time measures. We’ll see later services for concerts and events and improved integration with bus, ferry and air timetables, alongside a £520,000 Station Travel Planning ‘Plus’ programme and a Journey Companion app with door-to-door travel info, to ensure passengers can get straight from A-B.
“Every single Scottish station will have CCTV and passengers will enjoy improved waiting facilities at 40 stations, extra retail facilities at up to 50 stations, and hundreds of new car parking spaces.
“All employees including employees of subcontractors will be paid at least the living wage and a new Scottish training academy will be established.
“And for the wider community, unused station buildings will be transformed into premises for start-up businesses, locally-sourced food and drink will provide improved on-train catering, ScotRail training facilities will be available to charities free of charge and the franchisee will pay out £500,000 every year for rail-related community schemes.
“These exciting plans mean that our railways will continue to be innovative, passenger-led and a hugely important driver in Scotland’s long-term success and sustainability.
“This is a contract that will benefit the whole of Scotland.”
Transport Minister Keith Brown today announced that the competition to win the single biggest contract let by the Scottish Government has been won by operator Abellio.
The company will invest millions in providing an improved service and superior facilities for passengers and a better deal for staff.
Included in the new franchise, worth up to £6billion and launching on April 1, 2015, are measures to make train travel more attractive across the board.
There will be a break clause for the franchise after 5 years.
For passengers -
• free wifi on all trains
• new approach to cycling with more than 3,500 parking spaces and bike-hire at a number of stations.
• 23% more carriages across the network,
• reduced fares for jobseekers,
• high-speed intercity diesel trains, with over a third more seats,
• advance fares of £5 between any two Scottish cities,
• Great Scenic Railway scheme bringing more tourists to the north, the south west and the Borders,
• major shopping developments at the stations at Aberdeen and Inverness.
For staff –
• a commitment to earnings of at least the living wage for all staff and subcontractors,
• at least 100 apprenticeships,
• guarantee of no compulsory redundancies throughout the life of the contract,
• rail staff pensions and travel rights protected,
• introduction of guaranteed trade union representation on every franchise Board meeting.
Announcing the new contract, Mr Brown said:
“The Scottish Government believes good public transport improves the lives of the people and the economy of Scotland. Following extensive consultation by the Scottish Government, Scotland’s railway has attracted a world leading contract to deliver for rail staff and passengers.
“We’ve already ensured that regulated rail fares will stay in line with inflation or less, and Abellio has come up with some truly innovative ways to make rail even more affordable, such as the £5 intercity fare anywhere in Scotland and reduced ticket prices for jobseekers and those newly in work, as well as a Price Promise for guaranteed best value fares.
“There will be benefits all over the country, with faster services between all our cities, new trains in the Central Belt, a Great Scenic Railway scheme bringing more tourists to the north, the south west and the Borders and major shopping developments at the stations at Aberdeen and Inverness. Glasgow will be the new base for Abellio in the UK with around 200 jobs.
“Trains will have more space for prams and wheelchairs, there will be rigorous new service quality control measures ensuring cleaner trains and improved right-time measures. We’ll see later services for concerts and events and improved integration with bus, ferry and air timetables, alongside a £520,000 Station Travel Planning ‘Plus’ programme and a Journey Companion app with door-to-door travel info, to ensure passengers can get straight from A-B.
“Every single Scottish station will have CCTV and passengers will enjoy improved waiting facilities at 40 stations, extra retail facilities at up to 50 stations, and hundreds of new car parking spaces.
“All employees including employees of subcontractors will be paid at least the living wage and a new Scottish training academy will be established.
“And for the wider community, unused station buildings will be transformed into premises for start-up businesses, locally-sourced food and drink will provide improved on-train catering, ScotRail training facilities will be available to charities free of charge and the franchisee will pay out £500,000 every year for rail-related community schemes.
“These exciting plans mean that our railways will continue to be innovative, passenger-led and a hugely important driver in Scotland’s long-term success and sustainability.
“This is a contract that will benefit the whole of Scotland.”
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Abellio's Statement......
Dutch passenger transport group Abellio welcomed the decision of Transport Scotland today to award them the opportunity to run the next ScotRail franchise.
Jeff Hoogesteger, CEO of Abellio Group, said of the decision, “This is a huge day for Abellio and indeed the Netherlands which has such a rich history of commercial and cultural trade with Scotland. Abellio is delighted and incredibly excited to have been given this opportunity to manage Scotland’s national rail network. For two years our team has been on a journey across Scotland and met people from the Borders, across the seven cities and to the very peak of the Far North Line so that we could prepare a plan that would meet and exceed the expectations of the Scottish Government.
“We look forward to delivering significant new benefits for passengers under the next franchise. Highlights will include new trains between Glasgow and Edinburgh, upgraded intercity services, better connectivity and journey times, innovative new fares, major station investments, a £1m community rail programme, and an employee gain share scheme.”
Dominic Booth, Managing Director of Abellio UK added, “We would like to congratulate Transport Scotland on a transparent and extremely robust procurement process underpinned by a very clear vision of the role of the next franchise in driving long term socio-economic development. Abellio’s record of collaborative, partnership working rests at the heart of our commitment to deliver that vision.
“With a population of 5.3 million and 82.5 million passenger journeys a year on ScotRail not once did we underestimate the challenge of delivering a high quality service to existing passengers while encouraging more people to use the network.”
Our plans to transform the ScotRail franchise for passengers include:
Brand new trains operating between Edinburgh and Glasgow as part of the EGIP project
- Eighty new trains due to arrive at start of December 2017
- Free Wi-Fi capability throughout all carriages
- Enhanced catering service for passengers
A true intercity offer Scotland can be proud of:
Transformation of the quality of inter-city services by introducing a fully refurbished fleet of HSTs by December 2018 to connect the seven cities. The refurbishment will deliver:
- high quality on-board service, buffet and at seat catering
- a proper First Class offer for business travellers
- more toilets, luggage space and bike accommodation
- improved journey times and connectivity between the key cities
A major investment programme for the flagship stations:
- Aberdeen: major investment in concourse and retail development to improve links between the station and Union Street
- Inverness, Perth and Stirling: major investment in retail improvement schemes
- Introduction of our “Stations2Stations” business centres to facilitate working at stations
Exciting new fares offering excellent value for money for passengers:
- A standard class fare between any two Scottish cities starting at £5
- A new first class advance fare of £7.50 on the same routes
- A new carnet to allow customers to choose where they want to travel , how many tickets they want to buy and how long they need them to be valid
- Launch of Club50, a significantly improved version of Club55
A flagship £1m national community rail programme to deliver the Scottish Government’s commitment to encourage and facilitate deeper community engagement:
- Delivering 10-15 new Scottish Community Rail Partnerships
- Stimulating volunteering and enhancing the station adoption programme
- Community outreach programmes and Community Ambassadors to promote the value and benefits of rail travel
Working with partners to attract international attention to the scenic beauty of Scotland’s railways with major upgrades to Scotland’s scenic trains to enhance the tourist experience:
- Specially refurbished trains to align seats with windows
- More luggage, cycle and ski storage
- Additional service to Oban in peak season
- A Tourist Ambassador and improved on board catering that showcases local Scottish produce
- Special events in the low season to attract customers
A new transport integration programme focused on key interchanges including those with ferries, buses and airports:
- More through tickets that combine rail travel with bus, sail and air travel
- Expansion of multimodal products on Smartcards, including cycle hire and car parking
- Better multimodal information through staffed desks at 10 interchange stations, improved staff training, and our “Journey Companion” planning app
- More car parking and the introduction of “Cab and Go”
- A £520K station travel planning programme for 30 stations
Based on our Dutch experience we will deliver the UK’s most extensive cycle/rail network:
- £1.6m investment in more cycle parking spaces:
- New, fully staffed Dutch style “Cyclepoints” at the key city hubs and “Cycleparks+” at five others
- Bike&Go cycle hire scheme at 10 stations, for only £3.80/day hire charge
- Improved off peak cycle capacity on trains
Investments in staff health training, technology and incentive schemes
- Customer service training and a gain share initiative to incentivise staff to achieve performance targets
- Optional lifestyle checks and flu jabs for frontline staff.
- Health and wellbeing trainers to assist staff with stress management, quitting smoking, better nutrition and exercise.
- Recruitment of 10 new apprentices every year targeted in areas of high unemployment
New investment in accessibility and sustainability measures to help Scotland meet national targets:
- More step free stations and prioritised investment of Access for All funds in other station schemes
- 400% increase in Blue Badge parking and specialist way-finding at stations
- Specialist staff training and a new “Passenger Assist” app to allow staff to track disabled passengers throughout their journey
- 37% reduction in traction CO2 and a 15% reduction in non-traction CO2 emissions
- An innovative Sustainable Development Enterprise Unit to promote economic growth and sustainable transport use across the network
Abellio will also put in place a true Deep Alliance with our partners Network Rail to drive improved performance for passengers and combined efficiencies through the life of the franchise
In closing Mr Hoogesteger added, “Abellio is a subsidiary of the Dutch national rail company Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS). With a pedigree stretching back over 175 years, NS is one of the oldest and most experienced rail companies in the world. We now look forward to bringing every part of that experience to the management of Scotland’s national railway to make it a world class exemplar for the future of passenger rail services.”
Contact:
For further enquiries please contact: scotrail@abellio.comFor more information please visit www.abellio.com/scotrail
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Grand Central
£7.8m investments are just the ticket
- Grand Central plans substantial capital investments
- Announcement follows its extended track access agreement, which will see its trains operating until 2026
Following the extension of its operating licence, which gives the company the permission to run trains between London, the North East and Yorkshire until 2026, Grand Central will invest significantly in the comfort and reliability of its fleet of trains as well as passenger facilities at stations.
Richard McClean, Managing Director of Grand Central Rail, said: “We’ve listened to our passengers and the investments we’re making will improve the reliability of services as well as the comfort and reliability of our on-board facilities. We’re starting our investments early to get a head start on improvements for passengers, with a refurbishment to our current fleet due to begin in early 2015. Our entire fleet will be brought up to a new high standard, with leather seats in First Class and improvements across the Standard class carriages, toilets and vestibules.
“We’ll also switch to using LED lighting on board which, as well as being better for the environment, will improve the reliability of power sockets for charging mobile phones and laptops. Our on-board Wi-Fi will also remain free for all passengers in both Standard and First Class and we’re already making improvements to the usability and speed of the Wi-Fi connection.”
Grand Central Rail has signed a lease with Angel Trains for a further five Class 180 trains which, along with the company’s existing five Class 180 services will be seen on the rails from 2017. Having two additional trains in the fleet – a 25% increase on current arrangements - will allow Grand Central Rail to be more robust and flexible in terms of train maintenance and capacity. Following a refurbishment of the fleet, Grand Central will work with Network Rail with the aim of increasing the number of seats available on its busiest services. ..
Grand Central Rail has also pledged capital investment to improve passenger facilities at stations on its route.
Richard McClean said: “We want to build on our previous station investments, including the rescue of Wakefield Kirkgate station and increasing the capacity at Northallerton Station car park, by working with Network Rail, local authorities and station facility owners to make further improvements at the stations we serve.
‘We’ll invest to increase car parking capacity and passenger facilities, as well as working with public transport providers to improve the journeys to and from stations where we can, making it easier for passengers to get to and from the train. The communities along our routes are at the heart of our business and we have therefore ensured that our investment goes beyond our fleet and right out into those communities for the benefit of local passengers.”
Grand Central Rail’s award-winning Station Ambassador programme will also be rolled out to additional stations in Yorkshire.
Sean English, Chief Operating Officer at Grand Central Rail, said: “Grand Central Station Ambassadors work on Sundays, when stations are traditionally unstaffed and the majority of rail engineering work takes place. Currently, Station Ambassadors at Hartlepool, Eaglescliffe and Brighouse Stations answer passenger queries and provide a friendly welcome to the town for visitors, as well as improving operational safety and efficiency at the station.
“We’re delighted to be introducing Ambassadors to Mirfield Station during 2015 and hope to include Thirsk Station in the near future.”
The Office of Rail Regulation agreed a ten-year licence extension to Grand Central’s original operating agreement in august 2014, giving the company the right to run trains between the North East, West Yorkshire and London until 2026.==========================
FGW Class 180 at Honeybourne
Borders to Edinburgh railway: Galashiels opportunities analysed.(BBC News)
HS2: Plans for high-speed rail link at Toton Sidings close to being abandoned.(Nottingham Post)
Plans for railway line from Oxford to Cambridge announced by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg.(Cambridge News)
Talks to be held to in bid to avert 48-hour Tube strike.(BBC News)
London Tube strike: Underground bosses slam RMT for 'pointless' walkout in ongoing job cuts dispute.(London Evening Standard)
Network Rail
Residents invited to first drop-in event about the electrification of the railway through Bath.
Local residents are invited to find out more about the electrification of the railway through Bath city centre by attending the first in a series of monthly drop-in events.
The first event will take place between 4pm and 7.30pm on Wednesday 15 October at the Guildhall on the High Street in Bath. Representatives from Network Rail and its contractor, Hochtief, as well as train operator First Great Western will be on hand to explain the work being undertaken and to answer any questions.
Network Rail is electrifying the historic Great Western Main Line from London Paddington through to Swansea, with work starting in Bath next summer. The upgrade will deliver significant benefits for Bath, North East Somerset and the whole of the South West, including:
Robbie Burns, Network Rail’s regional managing director, said: “The benefits of electrification for Bath and the South West of England region as a whole are considerable. We are working closely with Bath and North East Somerset Council and First Great Western to manage the work carefully and considerately, but there will be some unavoidable disruption to trains through the city while we upgrade the railway. I would encourage residents to come along to our drop-in sessions to find out about the work and the long-term benefits electrification will bring.”
Two further drop-in events are scheduled for 2014 and will take place on Tuesday 3 November and Tuesday 2 December. Further details of both sessions will be circulated in due course.
===================Network Rail is electrifying the historic Great Western Main Line from London Paddington through to Swansea, with work starting in Bath next summer. The upgrade will deliver significant benefits for Bath, North East Somerset and the whole of the South West, including:
- Faster, quieter, more reliable trains
- Up to 20% more seats on trains, along with better facilities for disabled passengers and passengers with bikes
- Up to 30% less carbon emissions
Robbie Burns, Network Rail’s regional managing director, said: “The benefits of electrification for Bath and the South West of England region as a whole are considerable. We are working closely with Bath and North East Somerset Council and First Great Western to manage the work carefully and considerately, but there will be some unavoidable disruption to trains through the city while we upgrade the railway. I would encourage residents to come along to our drop-in sessions to find out about the work and the long-term benefits electrification will bring.”
Two further drop-in events are scheduled for 2014 and will take place on Tuesday 3 November and Tuesday 2 December. Further details of both sessions will be circulated in due course.
Watch: How Piccadilly and Oxford Road stations could look after £1bn redevelopment - Manchester Evening News
International
Africa
Railways Africa.
S A POSTAL STRIKE DELAYS
AFRICA ON TRACK 2014 (JCCI SUMMIT)
GAUTENG TRANSPORT COMMISSION
S A INTERCITY PASSENGER TOTALS DROP
REEFSREAMERS EXPO
HOW K2 HELPED BOMBELA
ANGOLAN RAILWAYS & LOGISTICS
HIV SREAD BLAMED ON RAILWAY
SWAZILAND RAILWAY TODAY
More on these stories HERE
Bombardier wins its first Ethiopian railway contract - Railway Gazette
Australia
Commuter Car parking trial announcement.(DTPLI on YouTube)
Minister for Public Transport and Roads, Terry Mulder, announces a trial program to crack down on non-commuters using train station car parks.
Japan and China are keen to see high-speed rail on east coast.(Canberra Times)
Canada
(Seeking Alpha Breaking News)
CN Rail service to resume after fiery derailment • 4:41 PM
Carl Surran, SA News Editor
- Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) is set to resume service on a line in rural Saskatchewan after workers removed debris from yesterday's fiery train derailment and evacuation of a nearby village.
- Of the 26 cars that derailed, six were carrying dangerous goods, and two of the cars, loaded with petroleum distillate, caught fire.
- Derailments have become a particularly sensitive issue in Canada since a crude oil train crash in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, in July 2013 that killed 47 people.
China
Railways in China Embrace Busiest Day for Holiday Week.(Beijing Review)
India
Another derailment throws Konkan Railway off track (DNA)
Pictures courtesy Konkan Railway
USA
Solutions sought for chronic Amtrak, freight train delays in northern Ohio.(Cleveland.com)
BTS Releases August 2014 Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI)
The Freight Transportation Services Index (TSI), which is based on the amount of freight carried by the for-hire transportation industry, rose 0.6 percent in August from July, rising for the second consecutive month, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS). The August 2014 index level (120.9) was 27.8 percent above the April 2009 low during the most recent recession.
The level of freight shipments in August measured by the Freight TSI (120.9) reached its all-time high. BTS’ TSI records begin in 2000.
The July index was revised to 120.1 from 119.6 in last month’s release. Monthly numbers for February through June were revised up slightly.
The Freight TSI measures the month-to-month changes in freight shipments by mode of transportation in tons and ton-miles, which are combined into one index. The index measures the output of the for-hire freight transportation industry and consists of data from for-hire trucking, rail, inland waterways, pipelines and air freight.
Analysis: The increase in freight in August was driven by continued gains in trucking and water, and by pipelines, which rebounded from a July decline. Rail and air gave back some July gains. The rise in freight took place despite a decline in industrial production, but accompanied growth in personal income and in inventories of manufactured goods. Overall employment grew, as did transportation employment, although more slowly.
Trend: August was the third month in which the Freight TSI exceeded the levels that had been attained prior to the weather-related downturn in the early part of the year to reach its highest level ever. The increase in the index continues the return to growth after the decline in June. After dipping to 94.6 in April 2009, the index rose by 27.8 percent in the succeeding 64 months.
See Freight TSI Press Release for summary tables and additional data. See Transportation Services Index for historical data and methodology.www.progressiverailroading.com.
US HSR
Be Part of a New Industry!
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CHSRA LAUNCHES RAILCAR PROCUREMENT
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 Authority Could Order Up to 95 Trains The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) issued a request for expressions of interest on October 2 for a contract to supply the train fleet and rolling stock maintenance facilities for the first phase of the state's high-speed network.
The specification calls for a single-deck EMU capable of operating at up to 354km/h and CHSRA is seeking a "service-proven" design which has been in 300km/h commercial operation with another operator for at least five years.
Each set will need to accommodate a minimum of 450 passengers with 1067mm seat pitch in first class and 991mm in business class. More info | RFI |
LAS VEGAS HSR TO CONNECT WITH CA HSR
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 Public & Private HSR Working Together A private train intended to whisk Southern Californians to Las Vegas casinos and resorts could boost the proposed government-owned high-speed rail connection between LA and San Francisco.
A public partnership with private operators would help build segments of the system, Dan Richard, chairman of the California High-Speed Rail Authority, said in an interview. "We are not going to be a government-run railroad," Richard said. "Our business model is that the private sector will come in and bid for the right to operate on our system."
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Be Part of the Action in California...
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NEW ANAHEIM HSR STATION NEAR COMPLETE
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 Exciting New Station Architecture The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center - better known as ARTIC is nearly complete. This will be the first new station built that will serve high speed rail in California, and it's grabbing some well deserved attention as workers put the finishing touches on it. When it opens later this year on December 13, ARTIC will primarily be serving Pacific Surfliners, Metrolink, and OCTA buses. On the drawing board is the Anaheim Rapid Connection, a streetcar that would go from ARTIC westward along Katella to Disneyland, potentially as soon as 2018. More info |
FLA HSR ADJUSTS FINANCING - UNDERWAY
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 Private Investment to Increase in FL HSR All Aboard Florida has modified its financing plan for its proposed passenger rail service, so that the public would not face any financial risk and the project could be completed quicker, the company's president said Monday. Under the $1.75 billion financing plan, "no public entity or taxpayer bears risk," All Aboard Florida President and Chief Development Officer Mike Reininger said. All Aboard Florida plans to start rail service from Miami to Orlando, with interim stops in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. Under the current plan, the trains would pass through south and central Brevard County 16 times a day in each direction. More info |
CELEBRATING HALF A CENTURY OF HSR!
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Japan's High Speed Rail Turns 50 This Week!
This month we celebrate the opening of the Tokaido Shinkansen in October 1964, the world's first dedicated high-speed railway. The event was a momentous step forward not just for Japan but much further afield because it was a vivid demonstration to the rest of the world that rail transport had a future at a time when cars and jet aircraft were widely regarded as the way forward. |
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Zipping cross-country in a super-high-speed train has become commonplace in many countries these days, but it was unheard of when Japan launched its bullet train between Tokyo and Osaka 50 years ago.
The Shinkansen, as it's called in Japan, gave a boost to train travel in Europe and Asia at a time when the rise of the automobile and the airplane threatened to eclipse it. It also was a symbol of pride for Japan, less than two decades after the end of World War II, and a precursor of the economic "miracle" to come. Japan started building a high-speed line during World War II, but construction was halted in 1943 as funds ran out. The idea was revived in the 1950s, but many questioned undertaking such a costly project, particularly with the expansion of air travel and highways. Criticism turned to pride when construction, financed partly by an $80 million World Bank loan, was completed in time for the Tokyo Olympics in October 1964. The Shinkansen renewed interest in high-speed rail elsewhere, notably in Europe. France and Spain are among the leaders in Europe, and Turkey last year became the ninth country to operate a train at an average speed of 200 kph, according to Railway Gazette. South Korea and Taiwan also operate high-speed systems in Asia. Japanese high speed rail also helped influence China into getting into the game only recently. China has build new high speed rail systems so rapidly they quickly became the global leader in size of their system and number of trains operating daily... now more than the rest of the world put together. More info |
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SmallUrbanTransit Editors Note (CTMag1)
Other Railway Press
SmartRail World
London joins the 24-hour a day metro club... 2 days a week.
“Running trains all through the night was once thought impossible, but ... we stand ready to take the tube to the next level.” – Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.
150 years ago, London unveiled the world’s first underground railway system. 150 years on, London is finally set to introduce 24-hour services, which are set to make the last train home a thing of the past. Following in the footsteps of major European cities, as well as New York, the ‘Night Tube’ to commence 24- hour weekend services on selected lines from the 12th September 2015. SmartRail Contributor and London commuter Abigail Francis looks into how London is readying itself for the ‘Night Tube’.
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www.railway-technology.com Construction work starts on Coventry-Nuneaton line in UK The UK Department for Transport (DfT) has officially started construction on the new Bermuda Park station in the West Midlands, which will provide an additional connection on the Coventry-Nuneaton railway line. Etihad Rail and National Quarries sign MoU for transport solution in UAE UAE's national railway network operator Etihad Rail has entered into a new partnership with construction materials supplier National Quarries for a low-cost, reliable transport solution. TMH's NEVZ delivers first two electric locomotives to Russian Railways Russian Railways (RZD) has taken delivery of its first two 2ES5 Scythian freight electric locomotives from Transmashholding's (TMH) Novocherkassk electric locomotive plant (NEVZ) at the Vikhorevka depot of the East-Siberian Railway. Germany's Dekra buys rail testing institute Plurel German vehicle inspection company Dekra's rail division has acquired all shares in Plurel, formerly known as DeltaRail, in Utrecht, Netherlands |
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