A few "firsts" to report today... first trains from Shrewsbury to London, and from Blackpool to London... and Pye Corner, Newport, sees the arrival of its first train.
A first high speed train for Poland, and a first built in Russia double decker carriage...
Plus news from the USA, France, South Africa..and Mumbai....from where the term "super dense crush load factor" comes...
Click on the links....
Headlines
UK
Global bid battle for Government's Eurostar stake(Telegraph)
Rail fare rises of 5% coming down the track.(The Guardian)
Rail firms reject ‘bizarre’ buffet car axe protests.(The Yorkshire Post)
Keeping Pacer trains on North rail routes would be 'nothing short of scandalous', says MP(Gazette Live)
First train pulls into Pye Corner £3.5m railway station.(BBC News)
New Shrewsbury to London rail service begins.(BBC News)
Blackpool direct rail service to London ready to depart.(BBC News)
Rail Accident Investigation Branch(RAIB)
Collision between a train and a car at Jetty Avenue level crossing, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Incident date:
14 July 2013
14 July 2013
Summary: During the early evening of Sunday 14 July 2013, a passenger train approaching Woodbridge station in Suffolk struck a car at Jetty Avenue user worked level crossing. The accident occurred in daylight and at low speed. The train was not derailed, but the car driver suffered minor injuries.
The car driver was using the level crossing to access a private boatyard situated between the railway and the River Deben. He was a volunteer, assisting in removing equipment following a local regatta which had been held partly on land owned by the boatyard earlier in the day. The car driver had used the level crossing on previous occasions, but had not been briefed on its use.
There were no telephones or warning lights at the crossing so safe use depended on vehicle drivers looking for approaching trains. The car driver, who was an occasional user of the level crosssing, normally relied on checking for trains by looking up and down the railway when swinging open the vehicular gates on foot. He did this because he was aware that his view of the railway would be obscured as he returned to the car and drove it towards the crossing. A curve in the railway meant that the train involved in the accident was not visible to the car driver when he was at the crossing, and could only be seen from this location after the driver had begun to return to his car. The driver did not become aware of the train until he had driven his car into its path.
Our investigation has found that instructions given to car drivers using this, and similar, level crossings were inadequate. It also found that Network Rail’s method for ensuring that vehicle drivers have an adequate view of approaching trains was incompatible with the characteristics of both the car involved in the accident and many of the vehicles expected to use crossings of this type.
RAIB has made five recommendations. Four recommendations are addressed to Network Rail and cover the management of level crossings where safe use of the crossing relies on road vehicle drivers seeing approaching trains. One recommendation is made to the Office of Rail Regulation and seeks clarification of its guidance on this issue.
RAIB believes it is possible that the accident at Jetty Avenue user worked crossing could have been avoided by full implementation of two Recommendations in the RAIB report: ‘Investigation into safety at user worked crossings’ (Report 13/2009). These relate to guiding vehicle drivers to stop at an appropriate place before deciding whether it is safe to cross the railway.
The car driver was using the level crossing to access a private boatyard situated between the railway and the River Deben. He was a volunteer, assisting in removing equipment following a local regatta which had been held partly on land owned by the boatyard earlier in the day. The car driver had used the level crossing on previous occasions, but had not been briefed on its use.
There were no telephones or warning lights at the crossing so safe use depended on vehicle drivers looking for approaching trains. The car driver, who was an occasional user of the level crosssing, normally relied on checking for trains by looking up and down the railway when swinging open the vehicular gates on foot. He did this because he was aware that his view of the railway would be obscured as he returned to the car and drove it towards the crossing. A curve in the railway meant that the train involved in the accident was not visible to the car driver when he was at the crossing, and could only be seen from this location after the driver had begun to return to his car. The driver did not become aware of the train until he had driven his car into its path.
Our investigation has found that instructions given to car drivers using this, and similar, level crossings were inadequate. It also found that Network Rail’s method for ensuring that vehicle drivers have an adequate view of approaching trains was incompatible with the characteristics of both the car involved in the accident and many of the vehicles expected to use crossings of this type.
RAIB has made five recommendations. Four recommendations are addressed to Network Rail and cover the management of level crossings where safe use of the crossing relies on road vehicle drivers seeing approaching trains. One recommendation is made to the Office of Rail Regulation and seeks clarification of its guidance on this issue.
RAIB believes it is possible that the accident at Jetty Avenue user worked crossing could have been avoided by full implementation of two Recommendations in the RAIB report: ‘Investigation into safety at user worked crossings’ (Report 13/2009). These relate to guiding vehicle drivers to stop at an appropriate place before deciding whether it is safe to cross the railway.
Download report:
141215_R282014_Jetty_Avenue_UWC.pdf (7,832.24 kb)
141215_R282014_Jetty_Avenue_UWC.pdf (7,832.24 kb)
Crossrail
21kms of new twin-bore tunnels are being constructed to deliver the new rail tunnels through which the Crossrail trains will operate. The five tunnels to be constructed are:
Crossrail tunnel alignment
The tunnelling strategy for the western section of the Crossrail route is quite different from the eastern and south-eastern tunnelled sections.
(Press release and images: Courtesy Crossrail)
42 kilometres of new rail tunnels under London
The Crossrail route will link existing Network Rail services from Reading and Heathrow in the west, and Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east through 42 kilometres of tunnels and new underground stations at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street and Whitechapel.
21kms of new twin-bore tunnels are being constructed to deliver the new rail tunnels through which the Crossrail trains will operate. The five tunnels to be constructed are:
- Royal Oak to Farringdon west (Drive X) - length of drive approximately 6.4 km
- Limmo to Farringdon east (Drive Y) - length of drive approximately 8.3 km
- Pudding Mill Lane to Stepney Green (Drive Z) - length of drive approximately 2.7 km
- Limmo to Victoria Dock Portal (Drive G) - length of drive approximately 0.9 km
- Plumstead to North Woolwich (Drive H) - length of drive approximately 2.6 km
Each of these drives will construct both the eastbound and westbound tunnels. All of this adds up to 42km of rail tunnels located below the busy streets of London.
Eight giant tunnelling boring machines, or TBMs, are being used to construct the new tunnels. Each 1000 tonne machine will weave their way between existing underground lines, sewers, utility tunnels and building foundations from station to station at depths of up to 40m.
Crossrail tunnel alignment
Crossrail tunnelling drives
Crossrail began building its first tunnel in May 2012 when the first pair of tunnelling machines, Phyllis and sister TBM Ada, started tunnelling at Royal Oak in west London.
Teams of dedicated construction workers are working 24 hours a day to complete the tunnels for Europe's largest civil engineering project.
The new tunnels will surface via newly constructed tunnel portals at Royal Oak, Pudding Mill Lane, North Woolwich, Victoria Dock, and Plumstead.
Crossrail tunnelling machine progress
Download Tunnelling brochure
The tunnelling strategy for the western section of the Crossrail route is quite different from the eastern and south-eastern tunnelled sections.
In the west the tunnel boring machines (TBMs) were launched at Royal Oak Portal to tunnel towards Farringdon creating the running tunnels first, after which the station tunnels will be enlarged around the running tunnels. These TBMs will pass under station sites at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon.
For the eastern tunnel drive between Limmo Peninsula and Farringdon, the station tunnels and underground structures are constructed before the TBMs pass these locations. Tunnelling machines Elizabeth and Victoria have already constructed over 10 kilometres of tunnel, following spectacular break throughs at Canary Wharf station box, Stepney Green shaft and Whitechapel station.
In the southeast, two tunnel boring machines - Mary and Sophia - were used to drive a new tunnel beneath the River Thames, launching from Plumstead portal and driving through a pre-built station box at Woolwich.
International
China
France
India
Spread over 465 km, 2,342 train services & 7.5 million commuters daily, and 2.64 billion annually...
Poland launches first high-speed train(Press TV)
Russia
Transmashholding
ТVZ Sent the First Double-Deck Coach with Seats to Undergo Dynamics Tests
Tver Carriage Plant (JSC TVZ, a part of JSC Transmashholding) has sent a pilot double-deck coach with seats to pass dynamic test run at Belorechensk field (North-Caucasus Railway).
61-4492 model car is a new TVZ product that continues a product line of domestic double-deck rolling stock. It is made on the basis of coaches with sleeping berths built at Tver Carriage Plant over 2013 but differs to them essentially by appearance and interior design. No double-deck passenger coaches with seats have been produced in Russia earlier.
One of key distinguishing features of new rolling stock is a changed shape of side wall and radial windows. Interior design of a coach is created in cooperation with leading Italian industrial and transport design company ItalDesign-Giugiaro. However, share of domestic components is above 90%.
A new coach is equipped with air conditioning system, eco-friendly toilets, Wi-Fi access, display boards and energy-saving lamps. Coaches have hangers and a special luggage space. Air-tight gangways and slack-free couplers reduce noise and vibration while train running. Entrance sliding-plug doors with automatic steps enable passengers to get off both from high-floor and low-floor platforms.
Two types of coaches with seats are engineered: business class and economy class. Business class coach has 58 seats with 2+1 arrangement and a VIP-compartment with a convenient two-seater sofa. Economy class coach seats 102 passengers. Two seat rows on the first and second decks are arranged vis-à-vis.
After all test cycles and receipt of a compliance certificate, Tver Carriage Plant will deliver 15 double-deck coaches with seats to Federal Passenger Company: five business class coaches and ten economy class coaches. It is anticipated that the first shipment will take place in the second quarter of 2015
Pictures Courtesy: Transmashholding.
TEM33 Diesel Locomotive with Two Engines Completed Run in Service with Success
A new shunting diesel locomotive TEM33 with two engines built by Bryansk Engineering Plant (BMZ, a part of JSC Transmashholding) has run for 300 hours with success.
During its run at depot Bryansk-II, TEM33 showed its essential advantages versus serial diesel locomotives at this depot. It can replace two shunting diesel locos ChME3 and deliver to a hump freights of weight from 5000 up to 6900 tons. As compared with the locomotives used in the depot Bryansk-II, TEM33 consumes fuel at 10% less. One of advantages of this loco is environmental friendliness and 20% less emissions of harmful substances in atmosphere.
TEM33 is six-axle locomotive on the basis of reliability-proven undercarriage of TEM18DM of Bryansk Engineering Plant. Principal engineering feature of a new locomotive is two diesel engines, each having an output 571 kW, speed 1800 rpm, which can work individually and together. This technical solution provides for flexible control of loco capacity, excludes waste of fuel at idle run and saves engine life.
TEM33 differs from its predecessors by higher level of control comfort, sound insulation, safety, as well as conveniences, according to a driver.
At year-end, the locomotive will go to a testing center for further acceptance and certification tests.
South Africa
USA
California communities fight back against crude by rail.(Grist)
First train pulls out of new Dearborn Amtrak station(freep.com)
Token gestures soon to be over in Philadelphia as Smartcard arrives. (SmartRail World)
www.progressiverailroading.com
Metra, freight railroads advocate advancement of 75th Street corridor project in Chicago
Sen. Murray: FY2015 appropriations bill would set USDOT deadline for tank-car rule, fund short-line safety institute
Amtrak's Vermonter to serve 'Knowledge Corridor'
MTA blames NYCT derailment on track defects, seeks federal funds for Canarsie line
California Transportation Commission OKs funds for several rail projects
Metro-North to screen all train engineers for sleep apnea
Richardson International to build new grain elevator in Manitoba
Rail supplier news from Brookville, McMillen, Jacobs, Alstom, Parsons and HOK (Dec. 15)
Other Railway Press
www.railway-technology.com
California selects preferred bidder for second phase of high-speed rail project
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has selected a consortium of Dragados, Flatiron and Shimmick (DFS) as the preferred bidder for the design-build contract for Construction Package 2-3 (CP 2-3).
Transmashholding begins dynamic test run of double-deck coach with seats
Russia-based Transmashholding's Tver Carriage plant (JSC TVZ) has started the dynamic test run of a pilot double-deck coach with seats at Belorechensk field of North-Caucasus Railway.
Spain's CAF signs €500m contract with NS to deliver Sprinter electric trains
Spanish train manufacturer CAF has signed a €500m contract with Dutch passenger railway operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) to deliver its Sprinter electric multiple-unit fleet.
Burnie Port to undergo rail and freight transport improvements
Tasmania's Port of Burnie is set to receive $12m worth of improvements on its rail and freight transport facilities in the next few weeks.
First train pulls out of new Dearborn Amtrak station(freep.com)
Token gestures soon to be over in Philadelphia as Smartcard arrives. (SmartRail World)
www.progressiverailroading.com
www.railway-technology.com
California selects preferred bidder for second phase of high-speed rail project
The California High-Speed Rail Authority has selected a consortium of Dragados, Flatiron and Shimmick (DFS) as the preferred bidder for the design-build contract for Construction Package 2-3 (CP 2-3).
Transmashholding begins dynamic test run of double-deck coach with seats
Russia-based Transmashholding's Tver Carriage plant (JSC TVZ) has started the dynamic test run of a pilot double-deck coach with seats at Belorechensk field of North-Caucasus Railway.
Spain's CAF signs €500m contract with NS to deliver Sprinter electric trains
Spanish train manufacturer CAF has signed a €500m contract with Dutch passenger railway operator Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) to deliver its Sprinter electric multiple-unit fleet.
Burnie Port to undergo rail and freight transport improvements
Tasmania's Port of Burnie is set to receive $12m worth of improvements on its rail and freight transport facilities in the next few weeks.
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