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Rail news The latest from the industry
NEWS
DB Schenker invests €53 million in new terminal in Finland
DB Schenker Logistics will build a new terminal in Vantaa, capital area of Finland. The premises, located in the Viinikkala logistics area, close to Helsinki airport, will consist of warm and unheated terminal buildings and office buildings totaling approximately 52,300 square metres.
The terminal will operate land transport, parcel services and home deliveries as well as air and ocean freight. All operations will be combined under one roof in a warm terminal hall of 25,200 square metres. Additionally there will be unheated terminal of 3300 square metres.
Göran Åberg, CEO of Oy Schenker East Ab, said: “This new facility of DB Schenker in Finland is one of the largest investments of DB Schenker globally and one of the largest land transport terminals in Europe. In November 2012 we opened a brand new logistics centre of 24,500 square metres in Nurmijärvi, in the capital area of Finland, focusing on the automotive industry. Together these investments of DB Schenker in logistics services in Finland will be approximately €76 million.” Visit: www.dbschenker.com
Czech Railways to deploy new and modernised vehicles in 2013
The extensive modernisation of ČD’s rolling stock will continue in 2013. ČD expects to deploy more than 150 new and modernised locomotives and carriages, including carriages of electric and diesel multiple units worth a total of ca. CZK 6 billion (ca. €234 million). Regional transport will be dominated by completely new RegioPanter and RegioShark multiple units. Long-distance transport will receive additional modernised carriages.
Approximately 90 per cent of all carriages delivered and put into operation in 2013 will be completely new electric and diesel multiple units. The share of modernised vehicles will fall to approximately one-tenth.
Most of the new vehicles will be from the family of RegioPanter low-platform electric multiple units and RegioShark low-platform diesel multiple units. The trains will operate in various regions of the Czech Republic. Visit: www.en.cd.cz
Network Rail takes first step into US market
The UK’s Network Rail has joined Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) Partner Forum in order to share the company’s valuable experience of managing and developing high-density passenger rail infrastructure. Network Rail is represented in the forum by Network Rail Consulting, the company’s international consultancy arm.
Membership of the forum will enable Network Rail Consulting to share best practice internationally and collaborate on areas of interest including high speed rail development, railway operations, system integration and other objectives established by the forum for the purpose of improving the NEC, considered the rail backbone of the region.
Simon Kirby, chairman of Network Rail Consulting, said: “We believe we have much to offer other railways around the world and we are eager to support Amtrak on this key initiative. We look forward to helping further develop rail in the United States, sharing the best of British engineering and ingenuity.” Visit: www.networkrail.co.uk
Arriva welcomes latest Network Rail performance figures
Latest industry figures have revealed that Arriva’s UK train operations are delivering more punctual services with three of its businesses becoming joint first, second and third highest performing rail operators in the UK.
National train performance data released by Network Rail covering 1 to 27 April (Period 1) shows that Arriva’s joint venture rail business London Overground is the joint highest performing operator in terms of punctuality and reliability (PPM) with some 96.4 per of its services operating on time.
Arriva’s three other rail franchises – Arriva Trains Wales, Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry – have also seen welcome improvements in overall performance. performing operator in the Visit: www.arriva.co.uk
NEWS
New developments in the Rail industry
Transtech delivers driving coaches and restaurant coaches to VR
Transtech Oy and Finland’s VR Group have signed supply contracts on delivery of 12 driving coaches and 15 restaurant coaches during the years 2013 and 2014. The contracts include options for deliveries of 13 driving coaches and 11 restaurant coaches. The Finnish content of the coaches is about 80% and the total value of the contract is about €90 million without the options.
Double deck driving coaches enable the InterCity2 trains to be used for pushpull operation on the fnal station without changing the locomotive. That will for its part facilitate the busy hours and sensitivity for interferences at the Helsinki main railway station. Double deck restaurant coaches will introduce the modern restaurant services for InterCity trains on long distance routes. Visit: www.transtech.fi
Bombardier wins new order from Transport for London
Bombardier Transportation has signed a contract with Transport for London (TfL) to provide 57 additional BOMBARDIER ELECTROSTAR rail cars for the London Overground network. The order is part of Transport for London’s programme to increase passenger capacity on the successful London Overground network – the 57 new cars will be used to turn existing fourcar trains into five-car versions. The new units will be supported under an existing maintenance contract. The order is valued at approximately £88 million GBP.
Delivery of the 57 new ELECTROSTAR Class 378 cars will start in late 2014 and finish in 2015. They will be built at Bombardier’s facility in Derby. The 75mph Class 378 units are specially designed for suburban operations with passenger comfort and safety in mind. Walk-through carriages provide more standing room and space for passengers, reflecting the type of short trips most passengers make on the network. The vehicles also include CCTV and air conditioning. Visit: www.bombardier.com
New Tube extension for south London moves one step closer
Thousands of people in south London are one step closer to having better access to the Tube as Transport for London (TfL) confirmed that it has applied for powers to build and run an extension of the Northern line to Battersea from Kennington via Nine Elms. If the Tube link goes ahead travel to the West End and the City would be cut to 15 minutes from the Battersea area.
If planning powers are obtained from the government, and a funding package is in place, then construction of the Northern line extension could begin in 2015 with the two new stations opening in 2020. The extension would help kick start regeneration in the Nine Elms area of south London and provide major transport benefits for local people. Visit: www.tfl.gov.uk
Waitrose to supply Eurostar with on-board refreshments
Eurostar and Waitrose have announced a new partnership which will see Britain’s favourite supermarket supply on-board refreshments to Eurostar’s bar buffets, for passengers travelling in standard class between London and mainland Europe.
This new culinary collaboration marks Waitrose’s first major move into on-board food and its first significant continental venture. Waitrose business to business director, David Morton, said: “This is a very exciting opportunity for us to work with such a prestigious brand, which shares our commitment to quality and service. To be the first food brand that Eurostar’s customers experience when they are visiting Britain is tremendously powerful as we seek to expand our presence within Northern Europe.” Visit: www.eurostar.com
The European Commission has given its consent to Siemens’ acquisition of Invensys Rail, the leading global supplier of signalling and control equipment for rail. Thereby Siemens can close the acquisition of Invensys Rail as planned in the second quarter of the calendar year 2013.
“We are combining two of the strongest organisations for the rail automation market of the future. This business will ensure profitable growth opportunities worldwide for the Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector and create a truly global player. It also underscores the Sector strategy of expanding automation know-how,” said Roland Busch, CEO of the Siemens Infrastructure & Cities Sector and member of the managing board of Siemens AG. Invensys Rail will be integrated into the rail automation business of the Mobility and Logistics Division.
Invensys Rail is a leading global supplier of signalling and control equipment for rail, and has a strong footprint and a well established reputation in its domestic markets. Visit: www.siemens.com
INDUSTRYNEWS
Eurotunnel and Siemens conduct successful test of Vectron locomotive
Following the agreement to apply the European Technical Specifications for Interoperability to freight trains travelling through the Channel Tunnel, tests have been carried out with a latest generation Siemens Vectron locomotive. The Vectron is the first locomotive to gain certification under TSI, HS and RST in Europe. It is therefore capable of hauling traffic directly from the continent to the UK. The tests were to prove its compatibility with the systems and safety rules in the Channel Tunnel.
For the test, the Vectron loco, in standard configuration and hauling wagons with a total weight of 1350 tonnes, entered the Tunnel via the French portal at 22:42 and completed a series of traction, braking and pantograph tests. Equipped with four axles, instead of the six on the Class 92, which is currently used in the Tunnel, the Vectron exited at Folkestone before setting back to France for a second phase of tests.
This series of tests is in line with Eurotunnel’s ambition to encourage the development of ‘normal’ rail freight between the UK and continental Europe, that is to say without the need to use the very specific Class 92 locomotives. Visit: www.eurotunnelgroup.com
New offices for Keolis in China
Jean-Pierre Farandou, CEO of Keolis Group, has inaugurated new Keolis offices in China. These are located in Wuhan, one of the main cities in the centre of the country. The group will be operating the future intermodal hub of the Wuhan airport, which is planned to open at the end of 2015.
The future intermodal hub aims to become a real reference in China. In agreement with the city, Serge Cridlig, who is currently director of the Railway Experts Cluster at SNCF, will be the future general manager of the new entity called ‘Wuhan Tianhe Airport Transport Centre Operation and Management Company’. Once the Terminal 3 is finished Keolis will manage the intermodal hub – train, metro, bus and parking – through a joint venture between Keolis China and Wuhan Transportation Engineering Construction Investment Group. Visit: www.keolis.com
Alstom and Transmashholding open new production facility in Russia
Alstom and its Russian partner, Transmashholding (TMH), have inaugurated a joint production site dedicated to asynchronous traction drives for electric locomotives in Novocherkassk, in southern Russia. This modern traction drive will equip the locomotives jointly developed and manufactured by Alstom and TMH for Russia and Kazakhstan.
The asynchronous traction drive is a high-technology component whose main feature is a low weight to power ratio. It also ensures easier monitoring of the locomotive engine. The traction drive is to be installed on electric locomotives EP20 and 2ES5, which were developed by the partners for operation in Russia, as well as for locomotives KZ8A and KZ4A, which will be manufactured and operated in Kazakhstan.
Locomotives developed by Alstom and TMH are among the most powerful in the world, able to operate at temperatures between -50°C and +50°C. 400 locomotives will be supplied to Russia and 295 to Kazakhstan. Visit: www.alstom.com or www.tmholding.ru
Hitachi Rail Europe selects Nomad Digital for On Board Server solution for IEP
Hitachi Rail Europe Ltd. has selected British company Nomad Digital to provide an On Board Server (OBS) solution for the Hitachi Super Express fleet for the Intercity Express Programme (IEP). The OBS provides a single gateway for transmission of all operational data between the train and the trackside. Data transmitted includes train diagnostics from the Train Management System, energy consumption, seat reservation as well as daily timetable information. The OBS utilises Nomad’s R3500 router as the communications gateway and harnesses multiple 3G networks to provide connectivity.
Keith Jordan, managing director, Hitachi Rail Europe, said: “Nomad Digital is already an existing supplier for our Class 395 train as one of the leading companies in Europe for supplying OBS solutions. We are now extending our working relationship with them. As the IEP contract is a long-term commitment for Hitachi Rail Europe, we will be working with Nomad Digital to future-proof the technology to ensure that it will be the right solution over the duration of the contract. We are very pleased to be working with a supplier, based almost on the doorstep of our new train manufacturing plant in Newton Aycliffe in County Durham.” Visit: www.Hitachirail-eu.com or www.nomadrail.com
