EUROSTAR CELEBRATES FIVE

Year Milestone

Over 1.6 million passengers have used Eurostar travel between London and the Netherlands since the inaugural journey left St. Pancras International in April 2018 – equivalent to more than 10,000 Boeing 737-700s, each carrying 149 passengers. With a passenger’s carbon footprint from one flight between London and Amsterdam reportedly being the equivalent to seven Eurostar journeys, over 83,000T of CO2 has been saved thanks to millions of passengers making the switch from plane to train. Eurostar has said that it is committed to growing connections and capacity on the popular highspeed route and recently added a fourth daily service in September, 2022.

Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO at Eurostar Group, said: “As we celebrate five years of high-speed rail connections between London and the Netherlands, we are proud to be the greener way to go. There are now up to 18 daily services between Amsterdam, London and Paris, which is testament to the ever-growing demand for seamless high-speed rail connections as a sustainable and convenient alternative to air travel. As Eurostar Group, we want to carry 30 million passengers a year on all of our routes by 2030, and the continued growth of our Dutch routes will play a huge role in helping us deliver on these ambitions."

The number of travellers connecting at Brussels for journeys between the Netherlands and the UK has increased by +106% since 2018. The direct return service from Amsterdam and Rotterdam to London started operating in October 2020. Wilbert Lek, Managing Director at Rotterdam Partners, says: “The launch of the route to the Netherlands and the addition of a fourth direct train service last year supports us in our mission to promote sustainable travel to both business and leisure customers. We look forward to further strengthening our relationship with Eurostar and to keep welcoming British visitors and businesses to our city.”

Eurostar Group, incorporating Eurostar and Thalys, recently revealed the new brand to take the business forward which will be rolled out across all customer touchpoints including the business’ 51 trains from Q4, 2023. More information can be found on its website.

Kalmbach Media, April 6, 2023

The Nevada legislature has become the latest toconsider limiting the length of freight trains, through introduction of a billwhich would prohibit trains of more than7,500 feet.

CARSON CITY, Nevada

AB 456, introduced on March 27:

“An ACT relating to railroads; prohibiting the operation in this State of certain trains that are more than 7,500 feet long (1.42 mile) (2.3km) on certain railroad tracks; establishing provisions governing the duty hours of yardmasters; requiring a local authority or the Department of Transportation to install traffic-control devices and automated traffic enforcement systems at certain railroad grade crossings; providing civil penalties; establishing provisions governing the issuance of a civil infraction citation based on evidence detected by an automated traffic enforcement system; and providing other matters properly relating thereto” .

The bill sets penalties for violations beginning at $5,000 and escalating to $25,000. The bill also would set hours-of-service provisions for yardmasters, and requires traffic-control devices at any grade crossing where there has been a collision or near-miss between a train and motorvehicle.

A proposed amendment would also require wayside detectors every 10 to 15 miles,with trains limited to 10 mph or less when traveling in areas not so equipped, and outlines the procedures crews must follow if notified of a defect.

The Nevada Independent reports that the state Assembly Committee on Growth andInfrastructure, was told by labor representatives during a Tuesday hearing aboutsafety concerns stemming from job cuts and deteriorating working conditions. Ron Kaminkow, a Reno-based Amtrak engineer and organizer for the group Railroad Workers United, testified of “fear amongst the workforce. … Hardly a day goes by I don’t talk to somebody, especially in the train and engine craft, who just does not feel safe any longer.”But the Independent reports Peggy Ygbuhay, head of Union Pacific public affairs inNevada and California, suggested such regulation is a matter for the federal government because of its impact on interstate commerce.

“A bill like 456 would restrict the flow of commerce into and out of Nevada and impact customers and consumers who rely on a robust supply chain to deliver needed commodities,” Ygbuhay said.

“Increased train length did not occur overnight and it is the result of significant work and technological learning over the past decade.”