Florida's High-Speed Rail awarded to Bombardier
and Fluor
Madrid, October 31 th The
companies Bombardier and Fluor has been selected to design, build, operate,
maintain and finance the first phase of Florida's High-Speed Rail network
that will speed people between the fast growing urban centers of Tampa and
Orlando
An extensive state-wide debate resulted in today's decision by the Florida
High Speed Rail Authority (FHSRA) to select game-changing technology - the
Bombardier JetTrain- supported by the expertise of Fluor to develop the infrastructure
to support construction of the system.
The Fluor-Bombardier bid includes JetTrain technology, the first non-electric,
high-speed rail solution designed specifically for the North American market.
Powered by a jet engine, this train equipment operates at 150 miles per hour
(250 km/h) and meets all safety standards for high-speed rail. The JetTrain
locomotive is the result of a public-private development partnership that
began in 1998 between Bombardier Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration
(FRA) in the United States.
Fluor's transportation unit has significant experience in developing this
kind of projects around the world to bring the benefit of private-sector management,
expertise and financing to the delivery of public services. Projects recently
completed or currently under way include the first high-speed rail project
in The Netherlands and public-private partnerships with the states of Virginia,
Texas, Colorado and South Carolina.
Next steps for Fluor-Bombardier will be to begin negotiations to conclude
the contract. The system is expected to be operational by 2009.
*Editing
Madrid,
October 22 th Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya
(FGC), the regional railway operator under the authority of
the regional government of Catalonia, has ordered 13 suburban
trains from a that includes Alstom, Construcciones y Auxiliar
de Ferrocarriles (CAF) and Bombardier. The contract is worth
€66 million.
In particular, Alstom will assemble the trains at its plant
near Barcelona, and its share of the contract is €25
million. CAF will supply the bogies, body shells and other
materials and Bombardier will be in charge of the traction
equipment.
The electrical multiple-unit trainsets are for a new service
that will run between the cities of Igualada, Manresa and
Martorell, and offer connections with train service to Barcelona.The
order follows one placed by FGC in 1995 for 20 of the same
kind of trains.
Besides, Alstom will also supply trains for Barcelona's future
automatic metro line and leads the construction consortium
building two new tramways, for which it is supplying the Citadis
rolling stock.
*Editing
Madrid,
October 16 th Bombardier awarded an order for the supply
of twelve low-floor trams, valued at approximately 40 million
Euros, by the supervisory board of the transport authority of
the city of Leipzig, Germany. The contract includes an option
for twelve further vehicles. Delivery of the Bombardier Flexity
trams is expected to take place from August 2005 to May 2006.
The 45-metre vehicles will be built at Bombardier's German facility
of Bautzen. The trams' propulsion system will be provided by
its site in Mannheim, also in Germany.
The vehicles, which have a modular low-floor design, offer comfortable
entrance areas and a transparent interior with flat screens
for travel information. In addition, the air-conditioned cars
feature video cameras for improved safety. With a total capacity
for 187 passengers (106 seated, 81 standees), the vehicles are
ideal for high-density lines. These trams are especially popular
among the transport authorities in Germany. Cities like Kassel,
Essen, Schwerin, Dessau, Dresden or Halle, in Germany, have
chosen these vehicles.
*Editing
Madrid,
October 13 th The British company Jarvis PLC, contractor for
the maintenance of Network Rail infrastructure railway, has decided
to cancel the contract that finalized in March of 2005, due to
the bad image acquired in the public opinion that identify the
company with the problems in the railway service.
The company, that for three years has been taking care of the
maintenance and renovation of railways, bridges, tunnels, stations
and signaling systems in a large extent of the United Kingdom,
has suffered a crisis as a result of the derailment of Potters
Bar, in May of 2002, presumably attributed to maintenance failures
and, as a result of this perception, Jarvis has been rejected
as candidate in several projects of other sectors.
According to the restlessness of its shareholders, the management of the company took the decision to negotiate an anticipated rescission of the contract with Network Rail, that represented half of its invoicing and 60% of its benefits in 2002. Now, the public company will directly manage the maintenance, making use of the private contractor human resources.
*Editing
Madrid,
October 13 th The last Saturday, 11 of October, leaved from
Atocha´s station, in Madrid, the first train of the new High
Speed railway line(AVE, according the acrony in spanish) that connects
this city with Lérida, in Cataluña´s region.
This way, starts the commercial running of the second Spanish railway
line of this type, whose construction began in 1997 and which has
supposed an investment superior to the 4.500 million euros.
Now, with the incorporation of this High Speed line, the lenght
between both cities is reduced to less than three hours, in contrast
to the five that were needed before. In this first stage, the trains
will develop speeds that do not surpass the 200 kilometers per hour,
and until brings into operation the new signaling railway system
called ERTMS (according to its contraction in english) that will
allow trains to run at 350 kilometers per hour.
In addition, the passengers who make the Madrid-Barcelona journey, will have to change of train in Lérida - if they travel in the AVE trains- and to continue the trip by the conventional network to the Catalan capital. Nevertheless, those that choose the Altaria trains, will not need to carry out this change since these have an adaptation system gauge. Thus, the trip between Madrid and Barcelona will be made in five hours, instead of the seven demanded previously.
*Editing
Madrid,
October 9 th The Shanghai Mass Transit Yangpu Line Development
has ordered 28 six-car Alstom Metropolis trainsets worth about €184
million for the city's future Yangpu metro Line.
The Yangpu Line will run from the Yangpu district in the north of
the city to Pudong in the southeast. The 23,4 kilometer line will
have 24 stations and offer access to the future Universal Studios
theme park and the World Expo 2010 park in Pudong.
The 168 Metropolis cars in this order are based on the vehicles that
the company is building for the city's Xinmin Line. Delivery is scheduled
to begin in October 2005 and to be complete by the end of 2007.
Alstom´s plant in Barcelona will manufacture the first train
and car-body shells, and the factory in France will manufacture bogie
frames. Chinese content will account for 70 percent of the manufacturing.
Shanghai Alstom Transport Company (SATCO), a joint venture between
ALSTOM and Shanghai Electric Corporation, will complete assembly of
the cars and carry out the painting, fitting out and testing of the
vehicles.
Faced with fast-growing demand for mass public transportation, the
city is planning to build nine new metro lines. Shanghai has ordered
the french company nearly 500 cars for the Xinmin, Pearl and Yangpu
metro lines. Eleven trains are already in service on the Pearl Line,
and trains should enter service on the Xinmin Line by the end of the
year.
*Editing
Madrid, October
3 rd Bombardier Transportation and its consortium partner Alstom
will supply a further 68 Cobra trams to Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich,
the transport authority of the city of Zurich. Following the thorough
testing of six preproduction trial vehicles delivered in 2001, the Zurich
Cobra fleet will thus encompass 74 vehicles. The new order for 68 trams
is valued at approximately $239 million Cdn (151,36 million euros),
and Bombardier's share of the contract amounts to some $194 million
Cdn (126,86 million euros). The vehicles are scheduled for delivery
as of mid-2005.
As the leading partner in the consortium, Bombardier Transportation is responsible for the carbody, propulsion system, assembly and commissioning of the vehicles, with Alstom supplying the running gear and brake system.
*Editing
Madrid, September
23 th DB Regio, the Deutsche Bahn group's division for regional passenger
traffic, has awarded ALSTOM a contract worth approximately €60 million
for the supply of 27 "Coradia Lint" regional trains.
ALSTOM's plant in Salzgitter, Germany, will deliver the
units from March to September 2005. DB Regio will operate the trains on
the Harz-Weser network.
These modern, air-conditioned vehicles have 131 seats. The interiors are
designed for flexible use; for example, in summertime, some of the seats
in the spacious multipurpose areas can be removed in order to provide
additional space for bicycles.
Since 2000, Alstom has sold 250 Coradia trains in many europeans countries
like Netherlands, Germany and Denmark.
*Editing
Madrid, September
22th Bombardier announced that received a 38,9 million euro order from
Montreal’s Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (AMT) to design
and manufacture 22 BiLevel commuter rail cars for the region’s Montréal
/ Dorion-Rigaud line. Delivery of the cars is expected to take place in
the last half of 2004.
This multi-deck car is in service with transit authorities serving commuters in Los Angeles, Seattle, Toronto, Miami, Vancouver, Dallas/Fort Worth, San Diego, San Francisco-San Jose, Virginia-Washington, D.C. and Stockton, California.
The aluminum cars offer two main levels of passenger seating
with a smaller intermediate level at each end. The design provides 70% more
passenger area than single-level rail cars within a similar length and up
to 30% savings in operating costs. The cars to be provided to the AMT will
have 150 seats and standing room accommodations for up to 215 additional
passengers.
*Editing
Madrid, September
16th A CITADIS tram for Barcelona's Trambaix network was tested on an
outside line for the first time on August 21. The tram made several trips
on a one-kilometer line in the municipalities of Cornellà and Sant
Joan Despí.
The project team verified the conformity of the gauge and carried out track
and catenary tests. Speed tests and tests on subsystems such as road signaling
and communications will be carried out over the coming months.
In the depot, tests of the power-supply substation were carried out successfully.
The technical room of the control center, the service station and the tram-washing
machine have been installed in the depot.
ALSTOM's customer, Tramvia Metropolità, was on site and expressed
their satisfaction at seeing significant progress in the project. The commercial
opening of the Trambaix network is scheduled for early 2004.
*Editing
Madrid, September
2nd Mayor Ivo Opstelten of Rotterdam and Ronald Clayden, head of Rotterdam's
transportation authority, RET, inaugurated the city's first Citadis tram
the last week. RET is extending the service and modernizing the image of
Rotterdam's tram network with the Citadis trams. They are destined for the
city's three new Tram-Plus lines, which serve suburban areas not covered
by the city's underground.
The first five of the 60 trams for RET entered commercial service immediately
after the inauguration ceremony. The tramcars, which feature four double
doors on one side, can carry 180 passengers.
ALSTOM trams have been sold in more than 25 cities around the world, including
Paris, Barcelona, Rotterdam, Dublin and Melbourne.
*Editing
Madrid, August
29 th Singapore's North East Metro Line was inaugurated this week by
Singapore Deputy Prime Minister, M. Lee Hsien Loong, in the presence of
the Land Transport Authority (LTA) Chairman, M. Michael Lim, and M. Patrick
Kron, Chairman of Alstom.
The new 20-km underground line, the first automatic metro line in Singapore,
comprises 16 stations. The contracts for the fully automatic train control
system and the 25 x 6 car trainsets were awarded to Alstom in 1997 and 1998
respectively.
The fully automatic metro system, the largest in the world in terms of passenger
capacity, has been in passenger service since 20th June 2003. It has been
described as the 'way to go' for public transportation by Hans Rat, secretary
general of UITP, the international association of public transport.
In just over two months of service, the highly complex system has been running
smoothly with a level of reliability of 99.5 %, 97 % schedule adherence
within 2 minutes, and an average 150,000 passengers per day.
*Editing
Madrid, August
28 th The SRA announced the start of a programme to modernise facilities
for passengers at three stations in the Midlands. The improvements will
vary from station to station, but include waiting rooms, toilets, shelters,
CCTV and improved customer information systems. The investment amount raises
the two million euros.
The stations in the Midlands that will benefit are Erdington, Four Oaks
and Lichfield City. The work programme is expected to commence in Autumn
2003 and be completed by Spring 2005.
The improvements are part of the Modern Facilities At Stations (MFAS) scheme,
funded and specified by the SRA, and delivered by Network Rail. The project
will deliver real and significant benefits to passengers at a number of
stations, whilst ensuring value for money for taxpayers.
The list will be reviewed over time to include other stations as further
funds for this programme become available.
*Editing
Madrid, August
11 th Bombardier Transportation and its joint venture partners, Power
Corporation of Canada and China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry
(Group) Corporation have been awarded an additional order from the Ministry
of Railways of the People's Republic of China for the delivery of 38 high-grade
intercity passenger cars. This follows an order for 300 of the same cars
awarded in 1999 to the joint venture, Bombardier Sifang Power (Qingdao)
Transportation Ltd., by the Ministry of Railways. Deliveries of the new
17 dining cars and 21 sleeper cars, which are valued at approximately 63
million eurosl, are scheduled to start in February 2004.
The new vehicles, which can reach a maximum speed of 160 km/h, will be produced in Qingdao, Shandong province, some 650 kilometres Southeast of Beijing and will operate on the Beijing-Shanghai, Beijing-Harbin, Beijing-Guangzhou lines. To date, 82 cars from the original order have been delivered to the Ministry of Railways and are in service on the Shanghai-Hangzhou, Shanghai- Nanjing, and Shanghai-Qinhuangdao lines.*Editing
Madrid, August
1 st. The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) today announced that Arriva
Trains Ltd has been selected as the preferred bidder for the new Wales &
Borders Franchise with responsibility for operating all local and regional
train services in Wales and the Border counties.
The decision follows a comprehensive competitive tendering process.It is planned that Arriva Trains Ltd will take over the franchise by the end of 2003 and operate it for fifteen years, subject to five-year performance review assessments.
The key commitments contained within the new franchise include:
· Creation of an integrated Wales & Borders franchise structured around services currently operated today.
· Introduction of seven class 150 Diesel Multiple Units planned from December 2004, leading to greater operational flexibility and resilience, to replace current, less suitable stock.
· Introduction of 30 new integrated train / bus tickets by November 2005, permitting many new opportunities for through journeys.*Editing
Madrid, July 29
th. The SRA and Network Rail today announced the implementation of a
major performance and capacity improvement project for the Cherwell Valley
route, between Banbury and Leamington Spa.This route handles a large tonnage
of freight and has experienced a high growth in passenger traffic. It is
severely constrained for current and future passenger and freight demand,
the primary constraint being the long signalling headway.The £30 million
plus scheme provides for new signalling for 20 miles of two track railway,
a new control panel, and three new track crossovers and enhanced freight
looping facilities. Work on the scheme, specified by the SRA - to be delivered
by Network Rail - will begin immediately and is programmed for completion
in early summer 2004.*Editing
Madrid, July 25
th. The prolongation of the Streetcar of Bilbao, between the stations
of Guggenheim and San Mamés, was inaugurated yesterday by the mayor
of Bilbao. With this new extension, the route of the Streetcar ends in the
station located next to the football stadium of Bilbao.
In addition to the one of San Mamés, other three stops entered operation: Abandoibarra, Euskalduna, Sabino Arana, which they add more of a kilometer to the route of the Line A, now with five kilometers of extension. The new stations will give service to important centers like the Euskalduna Palace, the Engineers School, the San Mamés soccer stadium and, shortly, to the future Zubiarte commercial center.*Editing
Madrid, July 24th. Siemens
launched, last week, in Vienna, the new train that will run in the Blue Line
of Bangkok´s Tube, in Thailand. The rolling stock is included in a contract
signed with Bangkok Tube, by which Siemens Transportation Systems (STS) is in
charge of the supply of 19 trains with 3 cars each one, by an amount of 325
million euros. Also, by means of this contract, STS has been designated for
the management and the maintenance of the system, by a period of ten years.
The trains, made at the Siemens factory in Vienna, have conditioned air, 65
meters in length and 3 of wide, and its capacity is of 886 passengers. The body
has been designed in stainless steel and the top speed that will be able to
reach is of 80 kilometers per hour.
The Blue Line, with 20 kilometers of extension and 18 stations, will be operative
in April of 2004 and, according to the estimates of the Thailander company,
it will transport 24.000 passengers per hour.*Editing
Madrid, July 23rd. Eurostar,
the railwat company that connects United Kingdom, France and Belgium to each
other, will offer the management of its services through the world-wide distribution
and reserves system, Amadeues. This way, the train ticket reserves could be
managed through this system, in the same way as the airline companies do.
The initiative will allow to all the agents who are connected with Amadeus, to make the consultation, reserves and ticket emission of Eurostar. The availability of this service will be world-wide, with the exception of countries like Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Holland, Portugal and Sweden.
The new system as much promises benefits for companies as for clients. Thus, the trip agents will increase their productivity, since they will be able to accede simultaneously to the routes of Eurostar and the flights for any destiny in the same screen. At the same time, the clients will have more options and will be able to quickly compare the supplies of the train with those of the airplane, when it comes to travelling..*Editing
Madrid, July 22nd. Richard
Bowker, SRA Chairman and John Armitt, Chief Executive of Network Rail, last
week officially opened a fourth platform at Swindon station on the Great Western
Mainline. The new platform will improve punctuality and provides extra capacity
for the future on the busy line by allowing passenger trains to stop without
having to cross other lines when entering the station.
The platform became fully operational on 2 June and, since then, around 60 trains have called at the platform each day. The £8.6 million capital cost for the project includes a new helpdesk, waiting room, café, a real-time network map and toilets on the platform.
First Great Western has employed an extra five full time staff to manage the platform.The project was jointly funded by the SRA, Network Rail and First Great Western, whose Managing Director, Chris Kinchin-Smith, also joined the ceremony.*Editing
Madrid, July 21st. Bombardier
Transportation has delivered in Spain, under a contract to supply 16 very-high-speed
trains to RENFE, the first two 330-km/h power heads for the Madrid-Barcelona
high-speed line.Bombardier's scope of supply comprises the development and manufacture
of the lightweight very-high-speed power heads, including the entire electrical
equipment, the propulsion system and the bogies. Bombardier will also be involved
in the final assembly and testing of the trainsets.
The first 4 power heads are manufactured at Bombardier's site in Kassel, the group's centre of competence for the production of electric and diesel locomotives and power heads for global projects, site where the power heads for the German ICE family trains were also built. The manufacture of the other 28 power heads is at the same time being prepared at Talgo's site in Las Matas, close to Madrid, Spain. This is where a team of 30 employees will assemble the power heads together with Patentes Talgo.
The characteristic shape of the AVE* 102 power head was developed in a wind tunnel. Its special design decreases the pressure waves that occur when a train passes through tunnels and reduces the effect of crosswinds. Although certified for a maximum speed of 330 km/h (per contractual request) the AVE 102 still holds considerable reserves: in December 2002 the pre-series train, developed by Bombardier and Talgo, set the railway speed record in Spain, reaching a top speed of 362 km/h.
The contract, signed in 2001 between RENFE and the consortium comprised by Bombardier and Patentes Talgo, is valued at approximately 338 million euros. Deliveries of the complete trains are scheduled to take place between October 2003 and December 2004.*Editing
Madrid, July 18th. The Transport
Office started this week works of Metrovalencia Bailén station, whose
communication with the future station of Central Park, will allow the connection
with the Renfe Suburban and High Speed services.
The new station will have two lobbies, one that it will directly connect with
the RENFE platforms and another one with the peatonal tunnel to the "Gran
Vía de Valencia", like also, a subterranean platform located under
Ramon and Cajal street.
The access will be by means of fixed stairs and elevators that will communicate the different levels from the station to each other (street, lobby, platform and corridor). This way, the Valencian authorities look for to guarantee the accessibility to people with reduced mobility.*Editing
Madrid, July 17th. The Compagnie
des Transports Strasbourgeois (CTS), the public-transport operator of Strasbourg,
France, has awarded Alstom a contract worth 98.3 million euros for the supply
of 35 Citadis trams. The contract includes an option for up to 12 additional
trams, an option for spare parts management and an option for rolling-stock
maintenance.
The full low floor trams are fitted with a small bogie at either end in order
to follow the network's curves more smoothly and provide harmonious movement.
They are 2.4 meters wide and can carry 288 passengers. They will serve the entire
tramway network of the Strasbourg area.
Alstom will build the trams at its plants in France, in particular La Rochelle
and Reichshoffen and the first deliveries are scheduled for mid 2005.
ALSTOM trams have been sold in more than 25 cities around the world like Paris,
Barcelona and Dublin. *Editing
Madrid, December 18th. Bombardier
Transportation and Alstom LHB was awarded a contract by Hamburger Hochbahn AG
for the manufacture os a sixth series of underground vehicles type DT4 for the
city of Hamburg, in Germany. The follow-on order, valued at approximately 60
million Euros, calls for the production and delivery of 15 four-car trains.
Bombardier will develop the electrical equipment, including traction, at its
Mannheim facility in Germany. Alstom will produce the carbodies, bogies and
brake systems in Salzgitter, in Germany too. Following final delivery of the
previos series DT 4.5 os the same design, the new-generation trainsets are scheduled
to be delivered between March 2004 and April 2005. Brake systems, traction and
control technology of the new series are state-of-the-art. The underground vehicles
fulfil the same high evironmental standards as the vehicles of the previous
series. Since the signature of the initial contract in 1986, Hochbahn has ordered
a total of 126 underground trains of the type DT4 from the manufacturing consortium.
Ninety-two trainsets have already been delivered. *Editing
Madrid, November 5th. Twelve
people have died ina a fire on a sleeper train near the eastern city of Nancy
in France. Fire was spotted by railway staff as the train passed through Nancy
station, and the driver stopped almost inmediately outside the city. Several
hours after the fire was discovered, smoke was still seen coming from the train.
About 150 passengers were aboard the train, which was heading from Munich, via
Strasbourg to Paris. The two carriages dated from 1960 of German national railway
Deutsche Bahn were renovated in the last three years. *Editing
Madrid, Octuber 1st. Last news
published on business Spanish press report that Talgo is looking for a partner,
announcing the posible sale about 51 per cent of company. Expansion, an important
newspaper, published yesterday the following headline "Oriol family seeks
a Talgo partner to resolve differences among shareholders" and this subheading
"Owners are ready to sell 51 per cent about railway company's capital".
Yesterday evening, Talgo sent to newspaper offices an e-mail asserting that
"Patentes Talgo board of directors makes official a scochetd about a possible
selling process". However, Expansion published today next headline "Talgo'
shareholders have assignment to Beta Capital a partners search", reporting
that Beta Capital has distributed to several economic groups interested on Talgo
purchase a sale report. This report, according to Expansion, indicates a capital
transfer part from railway company. *Expansión/Editing
Madrid, September 16th. Authorities
evacuated 8.000 people Sunday after the acid being shipped by the United States
military spilled, forming a heavy, billowing cloud of hazardous gas. The accident
site was 20 miles fron downtown Knoxville, when a train with 141 cars and three
locomotives was en route from Pennsylvania to Alabama derailed. Only one of
the derailed cars contained the chemical, known as "fumomg sulfuric acid",
and the cause of the accident is being investigated. Sulfuric acid fumes are
an extreme irritant, and direct contact with them cause blindness. The acid
is commonly found in car battery acid, chemical munitions and some fertilizers.
*CNN
Madrid, September 16th. On
Monday 7 Octuber 2002, Intercontainer-Interfrigo (ICF) will be launching its
new "Fast Freight Train" service, which will cover the distance between
Amsterdam and Sesto San Giovanni in Milan, 6 times per week in less than 18
hours. The train with its load of containers and swap bodies will run at speeds
akint to those of passenger trains and offer quality standars comparable with
those of international passenger traffic. The target markets for this new train
are air freight consignments, perishables such as fruit, vegetables and flowers,
an time-sensitive goods of all kinds. *Editing
Madrid, September 10th. At
least 100 people have been killed and as many as 150 injured after a luxury
Delhi-bound passenger train derailed on a brdige in the eastern Indian state
of Bihar, sending at leas one carriage plunging into a river. There was confusion
over the cause of the crash, as some officials balmed sabotage by rebels while
others said monsoon rains could have weakened the bridge. The Rajdajani Express
jumped the tracks on a bridge over the swollen River Dhavi near Rafiganj station,
about 510 kilometres from Calcutta. Railway and government officials said 50
bodies has been removed from the site. Some survivors were still trapped in
the tangled wreckage, screaming for help. Railways Minister Bandaru Dattatreya
said he was convinced the incident was a case of foul play, as iron girders
and rails on the bridge had been removed. *BBC
Madrid, September 5th. The Royal Train
is too expensive and should probably be taken out of service according to Committe
of British Parliament that actually is examining the cost of royal travel. Since
1997, the annual cost of Railtrack-owned train has been reduced from 3 million
euros to one million a year. During the Queen's Golden Jubilee tour the train
covered 3.500 miles across England, Scotland and Wales, but normally it is used
a lot less. Although the Royal Family has had the use of a private train since
the days of Queen Victoria, Buckingham Palace agreed some months ago that the
train's future would have to be closely examined. Mindful perhaps that the Queen
has already lost the royal yacht, called Britannia, one senior aide said recently
that they would not give up her train without a fight. *BBC
Madrid, September 3rd. An integrated
joint venture led by Alstom, with Carillion and Travaus du Sud-Quest, has been
chosen as the contractor for the track and overhead catenary system for section
2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in the United Kingdom. Section 2 of this link,
between Ebbesfleet and St. Pancras, covers 40 kilometres and the total valud
is around 190 million euros.
The Channel Tunnel Rail Lind, managed by Union Railways North, is a new high
speed link opening in 2007 wichi will have journey times from central London
to the Channel Tunnel. Paris will be two hours and 20 minutes and Burssels just
2 hours from St. Pancras station by non-stop Eurostar. In order to fulfil the
contract, the French company will deploy its design, procurement, project management
and commissioning expertise, gained as a major player in the railway infrastructura
market worl-wide. *Editing
Madrid, August 8th. Siemens
Transportation Systems is to set up a new light rail transit system in Portugal
with rolling stock and rail technology. The contract calls for the supply of
24 Combino type five-section low-floor, complete signalling and operations control
equipment. New system will link Alamada andd Seixal south of Lisbon and offer
a number of connections to the main railway line and ferries serving Lisbom.
The customer is the newly established company Metro Transportes do Sul (MTS),
which has received from the Portuguese government the concession to not only
build but also operate the rail system for a period of 27 years. *Editing
Madrid, August 1st. The Metropolitan
Transportation Authority board of directors voted today to award Alstom a 980
million euro contract for the design and manufacture of 660 new heavy rail subway
cars. The new carriages will replace R32, R38 and R42 cars, and give the New
York additional new carriages for expansion purposes. The 660 cars of the base
order will be delivered in a 2006-2007 timeframe. Likewise, Chile«s Metro
has selected Alstom for the suply of rolling stock, automatic train control
equipment and maintenance services for Santiago de Chile«s metro line
4, under a contract worth more than 250 million euros including options. *Editing
Madrid, July 29th. Bombardier
Transportation has been awarded a contract valued at 561 million dolars for
trains to be used by the british train operator, Connex South Eastern. This
order includes the manufacture of 180 Suburban Electrostar cars adapted to the
South London operation, valued approximately 326 million dolars and a 30 year
maintenance agreement valued at 235 million dolars.
The trains will be manufactured at Bombardier production facility in Derby (UK),
and deliverded as five-car units. Deliveries will commence July 2004. These
additional units will mean that Connex will have enough carriages to ensure
replacement of slam-door stock in line with government legislation. *Editing
Madrid, February 12th. Eurotunnel,
reporting its profits for 2001, turnover was down 6% at 564 million pounds.
The company report that claimed asylum seekers caused a 20 million pounds business
shortfall and an extra 5 million pounds was spent on security measures. Eurotunnel
has unsuccessfully campaigned to close down a refugee camp at Sangatte, norhtern
France, whici it says is used as a base by inmigrants trying to illegally enter
Britain through the tunnel. Revenue from transport activities was stable at
521 million pounds, the 12% fall in operating profit to 183 million pounds relfects
the loss of margin on sales of telecom cables. *BBC
Madrid, February 7th. Commuters
on Arriva trains in the north of England will face further strikes in March.
Rail union leaders confirmed they will stage walk-outs on 1 and 2 March unless
guards are given a pay rise. Officials from the Rail, Maritime and Transport
(RMT) union's national executive met on Wednesday to discuss the new strike
dates. Meanwhile the union said fresh talks were planned to avert further strikes
on the South West Trains network. The union wants at least a 16% rise in basic
pay, but the company has only offered 8%. *BBC
Madrid, January 24th. Bombardier
Transportation received an order from the Local Transport Authority of Lower
Saxony (LNVG) in Germany for the delivery of 10 locomotives and 66 double-deck
cars. The total contract value is Euros 113 million. Deliveries are scheduled
to take place between July 2003 and October 2003. The trains are planned to
be used in the RegionalExpress service on the lines Hamburg-Bremen and Hamburg-Uelzen
starting December 2003.
The electric locomotives of the class 146 have been specifically designed for
local and regional transport. The locomotives' maximum speed of 160 km/h makes
them also suitable for regional express transport. The vehicles will be manufactured
at Bombardier's facility in Kassel. *Editing
Madrid, January 24th. Renfe
will set new services and trains next Sunday, changing routes and timetables.
Expansión reports that alterations will focus on railway routes between
Madrid and Pamplona, Saragossa, Ferrol and Logroño, and between Barcelona
and Asturias, Galicia, Andalusia and Estremadura. *Expansión
Madrid, January 22nd. ALSTOM
has received a letter of intent from Swiss Federal Railways for a European Train
Control System (ETCS) for the Mattstetten - Rothrist rail line between Zurich
and Bern. The project value is in the range of 125 million euros. ALSTOM's share
is approximately 65%, and partner Stadler will receive the remainder for integration
and installation of on-board signaling systems.
This landmark project is the largest order to date for this proven, next-generation
technology, which will greatly improve rail network performance not only in
Switzerland but ultimately throughout Europe. This is the first of many projects
within the framework of the SBB's "Bahn 2000" plan for network performance
improvement.
*Editing
Madrid, January 22nd. The municipality
of Bordeaux (France) has chosen a consortium led by Alstom to negotiate the
contract for the construction of three tramway lines serving the principal areas
of Bordeaux (Quais de Garonne, Pey-Berland, Pont de Pierre, Quinconces, Gare
St-Jean, Cenon, Lormont, Talence, University sites). They will enter commercial
service at the beginning of 2003.
This project, worth EUR 260 million, is for the supply of Citadis low floor
trams, track, track covering and for the total maintenance of the supplied equipment.
The rolling stock proposal comprises a firm order for 38 tramsets, and for two
optional orders covering the total maintenance of the system for 10 years and
for the supply of an additional 32 tramsets. The consortium has offered, on
option, ground electrification of the traction system as a means of freeing
the city centre of overhead lines. The municipality will decide upon this at
a later date.
*Editing
Madrid, January 21st. Commission
regulation on public service requirements for transport by rail and road. The
main justification for the new regulation is the need for clear Community rules
following the emergence of multinational transport companies not tied to a specific
geographical area and operating in various Member States.
*El País
Madrid, January 17th. Renfe
and Siemens, Alstom and CAF has a meeting today about subcontracting agreement
of AVE trains manufacture that will circulate on Madrid-Barcelona high-speed
line. Expansión reports that this meeting is a consequence of last week,
when railway manufacturers and Miguel Corsini, President of Renfe wants an agreement
about trains manufacture in Spain. *Expansión / Cinco Días
Madrid, January 15th. British
government will spend on its crisis-hit railways Pounds 33,5 bn over 10 years
in an attempt to ease overcrowding, improve safety and reduce delays. Cinco
Días reports that the Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA) 10-year plan said
a "significant increase in confidence and stability" in the rail industry
was necessary to attract similar levels of private sector funding essential
to delivering the targets in the plan. *Cinco Días
Madrid, January 15th. Commission
Vice-President in charge of Transport and Energy, Loyola de Palacio, announced
that she would come forward with a new package of railway measures on 23rd of
January. *Expansión
Madrid, January 15th. New trains,
model 8000, of Madrid Underground will circulate on line 8 were presented yesterday
by Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, President of Madrid autonomous Government.
El País reports that new trains have costed EUR 41,5 million and they
have innovative technology in safety, comunications, design and entertaiment.
*El País
Madrid, January 12th. Line
8 expansion of Madrid Underground, between Mar de Cristal and Barajas (airport),
will be financed as a whole by Comunidad de Madrid (autonomous government).
El País reports that 35.000 millions pesetas will not finance by European
Union in spite of the fact that José María Aznar, president of
Spain, become involved in demand aids for this project. *El País
Madrid, January 12th. Estrasburgo,
Nantes, Lyons, Lille, Saint Etienne, Marselle and Orleans are many of French
cities where tramway is reintroducing. El País points out that tramways,
despite disappear at the end of the fifties, are a silent, clean and fast mean
of transport. *El País
Madrid, January 11th. Meeting
between presidents of Renfe, Siemens, Alstom and CAF has forced a commitment
between AVE train manufacturers to reach an agreement to start train production.
Cinco Días remarks that works prices differences persist. What is more,
Expansión reports that Siemens has an agreement with Renfe to deliver
16 trains for Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line in delivery time periods. *Cinco
Días / Expansión
Madrid, January 11th. Autonomous
government of Catalonia wants competitiveness encouraging of 130 SMEs railway
companies, at the moment that AVE train between Madrid and Barcelona is manufacturing.
Cinco Días points out that Catalonian administration has ordered to LGAI
(General Test Laboratory) companies certified. *Cinco Días
Madrid, January 11th. Bilbao
Undreground got a passengers increase of 3,18% in 2001 and it was the most used
amongst means of transport. Expansión reports that 55.894.761 passengers
were users of Bilbao Underground. *Expansión
Madrid, January 7th. A splitting
up of Dragados company, through business temporary union toghether with Tecsa
and International Tunneling Services have got Abdaslajis-East tunnel tender
on Malaga-Cordoba high-speed line. Besides, Cinco Días points out that
contract is 117,5 millions euros and 7,5 kilometres long, between Antequera
and Alora. *Expansión / Cinco Días
Madrid, January 6th. Yesterday,
Four people died into a car when a Local Train runs over vehicle in Villaverde
Alto (Madrid). El País, quoting witness, reports that train pull the
car along three hundred metres, near to Villaverde station platforms.
What is more, SAMUR nurse died and two job-mates were injured yesterday at 23.30
when a train runs over them in Entrevías (Madrid). *El País
Madrid, January 3rd. Spanish
Government has set first railway toll, that will finance high-speed section
between Spain and France. Cinco Días reports that this tax will be a
reference to set the next one relating to Spanish railway network. Next section
(45 kilometres), between Figueras (Spain) and Perpignan (France), holder will
be able to charge a tax about 1.340 euros per each passenger train or 30 euros
per kilometre. What is more, fare about goods trains will be 550 euros per train
and 12,2 euros per kilometre. *Cinco Días
Madrid, January 3rd. Madrid
Underground will carry adjustment to euro out next days in 201 stations. El
País points out that euro arrival is a problem for underground staff
owing to computer software installation delay. *El País
Volver a la portada de STOL
Madrid, July 24th.
Siemens launched, last week, in Vienna, the new train that will run in the
Blue Line of Bangkok´s Tube, in Thailand. The rolling stock is included
in a contract signed with Bangkok Tube, by which Siemens Transportation
Systems (STS) is in charge of the supply of 19 trains with 3 cars each one,
by an amount of 325 million euros. Also, by means of this contract, STS
has been designated for the management and the maintenance of the system,
by a period of ten years.
The trains, made at the Siemens factory in Vienna, have conditioned air,
65 meters in length and 3 of wide, and its capacity is of 886 passengers.
The body has been designed in stainless steel and the top speed that will
be able to reach is of 80 kilometers per hour.
The Blue Line, with 20 kilometers of extension and 18 stations, will be
operative in April of 2004 and, according to the estimates of the Thailander
company, it will transport 24.000 passengers per hour.*Editing
Madrid, July 23th.
Eurostar, the railwat company that connects United Kingdom, France and Belgium
to each other, will offer the management of its services through the world-wide
distribution and reserves system, Amadeues. This way, the train ticket reserves
could be managed through this system, in the same way as the airline companies
do.
The initiative will allow to all the agents who are connected with Amadeus, to make the consultation, reserves and ticket emission of Eurostar. The availability of this service will be world-wide, with the exception of countries like Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Holland, Portugal and Sweden.
The new system as much promises benefits for companies as for clients. Thus, the trip agents will increase their productivity, since they will be able to accede simultaneously to the routes of Eurostar and the flights for any destiny in the same screen. At the same time, the clients will have more options and will be able to quickly compare the supplies of the train with those of the airplane, when it comes to travelling..*Editing
Madrid, July 22th.
Richard Bowker, SRA Chairman and John Armitt, Chief Executive of Network
Rail, last week officially opened a fourth platform at Swindon station on
the Great Western Mainline. The new platform will improve punctuality and
provides extra capacity for the future on the busy line by allowing passenger
trains to stop without having to cross other lines when entering the station.
The platform became fully operational on 2 June and, since then, around 60 trains have called at the platform each day. The £8.6 million capital cost for the project includes a new helpdesk, waiting room, café, a real-time network map and toilets on the platform.
First Great Western has employed an extra five full time staff to manage the platform.The project was jointly funded by the SRA, Network Rail and First Great Western, whose Managing Director, Chris Kinchin-Smith, also joined the ceremony.*Editing
Madrid, July 21th.
Bombardier Transportation has delivered in Spain, under a contract to supply
16 very-high-speed trains to RENFE, the first two 330-km/h power heads for
the Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line.Bombardier's scope of supply comprises
the development and manufacture of the lightweight very-high-speed power
heads, including the entire electrical equipment, the propulsion system
and the bogies. Bombardier will also be involved in the final assembly and
testing of the trainsets.
The first 4 power heads are manufactured at Bombardier's site in Kassel, the group's centre of competence for the production of electric and diesel locomotives and power heads for global projects, site where the power heads for the German ICE family trains were also built. The manufacture of the other 28 power heads is at the same time being prepared at Talgo's site in Las Matas, close to Madrid, Spain. This is where a team of 30 employees will assemble the power heads together with Patentes Talgo.
The characteristic shape of the AVE* 102 power head was developed in a wind tunnel. Its special design decreases the pressure waves that occur when a train passes through tunnels and reduces the effect of crosswinds. Although certified for a maximum speed of 330 km/h (per contractual request) the AVE 102 still holds considerable reserves: in December 2002 the pre-series train, developed by Bombardier and Talgo, set the railway speed record in Spain, reaching a top speed of 362 km/h.
The contract, signed in 2001 between RENFE and the consortium comprised by Bombardier and Patentes Talgo, is valued at approximately 338 million euros. Deliveries of the complete trains are scheduled to take place between October 2003 and December 2004.*Editing
Madrid, July 18th.
The Transport Office started this week works of Metrovalencia Bailén
station, whose communication with the future station of Central Park, will
allow the connection with the Renfe Suburban and High Speed services.
The new station will have two lobbies, one that it will directly connect
with the RENFE platforms and another one with the peatonal tunnel to the
"Gran Vía de Valencia", like also, a subterranean platform
located under Ramon and Cajal street.
The access will be by means of fixed stairs and elevators that will communicate the different levels from the station to each other (street, lobby, platform and corridor). This way, the Valencian authorities look for to guarantee the accessibility to people with reduced mobility.*Editing
Madrid, July
17th. The Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois (CTS), the public-transport
operator of Strasbourg, France, has awarded Alstom a contract worth 98.3
million euros for the supply of 35 Citadis trams. The contract includes
an option for up to 12 additional trams, an option for spare parts management
and an option for rolling-stock maintenance.Madrid, December 18th. Bombardier
Transportation and Alstom LHB was awarded a contract by Hamburger Hochbahn AG
for the manufacture os a sixth series of underground vehicles type DT4 for the
city of Hamburg, in Germany. The follow-on order, valued at approximately 60
million Euros, calls for the production and delivery of 15 four-car trains.
Bombardier will develop the electrical equipment, including traction, at its
Mannheim facility in Germany. Alstom will produce the carbodies, bogies and
brake systems in Salzgitter, in Germany too. Following final delivery of the
previos series DT 4.5 os the same design, the new-generation trainsets are scheduled
to be delivered between March 2004 and April 2005. Brake systems, traction and
control technology of the new series are state-of-the-art. The underground vehicles
fulfil the same high evironmental standards as the vehicles of the previous
series. Since the signature of the initial contract in 1986, Hochbahn has ordered
a total of 126 underground trains of the type DT4 from the manufacturing consortium.
Ninety-two trainsets have already been delivered. *Editing
Madrid, November 5th.
Twelve people have died ina a fire on a sleeper train near the eastern city of Nancy in France. Fire was spotted by railway staff as the train passed through Nancy station, and the driver stopped almost inmediately outside the city. Several hours after the fire was discovered, smoke was still seen coming from the train. About 150 passengers were aboard the train, which was heading from Munich, via Strasbourg to Paris. The two carriages dated from 1960 of German national railway Deutsche Bahn were renovated in the last three years.
*Editing
Madrid, Octuber 1st.
Last news published on business Spanish press report that Talgo is looking for a partner, announcing the posible sale about 51 per cent of company. Expansion, an important newspaper, published yesterday the following headline "Oriol family seeks a Talgo partner to resolve differences among shareholders" and this subheading "Owners are ready to sell 51 per cent about railway company's capital".Madrid, September 16th.
Authorities evacuated 8.000 people Sunday after the acid being shipped by the United States military spilled, forming a heavy, billowing cloud of hazardous gas. The accident site was 20 miles fron downtown Knoxville, when a train with 141 cars and three locomotives was en route from Pennsylvania to Alabama derailed. Only one of the derailed cars contained the chemical, known as "fumomg sulfuric acid", and the cause of the accident is being investigated. Sulfuric acid fumes are an extreme irritant, and direct contact with them cause blindness. The acid is commonly found in car battery acid, chemical munitions and some fertilizers.
*CNN
Madrid, September 16th.
On Monday 7 Octuber 2002, Intercontainer-Interfrigo (ICF) will be launching its new "Fast Freight Train" service, which will cover the distance between Amsterdam and Sesto San Giovanni in Milan, 6 times per week in less than 18 hours. The train with its load of containers and swap bodies will run at speeds akint to those of passenger trains and offer quality standars comparable with those of international passenger traffic.
The target markets for this new train are air freight consignments, perishables such as fruit, vegetables and flowers, an time-sensitive goods of all kinds.
*Editing
Madrid, September 10th.
At least 100 people have been killed and as many as 150 injured after a luxury Delhi-bound passenger train derailed on a brdige in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, sending at leas one carriage plunging into a river. There was confusion over the cause of the crash, as some officials balmed sabotage by rebels while others said monsoon rains could have weakened the bridge. The Rajdajani Express jumped the tracks on a bridge over the swollen River Dhavi near Rafiganj station, about 510 kilometres from Calcutta. Railway and government officials said 50 bodies has been removed from the site. Some survivors were still trapped in the tangled wreckage, screaming for help. Railways Minister Bandaru Dattatreya said he was convinced the incident was a case of foul play, as iron girders and rails on the bridge had been removed.
*BBC
Madrid, September 5th.
The Royal Train is too expensive and should probably be taken out of service according to Committe of British Parliament that actually is examining the cost of royal travel. Since 1997, the annual cost of Railtrack-owned train has been reduced from 3 million euros to one million a year. During the Queen's Golden Jubilee tour the train covered 3.500 miles across England, Scotland and Wales, but normally it is used a lot less. Although the Royal Family has had the use of a private train since the days of Queen Victoria, Buckingham Palace agreed some months ago that the train's future would have to be closely examined. Mindful perhaps that the Queen has already lost the royal yacht, called Britannia, one senior aide said recently that they would not give up her train without a fight.
*BBC
Madrid, September 3rd.
An integrated joint venture led by Alstom, with Carillion and Travaus du Sud-Quest, has been chosen as the contractor for the track and overhead catenary system for section 2 of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link in the United Kingdom. Section 2 of this link, between Ebbesfleet and St. Pancras, covers 40 kilometres and the total valud is around 190 million euros.Madrid, August 8th.
Siemens Transportation Systems is to set up a new light rail transit system in Portugal with rolling stock and rail technology. The contract calls for the supply of 24 Combino type five-section low-floor, complete signalling and operations control equipment. New system will link Alamada andd Seixal south of Lisbon and offer a number of connections to the main railway line and ferries serving Lisbom. The customer is the newly established company Metro Transportes do Sul (MTS), which has received from the Portuguese government the concession to not only build but also operate the rail system for a period of 27 years.
*Editing
Madrid, August 1st.
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority board of directors voted today to award Alstom a 980 million euro contract for the design and manufacture of 660 new heavy rail subway cars. The new carriages will replace R32, R38 and R42 cars, and give the New York additional new carriages for expansion purposes. The 660 cars of the base order will be delivered in a 2006-2007 timeframe. Likewise, Chile«s Metro has selected Alstom for the suply of rolling stock, automatic train control equipment and maintenance services for Santiago de Chile«s metro line 4, under a contract worth more than 250 million euros including options.
*Editing
Madrid, July 29th.
Bombardier Transportation has been awarded a contract valued at 561 million dolars for trains to be used by the british train operator, Connex South Eastern. This order includes the manufacture of 180 Suburban Electrostar cars adapted to the South London operation, valued approximately 326 million dolars and a 30 year maintenance agreement valued at 235 million dolars.Madrid, February 12th.
Eurotunnel, reporting its profits for 2001, turnover was down 6% at 564 million pounds. The company report that claimed asylum seekers caused a 20 million pounds business shortfall and an extra 5 million pounds was spent on security measures. Eurotunnel has unsuccessfully campaigned to close down a refugee camp at Sangatte, norhtern France, whici it says is used as a base by inmigrants trying to illegally enter Britain through the tunnel. Revenue from transport activities was stable at 521 million pounds, the 12% fall in operating profit to 183 million pounds relfects the loss of margin on sales of telecom cables.
*BBC
Madrid, February 7th.
Commuters on Arriva trains in the north of England will face further strikes in March. Rail union leaders confirmed they will stage walk-outs on 1 and 2 March unless guards are given a pay rise. Officials from the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union's national executive met on Wednesday to discuss the new strike dates. Meanwhile the union said fresh talks were planned to avert further strikes on the South West Trains network. The union wants at least a 16% rise in basic pay, but the company has only offered 8%.
*BBC
Madrid, January 24th.
Bombardier Transportation received an order from the Local Transport Authority of Lower Saxony (LNVG) in Germany for the delivery of 10 locomotives and 66 double-deck cars. The total contract value is Euros 113 million. Deliveries are scheduled to take place between July 2003 and October 2003. The trains are planned to be used in the RegionalExpress service on the lines Hamburg-Bremen and Hamburg-Uelzen starting December 2003.Madrid, January 24th.
Renfe will set new services and trains next Sunday, changing routes and timetables. Expansión reports that alterations will focus on railway routes between Madrid and Pamplona, Saragossa, Ferrol and Logroño, and between Barcelona and Asturias, Galicia, Andalusia and Estremadura.
*Expansión
Madrid, January 22nd.
ALSTOM has received a letter of intent from Swiss Federal Railways for a European Train Control System (ETCS) for the Mattstetten - Rothrist rail line between Zurich and Bern. The project value is in the range of 125 million euros. ALSTOM's share is approximately 65%, and partner Stadler will receive the remainder for integration and installation of on-board signaling systems.
Madrid, January 22nd.
The municipality of Bordeaux (France) has chosen a consortium led by Alstom to negotiate the contract for the construction of three tramway lines serving the principal areas of Bordeaux (Quais de Garonne, Pey-Berland, Pont de Pierre, Quinconces, Gare St-Jean, Cenon, Lormont, Talence, University sites). They will enter commercial service at the beginning of 2003.
Madrid, January 21st.
Commission regulation on public service requirements for transport by rail and road. The main justification for the new regulation is
the need for clear Community rules following the
emergence of multinational transport companies not
tied to a specific geographical area and operating in
various Member States.Madrid, January 17th.
Renfe and Siemens, Alstom and CAF has a meeting today about subcontracting agreement of AVE trains manufacture that will circulate on Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line. Expansión reports that this meeting is a consequence of last week, when railway manufacturers and Miguel Corsini, President of Renfe wants an agreement about trains manufacture in Spain.
*Expansión / Cinco Días
Madrid, January 15th.
British government will spend on its crisis-hit railways Pounds 33,5 bn over 10 years in an attempt to ease overcrowding, improve safety and reduce delays. Cinco Días reports that the Strategic Rail Authority's (SRA) 10-year plan said a "significant increase in confidence and stability" in the rail industry was necessary to attract similar levels of private sector funding essential to delivering the targets in the plan.
*Cinco Días
Madrid, January 15th.
Commission Vice-President in charge of Transport and Energy, Loyola de Palacio, announced that she would come forward with a new package of railway measures on 23rd of January.
*Expansión
Madrid, January 15th.
New trains, model 8000, of Madrid Underground will circulate on line 8 were presented yesterday by Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, President of Madrid autonomous Government. El País reports that new trains have costed EUR 41,5 million and they have innovative technology in safety, comunications, design and entertaiment.
*El País
Madrid, January 12th.
Line 8 expansion of Madrid Underground, between Mar de Cristal and Barajas (airport), will be financed as a whole by Comunidad de Madrid (autonomous government). El País reports that 35.000 millions pesetas will not finance by European Union in spite of the fact that José María Aznar, president of Spain, become involved in demand aids for this project.
*El País
Madrid, January 12th.
Estrasburgo, Nantes, Lyons, Lille, Saint Etienne, Marselle and Orleans are many of French cities where tramway is reintroducing. El País points out that tramways, despite disappear at the end of the fifties, are a silent, clean and fast mean of transport.
*El País
Madrid, January 11th.
Meeting between presidents of Renfe, Siemens, Alstom and CAF has forced a commitment between AVE train manufacturers to reach an agreement to start train production. Cinco Días remarks that works prices differences persist. What is more, Expansión reports that Siemens has
an agreement with Renfe to deliver 16 trains for Madrid-Barcelona high-speed line in delivery time periods.
*Cinco Días / Expansión
Madrid, January 11th.
Autonomous government of Catalonia wants competitiveness encouraging
of 130 SMEs railway companies, at the moment that AVE train between Madrid and Barcelona is manufacturing. Cinco Días points out that Catalonian administration has ordered to LGAI (General Test Laboratory) companies certified.
*Cinco Días
Madrid, January 11th.
Bilbao Undreground got a passengers increase of 3,18% in 2001 and it was the most used amongst means of transport. Expansión reports that 55.894.761 passengers were users of Bilbao Underground.
*Expansión
Madrid, January 7th.
A splitting up of Dragados company, through business temporary union toghether with Tecsa and International Tunneling Services have got Abdaslajis-East tunnel tender on Malaga-Cordoba high-speed line. Besides, Cinco Días points out that contract is 117,5 millions euros and 7,5 kilometres long, between Antequera and Alora.
*Expansión / Cinco Días
Madrid, January 6th.
Yesterday, Four people died into a car when a Local Train runs over vehicle in Villaverde Alto (Madrid). El País, quoting witness, reports that train pull the car along three hundred metres, near to Villaverde station platforms.Madrid, January 3rd.
Spanish Government has set first railway toll, that will finance high-speed section between Spain and France. Cinco Días reports that this tax will be a reference to set the next one relating to Spanish railway network. Next section (45 kilometres), between Figueras (Spain) and Perpignan (France), holder will be able to charge a tax about 1.340 euros per each passenger train or 30 euros per kilometre. What is more, fare about goods trains will be 550 euros per train and 12,2 euros per kilometre.
*Cinco Días
Madrid, January 3rd.
Madrid Underground will carry adjustment to euro out next days in 201 stations. El País points out that euro arrival is a problem for underground staff owing to computer software installation delay.
*El País