Passenger rail news
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NewsTanzanian electric train service reaches Dodoma
TANZANIA: The 258·2 km Morogoro – Dodoma standard gauge line was handed over with a ceremony on July 25 and the first electric passenger train service ran on August 1 with President Samia Suluhu Hassan onboard. The 201·8 km standard gauge line from Dar es Salaam ...
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NewsDanish local railway operator selects battery train supplier
DENMARK: Local railway operator Lokaltog has selected its preferred bidder for a contract to supply 14 battery trainsets for use in the Sjælland region, with options for 10 more. The tender published in November 2023 attracted bids from CAF, Siemens Mobility and Stadler Bussnang. Lokaltog decided ...
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NewsTesla shuttle returns with battery trains
GERMANY: The free shuttle train to Tesla’s Gigafactory plant in Grünheide to the east of Berlin restarted on August 7, using two Siemens Mobility Mireo B battery-electric multiple-units instead of a pair of Bombardier Transportation Talent diesels.
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NewsBattery-electric trains to be ordered for Boston commuter line
USA: The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority board has approved a proposal to replace diesel locomotive-hauled trains on Boston’s Fairmount Commuter Rail Line with battery-electric multiple-units. An onboard battery would be charged when overhead electrification is available, including at Boston’s South station. The 15 km line from ...
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Rail Business UKMore focus on passenger welfare is needed when trains are stranded
UK: The rail industry’s plans for dealing with trains stranded between stations need greater focus on passenger experience and welfare, according to a report commissioned by regulator the Office of Rail & Road and watchdog Transport Focus. The report produced by consultancy Steer examined four incidents ...
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NewsIsrael Railways DMUs purchased by Romanian company
tn_il-isr-ic3.jpg ROMANIA: Ferotrans has purchased 33 redundant IC3 diesel multiple-units from Israel Railways The price was reported to be between €15m and €16m. ISR acquired 50 of the three-car DMUs manufactured by ABB Scandia, Bombardier and RAMTA in three batches between 1992 and 2005. They have ...
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NewsPeruvian rail project plans make progress
PERU: Following the completion of initial viability studies, in July Minister of Transport & Communications Raúl Pérez Reyes Espejo approved the start of design work for the San Juan de Marcona – Andahuaylas and Lima – Ica railway projects. The two proposed mixed traffic lines are ...
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Rail Business UKA whole-industry approach is needed to get young people to use trains for life
UK: Young people want to travel more by rail, but train operators need to provide reliable services, value for money and consistent amenities if they are to attract the next generation of travellers and retain them as customers for the next 20 years, First Rail Managing ...
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NewsReport identifies European missing links where rail could compete with air
EUROPE: Environmental campaigning organisation Greenpeace has produced a comprehensive study of rail services between major European cities, highlighting the ‘untapped potential’ for new direct trains which could replace flights. The Connection Failed report looks at 990 routes between 45 cities. It says only 13% of the ...
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NewsClockface timetable planned to support Polish passenger rail tendering
POLAND: Transport planners are seeking feedback from international train operators on regulations for public service obligation and commercial contracts, capacity allocation and train timetabling, to help inform plans for the liberalisation of the Polish long-distance passenger rail sector. A consultation to be launched shortly will feed ...
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NewsUber adds Spanish rail travel options
SPAIN: Building on a two-year collaboration in the UK, taxi booking platform Uber has begun using Omio’s API to provide its customers with access to rail travel options in Spain. ‘Our collaboration with Uber is a significant achievement for Omio as we join forces with leading ...
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NewsStrikes, weather and ageing infrastructure hold back DB’s first half performance
GERMANY: Hopes that the flow of investment in the Deutsche Bahn network would lead to a rapid improvement in operational and financial performance were dashed on July 25 when DB published its half-year results. One highlight was a 4∙9% rise in the total number of passengers ...
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NewsNew York East River Tunnel rehabilitation contract awarded
USA: Amtrak has appointed a joint venture of Skanska and E-J Electric Installation Co to undertake the East River Tunnel Rehabilitation Project to modernise the four bores connecting New York Penn Station with Queens. Two of the four single-track tubes require significant repairs to damage caused ...
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NewsElectro-diesel trains ordered for Zagreb – Split route
CROATIA: National passenger operator HŽPP has awarded Končar KEV a contract to supply six electro-diesel multiple-units for the 429 km Zagreb – Split route, which is electrified at 25 kV 50 Hz as far as Oštarije. The €57·3m contract signed on July 23 is being financed ...
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Rail Business UKGovernment introduces bill to take passenger train operations into the public sector
UK: The legislation envisages that the direct award of a contract to a public sector operator would become the default, rather than a last resort.
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Rail Business UKTrain operator says WhatsApp service has saved 1 277 h of employee time
UK: Train operator Northern says its entirely AI-operated Whatsapp enquiry service has received 8 000 messages from customers in the first year of operation, which has freed-up 1 277 h of employee time. People can ask for live train times, service updates and disruption information, as well ...
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NewsGuardian of the Nile luxury cruise train planned
EGYPT: Italian high-end hospitality company Arsenale and Egyptian National Railways have signed heads of terms for the launch of a Guardian of the Nile luxury cruise train in 2027. It is Arsenale’s fourth international rail cruise project, following announcements in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Uzbekistan. ...
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NewsPorto – Lisboa high speed project and Rail Baltica lead latest Connecting Europe Facility grant allocations
EUROPE: Rail projects are to receive 80% of the €7bn of Connecting Europe Facility co-financing grant funding announced by the European Commission on July 17. Schemes covered include Rail Baltica, the Lyon – Torino and Brenner tunnel corridors, numerous ERTMS deployments and work to better integrate ...
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Rail Business UKNationalisation, Great British Railways and devolution plans included in King’s Speech
UK: A package of rail reforms including taking the remaining private train operators into state ownership was unveiled at the state opening of parliament on July 17.
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NewsBayern to award electric-hydrogen-battery tilting train operating contract
GERMANY: Bayern railway authority BEG has launched the process of selecting a company to operate Allgäu regional passenger services using a future fleet of emission-free tilting multiple units which would be able to use overhead electric, hydrogen and battery power. The services are currently operated by ...