Tesla 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.
Battery-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.
NJ Transit orders more double-deck EMU cars
USA: The board of New Jersey’s NJ Transit has approved an order for 36 more Alstom Multilevel III electric multiple-unit cars.
New 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.
Alstom wins €4bn contract to supply ‘tailor-made’ Köln S-Bahn trains
GERMANY: Transport authorities go.Rheinland and Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr have selected Alstom to supply and maintain 90 custom-designed Adessia Stream electric multiple-units for S-Bahn services through Köln.
Rail and tram-train in Manchester’s Bee Network expansion plans
UK: Local rail services around Manchester are to be brought into the region’s expanding Bee Network by 2028 as part of a public transport development strategy unveiled by Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham on July 10.
Metro Academy enables rail recruits to hit the ground running
AUSTRALIA: A ‘state-of-the-art’ Metro Academy has been opened in Melbourne to train rail staff ready for the opening of the cross-city suburban rail Metro Tunnel at the end of 2025.
Sprinter corridor double-tracking project gets grant
USA: The federal Department of Transportation has awarded California’s North County Transit District a $10·2m grant to complete preliminary engineering and environmental clearance for the San Marcos to Escondido eastern segment of the Sprinter Corridor Service Improvement Project.
Japanese local railway pilots facial recognition ticketing
JAPAN: Light rail and bus operator Yamaman Co has added facial recognition to the Jorudan Style Point&Pass ticketing system used on its 4·1 km six-station Yukarigaoka Line and local bus services.
Danish train operator to buy solar power
DENMARK: National passenger operator DSB has agreed to purchase 80 GWh/year from the 262 GWh/year Lidsø Solar Park which European Energy is to develop on a 253 ha site at Rødbyhavn. DSB said this is equivalent to half of the current power consumption of its København S-tog suburban services.
Elizabeth Line tunnels get mobile coverage
UK: Transport for London and neutral telecoms infrastructure provider Boldyn Networks have deployed public 4G and 5G mobile coverage in the Elizabeth Line tunnels between Liverpool Street station and the Royal Oak portal to the west of Paddington. This comes after coverage at the stations went live earlier in the ...
Sign language translation to be tested at London Overground stations
UK: London Overground operating concessionaire Arriva Rail London is to test technology that translates digital passenger information into British Sign Language which can be accessed through a smart device via a personalised digital avatar.
Chinese coaches enter service in Montréal
CANADA: Montréal regional transport authority Exo put its first CRRC-built double-deck commuter rail coaches into revenue service on the Saint-Jérôme route on June 25, following a launch run on June 21.
Bologna launches cross-city suburban service
ITALY: Regional operator Trenitalia Tper has introduced cross-city suburban services in the Bologna area with effect from June 9.
Order for extra Elizabeth Line trains confirmed
UK: Alstom has signed a contract to supply and maintain a further 10 nine-car Class 345 Aventra electric multiple-units for London’s Elizabeth Line.