International Railway Journal - May 2008 - (Page 16)

Transit news Sydney plans pioneering metro YDNEY could become the first city in Australasia to build a metro, if a $A 12 billion ($US 11.3 billion) plan by the state government of New South Wales to construct a 38km line comes to fruition. The proposed line will run underground from the city beneath Victoria Road towards Top Ryde, Epping, Castle Hill, and Rouse Hill in the city’s north-west. Thirty-two kilometres of the line would be underground. The line will have 17 stations with the city centre terminus expected to utilise disused CityRail platforms at St James station. Journey times from Rouse Hill to St James would be around 44 minutes, compared with 87 minutes for the fastest public transport In brief Alicante The Valencia region government says it expects to launch a tender next year for an 11.5km extension of the light rail network to the airport at El Altet. The line will open in 2011. journey today. No detailed technical specifications have yet been released, although the line will use automatic operation with trains running at five-minute headways. The state government says it will fund the metro but has left the door open for a PublicPrivate Partnership (PPP), or government funding with private operation. Construction could start simultaneously from both the city and the Hills Centre by 2010 with the first section opening between Epping and Rouse Hill by 2015. This section would operate as an isolated shuttle until the remainder of the metro is completed by 2017. The metro would replace plans for a conventional commuter rail line from Epping to Rouse Hill. The 4.8km line will cost $US 103 million and would be paid for by a 4% surcharge on car parking, sporting events and concert tickets. Construction is expected to begin in 2010. S Córdoba (Argentina) Argentine president Mrs Christina Kirchner has suggested construction of the long-proposed 15.8km, twoline metro network could be kick-started using French loans. Estimates for the cost of the project vary from $US 700 million to more than $US 1.1 billion. Amsterdam The cost of constructing the north-south metro line has risen by a further É86 million to É2 billion because of problems building metro stations under the historic city centre and Central station. The opening date has also been delayed a further two years to 2015. Dubai Serco, Britain, has been awarded a five-year contract to operate and maintain the Red and Green lines of the Dubai metro from 2009. The contract will be worth up to £500 million if the Roads and Transit Authority grants a five-year extension. A joint venture of Linder, Germany, and Depa, Dubai, has been awarded a Dirhams 375 million ($US 102.1 million) contract to fit out 13 stations on the Red Line. Augsburg Augsburg Transport Authority has exercised an option to buy an additional 14 Flexity Outlook LRVs from Bombardier at a cost of É39 million. The LRVs will be delivered between the end of 2009 and mid 2010. Jordan renegotiates light rail contract T HE Jordanian government has reopened negotiations with the second place bidder for the contract to build the $US 240 million Amman-Zarqa light rail line after it terminated the agreement with the winning consortium. The government says it has revoked the agreement with the Infrastructure Development Company, which had been signed last May, because the consortium of Jordanian, Chinese and Pakistani companies failed to comply with both the implementation agreement and a request for proposals. The consortium had been given a deadline of March 22 to ensure the financial conditions had been met. Construction was due to begin on the 22.2km electrified line in June. Bangkok The Thai government has signed a loan agreement with the Japan Bank for International Co-operation to finance the construction of the 23km metro Purple Line from Bang Yai to Bang Sue. The 25-year loan is worth Baht 19.8 billion ($US 627 million). London Transport for London has exercised a £23 million option to buy an additional seven Bombardier Electrostar dualvoltage emus for London Overground services. The four-car trains will be delivered in 2009. ASSACHUSETTS Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has awarded HyundaiRotem, Korea, a $US 170 million contract to supply 75 double-deck coaches for Boston commuter rail services. The coaches will be delivered by 2012. M Brasilia Metroman, a consortium of Siemens and Serveng, Brazil, has been awarded a Reais 63 million ($US 38 million) contract to maintain Metro Brasilia’s trains, power supply, signalling and ticketing equipment. Manila The Philippine Department of Finance says German Bank WestLB has agreed to finance a project to expand capacity on light metro line MRT3. MRTC chairman Mr Robert John Sobrepeña said that it will buy 30 new trains in the next two years, even though the government intends to buy the line. Buenos Aires Construction was due to begin at the end of April on a Pesos 346 million ($US 109 million) extension of metro Line E from Bolivar to an interchange with Line C and the Puerto Madero light rail line at Retiro. The extension will be 2.3km long with three stations. Santo Domingo Dominican President Mr Leonel Fernández says the government is hoping to use a public-private partnership (PPP) to build the city’s second metro line. Testing is now underway on Line 1, and revenue services will begin later this year. IRJ Columbus (USA) The first light rail line in the state capital of Ohio could be operational in five years, if a plan backed by Mayor Michael Coleman comes to fruition. 16 IRJ May 2008

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International Railway Journal - May 2008 Contents This Month News Transit News Market News Technology News News Analysis Italian Railways on the Road to Recovery High-Speed: On the Home Straight Korea Develops High-Speed Ambitions Setting New Standards for New Rolling Stock India Solves Traction Motor Conundrum Weathering the Storm with Climatic Testing Technology Drives US Train Inspections Rendezvous Full Contact List Advertisers Index The Last Word

International Railway Journal - May 2008

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