International Railway Journal - July 2008 - (Page 7)

In brief IEMENS has begun production of eight Velaro RUS high-speed trains (page 38) for Russian Railways (RZD). The 250km/h 10-car emus will initially be introduced on the Moscow - St Petersburg line, where they will be able to operate at up to 250km/h, although they will also be used on Moscow Nizhny Novgorod services. By June 23, 23 cars were in bodyshell manufacturing and 14 cars were being assembled at Siemens’ Krefeld-Uerdingen plant in Germany. Three completed cars will be exhibited at InnoTrans in September, and the first train will be shipped to Russia in November. S though they were supposed to have been recalled by July 2006. Canadian National Railway (CN) produced 43,800 wheelsets between 1998 and 2001 using a process that is thought to make them susceptible to failures on curved track. China The Ministry of Railways says China’s railways will carry more than 4.5 million people a day in July and August, a 9.8% increase on the same period last year. Beijing South station is expected to open on August 1, in time for the Olympic Games. The $US 910 million station will be the terminal for high-speed trains between Beijing and Tianjin, and the Beijing - Shanghai high-speed line. $A 503 million gauge-conversion planned T HE Australian national and Victorian state governments are to spend $A 503 million ($US 483 million) converting the 200km broadgauge line between Seymour and Albury to standard gauge. The line parallels Australian Rail Track Corporation’s standard-gauge Melbourne - Sydney line, and sees just six passenger and two freight trains on most days. Gauge conversion will provide valuable capacity enhancement to ARTC, to whom the line will be transferred under a 45-year lease. The Melbourne - Sydney corridor is Australia’s busiest, and volumes are expected to rise by 70% over the next 20 years. Victorian passenger operator V/Line will re-gauge three locomotives and three five-car sets of coaches to operate passenger trains between Melbourne and Albury. Georgia The Georgian foreign minister says the country will not challenge Russian moves to reinstate railways in the disputed province of Abkhazia. DSB issues ultimatum over late trains ANISH State Railways has told AnsaldoBreda it will cancel a DKr 5 billion ($US 1 billion) contract for 83 intercity dmus unless the Italian manufacturer delivers 14 fully-functioning trains by May 2009. The IC4s were ordered in December 2000, and in November 2002 DSB placed a supplementary order for 23 two-car trains. In December 2002, DSB and AnsaldoBreda agreed a delivery plan that D would see the entire fleet in service by the 2005-06 timetable change. However, by the end of 2005 no trains were ready for service and AnsaldoBreda paid DSB a penalty of DKr 250,000. A new delivery date of 2006 was set. The first IC4 began test passenger operation in June 2007 and four trains are currently in use on regional services between Århus and Fredericia in Jutland. DSB has submitted a preliminary request to the National Railway Agency for approval of the IC4s over the entire network, including the Great Belt Tunnel, but the contract is currently four years behind schedule. DSB says it is investigating alternatives should the IC4 be completely abandoned. The possibility of extending electrification to allow the purchase of proven electric trains is one of the options being considered. Guatemala The government of Guatemala could allow Guatemalan Railways to resume operation as part of a deal to stall a $US 65 million compensation claim by Railroad Development Corporation (RDC), United States, after it was forced to cease operations in the country. While RDC may not regain the concession, observers say the government wants to reassure foreign investors about its intentions. Hungary Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) plans to concession regional railways on 25-year terms, though precise details were not available as IRJ went to press. Tenders are due to be published in the second or third quarter of this year, and concessions are due to be let at the start of 2009. India An 88km line between Sonepat and Jind via Gohana and Safidon has been approved by the Indian government. The railway will open at the end of 2011. Thirteen new stations 7

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of International Railway Journal - July 2008

International Railway Journal - July 2008 Contents This Month News Transit News Market News/Technology News News Analysis Conference Report Korean Railways Face a Bright Future Korean Exports Surge Ahead Ready to Roll in China Velaro Shows Eastern Promise Are You Sitting Comfortably? Compin Meets New Challenges The Fabric of Society Grinding Out a Result Rendezvous Full Contact List The Last Word

International Railway Journal - July 2008

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