FRANCE: A fleet of eight diesel-battery bi-mode trains, renovated stations, better reliability and easier ticketing have been promised under a modernisation programme agreed for the 1 000 mm gauge Nice – Digne line operated by Chemins de Fer de Provence.

UK: Leasing company Beacon Rail has formally awarded Alstom a £60m contract to refurbish CrossCountry’s fleet of Voyager and Super Voyager 200 km/h inter-city diesel-electric multiple-units.

News from the world rail freight market.

UK: The first rail vehicles have arrived at the St Rollox works site at Springburn in Glasgow since it was taken over by Gibson’s Engineering.

USA: The Short Line Training Center has added three modules to its Learning Management System which make use of virtual reality for enhanced engagement, greater safety than live training and increased accessibility for railway operators.

Unsere Schwesterfirma in den USA ist umgezogen: Nach vielen Jahren verliessen wir Pennsylvania und sind ab sofort in Colorada zu Hause. Unsere neue Anschrift lautet wie folgt:

ESU Co LLC
3625 Betty Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80917

Wir freuen uns sehr, an unserem neuen Standort mit grösserem Lager und verstärktem Team unseren Kunden in Nordamerika einen guten Kundenservice anbieten zu können.

Unsere Schwesterfirma in den USA ist umgezogen: Nach vielen Jahren verliessen wir Pennsylvania und sind ab sofort in Colorada zu Hause. Unsere neue Anschrift lautet wie folgt:

ESU Co LLC
3625 Betty Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80917

Wir freuen uns sehr, an unserem neuen Standort mit grösserem Lager und verstärktem Team unseren Kunden in Nordamerika einen guten Kundenservice anbieten zu können.

Under sleeper pads have been used for ballast protection and improved track geometry over more than 20 years, but a new contact pressure measurement technique has revealed significant differences in their ballast protection properties.

USA: Amtrak is undertaking $260m of track improvements and other infrastructure works on the Northeast Corridor this summer.

EUROPE: The Swedish and Norwegian armed forces and Norwegian infrastructure manager Bane Nor are to jointly procure wagons for the transport of tanks and other heavy military vehicles.

GERMANY: Porsche Automobil Holding is to invest ‘a low double-digit million amount’ in international train and coach company Flix as part of a co-investment with the EQT Future fund.

A major upgrading programme is in progress to enhance resilience, raise capacity and cut journey times on Network Rail’s busy east-west route through the Pennines between Manchester and Leeds. Murray Hughes investigates.

Real operating data recorded over a long period have demonstrated the energy-saving potential of Plasser & Theurer’s electric drive technology, as well as reducing exhaust emissions.

This week’s news from the global railway supply chain.

UK: High speed line concessionaire HS1 Ltd has obtained ISO 55001 certification for safe and long-term asset management on the 109 km line between London and the Channel Tunnel, including the four stations.

INDIA: Indian Railways and Alstom have failed to agree a deal for the supply and maintenance of 100 Vande Bharat 4.0 electric trainsets with aluminium bodies offering a lighter weight than the stainless steel of previous Vande Bharat designs.

UK: Chiltern Railways has discontinued its call for proposals for the supply of a fleet of battery-electric multiple-units.

ESTONIA: The cabinet has approved Minister of Infrastructure Vladimir Svet’s proposal for the privatisation of national freight operator Operail to progress to the next stage.

Long-term thinking and better planning could help alleviate disruption when infrastructure work is in progress. With a European Regulation on railway capacity due shortly, Forum Train Europe offers a blueprint for the future.

INNOTRANS: A turnout control system which provides data for diagnostic and condition monitoring will be unveiled by Frauscher at InnoTrans 2024.