With cross-border rail ticketing being cited as a priority for the next European Commission, Andrew Grantham discusses the complexities of achieving seamless bookings and the industry’s struggle to meet growing demand for sustainable mobility options.

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

UK: Altrad RMD Kwikform says it used ‘revolutionary’ techniques as part of a complex project to assist High Speed 2 contractor Mace Dragados with the construction of a London Underground traction substation at Euston station.

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.

EUROPE: A Voith electrical connection has been selected as the standard design for freight trains equipped with Digital Automatic Couplers, and approved by the European DAC Delivery Programme Supervisory Board.

LITHUANIA: LTG Cargo is to withdraw from the CIS Railway Council agreement for the shared use of wagons across the 1 520 mm gauge region, and will instead use a private fleet from January 1 2025.

INNOTRANS: Architectural and marine glazing company Sedak is making its InnoTrans debut this year, showcasing its portfolio of products for high speed, regional and urban trains.

INNOTRANS: The unveiling of the prototype RS Zero regional railcar will be the highlight of the Stadler presence at InnoTrans 2024, where it will be displaying eight vehicles with ‘alternative, environmentally friendly’ traction as well as presenting its latest innovations in signalling and services.

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.

INNOTRANS: Boring will be exciting at the Tunnel Construction segment of InnoTrans 2024, which will feature more than 30 exhibitors highlighting the latest ideas to make building and operating tunnels safer and more efficient while minimising environmental impact.

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.

USA: Private equity firm Stellex Capital Management has reached a definitive agreement to acquire rail and industrial cast, forged and machined product manufacturer McConway & Torley and axle maker Standard Forged Products from Arcosa.

CHILE: CRRC Qishuyan has delivered a metre-gauge hydrogen fuelled locomotive to the Ferrocarril de Antofagasta transport subsidiary of mining company Antofagasta that links the Chilean seaport with the same name to Bolivia.

ASIA: An expedited freight service making use of upgraded border facilities has transported containers 4 486 km from Xi’an in China to Toshkent in Uzbekistan in what Kazakh national railway KTZ says is a record five days.

USA: One of the two consortia developing concepts for a high capacity public transport link through the Santa Monica mountains between Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley and Westside has selected the companies which would supply driverless metro trains and control systems should its proposal go ahead.

ROMANIA: Ferotrans has purchased 33 redundant IC3 diesel multiple-units from Israel Railways

UK: ‘Until a firm commitment is made to electrification of the UK network, hydro-treated vegetable oil is the only credible solution to rail freight decarbonisation’, according to DB Cargo UK’s Chief Sales Officer Roger Neary. ’More services could be operated with HVO if the right policies and incentives were in ...

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.

INNOTRANS: The key message from Siemens Mobility for InnoTrans 2024 is similar to that the company promoted at recent editions of the show: enhancing digitalisation and sustainability. But this year, it is placing particular emphasis on how software tools can further reduce the environmental impact of the rail sector, influencing ...

USA: The board of New Jersey’s NJ Transit has approved an order for 36 more Alstom Multilevel III electric multiple-unit cars.