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Rail Articles

Rolling stock market pauses in Germany

2 March 2005 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

As the flotation of DB is debated, spending has been cut back at Germany’s state rail operator. Germany, the biggest market for rolling stock manufacturers in Europe, is drawing a breath. After massive investment in the past 15 years in the high speed network and big spending on the train…

The Betuweroute

2 March 2005 | By Patrick Buck, Director of Realisation, Project Organisation Betuweroute

In part 1 of his article on the Betuweroute project, Patrick Buck looks at the background and characteristics of the route.

Catching up…

2 March 2005 | By Alex Kremer, Director General, CFL

In every recent statistic about wealth and world markets, Luxembourg can be found in the top slot of GDP per capita listings, making Luxembourgers, at least in theory, somewhat wealthy people. As can be expected from this statistic, individual transportation is at an all-time high. This, in combination with Luxembourg’s…

An update on the UK rail franchising market

2 March 2005 | By Nicola Shaw, Managing Director, Operations, Strategic Rail Authority (SRA)

The UK has a mature rail franchising market and one which is currently attracting substantial interest from international operators. Why is this? The franchising process is well structured, clear and transparent; demand for rail services is increasing; the European market is beginning to open up and the UK provides a…

Bombardier’s latest locomotives

2 March 2005 | By Janis Vitins, Director Marketing and Product Planning Electric Locomotives, Bombardier Transportation

In December 2004, SBB Cargo received the first of 18 TRAXX multi-system locomotives Re 484 (Figure 1). This marks a new era for the TRAXX locomotive platform, extending its range into Italy.

The GNER approach

2 March 2005 | By Helen Stelfox, Technical and Safety Training Manager, Great North Eastern Railway (GNER)

A RADICAL overhaul of driver training – that was East Coast intercity rail operator GNER’s response to industry-wide concerns raised by the Cullen inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove rail accident, plus the company’s ongoing challenge to attract new train drivers to join the business.

Train punctuality in a new perspective

2 March 2005 | By Jan Fahlén, Director and Tommy Jonsson, Operational Manager, Banverket Traffic

There have been numerous projects over the years that have aimed at improving the punctuality of trains. Different levels of ambition have met with varying degrees of success. It can be concluded that the various campaigns and projects have frequently had a directly positive effect on punctuality.

EMU V250 high speed train to connect Belgium to Holland

2 March 2005 | By Carlo Pellegrini, Executive Vice President Engineering and Fabrizio Barbieri, V250 Project-Engineering Manager, AnsaldoBreda SpA

The EMU V250 train is designed for the high speed line (HSL) being constructed which connects Belgium to Holland. This is the first train fully compliant with the TSI interoperability standard as well as with applicable European EN and UIC standards. This train is also the first substantial accomplishment of…

New Dutch assessment of rail welding geometry

2 March 2005 | By Michaël Steenbergen, Researcher Railway Engineering and Coenraad Esveld, Professor of Railway Engineering, TU Delft and Rolf Dollevoet, ProRail

Delft University of Technology has developed new technical regulation standards for the geometrical deviations of metallurgic rail welds in The Netherlands, in cooperation with the Dutch rail infrastructure manager ProRail.

New high output track renewals plant for Network Rail

2 March 2005 | By Ken Cordner, Editorial Contributor

Network Rail’s first new high output ballast cleaning system from Plasser & Theurer, delivered to time and budget last summer, has begun work on the Great Western main line which links London to Bristol and South Wales. It is the first of a series of new high output track renewal…