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Issue 4 2007

 

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Success and growth – the ÖBB way

30 July 2007 | By Martin Huber, Chairman, ÖBB-Holding AG

ÖBB is on the way to renewal – and on the way to European achievement. One thing is clear to all members of the Group; ÖBB must be fit for European competition. This will require extensive work in major activities – ranging from the new main railway station of Vienna…

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Enhancing economic growth

30 July 2007 | By Arnold Schiefer, Director of ÖBB-Infrastruktur Betrieb AG

Reorganisation of the ÖBB into a group with market orientated companies is the passport to successful participation in a liberalized rail transport market. Aiming to be among the best, ÖBB-Infrastruktur Betrieb AG is improving the quality of its existing network while intensifying the push for internationalisation to embrace the economic…

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SUPERNOVA – the evaluation tool

30 July 2007 | By Erwin Kastberger, SUPERNOVA Project Officer, ÖBB PV AG

In early 2005, Global Railway Review’s sister publication, Eurotransport, published an article describing the main functions and the development of SUPERNOVA – the evaluation tool of ÖBB Passenger Transport Department. Since 2005, there have been some relevant improvements of SUPERNOVA which has enlarged widely the possibilities to use the model.…

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SBB – service upgrades for tomorrow’s railway

30 July 2007 | By Paul Blumenthal, Head of SBB Passenger Traffic Division

Three years after the Rail 2000 project entered the operational phase, SBB now plans to introduce further service upgrades. In particular, the opening of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel in December 2007 will shorten journeys to Valais and Italy. The new timetable due to be introduced in December 2008 will see…

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The Gotthard Railway: 125 years of excellence

30 July 2007 | By Christian Kräuchi, Head of Communications, SBB Infrastructure Division

The railway line traversing the Gotthard massif is a vital artery through Switzerland. In 2007, the Gotthard Railway will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. During the past few decades, the line has been consistently modernised and adapted to the needs of today’s traffic. In a few years’ time, the existing…

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The continued development of Switzerland’s rail network

30 July 2007 | By Hansjörg Hess, Head of SBB Infrastructure and Member of the Management Board

Overall mobility in Switzerland is forecast to grow by 15-30% between 2000 and 2030. Public transport is set to grow even faster, increasing its market share at the expense of car travel. For its part, SBB is forecasting an increase of 45% in passenger traffic in the same period. There…

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Substantial plans to ensure Italy’s development

30 July 2007 | By Federico Fabretti, Director of Media Relations, Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A

Ferrovie dello Stato’s business plan for 2007-2011 was approved by the Government on 4 May 2007. It is a development plan, a turning point and a real revolution from a quality point of view, with the aim of re-launching the Group on the domestic and European market and turning it…

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ProRail’s management of tracks and turnouts

30 July 2007 | By Arjen Zoeteman, Team Leader of Asset Maintenance Policies, ProRail

ProRail manages an installed base which has an estimated replacement value of more than €30 billion. Tracks and turnouts are a significant part of the pie, amounting to more than €8 billion. Moreover, they consume more than 50% of total maintenance costs and 75% of renewal costs due to their…

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Corporate success

30 July 2007 | By Markus J. Kuhn, Head of Marketing & Communications, DB Training

Initial and advanced training, together with lifelong learning, are steadily growing as being the most important attribute in today’s society. Employees’ social or management skills are, alongside their vocational qualifications, more crucial than ever to a company’s success or failure.

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The role of the Notified Body in the European rail industry

30 July 2007 | By Stephen Gaskill, Chairman NB Rail

Railway Interoperability Directives (96/48/EC, on the interoperability of the Trans-European High-speed network, and 2001/16/EC, on the interoperability of the Trans-European Conventional network, both as amended by 2004/50/EC) are changing the way that railway fixed infrastructure, the rolling stock that runs on it and certain key components are designed, assessed and…

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Talgo 250: a fine example of train development

30 July 2007 | By

Talgo’s main objective since the establishment of the company in 1942, has been the constant research and development of innovative, simple and efficient solutions for railway operators – not only in the field of rolling stock, but also in providing integrated maintenance services customised according to the operator’s needs.

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An exciting proposal for London’s regeneration

30 July 2007 | By Douglas Oakervee, Executive Chairman of Cross London Rail Links Limited

Cross London Rail Links’ proposals for a major new railway for London and the south of the UK, with benefits for the whole of the country, continue to move steadily through the parliamentary process towards construction. Proposed in 1999 as part of a central London rail study (following a prior…

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All change for Czech railway infrastructure

30 July 2007 | By Jan Komarek, Director General of SZDC (Czech Railways Infrastructure Administration)

The Czech Republic owns one of the densest railway networks in Europe. The total length of lines is approximately 9,500km and the Czech territory represents an area of ca 79,000km2. Geographical location of our republic within the centre of Europe is convenient as regards to the most significant transit directions.

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Regular grinding is the key to long rail life

30 July 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

Recent research has underlined the importance of maintaining rails with regular grinding. The behaviour of the railhead under load used to be an imperfectly understood subject. Research work has broadened the rail industry’s knowledge; now, the question of how rail deteriorates over time and the way in which grinding can…