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James Abbott

 

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ADIF looks towards the future

Heavy investments will be made in the Spanish railway network…

26 September 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review and Joaquin Jiménez Otero, International Affairs Direction, ADIF

Heavy investments will be made in the Spanish railway network in forthcoming years. The Spanish railway network has been split into separate companies managing the railway infrastructure (ADIF) and train operations (Renfe). There is strong political impetus to invest in the railways, with the 15-year Strategic Plan for Transport Infrastructure…

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Renfe faces the future with confidence

Completion of the first high-speed line in Spain 15 years…

26 September 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review

Completion of the first high-speed line in Spain 15 years ago gave Renfe a new confidence and investment in the network is continuing at a sustained pace. Spain has one of the fastest–growing railway networks in Europe. Renfe (Spanish National Railways) gained a new confidence with the opening of the…

Rail grinding train on track
Rail grinding train on track
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Regular grinding is the key to long rail life

Recent research has underlined the importance of maintaining rails with…

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…

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Consultancies thrive in 21st century railway world

Consultancy firms are currently working on a diverse range of…

6 June 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

Consultancy firms are currently working on a diverse range of projects in the railway industry. This November, the final section of High Speed One will open. This is the UK’s first high-speed rail line, formerly known as the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. With the completion of the route, Eurostar trains…

Rolling Stock Orders for DB
Rolling Stock Orders for DB
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Rolling stock orders for DB

In the middle years of this decade, the German rolling…

3 April 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review

In the middle years of this decade, the German rolling stock market was quiet. The big post-reunification boom in orders in the 1990s was followed by a lull, as the German government sought to rein in public spending and prepare Deutsche Bahn AG for privatisation.

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Professional services for 21st century railways

All large corporate organisations, such as railways, have the need…

29 December 2006 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review

All large corporate organisations, such as railways, have the need for professional services. Lawyers, accountants, architects, engineers – all these and more are likely to be needed at some time or another, especially if large projects are being planned.

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SJ wins traffic from air and road

Sweden’s state railway has won market share from airlines and…

15 September 2006 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

Sweden’s state railway has won market share from airlines and buses. But it is not resting on its laurels, SJ Chief Executive Jan Forsberg told Global Railway Review in an interview.

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Investment in track monitoring increases

Keeping on top of the condition of your track can…

15 September 2006 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

Keeping on top of the condition of your track can pay dividends in terms of improved ride and reduced maintenance bills. Modern monitoring equipment allows engineers to plan predictive maintenance. Europe’s railways are stepping up spending on track testing and monitoring. Traditionally, track maintenance has been reactive: in this case,…

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Consultancies help out on major projects

Consultancy practices have an important role in providing technical expertise…

28 July 2006 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

Consultancy practices have an important role in providing technical expertise for railway projects around the globe. Historically, Europe’s big state railways were self-sufficient. All the engineering skills were on hand in-house: when a new project was sanctioned by the government, the state railway would generally be able to design and…

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The Nordic rolling stock market

A steady succession of small rolling stock orders is keeping…

31 May 2006 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

A steady succession of small rolling stock orders is keeping interest alive in the Nordic market.A decade ago, the Nordic countries were seen as a beacon of hope by Europe’s rolling stock manufacturers,with some large replacement orders coming up. But those orders are now behind us, with the Italian manufacturer…

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The ProRail outsourcing way

ProRail, the owner of the Dutch railway network, has gone…

14 February 2006 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

ProRail, the owner of the Dutch railway network, has gone further than most European rail infrastructure companies in putting maintenance and renewal work out to tender. James Abbott, Global Railway Review’s Technical Editor asks the questions that matter to two of ProRail’s employees – Mr. Jan Swier, Strategic Advisor for…

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British rolling stock market enters a lull

The post-privatisation train building gold rush in the UK is…

3 November 2005 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

The post-privatisation train building gold rush in the UK is over. Rolling stock manufacturers face a lean time over the next few years. Privatisation of the British railway industry has not eased the boom-and-bust nature of the rolling stock supply sector. If anything, it has made it worse. A boom…

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SJ prepares to defend its market share

An ambitious program of improved services is underway for Swedish…

23 August 2005 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

An ambitious program of improved services is underway for Swedish State Railways as it squares up to face fierce competition from land, sea and air, including other rail operators in the regional market.

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Alpine stream of rolling stock orders

Switzerland and Austria are investing heavily in new locomotives for…

31 May 2005 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor

Switzerland and Austria are investing heavily in new locomotives for trans-Alpine freight work, along with regional trains for local passenger networks.

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Rolling stock market pauses in Germany

As the flotation of DB is debated, spending has been…

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…