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High-speed railways provide an efficient mode of transport, but they are highly complex systems and must combine various elements if they are to operate successfully.
Our high-speed rail content explores projects currently under construction, projects at planning stages and how their vision is taking shape, the funding and financial issues around building new high-speed lines, the importance of understanding what passengers want from high-speed rail services, and how established high-speed lines can help boost economies.
26 September 2007 | By Claes Broström, Vice President of Fleet Management, SJ
From the threat of bankruptcy to the position of a profitable travel company in just a few years, SJ is now crowning themselves as the most efficient and profitable train company in Europe. But with Sweden’s old rail infrastructure still in use means that SJ is struggling to keep up…
26 September 2007 | By José Alves Monteiro, General Director of Strategic Planning & Control, REFER
In our last article (published in ERR 4/06) concerning the plans, projects and priorities of REFER, we presented a general perspective of the public infrastructure investment in the conventional network corresponding to the most urgent ones and it also gave some information about the development of the high-speed project. Approximately…
26 September 2007 | By Carlos Alberto João Fernandes, Member of the Board, RAVE
RAVE is a company that develops and co-ordinates the projects and studies that are necessary to facilitate decision-making in the context of planning, constructing, financing and operating a high-speed rail network that is to be established in continental Portugal along with its planned connections to the high-speed railway network in…
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…
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…
30 July 2007 | By Poul Frøsig, UIC Project Manager, ERTMS/ETCS and ERTMS Regional Projects and Craig Waters, Commissioning Editor, Global Railway Review
The European Train Control System (ETCS) is a signalling and control system designed to replace the 14 incompatible safety systems currently used by European Railways, especially on high-speed lines. This year, the UIC is holding its ERTMS World Conference in Berne, Switzerland. Switzerland offers a prime example of how ERTMS…
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…
6 June 2007 | By Dr. Ing. Ansgar Brockmeyer, Head of the Trains division, Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Gerhard, head of Group Technology, Dipl.-Ing. Edzard Lübben, Head of Sales and Marketing subdivision of Projects High Speed and Intercity Trains, Dipl.-Ing. Manfred Reisner, Head of Sales and Marketing subdivision of Passenger Coaches and Dipl.-Ing. Monika Bayrhof, Personal Assistant to Divisional Management Transportations Systems Trains, Siemens Transportation Systems
Over recent years, the level of satisfaction among train passengers has continually increased thanks to new attractions offered by high speed trains. Attractive travel times and additional services in the trains are designed to increase the competitiveness of the rail. Building on experience with the trains of the ICE series…
6 June 2007 | By Mr. Christian Küter, Product Manager for Bogies, Siemens Transportation Systems
The Velaro E from Siemens Transportation Systems is the fastest series-produced train in the world. One of the reasons why the ‘supertrain’ is so successful, is due to the SF 500 high-speed bogie developed and produced in Graz. It sets new standards in terms of flexibility of use, passenger comfort…
30 April 2007 | By Mustafa Cavusoglu, Deputy General Director, TCDD
The Ankara-Istanbul High-Speed Train Project is the first high-speed train line of Turkey and is being realized in two phases – the first being the 251km Sincan-Inönü section and the second being the 158km Inönü-Köseköy section. The 24km Ankara-Sincan and 56km long Köseköy-Gebze sections will be completed by being tendered…
3 April 2007 | By Dr. Eng. Luis Ubalde, Research Engineer, Prof. Dr. Eng. Andrés López Pita, Professor of Railways, Dr. Eng Paulo F. Teixeria, Research Engineer and Eng. Adrina Bachiller, Research Engineer, Centre for Innovation in Transport (CENIT), Technical University of Catalonia and Eng. Inmaculada Gallego, Research Engineer, University of Castilla- La Mancha
Present requirements of safety and quality in high-speed lines, considering the demand of increased traffic and higher reliability, lead to the introduction of more and more complex analyses in order to guarantee accurate track maintenance. In this context, systematic application of track tests, both dynamic control (measuring vehicle accelerations) and…
6 February 2007 | By Jean Marie Raviart, Director General of Infrastructure, Infrabel
Belgium, at the heart of Europe’s railway network, is a key link in what is to become a vast interoperable network of high-speed lines covering Europe. Infrabel intends to take every advantage of the opportunities this will offer. The high-speed line between Brussels and the Dutch border will be put…
6 February 2007 | By Jaap Geluk, Project Director, Rijkswaterstaat High-Speed Line Zuid
In 2007, the High-Speed Line South will connect The Netherlands with the European high-speed railway network. By then, high-speed train connections will have been established, not only to Brussels and Paris, but also within The Netherlands itself.
6 February 2007 | By Peter Zbinden, CEO and Ambros Zgraggen, Head of Communications, AlpTransit Gotthard Ltd
The Gotthard Base Tunnel construction work is progressing well. In the last year, almost 18 of the total 153 kilometres of shafts, passages and tunnels were excavated. At the end of 2006, more than 100 kilometres, or approximately two-thirds, of the tunnel system under the Gotthard had already been cut.…
6 February 2007 | By Marc Svetchine, Regional Project Manager, RFF
In the last quarter of a century, high-speed rail links have revolutionised domestic and international traffic. On 3 July 2006, almost exactly 25 years after the first high-speed train was placed in service between Paris and Lyons, work began on the Eastern branch of the Rhine-Rhone high-speed line between Dijon…
