1. RENFE in Spain has implemented 5% fare decrease on all suburban trains. Also Spain has decreased top highway speed limits from 110 Km/hr to 100.
2. The interim government has continued to hold the notice to proceed on the Portugal part of the Lisbon - Madrid HSR line. Their portion Lisbon - Poceirao was bid but a hold on actual construction was implemented. There is a possibility of the winning contractor may receive damages.
3. China reports 10.8 Km Shiziyang HSR tunnel under Pearl river bored thru.
4. At Menton France french iimigration officials turned back a train from Italy with an unknown number of Tunisian immigrants.
Isreal Railroad (IR) had a collision of 2 double deck trains Apr 7 injuring 71` people. a few days ago minister of RRs threatened to shut down passenger service if drivers did not stop running past restricted signals. Dave K any further info?
Only what I read in the local newspapers.
Am I correct in claiming that once a USA or Canadian railroad engineer has run through a red signal, only in very special circumstances will he ever operate a train on that particular railroad again? He may be employed after a furlough in other capacities, but not as an engineer. Am I correct?
If this is correct I may wish "to make waves."
5. Beijing - Shanghai HSL entering into final testing at 300 KM/ hr speed. No 350 Km/hr testing except for a quick proof run that line was designed for.
6. A UK study says that passenger service there is costing 40% more than it should compared with continental European services. Study also says UK government subsidities are incresing (who would have thought?)
From Friday's WSJ:
7. China has ordered construction on the Tianjin - Qinhuangdao HSR line halted due to no enviromental inspections (?) of line changes. No mention if just stopped on line changes or whole line.
8. China's Qingdao - Jinan line ordered to stop running in April because enviromental evaluation never submitted.
9. China's total RR debt ending mar 31 was 2 Trillion Yaun or 58% of total assets. Key debt problem is low cash flow from not enough seats sold especially HSR.
10. From Wedensdays WSJ China is experiencing an electric power shortage due to extended drought (5 months) (due to LaNina) and other factors. Maybe why some HSR throttled down? This is a recurrent item each year but this year is worse and longer lasting. 3 Gorges generating water output of 9500 cubic meters / second but that cannot be sustained for much longer. Shortage at peak times 40 Gigawatts vs. 30 in 2004 (previous worse). Some locations manufacturers cut production one day in Mar, 2 days in Apr, and 3 Days in May all per week
A location where HSR might case some real trouble! {Linked]
http://www.wimp.com/vegetablemarket
But just think what these locals could do with a raised platform?
Would be interesting in seeing the warning signs in the on board facilities(?)
11. UK: A new branded 1 stop "Flying Scottsman" of 4 hrs Edinburg - Newcastle - London King's Cross service started for the summer peak riding season. 19 additional trains; 10,800 additional seats every day. (try that Amtrak? ) Generally east coast services upgraded all along the line.
12. UK For soome operational reason Virgin west coast services will temporarily only use 9 cars on new Pendillo instead of planned 11 cars crimping planned upgrades.
13 UK: ERTMS failures are causing headaches with no solution in sight. ( Watch out US --PTC )
blue streak 1 12. UK For some operational reason Virgin west coast services will temporarily only use 9 cars on new Pendolino instead of planned 11 cars crimping planned upgrades.
12. UK For some operational reason Virgin west coast services will temporarily only use 9 cars on new Pendolino instead of planned 11 cars crimping planned upgrades.
Only set 390054 has eleven cars. This set and three others were intended as reinforcement for the ECML without much thought. Now it has been agreed that West Coast can lease this set until the end of the franchise period. Because platform lengths, and crew training are based on 9 car sets this set will have two cars temporarily removed. When the new franchise kicks in, ~ 18 months from now this set will be restored to eleven cars and the other three 11 cars sets will also be added.
14. UK: Due to volcanic acitvity in Iceland several flights in UK were cancelled. Network rail provided slots for 3000 extra seats May 25 from Scotland to London. Some mtce work on west rooute was cancelled to allow service directly instead of diversions.
Regular service on the Shanghai-Beijing HSR started July 1.
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?pp_cat=10&art_id=112043&sid=32707231&con_type=1&d_str=20110614
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2011-07/01/content_12817512.htm
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
16. Eurostar is adding 1 additional RT FR - SU London Paris and 1 on FR; Su London Disney Paris from the Dates on Jul 8 - Jul 30. Their announcement states many passengers are now making the trips with connections to/from other trains on the continent. A check of their reservations do not show any trains yet completely sold out but a few have some services full.
Anyone have more info?
Nothing specific, but from experience I know Eurostar is getting busier, even on Brussels services which have always been the bridesmaid when compared to Paris. Friday and Sunday have tended to be the busiest days since the very start of the service - leisure traffic is pretty heavy.
17. Malysia: ended all RR service June 30. Route from Woodlands (border) to Singapore ended and rail property transferred to government for development of other uses. A backwards step for rail transit.
18. Sydney, Au: 1st set of double deck EMUs went into service July 1, 18 months behind schedule. Car builder is loosing up to 500M Au dollars for 600+ units.
19. UK -- Virgin has placed into service new train that will have 11 cars increasing seating on that train set to 439 ( +183 seats). 2 more sets to be delivered to increase total to 31 train sets. This is the west coast line London - Birmingham - Glasgow. Present sets will each receive 2 more cars (total 62 additional cars) increasing total capacity on route. Virgin had to wait for station and other infrastructure to accept longer trains. Sort of sounds line AMTRAK and ACELA additional cars?
20. UK East Coast line London - Edinburgh is worst on time route in UK. Seems that one of many problems is in severe winter weather the CAT has had a high rate of failures. It was noted that West Coast line CAT (built earlier than ECL) has a different type of superstructure and is not as prone to fail.
21. India: Lets first contract to study HSR from Delhi
22. UK Network rail -- Network rail the owner of rail line in the UK has announced plans to eliminate 800 signal boxes; approximatel at first of 50 per year ''' [UK definition of enroute control / cp towers]. many of these towers are located on or near route stations. Network rail will increase regional control centers [centralized dispatch location] from 8 to 14 in the same period.
23. Taiwan: HSR new record 3.7 passengers in Jul. 11.3% increase for 7 months of year. [irj]
24. Indian rrs: reports passenger loads increased 8% for 2010. [rs]
25. UK -- NETWORK RAIL: The all new western concourse structure work at King's Cross station has been completed. The structure is built to blend in with the present concourse and with the replacement of some original structure that was bombed in WW-2. New structure is 7500 + sq meters [40,000+ sq ft [].. Interior work set to be complet by next march in time for the Olympics. Since King's Cross is next to St. Pacreas the combination will be one very large RR station complex..more than double capacity to 55M+ passengers per year. [rg]
26. Ireland -- Irish RR [IE] in a departure from most passenger RRs announced that 82 1985 era passenger coaches up for sale or lease including generator cars. [RG]
27. Turkey -- Opens second 212 Km HSR line third opens in 2015.
The problem with the future portugues high spee drail is really money, since the country is deeply indebted. However some funds have already been allocated by the EU. In technical terms, the line, after crossing the Tagus in Lisbon is quite easy to constuct (it's basically a straight line 120 miles long from Poceirão to the border with 4 or 5 stations, with only one being for commercial use in Évora). The real issue is building the last 25 miles into Lisbon, wich requires crossing some densely urbanises areas, building an 8 miles bridge over the tagus and insert the line in the current rail nework. It costs the same as building from Poveirão to the Bborder.
There were some news last week of a revision to the project, wich is now due to have a freight dedicated branch to the deepwater port of Sines in the south
28. Ireland -- Irish RRs [IE} ANNOUNCED 175 M Euros upgrade of Dublin to west lines for HrSR for a decrease of 20% in timing 2012 - 2016
29. Germany - Bavaria -- DB RR reports that a new longest tunnel in Bavaria [ 3756 m ] has been punched thru. This ia part of new 500 KM k HSR route Berlin - Nuremberg . Will reduct time to 2:40 from 4:55. Reduce Berlin - Munic time 4:00 from 6:15. Completion 2017?
30. Spain: RENF announces that 15 trainsets of class 130 guage changing high speed will be converted to dual mode diesel - electric -electric class 730 HSR train sets. Present control coaches at each end of the 130s will be replaced with a diesel loco with equipment for CAT operation also. Max speed in diesel estimated to be 180 Km / Hr.
31. Argenten --- Bus runs in front of passenger train at a grade crossing derailing it into another train. 11 - 13 killed. Saw a brief video on PBS.
32. Australia -- In heated dicussions on whether to build HSR.
blue streak 1 30. Spain: RENF announces that 15 trainsets of class 130 guage changing high speed will be converted to dual mode diesel - electric -electric class 730 HSR train sets. Present control coaches at each end of the 130s will be replaced with a diesel loco with equipment for CAT operation also. Max speed in diesel estimated to be 180 Km / Hr.
Electric speed will still be 250 Km/hr.
33. Canada winnipeg. Via station 3M Canadian renovation complete.
34. UK -- London Midland ---issues a RFP for 18 ? 4 car 110 MPH DMUs. This is for additional service on non electrified services. The NW electrification work is supposed to be complete at that time releasing conventional equipment. All this conventional equipment expected to cover additional passengers expected on the newley electrified portions of the NW route.
35. UK Southern RR -- Bombardier contract to add 1 additional car to 57 Voyager train sets. Cars will have electrification equipment. Also ordering 130 new conventional carriages.
36. UK All Operators -- Experiencing a quick trend in use of ticket vending machines. The obvious need for less ticket agents is having the expected grumblings from locals at the loss or reduction of live ticketing. The only slow down is slow installation of the TVMs.
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