international passenger news

[Buslist]

The first of the class 800s get launched.

 

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/main-line/great-western-launches-hitachi-class-800-fleet.html?channel=000

[Buslist]

azrail

DB Schenker (the German Federal Railway) is a major train operator in the UK, do they stay post-Brexit? Another opportunity for G&W owned-Freightliner?

 

 

I'm certainly no expert, just an observant Yank with some experance working for them. But I expect Briexet will have no affect on operating contracts (after all MTR Hong Kong is bidding on one with no EU connection) but may  have an effect on where things are built. The current proposal for additional 801s for Great Western has them built in Italy. How might this change?

[blue streak 1]

Southern Italy collision evidently today count is at 20 & 50 injured and rising.  Note this  link updates without any other imput so click the link will give latest updayes,

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/12/at-least-10-dead-dozens-injured-in-train-crash-in-southern-italy/

now 22 

[schlimm]

"The local train line is run by a private company, Ferrotramviaria, based in Bari. The trains were travelling in opposite directions on a single track." 

[blue streak 1]

Rail Journal report says 27 dead. Says telephone block system.. Maybe some kind of manual block system ?

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/at-least-20-dead-in-italian-collision.html?channel=537

 

[schlimm]

blue streak 1

Rail Journal report says 2 dead.

Typo?  It says 23.

[blue streak 1]

now 27

[beaulieu]

blue streak 1

Rail Journal report says 27 dead. Says telephone block system.. Maybe some kind of manual block system ?

For all practical purposes there is no safety system on the line.

[beaulieu]

Schweizerische Südostbahn AG has expressed interest in taking over operation of the InterRegio service over the Gotthard Pass once all SBB passenger services are routed through the Gotthard Base Tunnel in December 2016. SOB operates S-Bahn services around St. Gallen in Eastern Switzerland and the Voralpen Express linking Romanshorn on the Bodensee and Luzern.

[NKP guy]

According to The Man in Seat 61, the EuroNight train between Cologne and Warsaw is to be discontinued after December 10, 2016.

 Does anyone here know what to expect in Spring, 2017 as far as EuroNight or other overnight European train service?

 

[schlimm]

NKP guy

According to The Man in Seat 61, the EuroNight train between Cologne and Warsaw is to be discontinued after December 10, 2016.  Does anyone here know what to expect in Spring, 2017 as far as EuroNight or other overnight European train service?

A lot of sleeper services are ending.  City Night Line is one of the main ones:  https://www.bahn.com/i/view/GBR/en/prices/europe/overnight-travel.shtml

[beaulieu]

NKP guy

According to The Man in Seat 61, the EuroNight train between Cologne and Warsaw is to be discontinued after December 10, 2016.

 Does anyone here know what to expect in Spring, 2017 as far as EuroNight or other overnight European train service? 

ÖBB has said it is interested in picking up some of the night trains that are being discontinued in Germany, Switzerland, Italy. The board of ÖBB approved the acquisition of 60 second-hand sleepers and couchettes, almost certainly from DB, and 15 car transporter wagons. Also approved was the conversion of 20 surplus passenger coaches to a new configuration of Couchettes. In their 2015 Annual report ÖBB said that they handled 1 million passengers on night trains and that they represented 17% of their passenger revenue.

[beaulieu]

The French Council of Ministers has rescinded the Declaration of Public Utility for the planned Poitiers - Limoges LGV.

[blue streak 1]

Reported that China's 5 year plan is to double HSR from 19,000 Km to 38,000 Km.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/infrastructure/single-view/view/chinese-high-speed-network-to-double-in-latest-master-plan.html

 

[Overmod]

beaulieu

The French Council of Ministers has rescinded the Declaration of Public Utility for the planned Poitiers - Limoges LGV.

Not sure anyone really needed a high-speed pork-barrel branch line, regardless of how carefully 'planned' with stakeholders it was.

Who has a summary, or even an English-language technical description, of the POLLT "alternative" (Paris, Orléans, La Souterraine, Limoges, Toulouse)?

[beaulieu]

I can't find a useful English translation. SNCF-Reseau uses "POLT" for the project.

[blue streak 1]

China reaches 20,000+  KM  HSR or ~ 12,500 miles.  Just took 3+ years to double number of KMs.  12.5k miles in the USA would cover what ?

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/high-speed/chinese-high-speed-network-reaches-20000km.html

 

[blue streak 1]

Belgium trying  to apply airline type screaning on cross border trains which could kill train travel.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/policy/single-view/view/passenger-name-regulation-could-destroy-cross-border-rail.html

 

[schlimm]

Reaction from the Brussels terrorist bombing, I suppose.  But it would severely damage multi-country trains.  In the days before the EC and elimination of passport checks at borders, the next country's border agents got on the train at the station prior to the border and got off at the first station past. This would require X-rays and magnetometers.  Seems a misguided effort.

[blue streak 1]

China is at it again.  Going to build a large HSR station directly under the great wall.  This line being built for the 2022 winter Olympics.  Just think only 5+ years from concept to completion ?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/09/29/china-plans-worlds-deepest-high-speed-rail-station-right-under-the-great-wall/

 

[BaltACD]

blue streak 1

China is at it again.  Going to build a large HSR station directly under the great wall.  This line being built for the 2022 winter Olympics.  Just think only 5+ years from concept to completion ?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/09/29/china-plans-worlds-deepest-high-speed-rail-station-right-under-the-great-wall/

No Enviornmental Impact Statement to litigate.

[blue streak 1]

Eurostar to cut service and jobs.With a dip in passenger travel the company is cutting some jobs and capital projects.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/high-speed/single-view/view/eurostar-to-cut-services-and-jobs.html

 

[Buslist]

blue streak 1

Eurostar to cut service and jobs.With a dip in passenger travel the company is cutting some jobs and capital projects.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/high-speed/single-view/view/eurostar-to-cut-services-and-jobs.html

 

 

This isn't really unexpected. What are the capital projects? Didn't see them mentioned, did I miss them? Eurostar doesn't have many they are like Amtrak, a tenant on other folks Railways.

[schlimm]

Buslist

 

 

blue streak 1

Eurostar to cut service and jobs.With a dip in passenger travel the company is cutting some jobs and capital projects.

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/high-speed/single-view/view/eurostar-to-cut-services-and-jobs.html

 

 

 

 

 

This isn't really unexpected. What are the capital projects? Didn't see them mentioned, did I miss them? Eurostar doesn't have many they are like Amtrak, a tenant on other folks Railways.

 

I wonder if they are thinking ahead to the possible impact of Brexit on travel between the UK and the EU?

[Buslist]

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/infrastructure/single-view/view/great-western-electrification-projects-deferred.html

 

More delays and cost over runs on the Great Western Main Line electrification.

[schlimm]

But they only deferred some sections (some of which are branches), not the whole project.

[Buslist]

schlimm

But they only deferred some sections (some of which are branches), not the whole project.

 

No one ever said they did. But the delays have resulted in the necessity to convert the entire order for 800 series train sets to bi mode.

And the estimated cost is now more than £2.1B than originally planned.

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/financial/great-western-modernisation-to-cost-%C2%A321bn-more-than-planned.html

[blue streak 1]

China approves another 1200+ Km of HSR ( pres take note )

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/asia/china-approves-five-more-new-lines.html?channel=540

 

[blue streak 1]

Hey let us reinvent the wheel (coupler in this case ) .  OOPS did not expect that !.

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/rolling-stock/coupling-defects-lead-to-withdrawal-of-nob-fleet.html?channel=529

 

[blue streak 1]

Sydney Australia having capacity problems.

https://www.railpage.com.au/news/s/sydney-trains-almost-all-over-capacity-in-morning-peak-hour-transport-data-reveals?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=top-stories-this-week-on-railpage