Buslist schlimm Buslist blue streak 1 UK is putting on hold further expansion of electrification due to cost over runs and lack of supplies. Also note that article states system is at capacity much of day. That may be the reason that supplies are in short supply ? http://www.railwaygazette.com/news.html Those delayed projects are now canceled. http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/britain-cancels-major-electrification-projects.html Let's follow the U.K. model as some have suggested! The UK cuts are part of continued austerity by the failing Theresa May government and a Brexit-damaged economy. Has nothing to do with Network Rail's mismanagement and its inability to accurately estimate the costs, even to the point where that ability has been part of the question sessions in Parlement. Note the mention of cost overruns in the OP. This whole thing was falling apart long before the Brexit vote. Suggest you invest some time reading the official Journal of the UK's Railway Study Association. Espically Roger Ford's "informed sources" colum.
schlimm Buslist blue streak 1 UK is putting on hold further expansion of electrification due to cost over runs and lack of supplies. Also note that article states system is at capacity much of day. That may be the reason that supplies are in short supply ? http://www.railwaygazette.com/news.html Those delayed projects are now canceled. http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/britain-cancels-major-electrification-projects.html Let's follow the U.K. model as some have suggested! The UK cuts are part of continued austerity by the failing Theresa May government and a Brexit-damaged economy.
Buslist blue streak 1 UK is putting on hold further expansion of electrification due to cost over runs and lack of supplies. Also note that article states system is at capacity much of day. That may be the reason that supplies are in short supply ? http://www.railwaygazette.com/news.html Those delayed projects are now canceled. http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/britain-cancels-major-electrification-projects.html Let's follow the U.K. model as some have suggested!
blue streak 1 UK is putting on hold further expansion of electrification due to cost over runs and lack of supplies. Also note that article states system is at capacity much of day. That may be the reason that supplies are in short supply ? http://www.railwaygazette.com/news.html
UK is putting on hold further expansion of electrification due to cost over runs and lack of supplies. Also note that article states system is at capacity much of day. That may be the reason that supplies are in short supply ?
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news.html
Those delayed projects are now canceled.
http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/britain-cancels-major-electrification-projects.html
Let's follow the U.K. model as some have suggested!
The UK cuts are part of continued austerity by the failing Theresa May government and a Brexit-damaged economy.
Has nothing to do with Network Rail's mismanagement and its inability to accurately estimate the costs, even to the point where that ability has been part of the question sessions in Parlement. Note the mention of cost overruns in the OP. This whole thing was falling apart long before the Brexit vote.
Suggest you invest some time reading the official Journal of the UK's Railway Study Association. Espically Roger Ford's "informed sources" colum.
Thank you, I will. It also seems obvious that you have a very strong negative bias, based perhaps on your past history with the UK rail scene?
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
schlimm Buslist schlimm Buslist blue streak 1 UK is putting on hold further expansion of electrification due to cost over runs and lack of supplies. Also note that article states system is at capacity much of day. That may be the reason that supplies are in short supply ? http://www.railwaygazette.com/news.html Those delayed projects are now canceled. http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/britain-cancels-major-electrification-projects.html Let's follow the U.K. model as some have suggested! The UK cuts are part of continued austerity by the failing Theresa May government and a Brexit-damaged economy. Has nothing to do with Network Rail's mismanagement and its inability to accurately estimate the costs, even to the point where that ability has been part of the question sessions in Parlement. Note the mention of cost overruns in the OP. This whole thing was falling apart long before the Brexit vote. Suggest you invest some time reading the official Journal of the UK's Railway Study Association. Espically Roger Ford's "informed sources" colum. Thank you, I will. It also seems obvious that you have a very strong negative bias, based perhaps on your past history with the UK rail scene?
I guess if you call knowledge bias. Actually what I'm doing is presenting facts not baseless speculation. Something coming from someone that critizes amatures making comments is your area of expertiese. Why are you so biased against facts? Making up excuses like Britexit and presenting them as if they are facts?
BuslistI guess if you call knowledge bias. Actually what I'm doing is presenting facts not baseless speculation. Something coming from someone that critizes amatures making comments is your area of expertiese. Why are you so biased against facts? Making up excuses like Britexit and presenting them as if they are facts?
Just my opinion based on correspondence with several friends in the UK. But I will acquiesce to your knowledge base and look at the website you've mentioned.
Thanks!! Link activated.
http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/new-french-high-speed-train-gets-fighter-escort-for-som-1796755373
schlimm Buslist I guess if you call knowledge bias. Actually what I'm doing is presenting facts not baseless speculation. Something coming from someone that critizes amatures making comments is your area of expertiese. Why are you so biased against facts? Making up excuses like Britexit and presenting them as if they are facts? Just my opinion based on correspondence with several friends in the UK. But I will acquiesce to your knowledge base and look at the website you've mentioned.
Buslist I guess if you call knowledge bias. Actually what I'm doing is presenting facts not baseless speculation. Something coming from someone that critizes amatures making comments is your area of expertiese. Why are you so biased against facts? Making up excuses like Britexit and presenting them as if they are facts?
You might want to look at this item, written for the non rail professional. Note last year's cost overruns by Network Rail are almost 1/2 as large as the entire Caltrain electrification.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/business-news/rail-electrification-swansea-cardiff-been-13357575
The East Coast Main Line franchise in the U.K. is in trouble again. It is beginning to look like it will fail for the third time. Last time National Express walked away from it turning it back to the government. Since then National has totally exited the rail scene.
In this case the franchise holder (Virgin Trains East Coast, Virgin 10%, Stagecoach 90%) over estimated their revenue. The losses are severely effecting publicly held Stagecoach's financial performance. There is now a great deal of hand wringing trying to decide what's next. Options range from a complete renegotiation of the franchise to letting VTEC walk away from it.
One of the reasons cited for the revenue shortfall is Network Rail's inability to deliver route improvements to get the London Edinburgh journey time down sufficiently (I haven't followed this bit of activity to know anything about the why's and wherefores, only what's reported in the press), among other factors. It will be interesting to watch, this may require a shakeup of the whole U.K. franchise procedure/concept.
BTW with the exit of National Express there are now said to be more operators based outside the U.K. (DB, SNCF, MTR, Trenitalia etc.) than U.K. ones.
It now seems that Network Rail is admitting that progress might be better working with other entities.
http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/track/network-rail-opens-door-to-private-sector-participation.html
Buslist It now seems that Network Rail is admitting that progress might be better working with other entities. http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/track/network-rail-opens-door-to-private-sector-participation.html
Very interesting! Is it possible the fault isn't whether public or private ownership, since it seems like neither has worked well in past or is working now, but that it is something inherent about the UK? Private operation franchising is not working so well for passenger trains, either.
Maybe time to return to British Rail?
BuslistSince then National has totally exited the rail scene.
National Express operates commuter (regional) lines in Germany.Regards, Volker
VOLKER LANDWEHR Buslist Since then National has totally exited the rail scene. National Express operates commuter (regional) lines in Germany.Regards, Volker
Buslist Since then National has totally exited the rail scene.
Correction, exited the U.K. rail scene with the sale of the C2C franchise.
In Europe its Germany only, with 2 active and 2 more to come on line in the future. They are also eyeing the Spanish market.
azrailNetwork Rail (the company that controls the tracks and infrastructure) is gov't controlled. It would have been better to split up BR back to the Big 4 railways (GWR,LMS,LNER,Southern)
"December 2013, the ONS announced that from September 2014, Network Rail will be classified as a "government body". This resulted in the company's debt of £34 billion being added to the national debt."
"Network Rail is effectively a subsidiary of the Government-controlled SRA."
SNCF, too.
http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/financial/sncf-moves-into-profit-in-first-half-of-2017.html?channel=522
As I was saying, maybe there is something inherent in the UK that makes rail a struggle?
schlimm As I was saying, maybe there is something inherent in the UK that makes rail a struggle?
And the fact that SNCF was not broken up into more than 130 companies as was BR. That and its vertical disintegration has been minimal. I thought I read somewhere that the EU is not happy with them because of insufficient separation of infrastructure and operating companies. Open access seems to be almost nonexistent.
Note that just now the French are preparing to contract out some local services which the Brits have been doing for about 15 years and the Germans 5-10(?).
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/regions-prepare-for-market-opening.html
Working on a summary of my thoughts on the U.K. situation, will post in a day or 2.
Buslist schlimm As I was saying, maybe there is something inherent in the UK that makes rail a struggle? And the fact that SNCF was not broken up into more than 130 companies as was BR. That and its vertical disintegration has been minimal. I thought I read somewhere that the EU is not happy with them because of insufficient separation of infrastructure and operating companies. Open access seems to be almost nonexistent. Note that just now the French are preparing to contract out some local services which the Brits have been doing for about 15 years and the Germans 5-10(?). http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/regions-prepare-for-market-opening.html Working on a summary of my thoughts on the U.K. situation, will post in a day or 2.
I'm looking forward to it.
German private operations are not just local but quite regional in scope in some cases. There are many and most seem well run.
Gotthard base tunnel passenger traffic up 30% since opening to traffic. Also freight traffic up but is restricted since other tunnel not complete.
http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/europe/strong-start-for-gotthard-base-tunnel.html?channel=537
Trenitalia pulls out of bidding for a U.K. franchise. It tends to reinforce my feelings that the problem with the franchises is the process and conditions. I have been trying to articulate this in my U.K. situation write up. But having worked mostly on the infrastructure side my observations on the operators may be less spot on. I'll get it finished one of these days.
http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/main-line/trenitalia-pulls-out-of-south-eastern-franchise-contest.html
Buslist Trenitalia pulls out of bidding for a U.K. franchise. It tends to reinforce my feelings that the problem with the franchises is the process and conditions. I have been trying to articulate this in my U.K. situation write up. But having worked mostly on the infrastructure side my observations on the operators may be less spot on. I'll get it finished one of these days. http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/main-line/trenitalia-pulls-out-of-south-eastern-franchise-contest.html
Given the nature of GB, that sounds like another Herculean task for you. But I would like to read that if you undertake it.
Is it possible operators appear to underestimate costs or some deliberately makes low-ball bids, thinking they will get some 'help' later?
schlimm Buslist Trenitalia pulls out of bidding for a U.K. franchise. It tends to reinforce my feelings that the problem with the franchises is the process and conditions. I have been trying to articulate this in my U.K. situation write up. But having worked mostly on the infrastructure side my observations on the operators may be less spot on. I'll get it finished one of these days. http://m.railjournal.com/index.php/main-line/trenitalia-pulls-out-of-south-eastern-franchise-contest.html Given the nature of GB, that sounds like another Herculean task for you. But I would like to read that if you undertake it. Is it possible operators appear to underestimate costs or some deliberately makes low-ball bids, thinking they will get some 'help' later?
Don't know that I've ever seen them deliberately underestimate costs. (The franchasie proposal review process ought to catch that). But they do seem to overestimate revenue that includes increases from enhancements to both infrastructure (shorter trip times) and new rolling stock. Not sure any of them got "help" in the sense we might mean it. Remember for the major franchises the usually is a payment to the govt. for the privilege of running the trains.
Just to put things into perspective here is a list of enhancements that the train operator (JREast and others in this case) to win the Midlands Franchise.
The new franchise runs from December 2017 until March 2026. ‘We will be investing nearly £1bn into the network, delivering new trains, better stations and a whole host of other benefits for passengers’, said Abellio UK Managing Director Dominic Booth. This will include:
Any information about the Egyptian RR passenger train that rear ended another pass train ?
BuslistJust to put things into perspective here is a list of enhancements that the train operator (JREast and others in this case) to win the Midlands Franchise.
That's a lot of investment cost. No wonder operators drop out.
China appears to have finished another HSR line .
http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/main-line/tracklaying-complete-on-new-line-in-northern-china.html?channel=524
Apppepars Network rail ( UK) is replacing some variable tension CAT with constant tension CAT ?
http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/uk-railway-news-round-up-30.html
Europe's second largest railroad station building, a ghost station, on the French - Spanish boarder, is going to re-open.
Pull up the website: www.bbc.co.uk/news/maga
daveklepper Europe's second largest railroad station building, a ghost station, on the French - Spanish boarder, is going to re-open. Pull up the website: www.bbc.co.uk/news/maga
I sure hope they succeed in the resurrection. It's always sad to see a beautiful building die from neglect.
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-41445860
_____________
"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
International passengers operators that use Kobe steel products may have quality concerns because of Kobe specification false certifications.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/12/business/kobe-steel-japan-trains.html?emc=eta1&_r=0
schlimm Buslist Just to put things into perspective here is a list of enhancements that the train operator (JREast and others in this case) to win the Midlands Franchise. That's a lot of investment cost. No wonder operators drop out.
Buslist Just to put things into perspective here is a list of enhancements that the train operator (JREast and others in this case) to win the Midlands Franchise.
The majority of which is underwritten by the taxpayer. Especially the rolling stock.
TOKYO — It may have been the most profusely regretted 20 seconds in history.
Living up to Japan’s reputation for being precise as well as contrite, a train company in Tokyo delivered a formal apology on Tuesday because one of its trains left a station just 20 seconds early.
In a country where conductors will beg forgiveness when a train is even a minute late, the Metropolitan Intercity Railway Company posted an apology on its website Tuesday for “the severe inconvenience imposed upon our customers” when the No. 5255 Tsukuba Express train left Minami-Nagareyama station in Chiba, a suburban prefecture east of Tokyo, at 9:44:20 a.m., instead of as scheduled at 9:44:40 a.m.
According to the statement, the train arrived at Minami-Nagareyama on time, at precisely 9:43:40 a.m. But when it came time to leave, the overeager crew closed the doors prematurely and pulled out of the station ahead of schedule. According to Metropolitan Intercity, no passengers missed the train or complained about the jump-start.
The effusive apology was in keeping with a culture where an ice cream company ran a television advertisement to express regret for raising the price of an ice cream bar by 10 yen last spring.
As the foreign news media began to cover the news Thursday, observers abroad expressed envy on Twitter at the trainspotting exactitude.
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