international passenger news

[blue streak 1]

China continues building HSR despite pandemic.

https://www.railjournal.com/in_depth/pandemic-fails-slow-chinas-high-speed-network-expansion 

[blue streak 1]

For those who thought China was nearing the end of rail expansion appears it isn't so.  Plans to connect every city of 200,000  to national network and every city of 500,000 to HSR .  Quite ambitious.

https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/high-speed/china-outlines-ambitions-long-term-expansion-plans/ 

 

 

[blue streak 1]

Heere is a link from Aviation week about rail effects on air travel.  Article not very long.

Vhttps://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-routes/do-nationalism-high-speed-rail-challenge-aviation-china?utm_rid=CPEN1000000511129&utm_campaign=25077&utm_medium=email&elq2=4bd48c9b57c54d07aaf36e5a90db1ed3

[blue streak 1]

Ceneri base tunnel officially goes to SBB in September.  Sevice to commence in December.  This is the final link in the Gottard base tunnel project that will greatly reduce transit times.

https://www.railjournal.com/infrastructure/ceneri-base-tunnel-set-for-december-opening/ 

[54light15]

Both are good reasons to take a sleeper. I'm all for it for whatever reason. 

[MidlandMike]

54light15

It's due to Covid-19 according to this. 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/27/covid-19-reawakens-europe-sleeper-trains 

 

The article also said it was due to avoiding security checks and lines at airports, and people wanting to reduce their carbon footprint.

[54light15]

It's due to Covid-19 according to this. 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/27/covid-19-reawakens-europe-sleeper-trains 

[Memma]

Also great to see the Egyptian railways investing in over 1,300 new carriages from Russia. It seems ENR are in desperate need of some new carriages!!

The first 35 have now arrived - https://trainreview.com/news/first-new-carriages-arrive-egypt-from-russia

[Memma]

Some good news over the weekend - SNCF are re-instating the Paris - Nice couchette, and Sweden has mandated the acquisition of carriages to run an overnight Brussels - Malmo and Hamburg - Stockholm service!

[blue streak 1]

EU supporting 55 rail infrastructure projects to start by early 2021.

https://www.railwaygazette.com/56983.article?utm_source=RGInewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Story%202%20Link&utm_campaign=RGInewsletter-%2020200724 

[blue streak 1]

blue streak 1

Croatia starting another night service.

https://www.railjournal.com/news/regiojet-opens-ticket-sales-launched-for-its-summer-night-service-to-croatia/ 

 

Croatia expanding the above overnight service due to large demand.

https://www.railjournal.com/regions/europe/regiojet-increases-frequency-croatia-overnight-service/ 

[blue streak 1]

Croatia starting another night service.

https://www.railjournal.com/news/regiojet-opens-ticket-sales-launched-for-its-summer-night-service-to-croatia/ 

[blue streak 1]

Another overnight service starting even with the covid-19 problems. RDC German service. Twice weekly service from the Baltic - Austria.  RDC is also going to offer an Auto Train service this summer. From northern Germany - sSwitzerland. 

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/rdc-launches-new-german-overnight-service/?RAchannel=news 

[blue streak 1]

Sweden is doing more planning for domestic overnight train service.  As well looking for night trains to Germany in 2022  -2023,

https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/main-line/sj-to-expand-domestic-night-train-offer-as-sweden-eyes-overnight-continental-connections/ 

[blue streak 1]

France is requirig Air France to move domestic passenger to a rail route that can be completed in less than 2 - -1/2 hours.  That is a requirement for a bail out.

https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/trains-prioritised-over-planes-in-air-france-rescue-deal/56408.article 

[blue streak 1]

China increases its HSR passenger train miles at 3.0%+ during corvid -19 times.  Would be interesting if we could get a ridership report from eye witnesses ?

https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/high-speed/china-introduces-new-high-speed-services/ 

Note: 4970 HSR trains a day an increase of 130 trains.  Link actually list a .5 train a day   Interesting?  Wonder how many train miles? 

Also total number of train sets including spares  ?

[MidlandMike]

UBS=Union Bank of Switzerland

The article was vague on the connection between the pandemic and climate change.

[Electroliner 1935]

blue streak 1

UBS who I have no idea what it is

Per google, 

UBS is a global firm providing financial services in over 50 countries. Visit our site to find out what we offer in the United States of America.

[blue streak 1]

UBS who I have no idea what it is has a  prediction that after C-19 there will be a shift to HSR.  It only mentiones Europe and China not the USA.

https://www.railwaygazette.com/policy/ubs-predicts-post-pandemic-shift-from-air-to-high-speed-rail/56195.article 

[blue streak 1]

SNCF another hospital train

https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/main-line/sncf-operates-additional-hospital-services-for-covid-19-patients/

[blue streak 1]

Isreal is speeding up is electrification plans.  Save any comment ?

https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/israel-railways-electrification-plan-revised/56155.article 

[Overmod]

blue streak 1

France has outfitted a TGV as a hospital train.  Interesting ?  Why not Amtrak ?

Because by the time it got there everyone would already have gotten sick or died; the restrooms would be festering; the commissary system would bring the art of excuse logistics to new highs; they would charge tens of thousands to modify each car for even the most basic invalid accommodations... 

On the other hand, what a perfect way to throw stimulus money at reactivating the moribund LRC cars, and perhaps the HHP8s and the 'old' Acela sets and the Turboliners sold off to fire departments and use those as rapid-response deployments...

[blue streak 1]

France has outfitted a TGV as a hospital train.  Interesting ?  Why not Amtrak ?

https://www.railwaygazette.com/high-speed/sncf-deploys-hospital-tgv/56110.article 

https://www.railjournal.com/passenger/main-line/sncf-to-further-reduce-services-to-combat-coronavirus-spread/ 

[blue streak 1]

India shuts down most intercity rail service.  Much metro service also shut down.  This link is kind of light on information as to all of the shut downs.

https://www.railjournal.com/regions/asia/india-shuts-down-passenger-rail-network-until-march-31/ 

[blue streak 1]

China has 2/3rds of the world's HSR of 22,000 miles.  It expect 25,000 miles by 2025.

https://www.railwayage.com/passenger/high-performance/glass-half-full-or-half-empty/?RAchannel=news 

[blue streak 1]

Read a  media report that Italy has shut down some rail travel in northern Italy. Milan appears to be center but have not been able to confirm same ?

EDIT  Venice also closed down?

[blue streak 1]

Ceneri base tunnel testing of ECTS-2 PYC starting shortly.  The testing will hault some traffic thru the tunnel that at present just wayside signals.

https://www.railjournal.com/infrastructure/ceneri-base-tunnel-testing/

 

[blue streak 1]

Corona virus----------

Follow up of China rail loss of  passengers.  Many station report 80 % ++ reduction in arrivals and departures.  Also service to Vietnam has been suspended.

https://www.railjournal.com/policy/china-rail-traffic-plummets-in-wake-of-coronavirus-epidemic/

 

[blue streak 1]

Follow up about the italian HSR derailment.  This appears to be another screw up by a signal maintenance crew.  Maybe there needs a world wide push to improve protocols when switches are moved out of normal positions.  thinking of Cayce on CSX as an example. 

https://www.railwaygazette.com/high-speed/frecciarossa-1000-derails-at-high-speed/55737.article

 

[BaltACD]

https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/world/2020/02/06/italy-high-speed-train-derails-2-dead-dozens-injured/4676898002/