July 2017 I Volume 57 Issue 7 www.railjournal.com | @railjournal

IRJInternational Railway Journal From TGV to inOui SNCF looks to the future as new high-speed lines open

Race to the north Binding the Baltic Britain poised to begin Trilateral consensus builds construction on HS2 behind Rail Baltica

Contents Contact us July 2017 Volume 57 issue 7 Editorial offices News Post 46 Killigrew Street 4 This month Falmouth Cornwall, TR11 3PP 6 News headlines UK 12 Transit Tel +44 1326 313945 14 Financial Fax +44 1326 211576 Web www.railjournal.com 16 Technology news: UITP summit 18 Technology news: IAF track show Editor-in-Chief 20 Analysis David Briginshaw 18 [email protected] Associate Editor France Keith Barrow [email protected] 22 Will France say “oui” to inOui? Features Editor SNCF relaunches TGV as inOui in bold move to revitalise Kevin Smith an iconic brand [email protected] 28 Reconnecting Paris Features & News Reporter Dan Templeton France’s ambitious Grand Paris metro project starts to [email protected] take shape Market Researcher 32 Developing the new TGV, brick by brick Jonny Dearden 28 Alstom begins development of its next-generation [email protected] Sales Executive high-speed train Chloe Pickering [email protected] High-speed Production Manager 36 HS2 poised for start of construction Sue Morant [email protected] Preliminary works are underway on Britain’s second high-speed rail project Advertising sales offices 40 Rail Baltica gathers momentum Post 19 John De Mierre House Bridge Road Creating a standard-gauge high-speed connection Haywards Heath between the Baltic states and the rest of Europe 32 West Sussex, RH16 1UA UK Research Tel +44 1444 849123 International area sales manager 44 No professional left behind Louise Cooper [email protected] Unlocking the mid-career talent pool to deliver the Tel +44 1444 849123 innovation railways are looking for Subscriptions hotline Tel +1 800 895 4389 and +1 402 346 4740 Online edition: extra feature International Railway Journal (Print ISSN 2161-7376, Digital ISSN 2161-7368), is published monthly by New bogie to reduce derailment risk Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp, 55 Broad RTRI develops steering-assist bogie to reduce the Street, 26th Fl, New York, NY 10004-2580, USA. 40 Printed in Great Britain by Buxton Press and distributed in the USA by Mail Right International, probability of wheel-flange climbing 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Piscataway, NJ and

July 2017 I Volume 57 Issue 7 additional mailing offices. COPYRIGHT © Simmons- Also in this issue www.railjournal.com | @railjournal Boardman Publishing Corporation 2016. All rights Front cover IRJIIRInternationalR RailwayJ Journal reserved. Contents may not be reproduced without 48 Rendezvous Linsinger has over 20 years permission. For reprint information please contact From TGV tto InOui experience as a specialist in SNCF looks to the future as new high-speed lines open Editor-in-Chief. For subscriptions & address changes, 49 Full contact list preventive and corrective Race to the north Binding the Baltic Britain poised to begin Trilateral consensus builds please call +1 402 346-4740, Fax +1 402 346-3670, construction on HS2 behind Rail Baltica Email: [email protected] or 49 Advertisers index rail milling, and has made it write to: International Railway Journal, Simmons- possible to reach cutting Boardman Publishing Corp, 50 The last word depths of 0.1mm - 3 (5)mm 555 Huehl Rd, Northbrook, IL in a single pass without 60062 USA. POSTMASTER: Send address mutating the metalurgical changes to International Rail- state of the rail. way Journal, PO Box 3135, www.linsinger.com Northbrook, IL 60062-3135 USA. IRJ July 2017 3 This month | David Briginshaw

While all three projects are on entered the market. SNCF’s High-speed rail projects time and within budget, SNCF initial response was to set up is not so happy because of the its own long-distance bus increased access charges it operation and introduce a no- gain momentum faces to use the new lines. frills low-cost TGV service Indeed, SNCF has been called . cautious about how many Ouigo has been extremely trains it will operate on the successful as it has despite challenges lines for fear of racking up demonstrated that there is a excessive charges. This in turn market for a low-fare high- HIS month we report on a a standard-gauge high-speed could mean that the PPP speed product, and that it is Tflurry of activity in the high- railway linking Singapore with concessionaires will not earn possible to operate high-speed speed rail sector where three will bring. as much revenue as they trains more cheaply by projects are coming to fruition in Malaysia’s MyHSR Corporation predicted when the funding streamlining maintenance and France, and French National and Singapore’s Land Transport was arranged prior to starting working the assets much Railways (SNCF) is starting to Authority (LTA) will jointly hold work on the project. harder. SNCF will now expand rebrand its iconic TGV. Across an industry briefing in France and Spain took control the Ouigo network and plans to the Channel in Britain, Singapore on July 5 for the of the Perpignan - Barcelona cut operating costs by 30% on construction is about to start on Assets Company, which is high-speed rail link between its conventional TGV network. Britain’s second high-speed line, responsible for designing, both countries in December More than this, SNCF has while in the Baltic states the taken the bold, and some three countries are putting aside might say risky, step of re- their differences to push ahead Even experienced high-speed operators branding TGV as inOui as part with the Rail Baltica high-speed of an initiative to improve the project. In Asia, the Kuala can get their fingers burnt if they fail to quality of its high-speed Lumpur - Singapore high-speed react to changes in the market. services. While the leaked project is gaining momentum. story caused consternation High-speed rail has the that such an iconic and well- ability to transform travel building, financing, operating 2016 after the PPP contract with known French brand was between cities by shrinking and maintaining both the rolling concessionaire TP Ferro was being changed, SNCF is journey times dramatically, but stock and the infrastructure, to terminated following the quietly pleased at the huge it is increasingly difficult to explain the tender parameters company’s liquidation in amount of free publicity it implement, particularly in and technical specifications to September. TP Ferro, which was received. Only time will tell if densely-populated or potential bidders. owned by construction firms SNCF has made the right prosperous countries where Indifference in the three Baltic ACS and Eiffage, entered into decision or made a horrible land prices are escalating, states of Estonia, Latvia and receivership in late 2015 after mistake. In any event, SNCF environmental protection is Lithuania to the ambitious Rail declaring debts of É560m. appears committed to getting becoming more onerous and Baltica project to link the three Traffic on the line was one third TGV back on track. opposition to such projects is capitals with Poland appears to less than forecast when the 50- growing. Britain’s HS2 project be turning into enthusiastic year concession was awarded in has a very high price tag for support if the supportive 2003. This was a salutary lesson these very reasons and had to speeches and strong attendance for all concerned and a warning overcome very-well-organised at the first Rail Baltic forum in of the potential risk for private [email protected] and vociferous opposition from Riga are anything to go by. This companies considering people living along the route. project, which will form part of investing in high-speed projects. Strong and unwavering the North Sea-Baltic TEN-T Even experienced and political support is therefore corridor, will not only cut well-established high- vital for the successful journey times significantly, but speed operators can get realisation of high-speed will plug the three states more their fingers burnt if they projects. SNCF has always firmly into the European Union take their eye off the ball enjoyed this and HS2 has had by providing them with their and fail to react to changes cross-party support despite first standard-gauge connection. in the market, as SNCF has the challenges posed by the While some funds have already discovered. After years of economic crisis, constant pleas been secured, the project relies steady increases in traffic to spend the money on the heavily on EU funding which and revenue, SNCF’s TGV conventional network or may become less certain network took a knock in 2013- public services such as health following Brexit. Wisely, RB 14 when people started to take care and education. Rail’s CEO Ms Baiba Rubesa advantage of cheap car International projects face the says the three countries must be sharing schemes and added challenge of overcoming willing to consider alternative long-distance bus cross-border political differences sources of funding. operators and national rivalry. Singapore France has funded the three and Malaysia have rarely seen extensions to its high-speed eye-to-eye since Singapore broke network, two of which open away from Malaysia in 1965. But this month and the third at the now the two countries appear end of the year, through seized by the opportunities that public-private partnerships. 4

News | headlines Israel presents plans to double network by 2040 SRAEL Railways (IR) and 2040. Rail’s share of Ayalon, Lod - Beer Sheva, and countries, as was the situation Ipresented details of its journeys of more than 50km Ashkelon - Pleshet Junction. A prior to 1948 [the foundation Shekels 123.6bn ($US 34.9bn) would grow from 10% to 40% 20km double-track tunnel of Israel] and such links can 2040 Strategic Plan at a and the percentage of between Tel Aviv Hahagana only contribute to the peace conference at the Dan passengers able to reach Tel and Rishpon (north of and stability of the area.” Panorama hotel in Tel Aviv on Aviv in less than 1h 30min Hertzliya) will provide six IR is proposing a number of June 8, revealing ambitious would rise from 16% to 64%. tracks on this section. cross-border links including a proposals to double the size of Peak passenger services will The plan, which was drawn line to Lebanon; Jenin - West the network over the next two increase from 50 trains in 2020 up by IR and the ministries of Bank; Hebron - West Bank; Eilat decades with high-speed to 128 in 2040, with 96 services transport and finance, has - Aqaba (Jordan); Ashkelon - trains connecting key centres. running at up to 160km/h and been sent to transport minister Gaza; and a connection across Under the plan, which was 32 at a maximum of 250km/h. Mr Israel Katz for feedback the Sinai desert to Egypt, presented by IR deputy general As the number of stations before submission to the following the alignment of the manager for development Mr increases, IR envisages cabinet for approval. former Ottoman railway. Reuben Kogan, the network is separate categories of inter- “Israel is undergoing a Other major projects in the projected to grow from 1232km city and regional services to transportation revolution strategic plan include: to 2572km between 2020 and maintain rapid links between particularly on railways, but Afula (Valley Line) - Hadera 2040, with the number of major towns and cities. IR also on roads and at its ports,” East stations increasing from 68 to general manager Mr Shahar Katz said at the conference. Lod station bypass, and 120. IR’s passenger train fleet Ayalon says double-track lines “The government is interested expansion of Ben Gurion will almost triple from 139 in will be four-tracked and the in rail links with neighboring Airport station. 2020 to 511 in 2040. Eastern Line between Kfar- The plan allocates Shekels Sava and Hadera East will be 94.78bn for infrastructure, and revived to enable direct links Shekels 19.26bn for rolling bypassing congested lines in stock, Shekels 9.6bn for depots the Tel-Aviv area. and stabling facilities, with an On the core inter-city overall benefit:cost ratio of 1.0. network lines will be widened Passenger numbers are from two to four forecast to grow from 59.5 tracks to enable million in 2017 to 81.2 million 250km/h operation. in 2020 and 306 million in Lines earmarked for 2040, with rail’s share of the quadrupling public transport market rising comprise Tel Aviv - from 3% to 8% between 2020 Haifa, Tel Aviv -

Photo: Boris-B/Shutterstock

6 IRJ July 2017 In brief

SOB to trial automatic train operation Leo Express bids Argentina The government has signed a WITZERLAND’s the entire system but also for Locomore $US 49.5m loan agreement SSoutheastern Railway forestall signalling errors. ZECH open-access with Japan Bank for (SOB), has announced it is The pilot project will be operator Leo Express has International Cooperation planning a pilot project to carried out on the Mogelsberg C submitted a bid for German (JBIC) to finance the rollout of study the viability of - Wattwil - Nesslau-Neu St long-distance operator Automatic Train Stop (ATS) on automatic train operation Johann Toggenburg line. The Locomore, which filed for all eight lines of the Buenos (ATO) on a mixed traffic line, train will run without insolvency in May. Aires suburban rail network the first application of such passengers in intervals Leo Express CEO Mr Peter covering 1500km of track and technology on a Swiss between the regular services. Köhler confirmed to IRJ that 280 trains over the next four mainline railway. This stretch is almost ideal, the company had submitted years. The equipment will be SOB has already applied to according to Barth, as it is an indicative bid to take over manufactured in Japan by the Swiss Federal Transport equipped with modern the Locomore business. “We Nippon Signal. Office (BAV) for financial signalling and operating are generally interested in support, which would enable it systems, few level crossings, expanding our business in Belgium to begin procurement for the modern rolling stock and new Europe,” he says. A test train transporting beer project. LFC communications Locomore began operating a from a brewery near Liège to a According to Mr Markus equipment. daily service between Berlin distribution centre near Barth, head of infrastructure at SOB hopes to launch the and Stuttgart last December Brussels ran in June. The pilot SOB, the idea is to use existing tender for the pilot project by after raising capital for the project is a joint initiative rolling stock on existing the end of this year with a venture through a successful between rail freight operator infrastructure, the aim being to view to organising financing crowdfunding campaign, Lineas, brewing company operate the train automatically. and selecting a contractor by which generated É460,000 to InBev, retailer Delhaize, and SOB says automatic mid-2018. The pilot is due to cover start-up costs. However, local organisations. The operation will not only begin in 2020 with commercial the company confirmed on service could operate up to improve safety, capacity, operations starting between May 11 that it had filed for three times per week, with punctuality and efficiency on 2023 and 2025. insolvency after revenues each train carrying 1200 failed to increase in line with tonnes. Kenya inaugurates Standard Gauge Railway projections, and talks with a prospective investor ended Britain without resolution. According to the Office of Road & Rail, rail freight fell by Rotterdam freight 3% to 17.2 billion net tonne- km in 2016-17, its lowest level line alignment since the late 1990s. Coal suffered the steepest decline approved falling by 39% to 1.4 billion net UTCH secretary of state tonne-km. Domestic Dfor infrastructure Mrs intermodal and construction Sharon Dijksma has approved were the only types of freight the alignment of a new freight to grow, by 6% and 7% line in the port of Rotterdam, respectively. which will divert traffic away Network Rail has awarded a from the life-expired Caland £9m contract to Atkins to vertical lift bridge. upgrade the signalling on the The bridge is currently a Cornish main line between ENYA’s President Mr 3000 in first class. bottleneck for rail freight as Truro and St Erth as part of a KUhuru Kenyatta has The line has been designed the deck is frequently raised to project to introduce half- flagged off the inaugural with an axleload of 25 tonnes enable ships to pass beneath. hourly passenger services freight and passenger trains on and could move 22 million With both rail and shipping between Plymouth and the 472.3km Standard Gauge tonnes/year at a speed of 80- traffic set to increase, and the Penzance. The work is due to Railway (SGR) from Nairobi to 100km/h for freight trains and bridge due to reach the end of be completed by December Mombasa. 120km/h for passenger trains. its useful life by 2020, the 2018. The inaugural freight train Freight trains will have a decision was taken to build a left the port of Mombasa on maximum capacity of 4000 4.5km deviation. China the evening of May 30, tonnes, or 216 TEUs, and the The double-track electrified Test running on the 401km arriving in Nairobi the line has been built to line will run south of the high-speed line linking Baoji following morning. The first accommodate double-stack Caland Bridge on a largely with Lanzhou started on June passenger train was flagged off container trains. elevated alignment following 2. This is the final section of a from the new Mombasa The line is forecast to carry Neckarweg and Theemsweg. 1363km line with a design Terminus station on May 31. around 22 million tonnes of The É275m project is being speed of 350km/h linking The passenger service has freight per year from Mombasa, funded by the Port of Xuzhou, Zhengzhou, Xi’an, been dubbed Madaraka representing 40% of the port’s Rotterdam (É110m), the Dutch Baoji and Lanzhou. Express, and each train will throughput. Kenyatta said the Ministry of Infrastructure and seat up to 960 passengers with line will reduce the cost of Environment (É100m) and the Cuba a Mombasa - Nairobi fare of moving a container between European Union (É65m). The Sinara Transport Machines Shillings 700 ($US 6.77) in Mombasa and Nairobi from project is due to be completed (STM), Russia, has handed standard class and Shillings $US 960 to $US 480. in 2020. IRJ July 2017 7 News | headlines More China - Europe freight trains launched Indian Railways HE end of May saw a flurry container load (LCL) and full Railways (KTZ), Russian launches premium Tof developments in the container load (FCL) for Railways (RZD), Belarus expanding China - Europe rail electronics, industrial and Railways (BC), Lithuanian service freight market with the launch automotive parts, and fresh Railways (LG) and German NDIAN Railways (IR) of three new services. food from both Eastern Europe Rail (DB). Ilaunched its new Tejas DHL Global Forwarding and China. Finally, on May 31 the first Express premium long- launched a new rail freight On May 26 an intermodal rail consignment of Volvo S90 distance service on May 22, service between Shenzhen, train left Korla in northwest cars built in Daqing, China, when railways minister Mr China, and Minsk, Belarus, on China loaded with 82 ISO tank arrived at a distribution centre Suresh Prabhu flagged off the May 22 with a transit time of containers bound for Germany in Zeebrugge, coinciding with inaugural train from Mumbai less than 12 days. and France. a visit to Belgium by Chinese Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus The service passes through The 800m-long train, with a premier Mr Li Keqiang. to Karmali in Goa. Dostyk on the Chinese- weight of 3000 tonnes, carrying The Swedish manufacturer is Services will operate five Kazakhstan border which is high-value chemical products the first to export Chinese- days a week in the non- already used by several other was launched by Swiss made cars to Europe by rail. monsoon season and three days intermodal services, including intermodal operator Hupac The Volvo-dedicated train a week during the monsoon rail connections from with Chinese chemical carried around 120 cars in (June 10 - October 31), with a Chengdu, Zhengzhou, and producer Markor. specially designed 40ft journey time of 8h 30min for Lianyungang to Europe. The train completed the containers. Each container the 579km trip. DHL will manage the new 8000km journey in 18 days, accommodates three vehicles, The fully-air-conditioned route together with China with transhipment of the load which are secured at different train is formed of 20 coaches Brilliant, an integrated service to 1520mm-gauge wagons at angles using special fixtures to including one executive-class provider in manufacturing and Dostyk, and back to standard- maximise the payload. car, which seats 56 passengers, consumption with which DHL gauge at Šeštokai in Lithuania. The trains will initially and 12 AC class vehicles each signed a memorandum of Participants in the project operate weekly, although seating 78. The fare for the understanding in 2016. The include China Railway frequencies are expected to Mumbai - Karmali service is service offers both less-than- Corporation, Kazakhstan increase as volumes grow. Rs 1280 ($US 19.83) in AC accommodation and Rs 2680 in executive. Features include LED seat- back passenger information screens, USB charging points, at-seat attendant call buttons, vending machines, passenger Wi-Fi, CCTV, power-operated doors and bio-vacuum toilets. IR says the onboard menu has been devised by celebrity chefs. The vehicles were built at the Rail Coach Factory in Kapurthala, Punjab, and are designed for 200km/h operation but are currently limited to a maximum of 160km/h. Volvo S90 cars, manufactured in China, are loaded into containers for their journey to Europe. Indian Railways is planning to introduce Tejas Express services on the Delhi - SBB Cargo steps up intelligent freight wagon programme Chandigarh and Delhi - WISS rail freight operator and in the scheduling of manoeuvers are mostly carried Lucknow routes later this year. SSBB Cargo is planning to maintenance and repair work. out by two or three shunters. retrofit 2000 freight wagons During the trials SBB Cargo The aim is to have a single New Astana with sensors by the end of equipped 150 refrigerated shunter working by remote 2018, having successfully wagons, which covered a total control, assisted by video and station inaugurated completed trials with 150 of 10 million km. The system radar sensors in the shunting AZAKHSTAN’s president wagons since October 2015. was developed by SBB Cargo with a reach of KMr Nursultan Nazarbayev The sensors record together with Bosch 160m. inaugurated a new main information on the position Engineering, after the two This information is then station in the country’s capital and condition of the wagon companies came to an collated with all other data to Astana on May 31. and its load, including agreement to cooperate on an give a complete picture of the Public services began temperature and humidity, asset intelligence system for situation at any time, including operating from Nurly Zhol which is then transmitted to a freight wagons in 2015. optical and acoustic warnings station the following day, with server and made available The partners are also in the case of other vehicles, the first passengers arriving on online to staff. This means the cooperating on another people or obstacles near the a service from Karaganda. condition of the wagon and digitalisation project for locomotive. The opening of the station freight can be checked at any assisted shunting, which is due Three SBB cargo coincides with the start of the time, leading to greater to start trials in the near future. have been equipped with the Expo 2017 international efficiency in the logistics chain Currently shunting system as prototypes. exhibition. 8 IRJ July 2017 In brief

over the first of 60 class GE rolls out first Evolution Series TGM8KM four-axle single-cab locomotive for India: The first of diesel-hydraulic locomotive 1000 1676mm-gauge Evolution for Cuban Railways Union Series locomotives for Indian Railways (UFC). A further 14 Railways (IR) was unveiled at the units are due to be delivered company’s plant in Erie, before the end of the year. Pennsylvania, on June 1. GE was awarded a $US 2.5bn contract in India November 2015 to supply 700 Indian Railways and Russian 3.36MW and 300 4.47MW six-axle Railways (RZD) have agreed locomotives over an 11-year period to work together on a through a joint venture with IR. The feasibility study to upgrade first 100 locomotives will be built at the 575km Nagpur - Erie and shipped either fully Secunderabad main line for assembled or as kits, while the 200km/h operation. remaining 900 units will be constructed at a new joint venture International production facility at Marhoura in PKP Intercity in cooperation the Indian state of Bihar. with Ukrainian Railways has introduced a daily cross- Korail unveils EMU-250 mock-up border service between Chelm, Poland, and Kovel, Ukraine, high-speed OUTH Korea’s national generation high-speed train, supplementing the daily Strain operator Korail the HEMU-430x, the EMU-250 overnight service on this route station opens unveiled a full-size mock-up of has a top speed of 260km/h. between Warsaw and Kiev. HE prime minister of Italy a driving vehicle from its Unlike the KTX-Sancheon, the Alpha Trains has received TMr Paulo Gentiloni forthcoming EMU-250 high- new trains use distributed six Euro 4000 diesel-electric travelled to Campania on a speed train at Yongsan station traction. 1668mm-gauge locomotives Trenitalia in Seoul on May 24. At the unveiling Korail from Stadler’s Valencia plant high-speed train on June 6 to In May 2016 Korail placed announced details of passenger for operation on cross-border inaugurate the first phase of an order with amenities on the new trains. freight services between Spain Naples Afragola station. for 30 trains, which will be Leg room has been extended and Portugal. The six-axle Located 3km north of used on the new Gyeongjeon from 124mm to 159mm and 120km units use EMD engines. Naples on the high-speed line line to Masan in the south of each outer seat has its own to Rome, Afragola will be the country. In December window. Tray tables will have a Italy served by 18 services per day Korail and Hyundai Rotem slot to support mobile devices Tuscany has renewed its in each direction on the Turin - signed a Won 216bn contract such as tablets, and seats will contract with Tuscan Railway Salerno and Venice - Reggio for a further 84 EMU-250 sets be fitted with USB sockets and Transport (TFT) to operate Calabria routes from the start for the Seohae, Center Island wireless chargers. First class passenger and freight services of commercial operations on and Jungang lines, which are accommodation will feature a in the Province of Arezzo. The É June 11. The journey time from being upgraded for 200km/h video on-demand nine-year 66m contract Afragola to Rome Termini will operation. entertainment with seat-back envisages the introduction of É be 55 minutes. Based on Korea’s next screens. Alstom Jazz trains, 20m Construction of the station investment in infrastructure has taken far longer than including ETCS Level 2, and a originally anticipated. Work new link between the ceased during the economic Casentino area and Florence. downturn but in February 2015 Italferr awarded Astaldi a Japan É61m engineering Hitachi has started production procurement and construction of a fleet of 1.5kV dc 20000- contract to complete the series 10-car EMUs for station, which was designed Soetsu’s Sagami Railway in by architect Mrs Zaha Hadid. Kanagawa prefecture. The first The main structure of the train will enter service in station is 400m long and December and the trains will straddles the platforms with also be used on the Soetsu - four levels covering an area of Tracklaying starts on Xinjiang - Qinghai Railway Toyku direct line when it 30,000m2. opens in 2022. RACKLAYING has reportedly commenced on a 1213km line When the second phase of connecting China’s western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous the project is completed in T Malaysia Region with the neighbouring province of Qinghai. 2022, Afragola will become an Exni Railway, Spain, has Construction began on the line from Korla in southern interchange for the opened a new plant in Xinjiang to Golmud in Qinghai in 2014 and according to Railway, Malaysia to produce rolling China’s state news agency Xinhua the 505km Qinghai section is regional services to Caserta, stock maintenance equipment, now expected to open by the end of next year. Benevento and Naples North, track construction machinery The line will create a new north-south corridor in western and the new Naples - Bari spare parts and freight China, linking Urumqi with the Qinghai - Tibet Railway. high-speed line. wagons. IRJ July 2017 9 News | headlines Public company to take over Danish train procurement New Zealand ENMARK’s Ministry of seats. This will enable DSB to current Øresund trains will be budget allocates DTransport, Building and increase overall seating phased out. These trains would Housing announced on June 15 capacity from 59,000 seats in be acquired separately from $NZ 1bn to rail that it plans to establish a new 2016 to 65,000 seats in 2030. the main contract. state-owned rolling stock The total value of the order is The phasing out of the IC3 HE New Zealand company to take over the estimated to be DKr 14-17bn and IR4 fleets will reflect the Tgovernment will invest procurement and ownership of ($US 2.1-2.6bn). delivery schedule for the new $NZ 450m ($US 318m) in new trains from Danish State Approval of tender documents fleet. The final phase-in rate KiwiRail, $NZ 436m in Railways (DSB). is expected by the end of 2017 will be determined before the Auckland city’s rail link, and The announcement came as and the contract will be contract is signed in 2019. $NZ 98.4m in Wellington’s DSB published detailed awarded in the second half of In contrast with IC4, the network as part proposals on plans for the 2019. report stresses the importance of its 2017 budget. acquisition of new trains, The strategy calls for “steady of adopting a proven platform “The government has which will replace the IC3 and phasing in of new equipment” for the procurement, with a invested more than $NZ 4.2bn IR4 trains, as well as the ill- with the delivery of three uniform fleet considered the in rail since taking office in fated AnsaldoBreda IC4 trains per month between 2024 most cost-effective option. “We 2008 and wants to ensure the DMUs, expand the fleet to and 2028, with the final trains must avoid the fatal mistakes network can improve its boost capacity, and meet the arriving in 2029. These trains that were made with the reliability with the latest round requirement for electric trains would only be for domestic acquisition of IC4,” says of investment,” says transport as more lines are electrified. use, but the report highlights a transport, building and minister Mr Simon Bridges. The report, which was requirement for rolling stock housing minister Mr Ole Birk KiwiRail will invest the drawn up by external for international services. Olesen. “The proposals are a money in infrastructure and consultants, recommends the Dual-voltage trains would be major step towards replacing rolling stock, while procurement of 204 trains, required for operation into DSB’s outdated fleet and Wellington’s commuter rail which will be 80-110m long, Germany from 2028 and introducing stable and modern network will focus on much- providing a total of 43,000 Sweden from 2034, when the electric trains.” needed upgrades. Auckland’s city rail link is still under construction and this financing GE to supply 100 will help it to near completion. Test train reaches 310km/h Bridges also says that the locos to Egypt government will conduct a on Haramain HSL wider review of KiwiRail’s GYPT’s Ministry of operating structure and longer- ETransport and Egyptian term capital requirements. National Railways (ENR) has signed a letter of intent with GE Transportation for the Sweden’s Inland acquisition of 100 ES30ACi Railway secures Light Evolution Series diesel private investment locomotives in a deal worth $US 575m. WEDEN’s Inland Railway In a statement, Transport Sand investment banking Minister Mr Hisham Arafat group Macquirie have signed a said delivery of an initial batch joint letter of intent to of 25 of the 2.39MW units will cooperate on private financing take place next year. for a project to rehabilitate the The deal also includes a 15- Gällivare - Östersund - Mora year parts and technical line. support package for both the On May 23 Inland Railway new locomotives and ENR’s held talks with the current fleet of 80 six-axle municipalities which own the ES40ACi Evolution Series company, issued a mandate locomotives, which were to negotiate with Macquirie. delivered in 2009. Inland Railway is seeking SKr 1bn ($US 120m) in ESTING of Saudi Arabia’s +10%) as the train fleet moves GE will provide training for contributions from pension 453km Haramain high- towards final approval for 275 ENR employees as part of T funds and institutional speed line reached a milestone passenger operation. the contract. investors to realise its plans, on June 15 when a 350 Talgo says dynamic testing On June 19 ENR signed a which the company says will train reached 310km/h on the is proceeding satisfactorily in É290m loan agreement with section between King extreme environmental the European Bank for improve rail freight access to Abdullah Economic City conditions, with outside Reconstruction and Sweden’s interior and enable (KAEC) and Medina, temperatures of up to 50oC Development (EBRD) to the reintroduction of regular exceeding the maximum and windblown sand. finance the order. The EBRD passenger services. commercial operating speed of The trains are equipped with will also assist ENR to develop In March a DMU built by 300km/h for the first time. a “desert pack” encompassing and implement a freight TZV Gredelj, Croatia, visited In the coming weeks speeds more than 30 additional reform programme, which the Östersund - Mora section will be incrementally increased technologies developed aims to increase volumes to 25 to promote reintroducing to 330km/h (maximum speed specifically for the project. million tonnes a year by 2022. passenger services. 10 IRJ July 2017 In brief

Mexico Dynamic testing began on the Westbahn reaches Vienna Main Station 57.7km six-station Mexico City - Toluca interurban line on June 12 in preparation for opening the line in April 2018. CAF is leading a consortium including Thales, Isolux- Corsán and AZVI, which was awarded a É690m contract in 2014 to equip the line. CAF is supplying 30 five-car EMUs. New Zealand KiwiRail, and the Australian Centre for Rail Innovation (ACRI) Level Crossing Working Group are finalising reports on two projects analysing the effects of active warning signs for road traffic at passive level crossings. These comprised a road-vehicle- activated ‘Expect Trains’ sign and a project to evaluate the effects of active signage on driver gaze behaviour.

USTRIAN open-access were commissioned the destinations between St Pölten Russia Aoperator Westbahn began following day. and Salzburg, which can only Two prototype intermodal flat serving Vienna Main Station Westbahn is operating six be purchased onboard the wagons, developed by on June 14 after gaining return WestShuttle services per shuttle trains. Transmashholding for certification for its new fleet of day between Vienna Main The shuttle service is set to 160km/h operation of Stadler Kiss 2 EMUs. Station and West Station, operate until December 9, at container trains, have After several delays, where they connect with its which point Westbahn will completed acceptance testing. authorisation documents for trains to Salzburg. launch direct trains from The 1520mm-gauge type 13- the fleet finally arrived on June Westbahn is offering special Vienna Main Station to 6954 wagon is designed to 12 and the first three trains discount fares from Vienna to Salzburg. accommodate one 40ft or 45ft container and uses underframe GE consortium components from passenger Uganda to terminate Rift Valley vehicles, including bogies. wins Nigerian Railways operating contract concession Sweden HE UGANDAN funds after years of poor Trafikverket has awarded a CONSORTIUM led by Tgovernment has confirmed performance. SKr 2bn ($US 230m) contract AGeneral Electric (GE) and it is terminating Rift Valley However, Kasaija has not to NCC, Sweden, and OHL, including Transnet, South Railways’ (RVR) concession to given details of the termination, Spain to lay two additional Africa, has been named operate the country’s 1918km when the process is likely to tracks between Lund and preferred bidder by the metre-gauge network because begin, and what it would Arlöv to create a four-track Nigerian government for a of poor performance. involve. line. Work will begin later this concession to rehabilitate, Uganda’s finance, planning Meanwhile, the minister said year and is due to be finance and operate Nigerian and economic development Uganda would this year completed by 2024. Railways’ 3505km 1067mm- minister Mr Matia Kasaija told complete acquisition of 84% of gauge network. parliament on June 8 when he the alignment of the $US 2.3bn United States The consortium also presented the country’s $US 8bn Malaba - Kampala standard- The Federal Railroad includes SinoHydro, a Chinese 2017-18 national budget that gauge line. The 273km Administration and the infrastructure construction “the management of the electrified line will be built by Federal Transit Administration services company, and APM Uganda railway will revert to China Harbour Engineering have awarded grants totalling Terminals, a port, terminal and the Uganda Railways Company (CHEC). $US 197m to help commuter intermodal services provider. Corporation.” CHEC is currently carrying and intercity passenger Concession negotiations will The minister’s statement out a bankable feasibility study operators meet the December now begin and involve a more comes after RVR CEO Mr for the line, which is expected 31 2018 deadline for the detailed examination of the Isaiah Okoth told IRJ in an to open in 2020. installation of Positive Train consortium’s proposal covering interview that the consortium The government is also Control. Authorised under the bid value, terms, conditions, is pushing Kenya Railways seeking $US 3.58bn in loans Fixing America’s Surface scope, assumptions, and Corporation to allow it to take from China to finance Transportation Act, the grants timelines, as well as negotiations back control of infrastructure. construction of the Malaba - will support 17 projects in 13 with the Nigerian government’s RVR is also seeking for a Kisumu - Naivasha standard- states. IRJ defined performance standards. strategic investor to pump in gauge line. IRJ July 2017 11 News | transit De Lijn approves order for up to 146 CAF Urbos low-floor trams HE board of Belgian light line linking Knokke, Ostend Trail operator De Lijn has and De Panne, including five approved an order for up to vehicles for a proposed 146 CAF Urbos 100 low-floor extension to Veurne. Antwerp LRVs following an appeal by will receive 66 LRVs and Ghent Bombardier and subsequent re- 18 units. evaluation of the bids. De Lijn says price was a The initial tranche is worth crucial factor in its decision É56.3m and comprises 24 because of the qualitative vehicles for the West Flanders similarity of the bids submitted coastal line linking Knokke, by the two suppliers. Ostend and De Panne, with The decision not to award the deliveries due to begin in mid- contract to Bombardier was 2019. The total value of the considered controversial due to order could reach É295m if all the uncertainty over the future six options are exercised, of the company’s Bruges plant. although this is subject to CAF plans to build the vehicles financing from the Flemish in Spain while Bombardier government. proposed production at sites in evaluated the bids and these factors into account, CAF’s É According to the tender, Germany, Austria and the “thoroughly vetted the total cost offer was 5% or 25m lower which was issued in March Czech Republic with final of ownership.” This includes than its competitor’s bid. 2014, De Lijn requires 62 LRVs assembly taking place at Bruges. purchase price, maintenance De Lijn is seeking “trade for the West Flanders coastal De Lijn says it has re- and operating costs. Taking cooperation” between the two suppliers and has also confirmed Antwerp expands tram network to north of city it will award Bombardier a É23m contract to rebuild 53 The opening of a new 0.8km link between IGNIFICANT changes were made to the Antwerp Ermine LRVs for Astrid Premetro station and Stadspark has Stram network in Antwerp on June 3 with multiple operation. This work, enabled the extension of lines 8 and 10 to the the opening of an extension in the north of the which is due to be completed in south of the city. The new connection includes city and a new tunnel in the city centre. 2020, will be carried out at a 500m tunnel beneath Frankrijklei. Line 8 In the northern district of Luchtbal, Bruges with the support of services now terminate at Bolivarplaats, while has been extended 2km to serve a park-and- Siemens Belgium and includes Line 10 continues to Schoonselhof park-and- ride station and public transport interchange an option for the conversion of ride station in Hoboken. near the E19 and A12 highways. up to 31 additional vehicles. Seoul metro operators merge amid safety drive Tehran inaugurates EOUL Metro and Seoul from both operators. screen safety door maintenance metro Line 7 SMetropolitan “With a series of accidents, workers in two separate he initial 22km section of Corporation (SMRT) merged malfunctions and mounting incidents prompted both TTehran Line 7 from on May 31 following a debt, we’ve reached a limit parties to resume talks. Meydane San’at in the north of majority vote from the unions where safety and service cannot Safety is a major focus, and the city to Basij in the of both corporations in be improved any further,” said a with no redundancies planned southeast was inaugurated on November 2016. spokesperson for the city. “The an increased number of staff June 11. Seoul Metro operates the unions of both corporations have will be available to maintain Line 7 has the longest majority of lines 1-4, and SMRT agreed that they both recognise infrastructure. Once current underground section on the is responsible for lines 5-8. The the need to merge the operations contracts expire, the Tehran metro and it is also the new structure is intended to organisations.” city says it will maintain deepest line on the network, improve services and safety by A vote to combine the two systems such as screen doors, running up to 56m below standardising equipment and corporations was previously fire equipment and electrics street level. facilities across all lines, as well held two years ago but failed directly, recruiting more staff Services are operated by a as combining the skills of staff to pass. However, the death of in the future. fleet of 20 eight-car trains. When the remainder of the line opens in March 2018, Line DB Regio chosen for Rhine-Neckar S-Bahn contract 7 will be 31km long with 34 ADEN-Württemberg Mannheim - Graben The contract will cover the stations. BMinistry of Transport and Neudorf - Karlsruhe operation of around 6 million Together with Line 6, Line 7 Rhine Neckar Transport Eppingen/Aglasterhausen - train-km per year from 2021. will form a metro ring around Authority (VRN) announced on Meckesheim - Heidelberg, and DB Regio will procure a fleet the centre of Tehran. June 6 that they have selected DB Bensheim - Mannheim. of Siemens Mireo EMUs to Tehran Urban and Suburban Regio as preferred bidder for a In addition, the Mannheim - operate these services. The Railway Company announced contract to operate Lot 2 of the Worms - Mainz line, which is new trains will have an entry last June that the first section Rhine-Neckar S-Bahn network located almost entirely in the floor height of 76cm for level of Line 6 will open in for 14 years from December 2020. neighbouring state of boarding, five multi-purpose September. The 35km line The contract encompasses Rhineland-Palatinate, will be areas for wheelchairs and from Sulqan in the northwest the following routes: integrated into the network pushchairs, and space for up to to Dolat-Abad in the southeast Gross Rohrheim - Mannheim from December 2021. 26 bicycles. will serve 27 new stations. 12 IRJ July 2017 In brief

Lausanne prepares for metro expansion Buenos Aires systems including HVAC, Construction was officially automatic train control, ANTON Vaud Directorate- three-minute interval shuttle launched on a project to auxiliary power supply, brake General for Mobility and between Lausanne SBB station C elevate part of the city’s San control, communications and Transport has awarded two and Flon. This will increase Martín Line on June 8. The doors, as well as bogies on the contracts to support the planned capacity on the core section of project involves constructing a 20-year-old articulated vehicles. expansion of the Lausanne Line M2 to 11,700 passengers 5km viaduct above the metro network, which is being per hour per direction. existing surface alignment Milan carried out as part of the Strong The AFTPU also includes the between Palermo and La Italian State Railways (FS) has Public Transport Corridors new Line M3, which will run Paternal stations, which will acquired a 36.7% stake in (AFTPU) programme. north from Lausanne SBB eliminate 11 level crossings. Milan Metro Line M5 The project will address the station to serve the city’s airport concessionaire Metro 5 from urgent need for more capacity at Blécherette. The 4km branch Casablanca Astaldi, making it the lead on Line M2, which has a design will serve seven stations and is Casa Transport has selected shareholder in the consortium. capacity of 25 million due to open at the end of 2025. É RATP Dev as preferred bidder The 64.5m deal reduces passengers but carried 28 A consortium led by BG for a 12-year contract to Astaldi’s stake in Metro 5 to million passengers in 2014. Ingénieurs Conseils, and operate and maintain the city’s 2%. The other shareholdings New rolling stock is being including Egis Rail and Geste expanding light rail network, remain unchanged; Ansaldo acquired for the line and a Engineering, will provide as well as two high-frequency STS holds 24%, ATM 20%, second tunnel will be engineering services for railway bus routes. The contract starts Alstom 9.4% and Hitachi Rail constructed between Grançy equipment. later this year and runs until Italy 7.6%. and Flon, which will make Line In addition, Egis Rail and BG 2029. M2 double-track for its entire will provide cross-disciplinary Oklahoma City length. The tunnel will include engineering services for the Chengdu Oklahoma City transport design, construction and a new station beneath the Swiss Chengdu metro almost authority Embark signed a six- commissioning of the metro Federal Railways (SBB) station, doubled in length on June 2 year contract with Herzog system. This encompasses which is being redeveloped as with the opening of two Phase Transit Services on June 2 for systems architecture, specialist part of the Léman 2030 project. 2 extensions totalling 20.3km. the operation and maintenance engineering, and operations The new tunnel is due to be Phase 2 comprises an eight- of the Oklahoma City management, as well as completed in 2023. The station western extension from Streetcar, which is due to open preliminary operations and existing tunnel will be retained Intangible Cultural Heritage at the end of 2018. maintenance procedures. to enable the operation of a Park to Wansheng, and the six- station eastern section from Phoenix Wannianchang to Xihe. Phoenix Valley Metro Rail has approved two orders for a Delhi total of 17 LRVs. Siemens won The Haryana state government a $US 57.9m seven-year has approved the construction contract to supply 11 S70 of a 4.9km northern extension LRVs, with options for up to of the metro Red Line from 67 additional vehicles, while Narela to Kundli, which will Brookville Equipment will take the total length of the supply six Liberty trams for Phase 4 expansion to 108.8km. the 4.8km Tempe Streetcar line Construction will start next in a deal worth $US 33m. year and the extension will be completed in 2022. Shijiazhuang The capital of China’s Hebei Hannover province opened its first metro Eurotem delivers first train for Istanbul Line M2: Eurotem, the Transport authority Üstra has line on June 14 with the start Turkish joint venture of Hyundai Rotem and Tüvasas, has exercised an option for 46 of trial passenger operation on delivered the first of 17 trains for Istanbul metro Line M2. The additional TW 3000 LRVs from the Yuan 17.3bn ($US 2.6bn) four-car trains were ordered at the end of 2014 to supplement a consortium of Kiepe Electric first phase of . The the existing fleet of 23 trains on the 19.5km line from Yenikapi and Alstom, taking its fleet of 23.9km line links Xiwang in and Haciosman, which has seen a surge in ridership in recent the bi-directional vehicles to the west with Nancun in the years. Hyundai Rotem says the trains are the first in Turkey to 146 units. Delivery will be east and serves 20 stations. feature a 100% locally manufactured aluminium bodyshell. completed by the end of 2019. Zhuhai Delhi Violet Line reaches Kashmere Gate Los Angeles Commercial operations finally Los Angeles County began on the city’s first light NDIA’s minister of urban The new northern terminus Metropolitan Transportation rail line on June 13, more than development Mr Venkaiah at Kashmere Gate is the first I Authority has awarded 2.5 years after testing began on Naidu and the chief minister three-line interchange on the Alstom a $US 140.1m contract the 8.9km east-west line from of Delhi Mr Arvind Kejriwal Delhi metro network, with to carry out mid-life overhauls Haitian Garden to inaugurated the 5.2km connections to the Violet Line on its fleet of 52 Siemens Shangzhong. Due to the northern extension of the Delhi with the Red and Yellow lines. P2000 LRVs, which are used frequency of typhoons, the 14- metro Violet Line from ITO to Passengers can now travel on the Blue, Green and Expo station Line 1 is entirely Kashmere Gate on May 28. from stations on the Red Line in light rail lines. The project is catenary-free, using Ansaldo The extension includes new the north to reach southern due to be completed in 2021 STS’ TramWave ground power stations at Delhi Gate, and Delhi and Faridabad with a and involves upgrading major supply system. IRJ Jama Masjid Lal Quila. single change at Kashmere Gate. IRJ July 2017 13 News | financial Mitsubishi orders 6000 wagons from Greenbrier ITSUBISHI UFJ Lease Mand Finance (MUL) has finalised an agreement with Greenbrier for a six-year exclusive manufacturing relationship, including an order for 6000 wagons, which will be delivered between the fourth quarter of 2017 and 2020. The two companies have also formed MUL Greenbrier Management Services, a 50:50 joint venture which will exclusively manage MUL- owned wagons. MUL will Hupac orders Siemens locomotives as traffic climbs obtain all new wagons WISS intermodal operator Hupac president Mr Hans- All sectors contributed to exclusively from Greenbrier SHupac published its annual Jörg Bertschi noted at the press this result. Operation of trains until 2023, as it seeks to results on June 1, revealing conference that this growth is through the Gotthard Base expand its wagon fleet from volumes increased 11.5% in contributing to Switzerland’s Tunnel, which opened to 5000 to 25,000 over the next 2016 to 737,311 road modal shift policy. “For the commercial traffic last four years. consignments, an all-time first time in 20 years, less than December, is running smoothly MUL will also increase its record. 1 million trucks crossed the according to Bertschi, but the growth through lease Around 110 trains a day were Swiss alps by road, thanks to full benefit will not be realised syndications and used in operation throughout Europe Hupac,” he says. until the Ceneri Base Tunnel is equipment owned by and to Russia and the Far East. Financial results were also up completed in 2020. Greenbrier. The total value of In its core market of transalpine as the company strengthened its Hupac says it plans to these transactions exceeds consignments through position in the wake of the 2015 continue investing in new $US 1bn. Switzerland, the increase was euro/franc currency shock. terminals, wagons and rolling even higher at 19.4% to 450,862 Group revenue was up by 10% stock, confirming it has ÖBB orders Talent 3 units, which was due in equal to SFr 470.3m ($US 482.5m) and ordered eight multi-system measure to its key Shuttle Net gross profit rose by 5.3% to SFr Siemens Vectron locomotives, EMUs for Tyrol division and its new Company 105.3m, yielding a net profit of with delivery due to start in Shuttle Division. SFr 10.8m, a 77.5% surge. May 2018. USTRIAN Federal ARailways (ÖBB) is set to order 25 additional Talent 3 Great Western upgrade hits FirstGroup rail profits EMUs from Bombardier after HE rail division of First Express (TPE) franchise. As a across the industry compared concluding a new public TGroup, Britain, saw a 26.2% result, passenger traffic grew with the prior year clearly service obligation contract drop in profit from £72.9m for by just 0.7% reflecting a exacerbated by the magnitude with the Austrian Transport the year ending March 31 2016 slowdown in growth, modal of the infrastructure upgrade Ministry and the province of to £53.8m in 2016-17, while its shift to road due to low fuel activity on our Great Western Tyrol for the operation of operating margin fell from prices, the effect of non- Railway (GWR) franchise in regional services in the west of 5.6% to 4.2% in 2016-17. recurring events such as the the year,” says First Group’s the country. Revenue fell by 3% from Rugby World Cup, and the CEO Mr Tim O’Toole. “First The operating contract, £1.3bn in 2015-16 to £1.27bn in scale of infrastructure work Rail’s trading margin is also which is worth around 2016-17. First Rail’s taking place on the Great rebasing to reflect the terms of É700m, runs for 10 years from performance was affected by Western Main Line. the new TPE franchise and December 2019 and covers the reduced subsidy payments and “First Rail like-for-like GWR direct award, albeit operation of around 7.1 remapping of some routes passenger revenue growth was partially mitigated with cost million train-km per year. under its new TransPennine 1.3%, with the slowdown seen efficiencies.” The agreement includes an hourly cross-border Innsbruck - Brenner - Bozen - Meran - Renfe orders more Avril high-speed trains from Talgo Mals service, which will be HE board of Spanish was awarded in November 2016. carry out heavy maintenance operated by SAD Local Tnational train operator Renfe The total value of the option is independently. Transport class 170 EMUs and voted on May 31 to approve the É495m, including É242.7m for The board of directors also the new ÖBB trains. acquisition of 15 additional Talgo the trains and É252.3m for 30 approved a revised delivery The additional trains will be Avril high-speed trains. years’ maintenance. plan for the additional trains, procured through a framework The order for variable-gauge Maintenance will be carried which will bring forward entry contract for up to 300 Talent 3 trains is an option from an initial out by a joint company owned into service by 5-13 months. sets, which was signed by ÖBB É786m contract to supply and by Renfe and Talgo, although This means all 15 trains will be and Bombardier at the end of maintain 15 trains, which Renfe will reserve the right to operational by mid-2020. last year. 14 IRJ July 2017 In brief

Britain a closing date for bids of July Stadler reports record orders Siemens has awarded Liebherr 14. The order will comprise a contract to supply air- five first-class and 36 second- despite strong Swiss franc conditioning systems for the class coaches, seven second- class coaches with facilities for TADLER Rail, Switzerland, segments as well as the fleet of 25 six-car class 717 disabled passengers, and says it achieved a record launching of new products has Desiro City EMUs for Great S seven coaches with bicycle number of train orders in 2016 paid off: in 2016, Stadler Northern suburban services racks. worth SFr 4.9bn ($US 5.1bn), almost returned to its old from Moorgate. The contract compared with SFr 2.1bn in strength despite the currency- comprises 50 drivers cab units Russia and 150 passenger saloon units. 2015. However, turnover related setbacks of recent Sberbank Leasing has awarded increased only marginally, years,” the company says. Europe United Wagon Company a from SFr 2.05bn in 2015 to SFr The purchase of Vossloh’s contract to supply 100 grain 2.1bn in 2016, due to the Rail Vehicle division in Greenbrier Europe and Astra Rail, Romania, completed their hoppers. The new-generation strength of the Swiss franc. Valencia, Spain, in December wagons will accommodate a 2015 boosted the workforce to merger on June 1 following Stadler says it was hit hard 120m3 payload with a full-load 7000. Its workforce is currently approval of the transaction by by the currency shock in capacity of 76.5 tonnes. January 2015 when the Swiss 7300 due to the establishment antitrust authorities. National Bank removed the of a joint venture in Poland Greenbrier says the merger Slovenia with Solaris Bus & Coach, will create an end-to-end, exchange rate cap between the Slovenian Railways (SZ) Poland, and Stadler’s new Europe-based freight wagon Swiss franc and the euro. subsidiary SZ Passenger engineering facility in manufacturing, engineering Stadler says 3000 of its 7000 Transport has issued a tender Chemnitz, Germany. Stadler is and repair business with 4000 employees are based in “high- for a contract to supply 20 pushing ahead with its plans employees and six production wage” Switzerland and while EMUs and five DMUs for an to build a new factory in St facilities across Europe. more than 50% of sales are estimated É150m. The EMU Margrethen, Switzerland, exports, its accounts are in order will comprise 10 3kV dc which will take over the Germany Swiss francs. three-car double-deck trains production of double-deck German Rail (DB) has “The expansion of Stadler’s for domestic operations, and EMUs from its 100-year-old awarded a two-year base through the tapping of 10 four-car multi-system (3kV new markets and new market plant in Altenrhein. framework contract to Teleste Information Solutions dc, 15kV ac and 25kV ac) sets (formerly Mitron), Finland, to for cross-border services. The supply TFT-LCD passenger deadline for offers is August 4 information screens for and deliveries will take place installation in stations and on from mid-2018 to mid-2019. trains. Delivery will start this year and continue until 2019. Sweden Engie Ineo, a subsidiary of Latvia French utility company Engie, The Ministry of Transport has acquired Swedish onboard confirmed on June 13 that the communications specialist cabinet has given national Icomera for an undisclosed passenger operator Pasažieru fee. Icomera specialises in Wi- Vilciens (PV) approval to Fi solutions but also provides proceed to the second stage of passenger information, cyber procurement of a new fleet of security, surveillance, network EMUs. Five bidders management, onboard comprising CAF, Škoda, entertainment, and data Stadler, Talgo, and the Ural collection services. Bombardier to build 750 EMU cars Locomotives joint venture Västtrafik has awarded É for South Western franchise between Siemens and Sinara, Alstom a 9m contract for the have been shortlisted for the refurbishment of 18 X12 and X14 two-car EMUs, which IRSTGROUP and MTR 1980s and the fleet of 30 class contract. operate on the Gothenburg - signed a contract worth 707 Desiro City EMUs F Borås and Uddevalla - Borås - around £895m with currently being delivered by Pakistan Varberg lines. The work will Bombardier on June 20 for 750 Siemens. Pakistan Railways (PR) signed be carried out at Alstom’s Aventra EMU cars for the The fleet will comprise 30 a contract with GE Motala facility and is due to be South Western Franchise, five-car and 60 10-car trains Transportation in Islamabad completed by 2020. which the two companies will and assembly will be carried on June 7 for 20 1676mm- gauge C20EMP diesel take over on August 20. out at Bombardier’s Derby United States The 750V dc third rail EMUs plant. locomotives. The dc traction Sumitomo Mitsui Banking will enter service from mid- Funding for the order has 1.72MW mixed-traffic units Corporation (SMBC) has 2019 and the entire fleet will be been led by Rock Rail in will operate primarily on the completed its acquisition of in service by December 2020. partnership with Standard Life Lahore - Karachi line but will American Railcar Leasing, The 160km/h trains will subsidiary SL Capital and also be used on services to which was announced in increase peak capacity on GLIL Infrastructur. Senior debt Peshawar and Quetta. December 2016. The suburban routes into London is being provided by a completion of the deal Waterloo by 46%, with the consortium of British, Poland expands SMBC Rail’s fleet to uniform fleet replacing class European and North American PKP Intercity has issued a call more than 50,000 wagons. IRJ 455 EMUs dating from the institutional investors. for tender for 55 coaches with IRJ July 2017 15 News | technology: UITP Syntony updates underground GPS system Energy-efficient RENCH company Syntony “It can be used to identify timetable display Fchose the UITP Global exactly where a person is on the Public Transport Summit to platform,” Korsakissok says. “In on show launch its new Subwave+ GPS Tokyo where passengers using a APERCAST, exhibiting underground location system. wheelchair or blind passengers alongside its partner NEC, With the previous Subwave are accompanied off the train by P demonstrated its timetable system already installed at 54 an agent, often they don’t know display system, which is underground stations on the which door they will leave from. designed for regional and light Stockholm metro, the new Our system will help to locate rail stations and bus stops, and system improves the precision them easily and quickly.” uses 30 times less power than of identifying the location of The system is installed an equivalent LCD display. an individual to within 1m of alongside existing underground Deploying Eink technology, their exact position. telecoms equipment in a which is similar to that used in Syntony CEO Mr Joël standard control rack, with a an e-book, the timetable is also Korsakissok says the improved single unit capable of covering easy to read in bright light. It accuracy of the system several hundred metres at a is powered by a solar panel enhances the use case for the metro station, with the potential and is suitable for a 3G, 4G or technology to include metros to use several units to provide Wi-Fi connection to download which operate 24 hours-a-day complete coverage of more content and provide real-time and where maintenance is complex stations. It also uses service updates. This also taking place alongside live existing Tetra leaky feeder cable means the device requires operations. He says this will infrastructure to provide accurate minimal maintenance, help operators to know exactly location in tunnels, and with the significantly reducing the where their staff are, improving signal located in the 1.5GHz lifecycle cost of the product. safety, while passengers can band, and emitting a 130dBm also identify their location signal, it will not interfere with using their own smartphone. other telecoms services. VR enhances wayfinding and station design HE highlight exhibit on the The system also incorporates Gateless ticket barrier unveiled TAustrian Institute of AIT’s Simulate dynamic crowd UBIC presented its concept Upon passing through the Technology (AIT) stand was modelling application to enable Cproject for gateless ticket gate, a series of green lights Experience, a consulting users to evaluate evacuation barriers, which the company show if the passenger is service based on a virtual and capacity analysis of specific developed as part of the approved to travel, while red reality tool that is designed to infrastructure. Future Ticket Detection lights are illuminated if they evaluate wayfinding solutions AIT says the system will competition run and funded are not. and architectural design at reveal walking times and by Britain’s Railway Safety and Cubic says the real-time stations. distance and provide detailed Standards Board (RSSB). analytics offered by the system Experience enables users to route analysis. It will also Intended to address the showing the time, days and walk through realistic 3D clearly show the identity and problems caused by poor locations where evasaion models of buildings or urban visibility of static and dynamic passenger flow through ticket occurs can help operators to environments while measuring signage, and show the deficits gates, Cubic’s system uses predict enforcement needs to their movement, visual of architecture designs and biometric data from facial combat ticket evasion, and attention and specific guidance systems at stations recognition technology to track individual offenders. behavioural characteristics. before they are built. confirm that the passenger is registered and approved to use Waltz shows QR code activated ticket barrier the service. The system ALTZ, United States, displayed its new generates a QR code image, which is comprises a 3D stereoscopic Wticket barrier solution, which utilises recognised by the gate when the phone is scanner for facial recognition, “image conversation” technology similar in presented to the reader. The reader relays a Bluetooth and RFID wireless principle to computer vision and pattern further QR code image back to the phone, technology for activation, and recognition techniques being developed for which responds by generating a third unique a biometric database solution autonomous image back to the gate, which is then activated. for high-speed dataset lookup. vehicles. The complete transaction process takes It is estimated that the Adapted from approximately 250 milliseconds to carry out, system can double throughput its similar presenting no delay to the passenger at the through ticket gates and Cubic offerings for gate. Mr John Shaw, Waltz co-founder and has submitted two patents for property, Waltz’s CTO, says that by altering the make-up of the scaling biometric information system is based QR code, the system prevents users from using and coping with the around a a screen shot to activate the gate, eliminating identification of thousands of smartphone app the risk of ticket fraud. The system is also passengers each second. which is activated designed to operate at different angles and As well as facial recognition, when the with a smashed smartphone screen. the system can accommodate passenger enters In addition, Waltz’s ticket gate solution smartphone ticket verification the station. When incorporates advertising into the status screen away from the barrier using the instructed by the on the gate, providing operators with a signal from the smartphone or user, the app potential source of revenue. IRJ device to activate the system.

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With connually updated and searchable content, IRJ PRO gives you a unique and up-to-date perspecve IRJ on investment in new railways and rolling stock To find out more visit irjpro.com or contact Chloe Pickering, [email protected], +44 1326 211576 P R O News | technology: IAF Plasser unveils bi-mode track machines Platform Basket presents new LASSER & Theurer tamping assistance system provide sufficient power for two Plaunched its new range of which recommends the optimal six-hour shifts. A special cooling aerial platform E3 bi-mode track machines in tamping process for track or system developed by Kreisel, TALIAN lifting equipment Münster, which for the first switches. Laser and video units Austria, maintains the batteries company Platform Basket time use electric power to at the front of the machine at a constant temperature which I premiered its RR 14 EVO 3 generate hydraulic pressure produce a virtual image of the prolongs their life. aerial working platform, and provide traction. track, which is combined with The unit transfers to and which is designed for The first two E3 machines are data stored on the onboard from work sites at up to operation on road and rail the Unimat 09-4X4/4S E3 computer on how the track 100km/h, enabling the with a 14m working height. tamper and the HTW 100 E3 should be maintained. batteries to be charged. It is The platform is designed for hybrid tower wagon for This will make it possible to also possible to regenerate the maintenance of catenary overhead catenary maintenance. achieve slightly higher tamping power during braking. When and lighting systems, and has Electric power offers several speeds and eliminate the lifting the machine is working it only three steering modes and four- benefits. The machines are operator. However, Plasser says uses electric power which wheel drive, with a maximum much quieter - during tamping it is too early to fully automate means it can operate with low speed of 19km/h. noise is only generated when the process. The tamper is noise levels in urban areas and It is also equipped with the tamping tines hit the currently being tested and has without emissions in tunnels. Platform Basket’s ballast, while electric traction successfully tamped two Both machines have a new superstructure levelling motors are smaller than switches in Austria. design of air-conditioned cab system, a standard spring- traditional hydraulic units. The tamper is also equipped and work station which has loaded with two Plasser says less maintenance with Plasser’s new onboard noise and vibration damping, blade options (1600/1900mm), is required and operating costs spare parts ordering system. as well as lighting which can an encoder to measure the are lower. The hybrid tower wagon is be adjusted for day or night distance between track and The new tamper has a fitted with batteries which working. overhead wires, and two digital display screens, one in the basket and one in the ground-level control panel. A manual winch, used to help fit and remove the pantograph, which can be towed behind the working platform, was also launched. Harsco shows electro-diesel track vehicle ARSCO showed its first Helectro-diesel bi-mode vehicle, Münster, a four-axle utility track vehicle which can be powered from 15kV 16.7Hz overhead or a diesel engine using the same drive system as Stadler’s EuroDual locomotive. The launch vehicle is being supplied to Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and is fitted with ETCS Baseline 2.3.0d and Hollow switch bearer integrates clamp lock Integra Signum with ETM-S N entire turnout machine. The bearer can be to 30mm due to temperature signalling equipment. Aincorporating a hollow completely embedded in the fluctuations, and safety- The vehicle will be used to bearer with integrated clamp ballast to allow tamping. relevant screws are doubly deploy track personnel, as a lock was the centrepiece of the The SKV clamp lock is secured to withstand vibration. mobile workshop and to Schwihag stand. locked mechanically, and Pre-assembled parts can be transport components using The SVS hollow bearer, clamped in a keyed position installed on site without lifting devices mounted at the which is made from ductile against the stock rail using a adjustment, while the locking end of the vehicle. cast iron, is similar in size and vertically-hinged locking arm assembly does not require The unit has a maximum weight to a concrete sleeper to prevent a wheel from drilling of the stock rail and the speed of 100km/h, a 22.5 used in switches, but is large running between the stock and locking element is clamped onto tonne axleload, and can enough to integrate the locking switch rails. the foot of the stock rail. Holes in operate in multiple. Harsco is components, drive and The lock can absorb the foot of the switch are drilled also supplying a second detection rods, and the point longitudinal expansion of up prior to delivery to the site. diesel-only vehicle to SBB. 18 IRJ July 2017 Kirow presents new crane: The Multi Tasker 25-tonne crane, Vossloh-CRCCE along with its new Switch Tilter wagon, has been specifically designed for London Underground (LU). The crane can lift 17 JV develops rail tonnes and has various tailored solutions such as a special draw and coupling system, a modified brake system and grinding trains sensors on the counterweight. WO high-speed rail grinding Ttrains are being developed for China by a joint venture of Vossloh and China Railway Construction Corporation subsidiary CRCCE. The first is a self-propelled high-speed grinding (HSGS) train for which Vossloh is supplying the grinding heads, control software, electrics, and hydraulics. Vossloh will ship the equipment to China in the next few months. Installation will take around three months, followed by commissioning and testing. The second machine is a metro version of Vossloh’s high- speed grinding machine. For this train, CRRCE will provide the two power cars, while Vossloh will build and equip the three intermediate vehicles. The HSG Metro train has Y- shaped grinding units, its own power supply and dust capture equipment for operating on underground lines. Matisa launches economy track machine range ATISA unveiled two Meconomy track Speno shows first rail milling train maintenance machines in PENO, which has conventional milling trains. currently undergoing Münster for customers who do Sspecialised in rail grinding The idea is to refresh the certification in Switzerland. not require the sophistication since 1960, exhibited its first crucial wheel-rail contact point Speno wants to start testing the of high-output machines. rail milling train at IAF. and to remove defects before train in the autumn, by which The B35C tamper and the The train is designed for they become a serious problem. time a material collection R20E ballast regulator are preventative or cyclic milling Speno sees milling as a wagon will be ready. smaller and simpler in design as it will remove 0.2mm of complimentary process to Demonstration runs are than standard units, but use metal from the rail head, grinding. planned for the fourth quarter the same maintenance compared with 0.6-0.7mm for The MRR 600 milling train is of this year. technology to ensure quality is not sacrificed. Both machines Linsinger shows compact are available for operation on milling machine: Linsinger narrow, standard or broad- demonstrated its MG11 rail gauge track. milling and grinding train The tamper is based on which is sufficiently compact Matisa’s B38 while the ballast to be able to be transported in regulator is an economy a container, or on a flatbed version of the R20. truck. The machine has a door at front so that staff do not have to enter from the side, making it ideal for use on railways and metros with tight clearances. The gauge- convertible train has a diesel- electric drive.

IRJ July 2017 19 News | analysis Montreal’s public-public metro project closes in on contract award

of other transport authorities,” expected to add $C 400m to Group Partnership for Kevin Smith Tall said. the overall cost of the project, Mobility for Montreal, Features Editor Tall emphasised that adding and Tall said it will be up to consisting of Alstom and SNC the new stations was by no the contract bidders to decide Lavalin. means a no-brainier because of how best to work the Tall says CDPQ Infra DPQ Infra’s ambitious the technical challenges of amendments into the project, expects to conclude the Cplans to develop the integrating with the existing and which phase of the 67km tendering process this Metropolitan Electric Network metro lines. network should open first. summer. “The aim then is to (REM), a new 67km double- For example, at Edouard- These bidders have already award the contract and for track automated light metro in Montpetit, which is been identified through a construction to start this fall,” Montreal, remain on schedule interchanging with the Blue Request for Qualification he says. “That will enable us in spite of some alterations to Line and will serve the process, which concluded in to meet our goal of having the the project which have University of Montreal, the November 2016. Work is first train in service by 2020. increased the overall cost to $C line is using an existing tunnel divided into two separate For a project that we 6.04bn ($US 4.4bn). through Mount Royal, with packages for engineering, announced a year ago that is Speaking to IRJ in Montreal, the station situated 70m below procurement and construction pretty efficient.” Mr Macky Tall, CDPQ Infra the surface. “We needed to see (EPC), and rolling stock, president and CEO, said whether it was technically systems, operation and following extensive possible to move these people maintenance (RSSOM). Model consultation with transport at high capacity, at high-speed, The confirmed bidders are: Tall describes CDPQ’s operators in Montreal and and at high-frequency before EPC: model for REM as a public- elsewhere, and with around confirming,” Tall says. Groupe NouvLR, consisting public project. CDPQ Infra is 3000 members of the public, it At McGill, which will of SNC Lavalin, Dragados, investing $C 2.67bn, with the was decided to improve the connect with the Green Line, Canada, Groupe Aecon government of Quebec integration between REM Tall said the challenge was to Quebec, Pomerleau, EBC, committing $C 1.28bn (24.5%), project and Montreal’s existing find space for the station in a partnering with Aecom, and while the federal government metro network. congested downtown area. Kiewit-Eurovia, consisting confirmed on June 15 that it As a result, three new Finally, the station at of Kiewit Construction, will also contribute $C 1.28bn. stations have been added to Bonaventure, which is located Eurovia Quebec Grand Of the remaining $C 807m, $C the preliminary design at adjacent to Griffin Town, one Projects, partnering WSP 295m will come from Hydro- Edouard-Montpetit, McGill, of the largest property Canada, and Parsons. Quebec for the electrification and Bonaventure Gare developments in the city, is RSSOM: element and $C 512m will be Centrale. located below a pond. Tall Alliance Montreal Mobility due in compensation for land “We have an open mind to says this proved problematic, (AMM), consisting of Parsons, value capture. continually improving the but a solution was found Hyundai Rotem, RATP Dev, “Both governments would project where we can so which will enable passengers and supported by Thales, actually invest not subsidise, ultimately we get a better to exit at either end of the Canada and this is going to be one of system that meets the needs of station. Bombardier Transportation, the unique features of the very future users, and the activities In total, the changes are Canada, and innovative model,” Tall says.

We have an open mind to continually improving the project where we can so  ultimately we get a better system that meets the needs of future users, and the activities of other transport authorities. Macky Tall

20 IRJ July 2017 “We bring the than 50% of the cost. majority of the Montreal Tall says this is capital, 51%, and the up!Tbjou.Kfspnf De La up!Nbtdpvdif up!Ipopsf.Cfbvhsboe unprecedented in participation by the N Concorde urban infrastructure Montmorency Saint-Michel two governments Deux-Montagnes Sauvé development and he will be in the form of Edouard- admits that it has Jean-Talon Montpetit equity on which we attracted a lot of Barri-UQAM expect them to also Longueuil attention from other Conora recover their capital Côte-Vertu McGill potential projects in and make a return Central the medium and Lucien-L’Allier Tu!Mbvsfodf!Sjwfs up!Npou.Tbjou. that will at least Ijmbjsf long-term. cover their costs.” Snowden “We are 150% Panama Tall says property Pointe-Claire Lionel-Groulx focused on Montreal developments Airport and delivering the situated 1.5km from Angrignon best system Sainte-Anne-de- Brossard the line’s stations Bellevue Planned automated metro Rive-Sud possible,” Tall said. and advertising are “But once we are up!Dboejbd AMT commuter rail lines among the revenue up!Ivetpo Existing metro IRJ done, we are streams for the interested in project. However, farebox transport organisations, which Public Transport Summit on expanding the CDPQ Infra revenue will be by far the serve 4 million passengers May 16 will help to better model. largest source of revenue, and across 83 municipalities, or serve clients and deliver one “If you look at other public REM will comply with the around half of the entire of the best public transport transport projects, they are universal fare structure population of Quebec. systems in the world. generally funded either 50 or introduced by the region’s new Critically the organisation is Much of the transit world 100% by government transport authority, ARTM, amalgamating the more than certainly is looking closely at authorities. So, if you bring which began work on June 1. 700 fares used across the developments in Montreal, in them a model where over 50% ARTM now acts as an region into a single integrated particular whether CDPQ of the cost of funding is done on umbrella organisation for the structure in what Mr Paul Infra can successfully deliver a a commercial basis by a long- region’s 16 transport Côté, the agency’s director project in which the public term investor like CDPQ, I companies and 13 para- general, told the UITP Global pension is putting up more think there will be interest.” IRJ

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IRJ July 2017 21 France | high-speed Will France say “oui” to inOui?

Under a new strategy made public at the end of May, SNCF is hoping to attract 15 million additional passengers to its high-speed network by 2020. SNCF Voyages CEO Rachel Picard explains to Kevin Smith how the railway plans to reach this ambitious target.

22 RANCE’s TGV high-speed railway brand “overnight.” Others, as is the SNCF is now two years into its É network is as synonymous with want with these platforms, were a little 2.5bn TGV transformation strategy Fthe country as the Eiffel Tower and less polite in their assessment. with another 30 months to run. Picard champagne. Since the first train entered “The story was leaked to the media says that at the heart of the inOui brand service between Paris and Lyon in 1981, the Friday before we were going to is a new focus on service, with an the TGV has become an icon of France announce the change, so inevitably the emphasis on deploying the latest digital and the envy of many other countries story was negative from the start,” says technologies to enhance the customer around the world. Mrs Rachel Picard, CEO of SNCF experience and achieve 95% passenger News then at the end of May that Voyages. “Some media said that TGV is satisfaction by 2020. In an effort to French National Railways (SNCF) was dead. But this is far from the reality. Our achieve this goal, SNCF allocated É set to rebrand their flagship service to plan is to develop and improve TGV, we 300m in its digital plan in 2017, and É inOui was met with shock, with many have no plans to kill it. TGV is a 7.5bn among the new platforms it is rolling taking to social media to deride the business, it would make no sense to do out is a new digital TGV boarding decision. that. But we do want to change the system, which is in place at main line Passengers questioned the logic of service and the image so TGV has a new stations on the LGV Atlantique line, changing the name of a world-renowned appearance in the market and can attract and will be installed at 13 hubs by 2018. new passengers and bring back others.” SNCF’s new strategy comes at a time when its long-distance rail services have Onboard staff come under pressure in a difficult Notable in this is a change in the role economic climate following the financial of onboard staff. With the rollout of crisis and sluggish recovery. The car is ticket barriers taking place at 15 TGV responsible for 75% of long-distance stations, covering 80% of traffic, Picard journeys in France with rail accounting says the train manager will no longer for around 7%. But at a time of check tickets onboard but focus on the increasing cross-country travel, the rise service offering. of low-cost airlines, liberalisation of the Armed with a tablet, which offers a inter-city bus market, and car-sharing, a profile of every passenger, they will be trend that Picard admits was not able to answer individual passenger foreseen five or six years ago, have all needs, as directed through the onboard served to stifle TGV ridership growth. internet access portal - TGV Connect - TGV traffic fell by 1.8% in 2013 to 52.8 which was rolled out on 53 trains in the billion passenger-km, rising to 53 billion first quarter of this year, with 190 set to in 2014, and 53.4 billion in 2015. The use the system by the end of 2017. figure fell slightly to 53.1 billion in 2016. “It is going to be a personalised and At the same time, long-distance bus attentive service, more like what you traffic increased from 6.5 million would expect in a four-star or five-star passengers in 2015-16 to 13 million in hotel, but without the four-star price,” 2016-17, with estimates that this will Picard says, adding that training of grow again to 19.5 million passengers in 15,000 staff to prepare for the change is 2017-18. Add to this traffic modelling underway, with 5000 already trained. projections released in 2015 estimating Inevitably changes to the trains that SNCF could lose 15-25% of revenue themselves are playing a significant to buses and car-sharing between 2020 part in altering the service offered. A and 2025, which equates to É1-2bn per great proportion of the TGV year, and the company was compelled transformation strategy investment is to act. on new rolling stock, with SNCF set to “Clearly the way people are travelling introduce 55 TGV 2N2 in France has changed,” Picard says. Atlantique trains - dubbed TGV Océane “They are increasingly bypassing the - over the next three years. It will also train and their choices are more and fully refurbish its existing fleet to match more dictated by price and good value, the standard of service provided by the with people making decisions to travel new trains. more at the last minute than before. It is The dual-voltage TGV Océane trains less organised and planned than it was are the first to feature rotating seats in 10 years ago. But we have a model that first class to face the direction of travel, has not changed since we launched the with each train seating 556 passengers service 30 years ago.” (158 in first class and 398 in second Picard adds the impassioned response class), a 22% increase in seating capacity to the change reflects the importance of compared with TGV Atlantique single- TGV to the French people. However, deck trains. she was keen to emphasise that the Each train consists of two power cars, inOui brand it is not just a name change two first-class and five second-class without any alteration to the offering, coaches as well as a bar car, while the and that it “needs more explanation train incorporates new seating. than you will get on Twitter.” Supplied by Compin and Fainsa, the 23 France | high-speed France opens three high-speed lines

David Briginshaw France Editor-in-Chief N Calais Brussels Lille GERMANY 0 100 ULY 2 marks a significant km BELGIUM expansion of the French high-speed rail network when two extensions Amiens J Cherbourg Luxembourg Le Harve to the Paris - Le Mans/Tours LGV Nord Rouen Atlantique to Rennes and Bordeaux Reims Est Européen Metz open. Caen Paris É Nancy A 50-year 7.8bn concession was Brest I Strasbourg signed between the former French Rail Bretagne-Pays de la Loire Network (RFF, which is now SNCF Quimper Le Mans Atlantique Rennes Mulhouse Network) and Vinci in 2011 to fund, Orléans Su Belfort design, build, operate and maintain the d-Est

Tours - Bordeaux Sud Atlantique Europ Nantes Tours Dijon Basle Vierzon (SEA) high-speed line. At the time, the Besançon deal was described as the biggest PPP Nevers SWITZERLAND

SEA contract in Europe. Lausanne A total of É7.8bn was raised to fund Poitiers Geneva É the 6.2bn cost of construction and HIGH SPEED LINES La Rochelle 1 Bellegarde Clermont other aspects of the project. The public Existing Limoges Ferrand Being built Lyon Chambery sector comprising the French Planned SEA I LGV Interconnexion R government, local authorities, and the R LGV Rhône-Alps É CONVENTIONAL LINES Brieve-la- Valence Grenoble European Union, provided 3bn, and Turin Existing Gallarde RFF another É1bn. To be upgraded Bordeaux ITALY The Lisea concessionaire is led by 1 Bourg-en-Bresse

éditerranée

Vinci with a 33.4% holding. The other M Nîmes shareholders are CDC Infrastructure GPSO GPSO Avignon Dax Montpellier comprising Caisee des Dépôts and Toulouse Nice

Consignations Group (25.4%), Irun Tarbes Paca Meridiam (22%), and Ardian Narbonne Marseille infrastructure investment fund (19.2%). Lisea funded the remaining É3.8bn as SPAIN Perpignan follows: É772m from commercial banks IRJ and the European Investment Bank (EIB), É1.06bn in bank debt guaranteed high-speed line from Le Mans to RFF/SNCF Network was responsible by the state, É612m in non-guaranteed Rennes will reduce the fastest Paris for associated works on the existing bank debt, É757m in savings funds Montparnasse - Rennes journey time network. managed by Caisee des Dépôts and from 2h 5min to 1h 28min, with trains RFF signed a 25-year PPP contract in backed by RFF, É400m of state- running at up to 320km/h on the new 2012 with the Oc’Via consortium to guaranteed credit from the EIB and a line from Le Mans to Rennes. The build and maintain France’s first further É200m of non-guaranteed EIB fastest Paris - Brest journey time will be mixed-traffic high-speed line. The 80km credit. 3h 13min, compared with 4h 7min prior line, of which 60km will be for In addition, RFF invested a further to July 2. 300km/h operation, will extend the É1bn to adapt existing systems such as The line, which includes 32km of existing LGV Méditerranée line from signalling and power supply, and links to the existing network, is an Manduel east of Nîmes to Lattes west expand Bordeaux station. extension of the existing LGV of Montpellier. Lisea entrusted construction of the Atlantique from Paris to Connerré, The Oc’Via consortium, which 302km line and 39km of connections to 20km east of Le Mans. There is also a comprises Bouygues Construction, the conventional network to the Cosea line around Le Mans which intersects Colas, Spie Batginolles, Alstom, consortium led by Vinci and including with the existing line at Sablé-sur- Meridiam Infrastructure, and FIDEPPP, Arcadis and Egis Rail. SEA will be Sarthe for services to Nantes. set up funding of É1.8bn comprising operated and maintained by Mesea. Construction on the É3.3bn project É1.05bn of bank loans, É117m from The new line will cut non-stop Paris - started in July 2012 under a PPP Oc’Via, and É594m of public funding Bordeaux journey times from 3h 11min between the former RFF and Eiffage from regional governments and RFF. to 2h 4min, while the Paris - Toulouse Rail Express (ERE), which was The remaining funds for the É2.28bn trip will also be reduced by more than responsible for financing, designing, project come from the French an hour from 5h 27min to 4h 17min constructing and maintaining the line government (50%), local authorities making it far more competitive with air. for 25 years. RFF and the regional (30%) and RFF (20%). The line will The 182km Bretagne-Pays de la Loire governments contributed É1.8bn, while open in December.

24 IRJ July 2017 first-class seat is said to offer “elegance, is very important,” Picard says. “It explosives are also in use to assess privacy and tranquillity, while makes tracking your progress easier, suspect left luggage. providing a comfortable and warm and it can provide you with journey Ticketing is another key area going space where the traveller can work, information. You can also use it to pre- through a big change. Reflecting the new read and rest.” The seats make use of order food at the bar, or to order a taxi habits of TGV passengers, and to offer a natural materials including pure wool, for when you arrive at your destination more personal service, SNCF is leather, and wood, while power sockets to provide a truly door-to-door service.” revamping its voyages-sncf.com website, and USB charging points are provided Onboard personnel will also be the number one e-commerce site in at all seats. responsible for passenger security, France, to OUI.sncf. The changes will Second-class seats also make use of which Picard says is of paramount take effect in the autumn, with OUI.sncf natural materials with additional concern given recent terrorist incidents. set to provide passengers more clarity in storage space and wider fold-down Introducing gates at stations is an their choice of SNCF’s services, whether tables. There are also five-seat ‘benches’ obvious response to the need for better it is its inOui or Ouigo rail services, for group travel. security with Paris Montparnasse the Ouibus or Ouicar. It will also update the TGV Connect is available via the first station set to be completed by July SNCF app, which has been downloaded train’s new high-speed Wi-Fi system, 2. “Passengers travelling without tickets 5.4 million times and receives 13 million which is being installed across SNCF’s is the first reason for trouble on our visits each month. fleet under a É300m overall investment, trains,” Picard says. “It is difficult for with 21Net responsible for software, the train managers and the other hardware and system supervision, and passengers. This solution eliminates Launch Engie Ineo responsible for project that problem completely.” The inOui service will officially management, installation and In addition, Picard says that armed launch on July 2 when France opens the maintenance. Picard says SNCF has also plain-clothed police officers are new Sud Europ Atlantique high-speed worked closely with Orange and other travelling on SNCF trains following the line between Paris and Bordeaux (see providers in France to ensure that the passage of legislation in 2016. SNCF is panel). 40 of the new TGV Océane high-speed lines have a suitable 4G also introducing a network of cameras trains will deployed on the line, with 17 coverage in order to provide free access to monitor people passing through the expected to be in service by the to the internet to all passengers. ticket gates as well as further cameras opening, and SNCF currently receiving “Having this level of onboard service, deploying the latest facial recognition one new train per month. and incorporating digital technologies, technology. Dogs trained to identify Inevitably passengers using new

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IRJ July 2017 25 France | high-speed services on the Sud Europ Atlantique the door-to-door connectivity of SNCF’s service is sustainable,” Picard says. and Bretagne Pays de la Loire line, trains. This includes offering shuttle “Passengers have been willing to which will also open on July 2 (see services for families direct from their embrace the one bag policy and online panel p24), as well as the Montpellier home to the station and a “Valet and ticket purchasing as well as the bypass, which will open by the end of Cie” parking service for business stipulation that they must arrive 30 the year, will account for a big passengers. This service is bookable minutes before their train departs. The proportion of the 15 million additional online with passengers leaving their goal now is to increase its reach to 34 passengers target - up to 35% according vehicles at a designated drop off point. destinations and 50% of the network to Picard. Indeed, SNCF says 33 trains Parking rates are up to 70% cheaper and 25% of total passengers by 2020.” per day will operate between Ille-de- than a conventional car park and it has To achieve its expansion objectives, France and Bordeaux, all but wiping already been rolled out at Paris Est, in SNCF plans to increase Ouigo’s fleet out air travel between Paris and Marne-la-Vallée TGV, Roissy Airport, from eight to 34 trains by 2020. But Bordeaux with 35,000 seats set to be Nantes, Bordeaux and Lille. Stations instead of purchasing new trains, it will offered on its high-speed trains, seven will also increasingly feature “business transition existing into the fleet. times more than by air. boxes.” Pioneered at Paris Gare de Indeed, perhaps the real success story of Ouigo is its operating strategy. Picard says this emphasises high-fleet utilisation, with trains in service for 13 Our objective is to reduce passenger operating costs by hours per day and spending limited time in reserve. All maintenance is carried out 30%, and we plan to achieve this by cutting the number at night, meaning that trains are available for use throughout the day.  of rolling stock in our fleet. Rachel Picard SNCF is now planning to extend this intensive operating model to the rest of its TGV fleet, with the goal of reducing the overall high-speed rolling stock But there is still work to be done. Lyon, these separate working spaces requirements by 10% by 2020. Picard says that in order to attract provide an internet connection and a “Our objective is to reduce passenger additional passengers away from other pleasant working environment, and will operating costs by 30%, and we plan to modes and onto its network, SNCF is be available for passengers to use while achieve this by cutting the number of working on various strategies which they wait for the train. rolling stock in our fleet,” Picard says. aim to build loyalty to TGV, some of “This will provide us with the which are already producing results. opportunity to lower the cost of using TGVmax, a subscription service, Ouigo TGV by 6% in the next few years, and by provides unlimited travel for Following the Paris - Bordeaux line, going for higher intensity of operation, it passengers aged 16-27 on off-peak inOui will also be rolled out completely will afford us with the flexibility to services for É79 per month. Already on Paris - Lyon services by the autumn, invest in the comfort of the service.” 100,000 people have signed up and they and Paris - Lille by the end of the year. Picard says initial trials of the inOui now account for 5% of the traffic in Paris - Strasbourg will follow in early service which began last autumn second-class accommodation on off- 2018, and the remainder of the network between Paris and Lyon have proven peak services. Critically, more than half by 2020. extremely positive. Results of passenger had never used the train before, and In parallel, SNCF is expanding the satisfaction surveys show a 10% 80% of those who have, had not in the reach of its Ouigo low-cost high-speed improvement compared with the previous six months. service. Launched in 2013, and with existing service, and Picard says users Similar loyalty card programmes for prices starting at É10 for adults and a have commented on the “wow” factor senior citizens and families are also fixed É5 for children, the service has of the train now on offer. attracting people on to the train, and steadily expanded beyond its inaugural Ridership has also increased by 7% Picard says these programmes have offerings from Marne La Vallée near and Picard says this is encouraging for contributed to a 10% increase in traffic Paris to Lyon, Marseille and the start of the official rollout on July 2 since the start of the year. “Compared Montpellier to serve Rossy-Charles de at which point trains speeding between with the businesses I have worked at Gaulle Airport and Massy in the Paris Paris and Bordeaux will start to display before, this is unprecedented to get such area, north to TGV Haute Picardie and the inOui logo. a positive up take of these kind of Tourcoing near Lille, and west to Le This will provide the service with loyalty programmes,” she says. Mans, Angers, Nantes and Rennes. valuable visibility as SNCF ramps up its “Last year the objective was to attract Picard says the service’s TGV Duplex marketing efforts. And as SNCF 10 million additional passengers,” she trains, which have capacity for 1200 embarks on the next phase of the TGV continued. “But having seen the success passengers, are operating at an average story, inOui already seems to be we already have had, I felt that it was of 90% occupancy and are now carrying resonating with the French public. The appropriate to increase this objective. 5% of all high-speed passengers. Half of company might not have been able to What we are doing is getting good these are new passengers to TGV, which control its launch, but as the saying results and the market is responding she says emphasises the service’s goes, no publicity is bad publicity. very positively. The economy is better success in helping SNCF to capture “We study the market very closely, in France this year than it was last year, some of the market it had lost to other and the notoriety of the brand went which was a difficult year. Even so, we modes. from zero to 53% in a week,” Picard managed to increase the traffic by 2%.” “The experience of the first four years says. “And that was without spending a There are further plans to improve of operation have shown that the single Euro.” IRJ 26 IRJ July 2017 ATION ERN AL H NT EA th I V 1 Y 1 H A U L

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E N C CAPE TOWN 02 – 06 September 2017 E

11th International Heavy Haul Association Conference 2017

Theme: “Advancing Heavy Haul Technologies and Operations in a Changing World”

2 – 6 September 2017, Cape Town, South Africa

The conference is being hosted by the International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA), in partnership with Transnet and the South African Heavy Haul Association (SAHHA). It will include presentations of technical papers in research and development areas such as Rolling Stock, Railway Infrastructure and Operations. A two day Technical Track Workshop precedes the conference.

CONFERENCE TOPICS

t Vehicle Track Systems t Track t Bridges & Tunnels t Operations t Rolling Stock t Motive Power, Traction and Energy Effi ciency

Keynote speakers include: t Mr. Siyabonga Gama, Group CEO, Transnet SOC Limited Mr. Siyabonga Gama t Ms Cheryl Martin, World Economic Forum (WEF) Topic: Impact of the 4th Industrial/technological revolution on Railways

A Trade Exhibition will run concurrently with the 11th International Heavy Haul Association Conference 2017. This is an ideal opportunity for companies and institutions wishing to showcase or introduce your brand, products and services to the international heavy haul community.

Sponsorship opportunities and exhibition space is still available. For more information, contact Riedwaan Jacobs at [email protected], +27 21 836 8315

Register online www.ihha2017.co.za, early bird registration close 30 June 2017.

@IHHAC17 @ihhac2017 #IHHAC17 France | Paris

Reconnecting The Grand Paris Express orbital express metro network will provide fast and frequent links between the suburbs of the French capital while relieving some of the city’s most congested urban rail lines. Paris Keith Barrow looks at how this vast project is being implemented.

OR most major cities with large IRJPro.com, 412km of new urban rail with the aim to maintaining or established urban rail networks, lines are currently planned or under enhancing Paris’ position as a leading Fthe need to bring stations, construction in the Paris area. The global city. Public transport is at the infrastructure and rolling stock up to flagship project is the 205km Grand heart of this vision, providing fast, modern standards often takes Paris automated express metro, which frequent and sustainable links between precedence over extending the system. will encircle the city with 68 stations. Ile-de-France’s main economic centres In this regard, Paris is something of an When the É24.9bn project is completed and supporting local development exception. Alongside heavy investment in 2030, 90% of the population of Paris projects, which will be clustered in the modernisation of the extensive will live within 2km of a railway station around stations. metro and RER networks, a massive and more than two million people will In 2010 legislation on Grand Paris expansion of the urban rail system is use the express metro each day. created a new public entity, Société du underway in the Ile-de-France region Grand Paris is an ambitious Grand Paris (SGP), to manage planning, which will have a transformative programme which seeks to stimulate procurement and construction of impact over the next 15 years. the sustainable development of infrastructure and the acquisition of According to IRJ’s online data portal employment and economic activity rolling stock. 28 IRJ July 2017 The vision for the metro evolved centre to the periphery, connections Development Contracts (CDTs) agreed around three strategic goals. First, SGP between the suburbs are poor. As a between the French state and local and the other project stakeholders are result, suburb-to-suburb travel often authorities are a key component of seeking to create a new universal public comes down to an unappetising choice Grand Paris. These planning and transport offer that provides easy and between queueing in traffic on choked scheduling tools enable the local fast suburb-to-suburb travel, providing orbital roads or interlining on the urban components of Grand Paris to be a genuine alternative to the car. The rail network via congested city centre broken down and implemented in network will help to give the city a interchange stations. Either way, parallel with the construction of the sustainable framework for future journey times are slow and this has express metro. SGP has a mandate to economic growth, with better links helped to isolate disadvantaged carry out town planning activities in between residential areas and key neighbourhoods from the city’s municipalities that have signed a CDT. economic hubs. The second aim is to economic hubs. “Grand Paris Express The urban development goals match improve the circulation of both people gives public transport to some of the the metro in the scale of their ambition, and skills, opening up the Ile-de-France poorest areas of Paris,” explains SGP calling for the construction of up to region nationally and internationally. president Mr Philippe Yvin. “In a city 300,000 new homes in a city where Thirdly, the project seeks to make Paris you have to ensure there is good access affordable housing is in chronically a leading city in environmental to mobility and this is very important short supply and stimulating the regeneration, the development of public for social cohesion.” creation of 120,000 jobs. To this end, transport, and the protection of nature. To ensure the benefits of this huge Grand Paris also identifies specific areas Grand Paris is an ambitious response investment in the rail network deliver as clusters for strategic economic to a problem that has troubled the the desired local benefits, urban development. These include Saclay French capital for decades. While Paris development is being coordinated on a (innovation and research), La Défense boasts good arterial rail links from the regional basis. The Territorial (finance), Saint-Denis Pleyel (creativity),

IRJ July 2017 29 France | Paris

The interchange at Saint‐Denis Pleyel was designed by architect Kengo Kuma. The station will be served by four express metro lines and RER Line D. Le Bourget (aerospace) and Marne-la- journey time for a complete circuit of further contracts for the construction of Vallée (sustainable cities). Line 15 will be around 1h 20min. The Fort d’Issy-Vanvers-Clamart and Noisy- The project encompasses the line will interchange with all existing Champs stations. All of these contracts extension of two existing lines and metro lines as well as the RER and light have now been awarded and construction of three completely new rail networks. construction was officially launched lines. Construction began in June 2016 Line 15 is divided into three sections. with a groundbreaking ceremony at the on the 5.4km eastern extension of Line Construction began last year on the site of Fort d’Issy-Vanvers-Clamart 11 from Mairie des Lilas to Rosny-Bois- É5.7bn Line 15 South, which will station on June 4 2016. Perrier. The É1.3bn project is due to become the first operational section of The É3bn Line 15 West will extend open in 2022 and services will be the express metro network when it the line 20km from Pont de Sèvres to operated by an entirely new fleet of opens in 2022. Running underground Saint-Denis Pleyel, the only station five-car trains running at minimum for its entire length, the 33km line will where all four Grand Paris Express lines headways of 1min 45sec. Nine other include 16 stations serving 22 will intersect. The western section of the stations on Line 11 will be upgraded to municipalities with a combined line will include 11 stations, serving an accommodate 10-car trains. population of more than a million, area of 800,000 inhabitants as well as Line 14, the city’s first automated metro line, will be extended north from St Lazare to Saint-Denis Pleyel and south from Olympiad to Orly Airport to In a city you have to ensure there is good access to create a new high-capacity north-south mobility and this is very important for social cohesion. metro corridor through the centre of Paris, with services running at 85- Philippe Yvin second headways at peak times. The extension to Orly is being managed by  Paris Transport Authority (RATP), connecting Pont de Sèvres with Noisy- the financial district of La Défense, which will continue to operate the line Champs in 35 minutes. The line will where there will be an interchange with after the project is completed in 2024. significantly reduce journey times the western extension of RER Line E. The circular Line 15 will be 76km between the suburbs of southern Paris, The journey time between Pont de long and will relieve congested sections cutting Champigny Centre - Issy RER Sèvres and Saint-Denis Pleyel will be 24 of the urban rail network in central from 1h 26min to 27 minutes and Vitry minutes, compared with 54 minutes at Paris by directly linking the capital’s Centre - La Défense from an hour to 30 present. Construction will begin in mid- suburbs. Rolling stock will be 2.8m minutes. Daily ridership is forecast to 2018 and the Pont de Sèvres - Nanterre- wide - a similar width to RER trains - be around 300,000 passengers, with la-Folie section will open in 2025, with and the line will have a commercial each train accommodating up to 1000 the remainder of the line to Saint-Denis speed of around 65km/h, with a passengers. Pleyel due for commissioning in 2027. maximum speed of 120km/h. Services Civil works on Line 15 South are This will be the busiest section of Line will operate at two-minute headways divided into five sections ranging in 15, with forecast daily ridership of during the morning peak and the length from 4km to 8.4km, with two around 600,000 passengers.

30 IRJ July 2017 The circle will be completed by the Orly - CEA Saint-Aubin section is due Nearly 4000 professionals are already É3.5bn Line 15 East, which will link to open in 2024, with the remainder of employed on the Grand Paris Express Saint-Denis Pleyel to Champigny the line to Versailles Chantiers project and by the end of the year there Centre with 12 stations, all but one of scheduled for commissioning in 2030. will be 45 active worksites on Line 15 which will be interchanges with other South. Within three years construction urban rail lines. The 23km underground will be underway on all lines. Seven section serves several former industrial Stations civil engineering contracts will be areas in Bondy, Noisy-le-Sec and SGP says the express metro project is awarded this year, five on Line 15 South Bobigny which are undergoing “an opportunity to build a new and two on Line 16, with a total value regeneration. Civil works will begin in generation of stations that will take the of more than É4.5bn. Under SGP’s the middle of next year and the Saint- best of what has been done around to procurement code, at least 20% of the Denis Pleyel - Rosny-sous-Bois stretch world and meet the challenges of work will be carried out by SMEs, will open in 2025, with the final section sustainable mobility.” Each station will ensuring the value created by the due for completion by 2030. need to carry a common identity while project filters down to local companies. The 23km Line 16 will serve the reflecting the environment of the Tendering will start soon for a fleet of northeast and east of Paris, connecting district it serves and contributing to the trains for Line 15 South and this Saint-Denis Pleyel with Le Bourget RER appeal of the area and its development. contract is due to be awarded in April station and Noisy-Champs. Services Key stations such as Saint-Denis 2018, with deliveries starting in 2022. will be operate at a commercial speed of Pleyel, Le Blanc-Mesnil and Aulnay- According to Yvin, a total of 950 steel- around 65km/h, with a journey time of sous-Bois are signature structures wheeled vehicles will be required for 26 minutes between the termini. designed by leading architects, but all lines 15, 16, and 17. With the emphasis Headways of 3-4 minutes are planned stations will share common design on capacity, the trains will be 2.8m in the morning peak. principles to ensure consistent quality. wide, compared with 2.45m for the MP Line 17 will cross 14 municipalities to The first priority is easy access to the 89 trains currently used on Line 14. the northeast of the capital, serving the network and each station will have an In a break with previous practice, an 103 hectare Europacity development as “open and airy” entrance hall leading open tender is planned for the contract well as the Parc des Expositions Paris into a public space, with short and to operate the network and Ile-de- Nord exhibition centre at Villepinte and intuitive passenger routes both within France transport authority Stif will be two of the city’s airports. Line 17 trains the station and in its immediate responsible for procurement. Yvin says will use a 5.5km section of Line 16 surroundings. The network will have lines 15, 16 and 17 could all be awarded between Saint-Denis Pleyel and Le nearly 40 interchanges with other lines, to a single operator, although the final Bourget RER, where two island and quick and easy transfers will be decision will rest with Stif. Operation of platforms will be constructed with Line essential at these stations. As a focal Line 18 will be tendered separately. 16 trains using the inner platforms and point for the areas they serve, stations The express metro is a bold initiative Line 17 trains calling at the outer will need to be attractive hubs for retail, to address the current pressures on the platforms. The line will then continue culture, and services. Parisian transport network and tackle northeast on a dedicated 19.5km For each station SGP works with a the mobility deficit in the most alignment, serving Le Bourget Airport, local steering committee which includes economically-deprived areas of the city, Triangle de Gonesse, and Roissy- elected officials and representatives of uniting the suburbs to unleash their Charles de Gaulle Airport before local businesses and residents to find potential. It also will also play a role in terminating at a park and ride station at solutions that meet the needs of specific making a city which has become Le Mesnil-Amelot, which will draw areas. At present 37 different notorious for its air pollution a world- traffic from the departments of Seine-et- architecture firms are working on leader in sustainable mobility. IRJ Marne and Oise. Trains will reach station designs. Charles de Gaulle by 2024 and Le SGP has a budget Paris É Mesnil-Amelot by 2030. of 1.76bn this year Existing automatic metro Le Mesnil-Amelot A depot for lines 16 and 17 will be (including É510m GRAND PARIS PROJECTS Charles de Gaulle Airport Under construction constructed on the site of the former for upgrading of Exhibition Park e 17 Planned Lin PSA car plant at Aulnay-sous-Bois. The existing lines), a Planned after 2030 depot is due to open in 2023 and will 58% increase Le Bourget Airport Sevran-Beaudottes employ around 350 people. compared with St Denis Pleyel On the opposite side of Paris, Line 18 2016, and the Le Bourget Line 16 will form a 35km arc around the south organisation will Nanterre La Folie 15 St Ouen Bobigny and east of the city between Orly consume all of its Rueil Line 15 Line Line 14 airport and Versailles. The line will working capital. La Défense Rosny Chelles Line 15 St Lazare bring relief to RER Line B, facilitate SGP will therefore Line 14 Val-de-Fontenay Noisy- access to the high-speed network and begin using the Champs Orly airport, and improve public É700m in loans it Pont de Sèvres Châtillon Line 15 Line 18 Montrouge Olympiades transport links in an area dotted with has secured through Issy academic institutions and research Caisse des Dépôts Vitry Champigny Satory Versailles Centre Centre centres. The 10-station line is forecast to and the European Chantiers Villejuif Line 15 N carry around 100,000 passengers per Investment Bank, Line 14 day, spanning 14 municipalities in the and it will also go to St Quentin East departments of Yvelines, Essonne and the financial Line 18 Orly Airport Hauts-de-Seine. Civil works will begin markets to raise Massy-Palaiseau on the É2.7bn project next year and the capital. IRJ IRJ July 2017 31 France | rolling stock Developing the new TGV, brick by brick

Since it was launched in 1981, the TGV has become Alstom’s blue ribbon product. But what might the TGV of the Future look like? Kevin Smith visits Alstom’s headquarters in Paris to find out more about the joint government-industry programme that is underway to develop France’s next-generation high-speed train.

HE $US 2bn supply and Amtrak’s trains will reference for Avelia in the market, the maintenance contract for 28 new consist of two compact power cars and French government-backed “TGV of the Thigh-speed trains to replace nine intermediate trailers. Each train Future” programme is actually driving Amtrak’s North East Corridor will accommodate up to 33% more the development of the platform ahead train fleet was one of the most significant passengers than the Acela, while of a major order for the train by French global rolling stock orders of 2016. Alstom says it will be possible to National Railways (SNCF). The articulated trains will expand the lengthen the train with up to three Tessier says that as part of its fleet to enable half-hourly peak Acela additional cars if required. TGV2020 strategy, SNCF launched a Express services between Washington This flexibility is at the heart of the “partnership of innovation” tender two DC and New York and an hourly New Avelia platform, which according to Mr years ago. This innovative approach is York - Boston connection when they Jean-Marc Tessier, Alstom’s vice- supported by the European enter operation from 2021. They will president of main-lines and project Commission’s (EC) Europe 2020 run at up to 257km/h initially, but director of TGV2020, is rationalising the strategy and enables SNCF to identify a could potentially hit 300km/h in the manufacturer’s high-speed and very supplier with which it can work to find long-term. high-speed rolling stock offering. the optimal solution for a particular The contract served as a real Indeed, rather than offering bespoke project, in this case the development of statement of intent for the future of the solutions, Tessier says the emphasis is its next-generation high-speed train. United States national passenger now developing “bricks” of technology. Alstom subsequently won the bid, with operator’s flagship service. It was also a Specific bricks include the traction the project getting underway in May major coup for the successful bidder, system and train control, and various 2016. Alstom: both in securing the contract car configuration and passenger “The idea is to define the best train amidst strong competition from other experience solutions that can be offered together with SNCF by identifying suppliers, and as an early vote of in a range of combinations to meet the what exactly will help them to achieve confidence in its new generation high- needs of a specific client or tender. their major objectives: decreasing speed platform, Avelia. While the Amtrak project is the first acquisition and operation costs as well 32 IRJ July 2017 as cutting the cost of maintenance and venture was established at a time when and Bretagne-Pays de la Loire LGV energy consumption,” Tessier says. the profitability of French train lines open on July 2 (p24). operations was being squeezed. Low- For Kaba this is a major shift cost airlines, car sharing and long- compared with the start of the TGV Speedinnov distance bus operators had all accrued programme 35-40 years ago. At this In parallel, in 2015 the French government launched its Future Investment Programme (PIA) for various industries. The transport We know the history of the train is not finished once it is element is led by Ademe, a government agency which funds sustainability designed for the first time. It will continue to evolve. projects, which together with Alstom formed the Speedinnov joint venture in  Jean-Marc Tessier 2015 to work on, and ultimately deliver, the TGV of the Future project. Alstom retains a majority share in Speedinnov, which is also supported by the Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development significant market shares and the time, he says the question of service and Energy, the Ministry of Education, government was keen to reorient this and meeting different passenger needs Higher Education and Research, and back towards rail. was not really considered. But in light the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Increasing the attractiveness of the of fierce competition from other modes Digital. services to passengers is aligned with it is now integral to SNCF’s offering. Mr Stéphane Kaba, Alstom’s high- SNCF’s new high-speed strategy and “In the past we had trains with a speed development director and the inOui brand, which it will launch lifespan of 30-40 years with the same president of Speedinnov, says the joint when the new Sud Europ Atlantique design and layout - first class, the IRJ July 2017 33 France | rolling stock restaurant car, and second class were identifying the right technologies and experience in maintenance and also always in the same place on the train,” solutions that will achieve this and to about how our train is behaving after Kaba says. “This time is over. One of avoid a scenario where SNCF might 15, 20, 30 years of operation. By sharing the key guidelines coming from the waste money on items that provide all of this experience we are in a operating companies like SNCF, the limited benefit. position to make the best decisions.” French government, and through the For example, he says in the past an Speedinnov joint venture is to have a SNCF engineer might have asked for technical chip, like the aircraft industry, everything they wanted without Order where you can adapt the offering knowing the consequences in terms of With Alstom and SNCF now 14 months according to different types of cost and benefit. into the 18-month development project, passenger experience. They want a train “Now we are in a situation where we providing Alstom meets the objectives of for 40 years so it is important for the can say that if you select this option it the partnership, SNCF will soon have the operator to understand that this train will cost you that much, if you select opportunity to order trains. answers the passengers’ needs.” that, it will cost you this much,” Tessier Like it is for Amtrak, Speedinnov will As well as harnessing technical says. “Comparing this will help you be responsible for developing and innovation that will make the train decide as an operator what is best for delivering the train for SNCF under any attractive once again to French you: will it bring more passengers on contract awarded. While Kaba says that passengers, Kaba says reducing the cost board? Will it change nothing? Will it it is too early to say when exactly any of using rail services is critical to change the perception of passengers? It contract will be offered, and what bringing people back. As a result, is much more focused on the passenger specific technologies will be used, manufacturing a cheaper train is an and the business, and what the train Tessier emphasises that any technology underlying objective for the TGV of the brings to passengers in order to will be considered as long as there are Future programme. compete effectively with other modes of benefits in terms of the final solution. “One of the key guidelines is to transport.” In some cases, he says it is likely that develop a train with not only lower To identify these needs he says it is technologies used for the past 30 years acquisition costs - 20% less compared essential that the partnership of will be retained because they remain with the train before - but also to create innovation process is a true partnership, the most suitable solution. In others it is an overall system where the total cost of with both sides contributing their conceivable that the train will adopt ownership for the duration of 30-40 relevant expertise to identify the technologies pioneered in Alstom’s years is dramatically less than we have optimal solution. “It is not like it was in previous high-speed offerings such as today,” Kaba says. the past where SNCF was checking AGV and , or even Speedelia, As a result, Tessier says in the initial every detail of what we were doing,” the concept developed for an Italian partnership of innovation phase a great Tessier says. “Instead we are combining high-speed tender, which Bombardier deal of thought is directed at our experience. They have a lot of and AnsaldoBreda (now Hitachi Rail Italy) won in 2010. Tessier adds that while Avelia is its next-generation train, these earlier platforms are not necessarily defunct in their own right, and depending on the contract, they might still be offered. “When you look at the market and the contracts that have been won for high-speed and very high-speed around the world - in Spain, with Amtrak, and in Saudi Arabia - they were all push- pull configurations,” Tessier says. “There is a market for different configurations, but for AGV we will see. We have not been in a position to offer this train very often.” The joint venture is also working on new innovations, particularly regarding improving energy efficiency, which in light of the COP21 agreement is now a major consideration for train operators. Tessier says it is similarly ready to adapt to any technical revolution that occurs, including to new developments from research initiatives such as the Shift2Rail programme. “We know the history of the train is not finished once it is designed for the first time. It will continue to evolve,” Tessier says. “For the Shift2Rail programme, the ones we are involved Alstom’s 28 Avelia Liberty high‐speed trains for Amtrak will enter service from 2021. in, we expect that we can introduce 34 IRJ July 2017 these in the medium term compared wanted a single-deck solution. And you can use what you have in different with what we want to deliver in the while France is a mature high-speed ways. This is a big advantage for the short term. You might have other market, Kuala Lumpur - Singapore, and project.” technologies which alter the bricks and proposed projects in the Middle East With a general lack of high-speed in the past the TGV has been adapted to are new, and will have varying cultural rolling stock orders around the world, several new technologies as they demands on how the train should look and with competition fierce to supply become available. This shows the and feel, meaning that what is offered what are often iconic trains, there is big evolution of the train.” could vary substantially. pressure to succeed in the market. Embracing cutting-edge technologies “Between the power cars you can Alstom clearly hopes that the fresh where appropriate aligns with the have different things, so you may have approach employed in Avelia will give government’s desire for PIA to reinvigorate domestic industry and enable French companies to compete for business both at home and overseas. In the past we had trains with a lifespan of 30-40 years For Alstom, this contrasts with its previous approach to TGV, which was with the same design and layout - first class, the very much a French project with only a few export orders. Kaba says  restaurant car, and second class were always in the same emphasising the bricks approach will equip it with a platform capable of place on the train. This time is over. Stéphane Kaba effectively competing for international contracts, and combat the threat posed by its aggressive Chinese competitors. While it is likely that 90% of the train single-deck and double-deck and you it the flexibility to offer a relevant and will remain common for each order may increase the number of cars,” Kaba affordable product anywhere in the secured, he says the remaining 10% will says. “This is very interesting for the world. And with major contracts be customer-defined. The Amtrak British market for example, where you coming up for HS2 in Britain, and contract epitomises this approach. have residual value, and it is very Kuala Lumpur - Singapore, it will soon Unlike SNCF, which favours double- important where the franchise model is become apparent whether they have got deck high-speed rolling stock, Amtrak used in more and more countries, so it right. IRJ

IRJ July 2017 35 High speed | Britain HS2 poised for start of construction

Preliminary works are now underway for the first phase of Britain’s HS2 project to build a 338km high-speed network linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. David Briginshaw reviews progress on the £55.7bn scheme.

Artist’s impression of Birmingham Curzon Street HS2 station which will be located alongside Moor Street station. HE first phase of Britain’s High- to the Midland Main Line south of “The phase 1 Hybrid Bill enables us to Speed 2 (HS2) cleared its final Chesterfield to enable HS2 trains to take land, alter highways and modify Thurdle in February when the serve both Chesterfield and the existing utilities; it also gives us the power to Hybrid Bill to authorise construction main station at Sheffield Midland. Not operate the railway,” McNaughton was granted royal assent, allowing only would this change enable HS2 to explained. “Early works, utility diversion enabling works to start on the 220km serve Sheffield better but the alignment and land acquisition are happening now.” line linking London with Britain’s further east would be cheaper to build. A strict timetable and budget have second city Birmingham and a There would also be provision for a been set for HS2. Phase 1 will open in connection to the West Coast Main Line connection north of Sheffield back onto 2026 at a cost of £22.2bn. “We are (WCML) near Lichfield. HS2. The government is expected to committed to bringing it in at that “The bill was the biggest Hybrid Bill in make a decision in the summer. price,” McNaughton said. Phase 2A will British history,” Prof Andrew McNaughton says the phase 2B follow a year later and phase 2B will McNaughton, technical director with HS2 Hybrid Bill will be “just as big an open in 2033 completing the entire Ltd, the state-owned company charged activity” as phase 1. “We have let the project for a total investment of £55.7bn. with implementing the project, told development partner contract for phase “We will design HS2 to cost, time and delegates at the Railtex exhibition in 2 to Bechtel,” he revealed. quality - there is no other way,” he says. Birmingham in May. “This was partly because of the 50,000-page environmental statement for phase 1 - the statement for Britain phase 2 will be nearly as big. The HS2 Bill up!Hmbthpx up!Fejocvshi York IRJ received 3406 petitions, compared with just over 300 for Crossrail, and we got New Leeds Lane through them in parliament in three years. City “Some of the most contentious topics Preston XDNM

were the impact of construction and Wakefield NM

D construction lorry movements, and F N habitat replacement. We set out with the Wigan view that we should be do the right Manchester Piccadilly Doncaster thing for the country. We are now Liverpool working the commitments we made Sheffield Meadowhall Manchester into the contracts we will let.” Warrington Airport Midland As McNaughton put it: “in the early XDNM NNM stages, this is more like an Chesterfield environmental programme than a railway project.” For example, a Crewe Newark contract has been let to grow 7 million trees which will be planted along the Stoke-on-Trent Nottingham route. “We have taken the baton on Derby from HS1 regarding environmental East Midlands Hub F standards, and from Crossrail in terms C NNM N of skills,” McNaughton said. Stafford M “We are about to start the same process Tamworth for phase 2A, but as this only involves Lichfield XD Leicester building 69km of new railway, it should M Wolverhampton M Peterborough be quicker. We will submit the Hybrid Bill Curzon St Nuneaton for phase 2A when the new government New St Birmingham authorises it.” Phase 2A will extend phase International Coventry 1 north from Lichfield to Crewe. Rugby In November 2016, the government finalised most of the route for phase 2B, NNM which will extend HS2 82km north from Leamington Spa Crewe to Manchester and a junction FDNM with the WCML south of Wigan, it also XDNM includes a 198km eastern branch from Birmingham via the East Midlands and Sheffield to Leeds and a junction with the East Coast Main Line south of York. Aylesbury The original plan was for the eastern branch to serve Sheffield with a station Oxford located northeast of the city at Existing main lines Meadowhall shopping centre. However, HS2 Phase 1 HS2 Phase 2A the project’s developer, HS2 Ltd, has HS2 Phase 2B up!Csjtupm Old Oak Common recommended an amendment to the Heathrow Airport alignment to route the line further east, ECML East Coast Main Line drop plans for the Meadowhall MML Midland Main Line Reading WCML West Coast Main Line LONDON interchange and build a link from HS2 IRJ July 2017 37 High Speed | Britain

We want the best of British experience combined with  the best knowledge from around the world, and we have achieved that with our engineering delivery partner. Andrew McNaughton

The first significant contracts for Centre, and will provide a connection to originally intended to have two types of phase 1 have already been let. These Birmingham Airport via a new train. “Captive” trains would take full comprise three contracts for the enabling peoplemover, and advantage of the generous loading works worth around £900m which were a new terminus station at Birmingham gauge on HS2 which would limit their placed in November 2016 and the Curzon Street, located on the site of the operation to the new line, while the appointment of an engineering delivery original terminus of the London and other type would be compatible with partner. The latter contract was awarded Birmingham Railway which opened in Britain’s restrictive loading gauge and in March 2016 to a joint venture of 1838, near Birmingham Moor Street would be used for services operating CH2M, Atkins and Sener, Spain. “We station and served by an extension of the beyond the end of HS2 to reach want the best of British experience Midland Metro light rail network. destinations such as Manchester and combined with the best knowledge from “The stations are the most difficult Glasgow. McNaughton said market around the world, and we have achieved part of the project,” McNaughton testing with potential suppliers that with our engineering delivery explained. “They are technically demonstrated that it would be more partner,” McNaughton explained. challenging, like the route and trains, cost effective to procure a uniform fleet but everybody has a stake in the of “classic gauge-compatible” trains in stations because they affect the people the early years of operation. Civil works contracts around them.” Each train will be about 200m long HS2 Ltd is currently evaluating HS2 is more involved in the design of and able to operate in multiple so that tenders for the seven main civil works the stations than for the civil works, for capacity can be adapted to meet contracts and expects to award the first example. “We are doing some of the demand and trains can split en route to contracts this month. “Each contract is design to provide a look and feel for the serve two destinations. “We have worth more than £1bn and covers stations which will be anchored into the designed HS2 as a single-deck railway earthworks, tunnels and bridges,” design before we go out to tender,” to maximise capacity - capacity is McNaughton said. McNaughton revealed. “These are very limited by the throughput of passengers Phase 1 will have six short cut-and- large and complex contracts, and getting on and off trains at stations - but cover tunnels totalling 8.2km and getting the specifications right is a we could accept double-deck trains in 39.1km of twin-bore tunnels with challenge.” the future,” McNaughton said. “We internal diameters from 7.55m to 8.8m. HS2 invited bids in April for architects want the trains to have the best off-the- For safety reasons, tunnels longer than and designers to refine the detailed shelf design but with the flexibility to 1km will have cross-passage escape plans for the stations, and for a master adapt them in the future.” routes between the bores as well as development partner for the Train procurement is currently in the escape routes to the surface. construction of homes, offices and retail pre-qualification phase. HS2 plans to Phase 1 of HS2 will serve four stations. space above and around London Euston. issue an invitation to tender for the London Euston will be completely Bidders for the station designs and the trains and depots during the first rebuilt and expanded to accommodate Euston master development partner are quarter of 2018 and to award the both HS2 and conventional services. expected to be shortlisted in the summer, contract by the fourth quarter of 2019. The other three stations are new build: with contracts signed early next year. HS2 is currently finalising packages Old Oak Common in west London The station design work will be split into for the six railway systems contracts will provide connections with Crossrail four packages. “By the end of 2018, we with a view to awarding the contracts services to central and eastern London will have completed the station design in December 2019. The six contracts will as well as Heathrow Airport and and obtained approval from our city comprise: Reading in the west partners,” McNaughton said. track and overhead electrification at Birmingham Interchange, which will HS2 also launched the tender process 25kV ac which must designed from a be located within walking distance of in April to design, build and maintain a life cycle point of view the existing Birmingham International fleet of 60 high-speed trains at an tunnel services and ventilation station near the National Exhibition estimated cost of £2.75bn. It was power supply 38 IRJ July 2017 command and control systems, ETCS services from London Euston to the services will operate until the opening Level 2 signalling, and traffic management West Midlands, North Wales, of HS2 on a partial revenue risk basis. communications, and Manchester, Liverpool, and Scotland as After phase 1 becomes operational in equipping depots. well as shadow operations on phase 1. 2026, it is anticipated that the franchisee “We have designed and specified the The DfT says the specification for the will operate integrated ICWC and HS2 railway using the latest available shadow operator element of the services for 3-5 years on an incentivised technology rather than things which franchise will be developed more fully management basis. don’t exist yet,” McNaughton said. “We in the expression of interest prospectus Expressions of interest for the need to up-skill the entire supply chain and invitation to tender. The operator’s franchise will be issued in December, to design HS2 virtually and to simulate responsibilities will include and an invitation to tender will follow operation and maintenance virtually engaging with HS2 Ltd to ensure the in October or November 2017. before we settle on the final design. We requirements of the operator and McNaughton says HS2 “will be the need the maintenance and renewal passengers are fully considered most heavily used high-speed railway regimes for HS2 and operating plans exploiting emerging technologies to in the world as well as being the before we finalise the design of the deliver “a step change in passenger fastest,” as it will operate up to 18 railway. We are working in a 3D experience” trains/hour carrying up to 1000 environment or 4D if you count noise. “I have seen too many projects where the design was rushed. We will be working with the civil engineering contractors to ensure we get the design We want the trains to have the best off-the-shelf design right before we start digging. “When we start talking to suppliers, but with the flexibility to adapt them in the future. we won’t be just talking about hard Andrew McNaughton numbers, but we will be asking whether  it will be easy for passengers to use it. We are not just appealing to existing passengers who find rail easy to use. We want to be able to guide passengers leading industry consultation on passengers per train during peak to their seat with ticketless travel. We services and timetables for the period periods with a maximum line speed of want something that is challenging but after the start of high-speed services 360km/h. The alignment will be deliverable by the supply sector,” working with Network Rail and HS2 designed to allow for future upgrades McNaughton said. to develop an organisational model for to operate at 400km/h. In November, the Department for the operation of HS2, and McNaughton says HS2 is already Transport (DfT) announced that the responsibility for HS2 mobilisation having an impact on the country 10 new Inter-City West Coast (ICWC) activities, including staff recruitment, years before it opens because people are franchise, which is due to start on April testing and acceptance of rolling stock, starting to relocate to be near the new 1 2019, will incorporate phase 1 of HS2. testing infrastructure, and the phased stations. “We will create a railway The combined franchise will encompass introduction of HS2 services. which will be a catalyst for growth,” he conventional long-distance WCML The DfT anticipates that ICWC concluded. IRJ

The planned Leeds station exterior for HS2.

IRJ July 2017 39 High-Speed | Rail Baltica Rail Baltica Building a bridge to the European standard-gauge network

Momentum is building behind the ambitious Rail Baltica project, which aims to construct an 870km standard- gauge 240km/h mixed-traffic railway linking the Baltic state capitals with Poland and the broader European railway network. David Briginshaw reports from the Latvian capital Riga on progress so far.

EVERAL hundred delegates, that traffic to Poland and the rest of the Lithuania’s second-largest city Kaunas including 200 potential suppliers, European Union requires a change of where the line would split to serve the Sattended the first Rail Baltica gauge at the Lithuanian-Polish border. capital Vilnius and to connect with the Global Forum in Riga, Latvia, in April, There are currently no cross-border Polish network near Trakiszki. The demonstrating the level of interest in passenger trains between the three 870km railway would be double-track the Rail Baltica project not only from Baltic states as passenger rail services throughout, electrified at 25kV ac and people within the three Baltic states but are largely focused on commuter equipped with ETCS Level 2. It would also from Finland and Poland which services around the three capitals and be a mixed-traffic railway designed for also stand to benefit from the project. limited regional services. operation by 120km/h freight trains While Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania The Rail Baltica project is designed to and 240km/h passenger trains. are served by a 1520mm-gauge rail address these deficiencies by The total cost of the project is network, freight traffic flows are mainly constructing a north-south standard- estimated at É5.79bn (Table 1). The east-west to Russia and Belarus gauge railway from Talinn, via Riga and European Union (EU) is expected to reflecting their Soviet past and the fact Riga Airport, to a junction near fund the bulk of the project with 40 IRJ July 2017 The Baltic States 1520mm gauge Helsinki IRJ FINLAND Existing 1435mm gauge Hvmg!pg!Gjomboe Existing Planned Tallinn Paldiski

N ESTONIA

RUSSIA

0 50 Viljandi Tartu km Pärnu

Moisaküla

Valga CbmujdTfb Hvmg!pg!Sjhb

Sbjm!Cbmujdb LATVIA Ventspils Skult Gulbene

Riga Ergli Tukums Airport

Liepaja Jelgava Krustpils

Daugavpils Sbjm!Cbmujdb Siauliai Paneveshys Klaipeda LITHUANIA

Pagegiai Kaunas Vilnius RUSSIA Kaliningrad Sbjm!Cbmujdb

Trakiszki Korsze Olecko Lida

Gradno BELARUS Olsztyn Elk The recostruction of Riga Central station is considered one of the most complex elements of Rail Baltica with large‐scale POLAND Sokólka Baranavicy redevelopment of the station area and construction of a new up!Xbstbx bridge across the Daugava River. Bialystok contributions totalling É4.634bn leaving high case scenario return is forecast at Ernst & Young Baltic says that while the three national governments to fund 7.7%. Measurable socio-economic Rail Baltica is not financially viable the remaining É1.154bn (Table 2). benefits of the project are estimated at without public co-financing, once the According to a cost:benefit analysis É16.2bn, which far outweighs the investment has been made, the conducted by Ernst & Young Baltic, Rail investment. It is also estimated that Rail infrastructure manager should reach Baltica is financially and economically Baltica would create a GDP multiplier breakeven in 2031 and be financially viable. “Rail Baltica has a 6.32% effect worth an additional É2bn. sustainable thereafter. economic rate of return, which is above “The forecasts are based on The three Baltic states have a the 5% EU threshold required for continuous economic growth and that combined population of 6.2 million. funding,” says Mr Nauris Klava, a the EU’s policy of shifting freight from Their GDP has increased by around 5% director of Ernst & Young Baltic. This road to rail happens,” Klava says. “We between 2006 and 2016 to reach rate of return is for the base case have not estimated the ticket prices É20.9bn in Estonia, É25bn in Latvia scenario, but even the low case scenario because pricing will depend on the and É38.6bn in Lithuania, the largest of has a rate of return of 5.05%, while the future policies of operators.” the three countries. “The Baltic states IRJ July 2017 41 High-speed | Rail Baltica

I don’t think anyone in the EU knows what financing will be like in a post-Brexit 2021  situation. It is possible to ensure we have sustainable financing over a long period, but we have to be prepared to look for alternatives. Baiba Rubesa

have recovered from the economic crisis of traffic with the main flows coming scenario, Rail Baltica is expected to of 2008-09, have exceeded the pre-crisis from Finland via ferry links across the operate eight trains daily in each GDP level, and are expected to surpass Baltic Sea and between Asia, Russia, direction between Tallinn, Riga and the EU average GDP growth rate up to Poland, Germany and the rest of Panevezys, rising to 10 between 2055,” says the cost:benefit analysis. Europe. The rest of the traffic would be Panevezys and Kaunas, and up to 12 “Finland and Poland will gain from imports and exports from Estonia (10% from Kaunas to Vilnius, while there are strengthened European connectivity,” of total freight), Latvia (10%) and only expected to be five cross-border says Ms Baiba Rubesa, CEO and Lithuania (23%). Klava says the bulk of trains per day to Poland. In addition, a chairperson of RB Rail, which has been the freight traffic will be containers and shuttle service of 36 trains per day per set up by the three states to implement high-value goods, which is very direction will be provided between Riga the project. “The five countries account different from the type of traffic and Riga Airport. for 19% of the land area and 10% of the currently transported by rail in the “Rail Baltica will be a game changer population of the EU, and the route will Baltic states. Intermodal logistics for passengers,” Klava says. Journey serve around 600 higher-end institutions terminals will be established in Muuga times compared with driving will be with 2.6 million students.” near Tallinn connecting the railway slashed. Tallinn - Riga will be 1h 55min Rail Baltica is expected to carry 2 with the port, Salaspils near Riga, and by train compared with 4h 5min by car, million tonnes of freight in its first year Kaunas and Vilnius in Lithuania. while Riga - Vilnius will take 2h 1min of operation, rising to 13.7 million Up to 15 freight trains per day are by rail rather than 3h 30min by road. tonnes by 2030 and 20 million tonnes by expected to use Rail Baltica between The railway is expected to carry 2055 under the base case scenario. Rail Tallinn and Vilnius, rising to 22-31 between 3.6 and 5.5 million passengers Baltica would offer a transit time of less trains per day on the section between in its first year of operation, increasing than two days between the Baltic states Kaunas and the Polish border. to 4.7-7.1 million annual passengers by and destinations within central Europe, The predicted passenger flows will be 2055, using figures from the low and compared with four days for the very different from freight, as most of high scenarios. equivalent lorry journey. the traffic will be concentrated between According to the cost:benefit analysis, Transit freight would account for 57% the three capitals. In the base case Rail Baltica will be profitable to operate,

With poor cross‐border links, rail has only a minor share of the market for international travel within the Baltic states. Photo: Igor Sokolov 42 IRJ July 2017 July Rail Baltica_Layout 1 03/07/2017 15:47 Page 43

particularly for freight (Table 3). Progress is already being made with Rail Baltica in figures Rail Baltica. Work was completed last October on a É364.5m scheme to extend Overall project costs (Ém) standard-gauge track 123km from the Land acquisition 130 Polish border to Kaunas together with Studies/planning/design 219 track renewals on the existing 1520mm- Bridges 406 gauge line. However, as Rubesa pointed Tunnels 73 out, the project will have to be revisited. Railway 2404 “The Polish border - Kaunas section is Electrification 512 single and not double track, the speed is Signalling 356 too low, and there is no decent Crossings 683 signalling, so it needs to be upgraded to Stations 711 Rail Baltica standards.” Noise mitigation 120 Rubesa told IRJ that the alignment Contingency 173 from Kaunas to the Latvian-Estonian Total 5787 border has been fixed, and according to Lithuania’s transport and Funding split by country communications minister Mr Rokas Masiulis, land appropriation as far as Total cost National contribution the Latvian border has started, and Estonia É1.35bn É268m Lithuania has a compensation scheme Latvia É1.97bn É393m in place for affected land owners. “Rail Lithuania É2.47bn É493m Baltica is entering the irreversible phase and the project will happen,” Masiulis Financial operating performance (Ém) asserts. Passenger Freight Rubesa says tendering to build the Year 2030 2055 2030 2055 rail link from Riga Central to Riga Revenue 97.8m 123.1m 189m 277.3m Airport is already underway with a Access charge €2.9m 13.6m 65.7m 100.1m view to starting work next year. “Riga Other opex 86.9m 90.6m 81.2m 120.3m Central station is one of the most Operating profit 8.0m 18.9m 42.2m 56.9m complex projects because of the bridges Profit margin 8.2% 15.35% 22.3% 20.5% crossing the river and because it will be a massive redevelopment scheme,” infrastructure manager, and we realise long period, but we have to be prepared Rubesa says. “It is worth taking more we need to get an operator on board as to look for alternatives.” time in the capital cities to see where soon as possible.” Earlier opposition to Rail Baltica is the commercial development So far, Rail Baltica has secured É765m waning as people start to realise its opportunities are. Opportunities in funding. “We have submitted a CEF benefits. “The railway is a catalyst for abound for private companies to application which would bring it to just economic development,” says Latvia’s become involved in the logistics centres. under É1bn for studies, technical design prime minister Mr Maris Kucinskis. “It “We have just completed the and preliminary works,” Rubesa says. will transform the economic geography procurement guidelines and we expect However, funding beyond 2021 is less of the three countries, increase exports to complete the design guidelines and certain, as Rubesa explains: “I don’t and result in better supply routes.” finalise the alignment for Rail Baltica by think anyone in the EU knows what “The first train will leave Tallinn in the end of the year,” Rubesa explains. financing will be like in a post-Brexit 2026,” Rubesa says. “Children today “By the end of 2018, the joint venture 2021 situation. It is possible to ensure will wonder how we managed without partners will have to decide on an we have sustainable financing over a Rail Baltica.” IRJ

Upgrading Poland’s Baltic links OLAND is making good progress to upgrade the line for the 105km Bialystok - Elk section where works are from Warsaw via Bialystok and Elk to the Lithuanian planned for 2020-2023. “Bialystok - Elk is single track and border at cost of between É1.76bn and É1.94bn. will be upgraded to a double-track electrified railway with a POn May 31, a É325m scheme to upgrade the 66km maximum speed of 160km/h,” says Mr Jakub Kapturzak, Warsaw - Sadowne section was completed. This included deputy director, with Poland’s Ministry of quadrupling the track in the Warsaw area to separate Infrastructure and Construction. It is also planned to install commuter and long-distance trains. ETCS between Warsaw and Elk by 2023. Work is due to start this year to upgrade the next two Plans to improve the final section from Elk via Olecko to sections. The 36km É240m Sadowne - Czyzew section the Lithuanian border are a little more uncertain. The line should be completed in 2020 with the 72km É393m Czyzew has a lot of curves which restrict the maximum speed. Two - Bialystok section following a year later. Line speed will be options are being considered to upgrade it for 140km/h increased to 120km/h for freight and 160km/h passenger operation to achieve a 50-minute journey time by 2024 at an trains. estimated cost of É420m, or realign the railway for 160km/h Poland has applied for funding from the EU’s Connecting running to reduce the journey time to 38 minutes by 2025 at Europe Facility (CEF) for up to 60% of the É395m required an estimated cost of É600m.

IRJ July 2017 43 Research | RTRI New bogie reduces the risk of derailment

RTRI, Japan, has performed extensive tests of a new steering-assist bogie which is designed to reduce the risk of derailments. RTRI’s Suzuki Mitsugi, Kamoshita Shogo, Umehara Yasuhiro, Hondou Takatoshi and Miyamoto Takefumi outline the new bogie design and performance to date.

APAN’s Railway Technical Research mechanism helps to reduce lateral widely used so far due to the high cost Institute (RTRI) has designed a new forces on wheels while a train passes of the complicated linking mechanism. Jsteering-assist bogie capable of through a curve, using a newly- Figures 1 shows the concept of the reducing the probability of derailments developed actuator that prevents steering-assist mechanism while the caused by wheel flange climbing. The reverse steering. The new bogie frame, photograph shows the bogie equipped new bogie has a conventional which can be divided into three with the actuator. By mounting the bolsterless structure but is equipped sections, is based on the structure of a newly-developed small-size, high- with an axle-steering mechanism to bolsterless bogie. It has a mechanism to power, motor-driven hydraulic actuator negotiate sharp curves and a bogie control the decrement of wheel (CDW) in a longitudinal direction, the frame capable of following the vertical load which also maintains high- wheelsets can be steered. However, if horizontal twist of rails. speed performance. the wheelsets are steered by the In order to reduce the risk of a flange- Lateral forces acting on wheels can be actuator, the risk of reverse steering climbing derailment, it is important to minimised by reducing the angle of caused by a malfunction must be control the lateral force acting on the attack by using steering wheelsets. completely removed. Since the actuator wheels and wheel load while a train Different types of self-steering bogie has a mechanism inside to prevent passes through curves. By controlling have already been developed for this reverse steering, it assists the steering of these forces better, passengers will have purpose and used in commercial integrated wheelsets only in the a smoother ride when their train runs operation. direction of its self-steering. through curved sections of track, while One example is a steering bogie that As Figure 2 shows, we have there is the added benefit that in interlocks bogie angles mechanically. developed a bogie frame which is able to addition to improving train operating This type of bogie links the car body, stabilise the vertical wheel load by using safety, track maintenance performance bogie frame and wheelsets and is rotating side beams around cross beams. will be improved as well. effective in reducing lateral forces when This enables the bogie frame to negotiate We have been developing the new a train passes through curves. This is track irregularities better and alleviate bogie by combining two elements: a because it is able to significantly reduce the reduction in vertical wheel load steering-assist mechanism and a three- the lateral tangential force by reducing caused by an extension of the primary section bogie frame that stabilises attack angles with its linking suspension. vertical wheel load. The steering-assist mechanism. However, it has not been We have conducted rolling tests with

RTRI carried out tests of the new bogie at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Mihara Test Centre, running 5200km between May and July 2016. 43a IRJ July 2017 this type of bogie on RTRI’s roller rig in track with order to confirm the critical speeds irregularities by which trigger hunting. The test results using the CDW confirmed that hunting does not occur mechanism. even at speeds above 300km/h if the These two bogie is in good condition, nor at techniques have speeds of around 230km/h even if it is now been combined not equipped with a yaw damper. in a newly- Furthermore, the bogie did not show developed bogie much difference in running stability which has a lower even if the rotating function of side risk of derailment. beams is cancelled. These test results Results of 5300km show that the CDW-type bogie has running tests on the sufficient running stability in the test loop with sharp targeted speed range above 130km/h. curves shows that the new bogie can enhance train Running tests operation safety. IRJ Figure 1: schematic diagram of the steering‐assist mechanism. Between May and July 2016, running tests with the new bogie were conducted at the 3.2km test loop at Mitsubishi Side beam Heavy Industries’ Mihara Test Centre. The test train was composed of two powered cars and one test car and ran a total distance of 5300km. Figure 3 shows the lateral force and derailment quotient Cross beam measured during the test running at a speed of 30km/h and through curves with radii of 120 and 160m. Since the maximum and average values of the derailment quotient are 20% and 60% less than those of conventional bogies respectively, we conclude that this bogie has better protection against derailments. We have been developing two types of bogie improvement techniques to reduce the risk of flange-climbing Rotation mechanism derailments. One is designed to reduce the lateral force on wheels generated by a bogie with the steering-assist mechanism while passing through curves, and the other is designed to Figure 2: CDW‐type bogie frame showing the rotating mechanism. keep wheel load at the desired level on

Figure 3: results of running tests showing the lateral force acting on outside wheels, wheel load and the derailment quotient.

IRJ July 2017 43b Research | human resources No professional left behind: unlocking the mid-career talent pool A survey of 351 experienced mid-career professionals at 30 railway companies from around the world found that a vast majority felt as though their career had plateaued. But as Dr Janene Piip, talent and career consultant at SkillSmart, Australia, argues, engaging with this untapped resource of knowledge and experience could deliver the innovation railway companies are looking for.

N the current economic environment one of two directions: either into a re-engaging and reinvigorating the where jobs are difficult to secure, maintenance phase where the career careers of this cohort. Ithere is significant debate about plateaus, or with the prospect of In our survey, we found the top two attracting new entrants as older reaching new heights. challenges faced by mid-career rail employees leave the workforce. The mid-career professional group has professionals at all types of rail Organisations seldom consider the a wealth of knowledge from their career organisations (except political bodies) are: position of mid-career professionals, experiences, and potentially have ideas work-life balance (31.1%) and career who are generally seen as a stable to increase the productivity, efficiency advancement (30.2%). A third challenge, cohort with an established career. and outcomes of companies in all areas. talent recognition (15.1%), was categorised Yet recent research indicates that Considering that companies are worried as a standalone issue but combined with despite having valuable expertise to about creating and applying new ideas career advancement, equates to 45.3% of offer organisations, this group feels and innovations to remain competitive, survey respondents. This shows almost unjustly overlooked and under valued. actively utilising these skills, knowledge, half of survey respondents are concerned Typically, a mid-career rail experience and enthusiasm therefore about where their career is heading and professional is 45-55 years of age. Many makes good business sense. that their talent, skills, abilities and are thinking about whether their career Prajogo and Pervaiz (2006) link the knowledge are not appreciated. is proceeding in the direction they process of innovation in companies to There is then a strong likelihood of imagined when they first started the skills and talents of all individuals staff becoming disengaged at mid- working and whether it is time to make who have experience in the workplace. career if they are not encouraged or a change before it is too late. A survey It is through this lens that we explore appreciated in their role. This in turn of mid-career rail professionals from 30 how rail companies can tap into the causes them to look for new countries conducted in late 2015 found mid-career rail professional group to opportunities or not give their best at that generally the mid-career point is address the innovation agenda required work. A large number of participants viewed with the possibility of going in of organisations while at the same time (59%) reported that they are now actively taking responsibility for their career as they feel ignored by their companies. The 207 participants who reported this had all been in their current role for one-10 years with most employed between four and 10 years. The majority of these professionals were subject matter experts, project managers and program managers (21.7% each). In general, the mid-career group showed low levels of confidence towards HR (6.6%) and their management (16.8%) in supporting career advancement, career development and talent recognition. One of the key issues reported by survey respondents about developing their career relates to dissatisfaction with their work-life balance. As professionals move into their mid- career, we identified five distinct pathways considered by individuals both within and outside of the organisation that would provide career advancement and an improved work- life balance. These include pursuing a technical Almost half of the mid‐career professionals interviewed are concerned about the direction in specialisation with a team or a which their career is heading. Photo: DB/Lisa Bertram management role, which is favoured by 44 IRJ July 2017 5th Railway Forum Berlin 2017 Foto: SIEMENS © Deutsche Bahn AG Foto: SIEMENS © Deutsche Bahn

Keynote Speakers (Selection)

UWE GUENTHER NICO BUCHHOLZ OLIVER KRAFT Chief Procurement Offi cer Senior Vice President & CEO Deutsche Bahn AG Chief Procurement Offi cer voestalpine BWG GmbH Bombardier Inc.

MICHAEL PETER KARL-HEINZ PROF. CEO Business Unit Mobility STRAUSS WEIPING YU Management CEO Vice President Siemens AG PORR AG CRRC Corporation Limited

The Supply Chain Conference of the Rail Industry Competitiveness 2025: The Innovation Agenda of the Mobility Industry Save the Date: August 30 - 31, 2017 Venue: Estrel Convention Center, Berlin | Germany

Conference Partners & Sponsors (Selection)

Competence SCM Partner Track Construction Mobility Digitalization Life Cycle Standardization Partners Partner Partner Partner Partner Partner Partner

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Competence Partner: Patrons: Uwe Günther Kay Euler Chief Procurement Officer, Chief Technology Officer & Chief Quality Officer, Deutsche Bahn AG Deutsche Bahn AG

Contact: IPM AG · Institute for Production Management · Tobias Schmidt, Junior Partner · Schiffgraben 42 · D-30175 Hannover, Germany Phone: +49 511 47314790 · Fax: +49 511 47314791 · Email: [email protected] · Online Registration: www.railwayforumberlin.com/register

Designed by www.railwayforumberlin.com Research | human resources

in a more business-like manner. Invest in your employees: talented mid-career professionals are looking for opportunities to network with others, develop contacts and gain new knowledge to keep themselves enthused and their career moving. Managers can provide teams with the task of determining which events are most suitable and use these functions as a reward for good work. Be the watchdog on work: give your employees challenging projects but don’t overload them. Implementing a set of guiding principles around the mid-career level sends a message to the Figure 1: research shows that many professionals suffer a career plateau when they reach 45. rest of the organisation that this group plays an important role in business men as the time needed to dedicate to were interested in sharing knowledge operations. both roles are substantial and offer and ideas with professional networks, While the concept of empowerment is limited flexibility for part-time work. and pursued this in their own time even associated with some workplace Outside of their current organisation, when their company did not support freedom, this may be difficult to achieve professionals contemplated becoming a the interactions by providing suitable within the rail industry due to safety consultant, joining another company resources to do so. and security concerns. However, we that had less demanding schedules or Traditionally, the rail industry has identified five actions that employers undertaking a complete career change. operated in a hierarchical system which should consider to continue to engage In the organisation’s favour is the is still largely evident today. In many mid-career professionals and to finding that many professionals say organisations where innovation thrives, encourage organisational longevity. they lack the courage to pursue the more organic structures are visible, Training and development: career consulting pathway due to uncertainty characterised by more flexible working pathway planning and associated about continuous work. Many felt they arrangements and the engagement of training will help professionals to fulfil did not have the complete set of staff in different roles to contribute ideas their aspirations. Many professionals in business skills to promote their services to current issues and problems. These our survey had been in their roles for and run an enterprise. staff feel that their talents are maximised up to 20 years which indicates that they The career plateau highlighted in and their contributions valued. Figure 1, which typically begins at In all successful organisational around 45 and continues until the late initiatives, the unreserved commitment 50s, can be successfully addressed. Firstly, and support of executives is a driving it needs companies to recognise this factor. Gaining their support is therefore potential plateau and dip, and then to essential to the success of any initiative to actively develop strategies to concentrate better recognise and utilise the skills and on the possible disengagement and how expertise of mid-career professionals. to re-engage people in the mid-career One way in which senior managers group in order to better utilise their skills. can support the mid-career professional group is to develop a set of guiding principles for line managers and New goals supervisors so that they are aware of There are some strategies that can the importance of engaging and help individuals feel more enthusiastic retaining this group of employees. We about their job. These include setting have identified five principles for the new goals for the period between the organisation to consider: ages of 45 and 55, which might include Take time to get to know your staff, developing new skills, studying a new talk to them and listen to their fears, qualification, or pursuing a new hobby concerns and aspirations. or interest. Our survey found that many Encourage more innovative work mid-career professionals felt ‘burnt-out’ approaches: at least 50% of staff who from emotional exhaustion due to job completed our survey want to have demands so investigating health issues, some control of their career and their becoming more active or physically fit destiny, indicating that personal and changing lifestyle habits can fulfilment and self-actualisation are the dramatically increase enthusiasm for greatest unmet needs with rail industry work. Seeking out a mentor or coach mid-career professionals. can also provide new career insights Develop savvy business skills: invest and help develop strategies to tackle the in talented people so that they learn day to day career issues. about innovative work approaches and Many professionals in our survey entrepreneurial skills to help them work 46 IRJ July 2017 concerns may reveal some overall technical, workplace, or career issues Our survey found that many mid-career professionals felt holding companies back overall. In particular, with traditional ‘burnt-out’ from emotional exhaustion due to job organisational structures not always conducive to creativity, managers need demands. to consider how to allocate time and  resources so that staff can generate ideas that will benefit the future of the had not been helped to develop and corrective measures motivates business. grow. Multiskilling of employees helps employees to give feedback. Research and experience shows that it backfill positions when people go on Employee flexibility and multi- is advantageous for groups of people leave or move to another position. It skilling: developing a range of skills with different skills and from different also helps people develop a toolkit of promotes organisational innovation and parts of a company to work together on skills should they change jobs or new competencies. Considering that various projects. And as this survey organisations. many rail professionals like the idea of shows, it is essential that companies Communication, integrity and consultancy but did not have the have an active strategy to recognise sincerity: we found that while courage to make the move, the how the mid-career professional group organisations document training and opportunity to upskill would offer can contribute to these groups because development initiatives, many renewed enthusiasm to many mid- they have much to offer. managers and departments did not career rail professionals. We identified some strategies to follow through on this written Good work environment: the greatest address the needs of mid-career commitment. Consistent benchmarking need identified within the survey is for professionals which focus on four areas of programmes and initiatives to ensure flexibility in work schedules, the ability comprising leadership, people that these initiatives take place can help to work from home, and to have access management, knowledge management to achieve written goals and not to a job-share or part-time workload. and creativity management. Senior unintentionally prejudice individual Not only does this provide greater managers must endorse and embrace employees. opportunity for innovative thinking and these strategies in order to be successful. Employee satisfaction and feedback is ideas, but people are more likely to When organisations do this, they will collected, measured and acted upon: remain engaged with their work. address the need that mid-career consistently developing and running Managing the extensive and explicit professionals have for talent recognition simple questionnaires helps to regulate knowledge held by mid-career and career advancement as well as employee satisfaction with workplace professionals is a major undertaking, improving their work-life balance by initiatives. Incorporating ideas and but taking the time to understand their offering greater working flexibility. IRJ

Setting new goals for the period between 45 and 55, or seeking a mentor or coach, can ward off feelings of career fatigue. Photo: DB/Uwe Miethe

IRJ July 2017 47 Rendezvous

July 2017 30-September 2—Moscow, Russia 26-29—Gdansk, Poland 9-11—Atlanta, GA, USA 6th International Fair of Railway Trako International Railway Fair Apta Conference & Expo 10-12—Chengdu, China First International Conference on Equipment & Technologies EXPO Gdansk International Fair Co, Apta, Washington, DC, USA. 1520 Gdansk, Poland. Tel: +1 202 496 4800 Rail Transportation Southwest Jiao Tong Business Dialogue, Moscow, Tel: +48 58 554 9212 [email protected] University, Jiao Tong, China. Russia. Fax: +48 58 554 9211 www.apta.com/mc/Pages/Futur Tel: +86 28 8646 6204 Tel: +7 495 988 1800 [email protected] e.aspx [email protected] [email protected] www.trakofair.com/ www.icrt-swjtu.org/ http://expo1520.ru/2017/en/ 10-12—Budapest, Hungary October 2017 NEW: Innorail Conference 24-25—San Diego CA, USA September 2017 3-5—Milan, Italy Congressline, Budapest, NEW: 2-6—Cape Town, South Africa Expo Ferroviaria Exhibition Hungary. Federal Regulations Seminar IHHA Conference 2017 Mack Brooks, St Albans, [email protected] CSLRA, McCloud, CA, USA. IHHA, Virginia, USA. Britain. Tel: +36 1 429 0146 Tel: +1 310 863 4573 Tel: +1 757 496 8288 Tel: +44 1727 814 400 [email protected] Fax: +1 530 666 9646 Fax: +1 757 496 2662 Fax: +44 1727 814 401 www.innorail2017.hu [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.cslra.org www.ihha.net www.expoferroviaria.com/eng/ 10-12—Jonkoping, Sweden NEW: Nordic Rail Conference & August 2017 17-20—Indianpolis, USA 4—Brussels, Belgium Exhibition 14-15—Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Railway Interchange Trade Show CyberSecurity4Rail Conference Elmia, Jonkoping, Sweden. NEW: 5th Annual Malaysia Rail & Conference Hitrail, Utrecht, Netherlands. Tel: +46 3615 2000 Bricsa Consulting, Mumbai, AREMA Tel: +1 301 459 3200 Tel: +31 344 621 625 [email protected] India. RSI Tel: +1 202 347 4664 [email protected] www.elmia.se/en/nordicrail/ Tel: +91 22 6242 2905 REMSA Tel: +1 202 715 2921 www.hitrail.com/events/cyber- [email protected] RSSI Tel: +1 502 327 7774 security-for-railways-conference- 19-20—Philadelphia PA, USA http://infraoutlook.com/events/ www.railwayinterchange.org 2017 NEW: Next-Gen Train Control mr2017/ Conference 20—London, Britain 4-6—Vienna, Austria Simmons-Boardman 30-31—Berlin, Germany NEW: UK Rail Industry Forum NEW: 4th Wheel Detection Forum Conferences, New York, USA. 5th Railway Forum & Exhibition Waterfront Conferences, Frauscher Sensor Technology, Tel: +1 212 620 7208 IPM, Hannover, Germany. London, Britain. St. Marienkirchen, Austria. Fax: +1 212 633 1863 Tel: +49 511 4731 4790 Tel: +44 207 067 1597 Tel: +43 7711 2920 9273 [email protected] Fax: +49 511 4731 4791 [email protected] [email protected] www.railwayage.com/index.php [email protected] www.waterfrontconferencecomp www.wheeldetectionforum.com /conferences/nextgen2016.html?c www.railwayforumberlin.com any.com /en/home/ hannel=00

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48 IRJ July 2017 Contacts | editorial Classified

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New developments in wagon technology and a growing awareness of the need for digitalisation should help rail freight operators become more competitive, as Anitra Green discovered at the recent Transport Logistics exhibition in Munich.

HE introduction of Greenbrier, Waggonbau Niesky Tcontainer ships carrying up WBN, Eisenbahnlaufwerke to 20,000TEU at Rotterdam, Halle ELH and Tatravagónka Europe’s largest port, is Pograd, Slovakia. Low-noise having a knock-on effect on and low-wear disc brakes are hinterland transport, which provided by Knorr Bremse, has struggled to cope with the Dako-CZ, KES and Faiveley. sudden peaks in demand these Automatic couplers, similar to enormous vessels create. Here those used in passenger trains, the rail freight sector has a are supplied by Voith and central role to play, and a Faiveley, wheelsets by Lucchini, number of new techniques are Bonatrans and Bochumer in the pipeline to improve Verein, and various types of efficiency. platforms by SBB Cargo. Finally, One of the most interesting is intelligence systems including the 5L demonstrator train being the generation and processing assembled by SBB Cargo in of data, asset intelligence and The 5L train concept was on show at the Transport Logistics exhibition. Switzerland within a project condition monitoring are developed by the Technical provided by P J Messetechnik new safety inspection methods developed by the Logistics Innovation Circle for Rail (PJM), Austria. PJM’s for trains as well as providing Competence Centre LKZ in Freight Transport (TIS). The aim WaggonTracker axle-mounted customers with the real-time Germany, the semitrailer is is to use technology which is generator, which has been data about their shipments. also driven on to a cradle that already available to improve approved but is not yet in The system is due to go into can be lifted, with a portable wagon performance in five production, provides power for operation this summer. ramp used to hold the cradle. respects: noise, weight, the data acquisition and Road-rail transshipment The updated Nikrasa 2.0 longevity, logistics compatibility, monitoring devices. techniques are another issue model, on display in Munich, and life-cycle costs. given frequent road congestion, offers more flexibility than the Mr Nicolas Perrin, CEO of Really necessary? notably in Germany. Vertical- prototype in that it can SBB Cargo, is well aware of the loading gantry cranes used for accommodate a wide variety need for digitalisation, Time and again in Munich, containers cannot be used for of semitrailers, not just especially in competition with the question was asked most standard semitrailers, standard units. The latest the increasingly automated whether such sophisticated unless they have been specially move by LKZ is to bring road sector: “In this digitalised information technology systems adapted for lifting. Since few representatives from the rail world, railways can’t stand still. are really necessary? The road hauliers are prepared to and semitrailer sectors If we want to have telematics in answer has to be yes - make the investment, several together to devise a standard place by 2025, we must start particularly at a logistics event techniques have been devised. semitrailer dubbed the Future now,” Perrin said at the where rail freight is an essential The German CargoBeamer Trailer, in an effort to combat Transport Logistics exhibition part of the transport chain. system is slowly becoming the tendency in Germany in Munich in May, where part Each time, the comparison was more widely used. The towards an ever-wider variety of the 5L train was on display. made with road freight, which semitrailer is driven on to a of units. This includes check-in by RFID, is already equipped with such cradle, which can then be slid The Lohr Railway System predictive maintenance, systems. For maximum sideways onto a custom-built needs special terminals and wayside intelligence, remote efficiency and productivity wagon, or it can be lifted. wagons for horizontal loading. diagnostics, asset intelligence, customers need asset Around 5500 semitrailers were Each wagon has a swiveling network intelligence, intelligence to give them all the handled using CargoBeamer section that allows semi- maintenance control, and user information they require for last year and the number of trailers to be driven onboard interface. transport monitoring, load customers in Europe is growing, at an angle to the train’s Six systems will be tested in security, location, expected according to CEO Mr Hans- direction of travel. A train can the 5L train, which was due to arrival time, and documentation. Jürgen Weidemann. The fleet of be loaded in just 30 minutes. start a four-year trial in In France, SNCF Logistics in 45 wagons is currently being The system is used on several Switzerland last month. The partnership with Traxens is increased to 75, and Weidemann routes across France. train has 16 wagons in different developing a new-generation looks forward to building a Unfortunately, the cash- configurations with components freight train equipped with network of 10-20 new terminals strapped rail freight sector has contributed by other TIS connected units capable of - to date there is only one been reluctant to invest in partners. Low wear bogies with providing new services. The dedicated terminal at the technical developments, but it radial steering and low noise concept, which was presented Volkswagen factory in Leipzig. needs to do so if it wants to emissions are being supplied by in Munich, is designed to offer With the Nikrasa system, become more competitive. IRJ 50 IRJ July 2017 We set Speed Records.

New technological developments provided by Vossloh set standards for the construction and operation of modern rail infrastructure. Vossloh holds the record for high-speed switch crossings – with trains travelling at 560 km/h! We have focused our competence on the areas of concrete sleepers and track fasteners, switch systems and rail services to create a holistic range for eco-friendly, cost-effective and efficient rail transport – not only, but also when it comes to high-speed transport.

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