nieuwstopic?!

[rail s]

UNIFE: Grundmann neuer Präsident
(24.06.2008)
Der Verband der europäischen Eisenbahnindustrie UNIFE hat auf seiner Generalversammlung in Paris einen neuen Präsidenten gewählt: Dr Hans-Jörg Grundmann. Die Dauer der Präsidentschaft ist bei der UNIFE auf drei Jahre ausgelegt. Der Vorstandschef der Siemens Mobility Sparte übernimmt den Posten von André Navarri. Navarri, Vorstandschef von Bombardier Transportation, wird auch weiterhin im Präsidium der UNIFE aktiv sein.
In seiner Antrittsrede an die Delegierten ging Grundmann darauf ein, dass es auch künftig viele Herausforderungen für die europäische Eisenbahnindustrie geben wird. Er stellte fest, dass die Nachfrage nach dem System Bahn nach wie vor hoch ist und er sieht keinen Grund für die nahe Zukunft, warum Märkte oder Auftragseingänge abnehmen sollten. Das Thema Kosten wird nach Meinung von Grundmann auch künftig für die ganze Industrie eine hohe Priorität behalten. Was die Bahnindustrie von Zulieferern aus dem Rest der Welt allerdings abgrenze, sei die unangefochtene Fähigkeit für Innovationen und für das Bereistellen eines echten Mehrwertes für die Kunden.
In seiner dreijährigen Amtszeit will Grundmann folgende Akzente setzen:
• Die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit der Schiene ausbauen
• Innovationen vorantreiben
• Den Blick für Kosten und Qualität weiter schärfen
• Standardisierungen durchsetzen
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/news.php3?id=20406

[rail s]

Dänemark: Fünf Bewerber für Jütland-Ausschreibung
(24.06.2008)
Zug der NOB zwischen Tønder und Niebüll
Foto: C. Müller
Bis zum 17. Juni haben fünf Betreiber für die Präqualifikation die Unterlagen bei der staatlichen Verkehrsbehörde Trafikstyrelsen abgegeben. Beworben haben sich
NSB AS
Arriva Tog A/S
DB Regio AG
DSB Midt-Vest Aps und
First Rail Holdings Ltd.
Ausgeschrieben waren die Strecken
Tønder – Esbjerg
Esbjerg – Skjern
Skjern – Århus
Århus – Struer
Struer – Skjern und Struer – Thisted
mit der Option auf den grenzüberschreitenden Verkehr zwischen Tønder und Niebüll. Nach Zusendung der detaillierten Ausschreibungsunterlagen haben die Bewerber Frist bis zum 20. Oktober. Die Entscheidung soll Anfang 2009 fallen, der Vertrag läuft dann von Dezember 2010 bis Ende 2018. Erbracht werden jährlich rund 7,5 Mio. Zugkm. Aktuell sind auf dem Netz rund 6 Mio. Fahrgäste pro Jahr unterwegs.
Zurzeit wird der Verkehr durch die DSB und Arriva durchgeführt. Letztere hatte den Verkehr zwischen Tønder und Esbjerg 2003 von den DSB übernommen. Seitdem ist der durchgehende grenzüberschreitende Verkehr zwischen Niebüll und Tønder gebrochen. Zwischen diesen Orten fährt jetzt die Nord-Ostsee-Bahn.
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/news.php3?id=20405

[rail s]

Siemens auf der InnoTrans
(24.06.2008)

Siemens wird dieses Jahr auf der InnoTrans in Berlin wieder groß vertreten sein. Blickfang bei dem Messeauftritt ist das Freigelände, wo der Konzern insgesamt fünf Fahrzeuge ausstellen wird. Größte Aufmerksamkeit dürfte dabei dem Velaro RUS sicher sein. Auf der InnoTrans werden ein End- und zwei Mittelwagen zu sehen sein. Im Mai 2006 hatte die RZD bei Siemens acht zehnteilige Züge bestellt, die zunächst mit 250 km/h zwischen Moskau und St. Petersburg eingesetzt werden. Ende November wird der erste Zug über Mukran nach Russland ausgeliefert werden. Zweites komplett neues Fahrzeug ist der Regionaltriebzug Desiro ML. Erstkunde dieses Zuges ist Angel Trains für den Betreiber trans regio, der die 17 dreiteiligen Züge ab Dezember 2008 auf der rechten Rheinstrecke zwischen Köln und Mainz einsetzen wird.

Auch gezeigt wird die weiterentwickelte Eurosprinter-Lokomotive. Die bisher aus dieser Familie zuletzt gebauten Maschinen ES 64 F4 (BR 189) und ES 64 U4 (Taurus 2) entsprechen nicht der aktuellen TSI-Crash. Erste Siemens-Neuentwicklung, die diese Norm einhält, ist der Eurorunner ER 20 CF für Litauen. Inzwischen ist auch die Eurosprinter-Reihe TSI-konform, erste Maschinen wurden bereist nach Portugal geliefert. In Berlin wird aber eine der belgischen Lokomotiven gezeigt – die ersten drei ES 60 U3 befinden sich im Werk München in der Endfertigung. Die SNCB hat 60 dieser 200 km/h schnellen Loks bestellt mit einer Option auf 60 weitere. Sie sind für die drei Stromsysteme 25 kV AC sowie 1,5 und 3,0 kV DC ausgelegt und sollen zusätzlich in den Ländern Luxemburg und Frankreich (25 kV-Streckennetz) zugelassen werden. Eine Viersystemvariante dieser Lok ist aus Gewichtsgründen derzeit nicht realisierbar – die neuen Frond-Ends bringen zusammen 1,5 t zusätzliches Gewicht. Weitere Fahrzeuge sind ein ÖBB-Reisezugwagen für das neue Produkt „Railjet“ sowie die Metro für Oslo.

In der Halle liegt der Schwerpunkt auf der Sicherungstechnik und Automatisierung. So hat die neue ESTW-Technik Simis D jetzt Serienreife erhalten. In Deutschland ist bereits die Strecke Flöha – Annaberg-Buchholz damit ausgerüstet, weitere geplante Vorhaben sind das Harz-Weser-Netz (Göttingen), das Münsterlandnetz (Coesfeld), der Bahnhof Springe und der neue Schlüchterner Tunnel. Zuvor kam die neue Technik bereits in verschiedenen Ländern wie Polen, Rumänien, Schweiz und China zum Einsatz. Bei Simis D konnte der Verkabelungsaufwand deutlich reduziert werden, da nicht mehr für jede Einzelfunktion ein separates Kabel verlegt werden muss. Zwischen dem Stellwerk und den Signalen liegt nur noch ein ISDN-Buskabel, ein Interface an den Signalen schlüsselt die übertragenen Daten auf. Auch ist die Überwachung von LED-Signalen integriert worden. Weiter kann Simis D für ETCS Level 1 die Balisen direkt ansteuern. Eine Aufrüstung zum Level 2 ist ebenso möglich. Siemens gibt gegenüber den Betreibern eine Garantie, dass die Stellwerkstechnik über 50 Jahre den aktuellen Anforderungen angepasst werden kann.

Weiter ausgestelltes Produkt ist das neue Zugbeeinflussungssystem Trainguard MT, das jetzt in Peking umgesetzt wurde. Das Moving-Block-Prinzip in Kombination mit kontinuierlicher, bidirektionaler Kommunikation über ein WLAN ermöglicht Zugfolgezeiten von weniger als 90 Sekunden. Außerdem wird neben dem mobilen Energiespeicher Sitras TCI der stationäre Speicher Sitras SES ausgestellt. Dieser ist auf Olympialinie in Peking im Einsatz.
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/news.php3?id=20412

[rail s]

ČD Cargo und ŽSSK Cargo fusionieren
(24.06.2008)
Güterzug der ZSSK Cargo
Foto: DVZ-Archiv / bdt
Der tschechische Verkehrsminister Aleš Řebíček und sein slowakischer Amtskollege Ľubomír Vážny haben gestern die im Oktober 2007 angekündigte Fusion der tschechisch-slowakischen Schienen- güterverkehrssparte beschlossen. Die staatliche ČD Cargo soll mit der ebenfalls staatlichen slowakischen Güterbahn ŽSSK Cargo zu einem Gemeinschaftsunternehmen fusionieren. Ziel der Fusion beider Unternehmen sei die steigende Wettbewerbsfähigkeit des Gemeinschaftsunternehmens auf dem liberalisierten europäischen Markt sowie die Anhebung des Marktwertes, so der tschechische Verkehrsminister. Das entstehende Gemeinschaftsunternehmen könnte in absehbarer Zeit privatisiert werden.
Mit der Fusion von ČD Cargo und ŽSSK Cargo entsteht ein Gemeinschaftsunternehmen in der Größenordnung der polnischen PKP Cargo, das zweitgrößte Unternehmen auf dem Gebiet des Schienengüterverkehrs in Europa hinter der Deutschen Bahn. Von Seiten der tschechischen Politik wurde der Beschluss der beiden Verkehrsminister begrüßt. Die Reaktion aus Bratislava fiel dagegen verhaltener aus.
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/bild.php?id=2843

Tsjechische en en Slovaakse spoorvrachtoperatoren fuseren
De Tsjechische en Slovaakse ministers van Transport hebben zopas besloten hun nationale spoorvrachtmaatschappijen samen te voegen. Door de fusie tussen het Tsjechische CD Cargo en het Slovaakse ZSSK Cargo, krijgt de Europese spoorvrachtsector er meteen een belangrijke speler bij.
In oktober vorig jaar al kondigde Tsjechisch Transportminister Ales Rebicek de fusieplannen aan, en nu - ruim een half jaar later - is het dus zover, zo vernam het Tsjechische persagentschap CTK.
Zowel CD Cargo als ZSSK Cargo zijn niet van de minste. CD Cargo vervoerde vorig jaar nog meer dan 90 miljoen ton goederen, terwijl zijn Slovaakse sectorgenoot 50 mln t voor zijn rekening nam.
De nieuwe fusiemaatschappij zou volgens schattingen hetzelfde niveau bereiken als dat van het Poolse PKP Cargo, de tweede grootste Europese vrachtoperator na Deutsche Bahn. Wanneer de Tsjechisch-Slovaakse operator operationeel zal zijn, is nog niet bekend.
(Zie De Lloyd van 25/06/08)
Publicatiedatum: 24 juni 2008
bron: http://www.lloyd.be/nieuws/id21609-Tsje ... seren.html

[rail s]

Große Investitionen bei der Russischen Eisenbahn
(25.06.2008)
Russlands Premierminister Wladimir Putin hat ein Eisenbahn-Entwicklungsprogramm bewilligt, das der russischen Bahngesellschaft RZD bis zum Jahr 2030 Investitionen in Höhe rund 380 Mrd. EUR erlaubt. In den nächsten 22 Jahren sollen demnach 20.000 km Bahnstrecken für 150 Mrd. EUR neu entstehen, davon 1500 km für Schnellfahrstrecke. 3000 Lokomotiven, 900.000 Güterwaggons und 29.500 Passagierwaggons stehen auf der Beschaffungsliste. Vor allem die abgelegenen Regionen Altai, Tuwa und Jakutien sollen besser bzw. erstmals ans Bahnnetz angeschlossen werden. Der Staat zeigt sich dem Programm zufolge bereit, ein Viertel der Investitionen zu tragen. 40 Prozent sollen von der RZD selbst, der Rest durch Investoren gestellt werden.
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/news.php3?id=20413[/color]

[rail s]

> Nieuws
MIVB verhoogt zijn prijzen
De Brusselse vervoersmaatschappij MIVB gaat een reeks prijzen vanaf 1 juli verhogen. De tarieven voor kaartjes van een, vijf en tien ritten stijgen respectievelijk van 1,50 naar 1,70 euro, van 6,70 naar 7 euro en van 11 naar 11,50 euro. De prijs van een dagticket stijgt van 4 naar 4,50 euro. (belga/odbs)
24/06/08 09u30
bron: http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/989/Binnen ... jzen.dhtml

[rail s]

Bulgaria commissions strategic transport study
24 Jun 2008
BULGARIA: The Ministry of Transport has appointed consultancy Faber Maunsell to produce a national multi-modal transport masterplan.
Much of Bulgaria's transport infrastructure is in a poor condition as a result of past underinvestment, but accession to the European Union in January 2007 has made significant funds available, with €2bn allocated for 2007-13.
The €2·5m study by Faber Maunsell will run for 12 months. The consultancy will establish a medium and long-term investment programme to support economic development through improved rail, road, water and air transport, focusing on strategic issues to ensure that infrastructure is in place to support domestic and international freight and passenger demand.
The results will form the basis for the preparation of detailed business cases for individual projects.
bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/pl_single ... study.html

[rail s]

STAR is born
24 Jun 2008
SWITZERLAND: Stadler has handed over to Aare Seeland Mobil the first Schmalspur Triebzug für Attraktiven Regionalverkehr, or 'narrow gauge railcar for attractive regional transport'.
ASM placed a SFr18·5m order for three low-floor three-car EMUs in 2005. They will be used on its 1·2 kV DC metre-gauge line from Solothurn to Langenthal and St Urban, and a planned branch to Oensingen. The EMUs have 121 seats, and magnetic track brakes for street running in Solothurn.
CAPTION: Stadler CEO Peter Spuhler (left) formally handed the first STAR to ASM directior Ulrich Sinzig.
bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/p_single/ ... _born.html

[rail s]

DB Schenker übernimmt Industrial Logistics GmbH komplett (25.06.2008)
Die Schenker AG erwirbt von der Siemens AG den Restanteil von 49 Prozent am Gemeinschaftsunternehmen Schenker Industrial Logistics GmbH rückwirkend zum 1. Januar dieses Jahres. Ein ent- sprechender Vertrag ist jetzt unterzeichnet worden. Das Unternehmen wurde 2003 als Joint Venture zwischen der Schenker AG und der Siemens AG gegründet. Die operative Führung liegt bei DB Schenker.
Die Schenker Industrial Logistics GmbH hat sich auf kontraktlogistische Lösungen für Industriekunden im Hightech- und Technologiesektor spezialisiert. Zum Leistungsspektrum gehören individuelle Logistiklösungen für die Bereiche Elektrotechnik, Maschinen- und Anlagenbau, Luft- und Raumfahrtindustrie, Halbleiter- und Elektronikindustrie.
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/news.php3?id=20416

[rail s]

Essential renewals must pave the way for ambitious expansion strategy

25 Jun 2008 | David Brice

GHANA: Two concessions are under negotiation for privately-funded extensions to open up the north of the country, but Ghana Railways Corp is struggling to operate its residual freight and passenger services. Refurbishment of the Accra - Tema line reflects a welcome government commitment to restore the network to good order, reports David Brice.

Last year, the government of Ghana announced ambitious plans to rehabilitate the principal routes in the national rail network and build lengthy extensions to serve the north of the country. Driving these ambitious expansion plans are recent political changes, West African regional transport considerations, and a wish to open up the undeveloped and poverty-stricken hinterland.

Despite the signing of various accords and financing agreements, there seems little evidence of work on the extensions getting underway. Nevertheless, there does appear to be a firm commitment to restore the existing network, with funding going into a number of small projects. Transport Minister Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi pledged that the government would leave 'no stone unturned' in its efforts to revitalise rail services throughout the country.

A recent eight-week strike caused by the non-payment of salaries forced all traffic onto the roads, at considerable cost and substantially increased damage to the road network. Following the strike, President Kufuor announced that the government was allocating US$90m towards railway rehabilitation, including funds from the Canadian International Development Agency. However, a 795 km rail link to provide a connection with Burkina Faso is still seen as a priority (RG 3.08 p123).

Nevertheless, the harsh reality is that Ghana's existing railways are in a very run-down condition, in common with those of many other African countries. Since independence in 1957, the network has suffered badly from a lack of maintenance and investment. It has been allowed to atrophy to the point where 60% of the route length has not seen regular operations for the past decade, and Ghana Railways Corp is struggling to provide any services at all on the remaining lines, despite strong demand from its customers.

Background
For historical reasons, the current rail network only serves the main traffic corridors in the seaboard third of the country, although this is the main area of economic activity.

The first lines were built to support and develop mining interests following the discovery of gold-bearing rocks in the Ashanti region, 200 km inland from the coast. The need to move construction equipment inwards and minerals out led to the construction of an initial 66 km route from Sekondi to Tarkwa in 1898 to 1901. Construction north of Tarkwa proved easier and the following 200 km to the country's second city of Kumasi was completed by 1903. After gold was discovered at Prestea, a 29 km branch from Tarkwa was opened in 1908.

Work began in 1909 on a 304 km line to link the capital Accra with Kumasi, but this was not completed until 1923. Rather than minerals, this line was predicated on the development of cocoa, rubber and timber traffic. Its opening also completed a very circuitous through route between Accra and Sekondi. With the very basic port facilities at Sekondi proving inadequate to handle growing mineral exports, a new deep-water port was opened in 1928 at Takoradi, 6·5 km to the southwest. All railway operations were transferred to the new terminus apart from the extensive workshops which remain near Sekondi.

Subsequent additions included the 157 km Central Provinces line opened in 1923 from Huni Valley to serve further mineral deposits at Kade, and the important 73 km branch from Dunkwa to serve bauxite mines at Awaso, prompted by heavy demand for aluminium to build aircraft during World War II. In 1953 an 82 km link was opened between the Kade branch and the Accra - Kumasi line at Kotoku, shortening the Accra-Takoradi journey by 268 km. The following year saw the completion of a 23 km branch from Achimota Junction, north of Accra, to the port at Tema, which is now becoming increasingly important.

For administrative purposes the railway is divided into three sectors :

Western Line: Takoradi - Kumasi and branches to Awaso and Prestea;
Central Line: Huni Valley - Kotoku and the Kade branch;
Eastern Line: Accra - Kumasi and the branch to Tema.
The railway is built to 1 067 mm gauge, with a maximum axleload of 16 tonnes. The first line between Takoradi and Dunkwa was built very cheaply and is plagued by severe curvature north of Tarkwa, although some consideration has been given to re-alignment to ease operations. All lines are single-track except for a 30 km double-track section between Takoradi and Manso. Semaphore signalling was originally installed, but is now only operational on the double-track section. Solar-powered colour-light signalling, funded by the World Bank, replaced the mechanical equipment on the Western Line, but the cost of spares soon became prohibitive and the system has now been abandoned. Likewise, the single line token apparatus has fallen into disuse, and train operation and crossing arrangements on the rest of the network are controlled using paper tickets.

The safety of train operations is a major concern for GRC, because of the lack of secure signalling, but also the very poor condition of the track and the mineral wagons which convey the bulk of present freight traffic. These vehicles are in continual service, and require a much higher standard of maintenance than they currently receive. Derailments are frequent, caused by bad track or poorly-maintained vacuum brakes and running gear.

Minerals in the west
Freight services on the Western Line are the primary reason for the railway's continued existence, with an average of eight loaded trains a day carrying mineral exports to Takoradi harbour. Of these, two carry bauxite from Awaso (236 km), and six haul manganese ore from Nsuta (60 km). In addition, an occasional freight train operates to move bagged cocoa beans in vans, or timber logs on bolster wagons as required.

Flows of mineral traffic fluctuate because of varying rates of production, and the availability of storage and shipping capacity at Takoradi. Maximum train loads are around 770 tonnes net. Both the bauxite and manganese mining companies are reported to be keen to increase their output but are limited by GRC's restricted capacity in its current run-down condition.

Table I shows the current composition of the main line locomotive fleet. A maximum of 21 locos are needed for daily operations when both mines are working at full output, and the maintenance department sometimes struggles to provide sufficient working locos. Availability of the GM and Henschel fleets averages 78%, but the availability of the Alstom locos is much lower, due to the high cost of obtaining spares.

Use of the Alstom locos, which have a higher axleload, is limited to the manganese trains as the track north of Nsuta is in poor condition. For the same reason the bauxite traffic on the Awaso branch is often tripped in smaller loads as far as Dunkwa, where rakes are coupled to form a longer train for the line-haul down to Takoradi.

Much of the operational freight rolling stock is quite modern, having been purchased second-hand from South Africa (Table III). The bauxite wagons and bogie vans are equipped with self-steering bogies. Both minerals are top-loaded at the mines and discharged by tippler at the port. However, there is a serious shortage of ballast wagons which GRC needs to support its track renewals programme.

Regular passenger service on the Western Line is currently limited to a daily workmen's train with two coaches, on the 10 km section from Kojokrom to Takoradi. Daytime and overnight passenger services between Takoradi and Kumasi have been 'temporarily' suspended due to flooding of the track north of Dunkwa.

Passengers in the east
On the Eastern Line, the primary focus is passenger traffic in and out of the capital. Two pairs of trains each day operate over the 40 km section between Accra and Nsawam. Three locos and two sets of nine or 10 inter-city coaches are allocated to work on the Eastern Line. Trains call at all stations, and a number of halts; these have no passenger facilities but still generate substantial patronage, so the trains are usually well-filled. Fares are extremely low, but revenue protection is strictly enforced.

Using the same rolling stock, GRC operates another pair of trains on the Tema branch as far as Asoprochrona (19 km), and these are due to be extended to Tema shortly.

Although the Tema branch was opened in 1954, services were interrupted in 1995 by construction of a new road under-bridge to improve access to the port: train services have only very recently been restored. The whole branch has however been rehabilitated with track renewal in many places largely financed by OPEC funds. Prior to the interruption of services there was a firm proposal to extend the rail line to Akosombo, the river port at the south end of the great Lake Volta, created by the Akosombo dam built to provide hydro-electric power in 1966.

The navigable waters of this lake extend well into the north of the country. The object of the rail extension was to create a low-cost transport corridor to improve access to the northern provinces. This scheme is again being examined, although the low water levels of the lake may prove a problem.

The passenger fleet includes first and second class sleepers and buffet cars as well as seats cars. Most were built in East Germany in 1987. However, there is currently a shortage of usable vehicles to operate the planned level of service, and a refurbishment programme is underway to improve the position.

GRC also has a pair of four-car diesel multiple-units on order from China Northern, which are now under construction at Tangshan for delivery in January 2009. These are expected to be cheaper to operate on suburban services, and capable of more intensive utilisation than the loco-hauled fleet.

The line between Nsawam and Kumasi has been out of use for 10 years, and no freight services are currently operated anywhere on the Eastern Line.

However, with GRC is keen to tap the current rapid growth of traffic through the port of Tema, as soon as the branch is fully operational again. Plans exist to handle petroleum traffic from the rail-connected Tema refinery to Kumasi, and proposals are being developed to introduce container trains linking Tema with the so-called Inland Dry Port intermodal terminal now under construction at Boankra near Kumasi. If this is successful, container trains could also be introduced between Boankra and Takoradi on the Western Line.

The Central Line is currently only being used for occasional rolling stock transfers between Accra and the workshops at Sekondi.

Building for the future
Following the world trend to rehabilitate moribund railways through private-sector concessions, several attempts have been made in recent years to hand over the Ghana Railways network to a private operator. In the late 1990s Ircon International of India was brought in to assist GRC with a rehabilitation programme funded by the World Bank, with a view to subsequent concessioning. There were several expressions of interest, and in 2004 a consortium led by Spoornet was selected as preferred bidder, although this was not brought to a successful conclusion.

In August 2007 the government announced that a consortium led by Dubai-based Kampac Oil Co with China National Machinery Import & Export Corp had been selected for a US$1·6bn BOT concession to modernise and extend the Western Line, whilst local firm Peatrack was to lead a US$1·4bn concession for the Eastern Line (RG 9.07 p523). German infrastructure specialist Rail.One signed an agreement with Kampac in Berlin in December for the supply of 2 million concrete sleepers for the Western Railway upgrading and expansion project.

In both cases, substantial northern extensions are envisaged. There are four main objectives behind this strategy:

opening up further mineral deposits in central and northern Ghana;
improving transport links to stimulate agricultural development, especially fruit growing;
reducing poverty in the deprived interior regions;
developing flows of transit traffic between the Ghanaian ports and land-locked countries such as Burkino Faso and Mali, thereby increasing Ghana's influence in the region.
Neither of the concessions has yet reached financial close, but the long-term objectives are clear.

Meanwhile, the first priority must be to restore the GRC network to a satisfactory operating condition, and there are clear signs that the government is prepared to provide the necessary support. Both Tema and Takoradi ports are set for significant expansion, and the stable political situation in Ghana has already encouraged development of transit traffic flows to the interior land-locked countries of West Africa. There is a clear window of opportunity here, but it is likely to be lost if GRC is not quickly restored to efficient operation to enable these significant expansion plans to materialise.

David Brice is an independent consultant specialising in railway operating procedures and timetable planning, working on a variety of projects including rehabilitation and expansion schemes in both Central Asia and Africa. He is a former timetabling expert at British Rail.
Information for this article was obtained as part of a study for the French consultancy group Bceom, which the author wishes to acknowledge.

CAPTION: Ghana's railways have suffered from a chronic lack of investment in infrastructure since the country's independence.
CAPTION: Container traffic through Ghana's principal ports at Tema and Takoradi is growing strongly, and the railway hopes to exploit this in future.
CAPTION: A 30 km stretch of double track is operational between the port of Takoradi and Manso, used by freight trains primarily carrying bauxite and maganese for export.
CAPTION: Besides minerals, GRC also carries lower volumes of timber and cocoa traffic.
CAPTION: A refurbishment programme is underway to improve the availability of pasenger rolling stock.
Table I. GRC's main line locomotive fleet
Builder
date
hp
locos

GM/EMD
1996
1 500
14

Henschel
1959
1 425
3

1978
1 650
10

1995
1 650
3

Alstom
1993
2 516
9

Total
39

Table II. Passenger rolling stock
Description Year Number Length m Tare weight tonnes No of seats
2nd class seating
1987
30
18·9
27
93

2nd class seating
1990
29
18·9
27
63

Baggage/brake
1987
30
18·9
29
30

2nd class sleeping
1987
22
18·9
28
28

1st class seating
1987
9
18·9
27
56

1st class sleeping
1987
23
18·9
28
18

Buffet
1987
4
18·9
29
65

Tourist
1987
5
18·9
30
7

All vehicles are vacuum braked

Table III. Freight rolling stock
Type Number Date built Maximum speed km/h Carrying capacitytonnes
Low side
75
1972
65
38

High side
75
1972
65
37

Bogie bolsters
150
1959/77
65
25

Bogie vans
150
1972
65
33

Tank wagons
47
1972
65
33750 litres

Ballast wagons
13
1957
65
36

Flat wagons
40
1951
65
35

SA bogie vans
100
1995
65
36

Well wagons
4
1957
65
50

SA mineral wagons
91
2000
–
43

All vehicles are vacuum braked
bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... ategy.html

[rail s]

Dortmund: aus #railtec wird #rail
(25.06.2008)
2007 noch mit dem bisherigen Logo
Die #railtec wird zur #rail2009. Der neue Name steht für ein Kongress- und Messekonzept, das neue Akzente setzt: Die #rail2009 richtet sich an die Betreiber öffentlicher und privater Güter- und Personenverkehre, ihre Marktpartner aus der Industrie und die relevanten politischen Entscheidungsträger. Sie alle kommen vom 9. bis zum 11. November 2009 in der Messe Westfalenhallen Dortmund zum fachlichen Dialog zusammen. Inhaltlich steht der Betrieb öffentlicher Personen- und Güterverkehre auf Straße und Schiene noch mehr als bisher im Fokus.
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/news.php3?id=20409

[rail s]

Infrastructure market
25 Jun 2008

Bosnia: The OPEC Fund for International Development has signed a US$12m loan agreement with Bhzjk to upgrade the 40 km Sarajevo - Bradina section of the Sarajevo - Ploce line.

China: Following the suspension of work during winter, construction has restarted on a 1·2bn yuan rail-served logistics and distribution centre at Naqu, 300 km north of Lhasa.

Croatia: The Sunja - Novska line has been re-electrified to permit its use as a diversionary route during a major upgrade of the Dugo Selo - Novska section of the Zagreb - Beograd main line planned for later this year. Work to reinstate war-damaged equipment began last December, and it went live on April 17.

Czech Republic: This month SZDC begins electrification of the 13 km line between Zábreh nad Morave and Sumperk. Work will be completed by November 2009 with EU funds meeting two-thirds of the KC1·5bn cost.

Estonia: During May the VR-Rata subsidiary of Finland's national railway began work on a €5m contract to upgrade the 66 km route between Tartu and the Latvian border near Valga.

Europe: On April 21 the Mayor of L'viv and representatives of the cities of Krakow and Wroclaw signed an agreement to construct a standard gauge line from Przemysl in Poland to L'viv. EU funding will be sought for 75% of the projected €400m cost.

France: Shortlisted bidders to install GSM-R on 12 000 route-km of the RFF network are the TDF group of Vinci Energies, Vinci Concessions, SFR and AXA Investment Managers Paris; the Eiffage grouping of Eiffage and France Telecom; a group led by Alcatel-Lucent and including Caisse des Dépots et Consignations and Macquarie Capital; and ETDE, comprising Bouygues Telecom, Sogetrel, SNEF, Barclays European Infrastructure and Dutch Infrastructure Fund.

Germany: Work has begun to replace the 130-year old bridge across the River Danube between Plattling and Deggendorf, for completion by 2010.

Romania: Bilfinger Berger and Franz Kassecker have been awarded a €69m contract by CFR to upgrade 41 bridges on the Câmpina - Predeal section of the line from Bucuresti to Brasov.

South Africa: R&H Railway Consultants is building a 9·4 km electrified rail connection to the Goedgevonden coal mine in Mpumalanga province. Transnet Freight Rail will take over ownership of the line on completion.

Spain: The Ministry of Development has awarded four contracts worth a total of €3·15m to design the alignment of a 53·5 km high speed line from Plasencia de Jalón on the Madrid - Barcelona route to Tudela. It will form part of a high speed freight and passenger corridor between the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

A new alignment 4·3 km in length was brought into use between Ordes and Queixas on the Vigo - A Coruña route in Spain (RG 5.08 p271) on April 22, designed for future electrification and conversion to 1 435 mm gauge. Tenders have been called for the first electrification work on this route, between Padrón and A Coruña.

Switzerland: The SFr1·7bn railway systems contract for the Gotthard base tunnel was signed in Luzern on April 29 by AlpTransit Gotthard and the Trans-tec Gotthard consortium of Atel Installationstechnik, Alcatel-Lucent, Thales Rail Signalling Solutions, Alpine-Bau and Balfour Beatty Rail. Pöyry will provide management support in a €10m contract.

UK: Network Rail has begun consultation for the £40m construction of a 1·6 km north chord at Nuneaton, allowing freight from Felixstowe to join the northbound West Coast Main Line after crossing it on a flyover. Work could start in 2009 for opening in December 2010.

Passenger trains to Alloa and coal trains for Longannet power station began using the reopened 21 km Stirling - ?Alloa - Kincardine line in central Scotland from May 19. Reopening allows coal trains to be routed away from the Forth Bridge.

USA: The state of Pennsylvania is providing five grants totalling $5m to support rail freight infrastructure, including $0·5m for bridge repairs enabling steel traffic to switch from road to the Luzerne & Susquehanna Railroad.

New Jersey Transit has awarded George Harms Construction a $58·4m contract for a 1·6 km extension of the Hudson-Bergen light rail line from 22nd Street to 8th Street.

The Surface Transportation Board has begun consultation on the 483 km Caliente Line, which is proposed to link Union Pacific tracks at Caliente to a planned high-level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain.

The Port of Seattle has paid $107m to acquire a 67 km BNSF route between Renton and Snohomish in Washington state, protecting the corridor for future freight and commuter use.
bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... arket.html
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Rolling stock market
25 Jun 2008

Bangladesh: Trelleborg Industrial has won a third contract to supply rubber-metal suspension components for the refurbishment of 20-year old wagon bogies.

Brazil: Timken has been awarded a long-term contract to provide an on-site bearing reconditioning service for América Latina Logística at its Sorocaba works.

Canada: Agricultural products firm Viterra has acquired a 1 400 hp National Railway Equipment Co NViroMotive genset locomotive for shunting at its Pacific grain terminal in Vancouver.

China: On April 7 China Northern was awarded a contract to supply 720 type C80B(H) stainless steel coal wagons with 25 tonne axleloads for the Datong - Qinhuangdao line.

Europe: With effect from April 28, PKP Cargo EU43 Traxx locos began operating through freight trains between Poznan and Seddin yard in Brandenburg. Removing loco changes halves the border transit time to 1 h. Crew changes will be eliminated on the route from 2009.

Germany: DB has awarded Alstom a €14m contract to install Atlas <acronym title="European Train Control System"> ETCS</acronym> equipment on 10 ICE3 high speed trainsets for use in Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. It will initially run alongside the trains' nine existing onboard systems before replacing them.

Hungary: MÁV Trakció has signed a five-year deal to provide traction for freight trains run by private operator Central European Railway.

Japan: To test the movement of lorry trailers by rail, Shiga Transport Co has purchased a demonstration set of RoadRailer intermodal equipment from US firm Wabash National Corp.

Lithuania: LG has awarded Czech firm CZ Loko a €6·5m contract to rebuild a further nine CME3 Co-Co locos, with new bodies and Caterpillar 3512B DI-TA engines. A €3·7m contract covering five locos was completed in April. ?Final assembly is in Vilnius under CZ Loko supervision.

Luxembourg: ArcelorMittal has awarded TransWagon of Bulgaria a contract to supply 540 flat wagons.

Mauritania: Eight 1 200 hp EMD GPL15T locos have been imported by mining firm SNIM for use on its 717 km line between iron ore mines at Zouérate and the port of Nouadhibou. Customisation for desert conditions includes air-operated ploughs to clear sand from the rails.

Spain: CAF is undertaking a programme of reliability improvements to <acronym title="Red Nacional de los Ferrocarriles Espanoles">RENFE</acronym>'s Class 594 DMU fleet, including improved engine cooling and the installation of new compressors. Interiors are being refurbished at the same time.

Sweden: Hector Rail has bought a ninth Class 1142 electric locomotive from Austrian Federal Railways. It will be leased to infrastructure manager Banverket for testing <acronym title="European Train Control System">ETCS</acronym> Level 2 on the 190 km Botniabanan, without first being equipped with Swedish signalling equipment.

UK: Bombardier Electrostar EMUs operated by Southern began using regenerative braking on the Brighton - Seaford route on May 9. The London - Brighton line will be next, and Southern and its sister Govia franchise Southeastern plan to roll out regenerative braking across their 750 V DC third-rail networks over the coming months.

USA: Hyundai Rotem's US subsidiary is to supply Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority with 75 double-deck commuter coaches in 2010-12 under a $190·2m contract.

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bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... ket-1.html
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Contracts June 2008
25 Jun 2008

Australia: Victoria's Department of Infrastructure has awarded Funkwerk IT York a £2·3m contract to develop timing and fleet management modules for a timetable planning and platform allocation system which will be used by V/Line and Connex.

Malaysia: The government has decided not to support an 8bn ringgit proposal by YTL Corp for a standard gauge high speed line between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. A part-owner of the Kuala Lumpur airport rail link, YTL aimed to raise funding from the private sector if the government assisted with land acquisition.

South Africa: Transnet Freight Rail has selected Israeli firm NICE Systems to provide IP-based video security links enabling three control centres to monitor 670 sites.

Spain: The Tracción Rail subsidiary of construction company Azvi has become the fourth open-access operator on the national network with a trial flow of palm oil from Huelva to Valdetorres near Mérida on the Madrid - Badajoz route. Trains run three days a week, carrying biodiesel on the return working.

UK: The Scottish government has ?exercised an option to extend FirstGroup's ScotRail franchise by three years. It now runs to November 2014 with amended revenue sharing arrangements.

USA: This month Genesee & Wyoming expects to complete its $78m acquisition of CAGY Industries, parent company of the Columbus & Greenville, Chattooga & Chickamauga and Luxapalila Valley shortlines.

Amtrak has selected Arinc to supply a centralised electrification and traffic control system for the Northeast Corridor.
bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... _2008.html

[rail s]

Siemens Desiro ML: Vom Außenseiter zum Markterfolg
(25.06.2008)
Desiro ML 460 002 für trans regio auf dem Testring Wegberg
Foto: C. Müller
Auf der InnoTrans im September ist auf dem Stand von Siemens erstmals auch der neue elektrischen Regionaltriebzug Desiro ML zu betrachten. Mit diesem Zug ist Siemens mit einem aktuellen Produkt in diesem wichtigen Marktsegment vertreten. Aber anders als die bisherigen Mitbewerber hat sich der Konzern für ein Triebwagenkonzept und nicht für einen Gliedertriebzug entschieden – ähnlich wie der Protos von der inzwischen insolventen Fahrzeugtechnik Dessau. Anlass für die Neuentwicklung war, dass der Desiro Classic nur sehr aufwändig an die TSI Crash anzupassen ist.
Der Desiro ML kann zwei bis mehrteilig ausgeführt werden mit unterschiedlichen Höhen des Fußbodens im Einstiegsraum (600, 800 oder 1000 mm). Angetrieben werden kann der Triebwagen rein elektrisch oder dieselelektrisch. Das neue Fahrzeug erfüllt auch die TSI Crash. Vorteil des Konzeptes aus Einzelwagen ist laut Hersteller die einfache kostengünstige Unterhaltung der konventionellen Drehgestelle, die geringere Achslast sowie die Möglichkeit, leicht die Kapazität der Zugeinheit zu verändern. Weiter kann im Produktionsprozess die Wagenkastenlänge leicht den Kundenwünschen angepasst werden, ohne dass es zu Gewichtsproblemen kommt. Dies führt zu extrem günstigen Kosten pro Sitzplatz. Auffällig ist das geringe Geräuschniveau insbesondere der Elektronik.
Erstkunde mit 17 dreiteiligen Einheiten ist Angel Trains für den Betreiber trans regio, der sie unter dem Label „Mittelrheinbahn“ linksrheinisch zwischen Köln, Koblenz und Mainz ab Dezember 2008 einsetzen wird. Im Mai 2008 erfolgte dann die Großbestellung der SNCB über 305 Dreiteiler. Bei diesen Fahrzeugen wurde die Wagenkastenlänge gegenüber den deutschen Fahrzeugen vergrößert, mit einer Gesamtlänge von rund 80 m statt 70 m. In der Ausführung für Angel Trains/trans regio liegt der Beschaffungspreis bei rund 4,3 Mio. EUR pro Fahrzeug.
bron: http://www.eurailpress.com/news/news.php3?id=20414

[rail s]

Czechs and Slovaks plan freight merger
ZSSK Cargo was created in 2005, and CD's freight division was spun off as CD Cargo in 2007.
25 Jun 2008
EUROPE: Czech Minister of Transport Aleš Rebícek and his Slovak counterpart Ľubomír Vážny reached an agreement to plan the merger of national freight operators CD Cargo and ZSSK Cargo on June 23.
The ministers agreed to draw up detailed plans and a timetable for the merger, setting out the steps needed and looking at future developments.
The Czech Ministry of Transport said the aim is to strengthen the rail operators in the face of ongoing European consolidation; the merger would create the third largest rail freight operator in Europe, after DB and Poland's PKP.
Freight traffic:
Year CD Cargo ZSSK Cargo
million tonnes million tonne-km million tonnes million tonne-km
2006 89 16 396 50 9 703
2007 91 16 961 49 9 331
bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... erger.html

[rail s]

Ulrich Gygi named President of SBB
25 Jun 2008
SWITZERLAND: On June 25 the Swiss Federal Council approved the appointment of Dr Ulrich Gygi as Chairman of Swiss Federal Railways. He will succeed Thierry Lalive d'Epinay, who is stepping down after 10 years in the position.
Aged 61, Gygi has been Chief Executive of Swiss Post since 2000. Before that he spent 14 years a s a Vice-Director and Director at the Federal Finance Administration.
bron: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view ... f_sbb.html