Dear Readers
Welcome back to RailNews! You will be pleased to know that we will be producing fortnightly issues for the foreseeable future.
Rail Personnel sends very best wishes to all of our colleagues who have been impacted, directly or indirectly, by the Coronavirus pandemic. With some countries starting to lift restrictions we hope the rail industry will now begin to get back to a semblance of normality (see separate stories below).
We have 3x exciting Jobs of the Week this week. In Bangladesh, our client is bidding for the Dhaka Metro Line 5 Detailed Design and they are looking for an experienced Tunnel Design Lead Expert and a Geologist to work on this project. In Taiwan, our client is looking for an Instrumentation / Control Engineer to work in Changhua.
Regards
Ceri Taylor
Editor
This Week’s Headlines
8 May 2020. India. Sleeping migrant workers crushed by train
Indian officials have ordered an investigation after 16 people were run over by a freight train in the state of Maharashtra..
Source: BBC
7 May 2020. UK. Rail services set to increase this month
Rail services are set to increase later this month as part of the gradual easing of lockdown measures during the coronavirus pandemic.
Source: The Independent
7 May 2020. Spain. Transport safety measures introduced as lockdown eases
From 4 May passengers using any form of public transport will be required to wear face masks covering the nose and mouth.
Source: Railway Gazette
7 May 2020. India. Bombardier to supply trains for the Delhi–Meerut RRTS
Bombardier Transportation has received a Letter of Award from the National Capital Region Transport Corporation to build and deliver regional commuter and intracity trains with maintenance services for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut semi-high-speed rail corridor
Source: Bombardier Transportation
7 May 2020. Australia. ACCC trains case derailed
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) attempt to overturn Pacific National’s bid to buy a key Brisbane freight terminal has been quashed by the Federal Court.
Source: News.com
Jobs of the Week:
Instrumentation/Control Engineer Changhua, Job 12970
Job ID#: 12970
Discipline: Electrical
Job Description
Our client is seeking an Instrumentation and Control Engineer to be based in Changhua, Taiwan. This position is open to local candidates only.
Scope of works include:
Engineering design of Instrument and Control System
- FMCS/SCADA System
- DCS / PLC / DDC
- Instrumentation
Developing and Implementations System, Specification, Drawings, BOQ, etc.
- System Diagram
- Networking
- Specification
- P & ID(ISA)
- I/O List
- Instrument List
- Instrument Layout
- Control Logic and Wiring Diagram
- Hook-up Details
- Others(IT/Telecomm
Site Operation / Start-up Commissioning, etc.
Job Requirements
- 5-8 years’ work experience
- electrical background
Contact: Patricia Hsiao (patricia@railpersonnel.com)
Tunnel Design Lead Expert Dhaka, Bangladesh
Job ID#: 12984
Discipline: Tunnelling
Position Type: Contract
Job Description
Our client is bidding for the Dhaka Metro Line 5 Detailed Design and they are looking for an experienced Tunnel Design Engineer to assist and support activities on this project.
This tender will close early June (has been extended twice) and work is supposed to commence late 2020. This is a contract position of 22-24 months.
Job Requirements
* Relevant experience in tunnelling design as gained while working on rail projects.
Contact: David Hyland (davidh@railpersonnel.com)
Job ID#: 12988
Discipline: Geology
Position Type: Contract
Job Description
Our client is bidding for the Dhaka Metro Line 5 Detailed Design in Bangladesh and they are seeking an experienced Geologist to assist and support activities on this project.
This tender will close in early June (has been extended twice) and work is supposed to commence late 2020. This is a contract position of 22-24 months.
Job Requirements
* Relevant experience working as a Geologist for railway projects.
Contact: David Hyland (davidh@railpersonnel.com)
Rail News
8 May 2020. India. Sleeping migrant workers crushed by train
Indian officials have ordered an investigation after 16 people were run over by a freight train in the state of Maharashtra. The dead were migrant workers who had fallen asleep on the tracks, while attempting to walk to a station, from where they were hoping to get a train home. India has organised special trains to take migrants to their home villages. Railway officials say the workers walked on the road towards Aurangabad, and later on railway tracks leading to Aurangabad. After walking for 22 miles (36km), they were exhausted and decided to rest. According to local reports, the workers assumed that trains would not be running because of the lockdown, and therefore slept on the tracks.
Source: BBC
7 May 2020. UK. Rail services set to increase this month
Rail services are set to increase later this month as part of the gradual easing of lockdown measures during the coronavirus pandemic. It is understood there will be an incremental increase from 18 May, with rail unions involved in talks with the Department for Transport (DfT) about the safest way to get more trains are running. Some parts of the country could see weekday services resume to 70 per cent of their normal timetable, similar to a typical Saturday, according to reports. Union leaders stressed they wanted ensure members’ safety was protected, with one saying lifting the lockdown was still “fraught” with risks to public health. However, they also expressed desire to help the country begin to get back to normal as some restrictions are lifted in the weeks ahead. The three main rail unions, Aslef, RMT and TSSA, sent Prime Minister Boris Johnson a joint letter at the end of last week warning him increasing services would send out a “mixed message” encouraging people to travel by train.
Source: The Independent
7 May 2020. Spain. Transport safety measures introduced as lockdown eases
From 4 May passengers using any form of public transport will be required to wear face masks covering the nose and mouth. Workers involved in providing these services are also obliged to wear masks, and must have access to disinfectants. On forms of public transport where passengers are obliged to remain seated, the row of seats immediately behind the driver must not be occupied, and occupancy of the remainder of the seating must not exceed 50%. On vehicles where standees are permitted, only 50% of seating capacity can be used, and the density of standees must not exceed 2/m2. The movement of passengers at major interchanges is being reconfigured so as to avoid conflicting flows and reduce the risk of Covid-19 infection, and attempts are being made to phase the opening hours of businesses to avoid commuting peaks.
Source: Railway Gazette
7 May 2020. India. Bombardier to supply trains for the Delhi–Meerut RRTS
Bombardier Transportation has received a Letter of Award from India’s National Capital Region Transport Corporation to build and deliver regional commuter and intracity transit trains with comprehensive maintenance services for the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut semi-high-speed rail corridor under Phase 1 of the Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS). The project scope involves supplying 30 regional commuter trainsets of six cars each and 10 intracity mass transit trainsets of three cars each, together with 15 years of rolling stock maintenance. The Letter of Award is valued at approximately INR2577 crore (US$340m) and the customer has a provision to exercise an option of additional 90 cars and two years of maintenance. With an expected ridership of 800,000 a day, India’s first semi-high-speed rail corridor will connect Delhi, Ghaziabad and Meerut with a new 82km line. Travel time be reduced by 75 per cent enabling passengers from Delhi to reach Meerut in less than 60 minutes. Bombardier's Savli site near Vadodara will manufacture the new RRTS trains
Source: Bombardier Transportation
7 May 2020. Australia. ACCC trains case derailed
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) attempt to overturn Pacific National’s A$200m bid to buy a key Brisbane freight terminal has been quashed by the Federal Court. The ACCC had argued the Federal Court erred in green lighting the deal, after Pacific National offered an undertaking to prevent it discriminating against other rail operators accessing the Queensland rail terminal. But the court dismissed the ACCC's appeal against the acquisition on the grounds it would still substantially lessen competition. Pacific National welcomed the final decision allowing the deal to go ahead. "Pacific National ... is looking forward to adding the Acacia Ridge Terminal to its nationwide network of efficient rail freight depots, terminals and hubs," the company said.
Source: News.com
6 May 2020. USA. FRA to fund three rail projects in eight states
The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has announced grant funding worth more than US$22m to three projects in eight states. The financing will be provided via the Restoration and Enhancement Grants Program of the FRA that aims to initiate, restore, or enhance intercity passenger rail service in the US.FRA provided funding worth US$4.395m to the Connecticut Department of Transportation for the CTrail-Hartford Line Rail Enhancement Project, and the Southern Rail Commission received US$5.45m to restore the Intercity Passenger Rail Service along the US Gulf Coast. Additionally, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation received US$12.56m for the Twin Cities-Milwaukee-Chicago Intercity Passenger Rail Service Project. In March, the US allocated US$248.5m to fund several state and local railroad infrastructure projects.
Source: Railway Technology
6 May 2020. UK. Grand Central consults passengers as plans to return gather steam
York-based train company Grand Central has launched an open-ended survey to gauge public attitudes to rail travel under Covid-19. Grand Central will use findings from the survey as it looks to shape a return to services following an initial two-month ‘hibernation’ period which the company's bosses will review during May. Grand Central commercial and customer policy director, Louise Blyth, said the survey will seek opinions from existing customers through email but will also roll out across Grand Central’s social media platforms. Mrs Blyth said the short questionnaire will seek attitudes on a number of post-lockdown issues such as social distancing on trains and reasons for travel, amongst other questions. With the survey intended to be a rolling project, people will be able to change their answers over time.
Source: York Press
6 May 2020. Singapore. Alstom signs agreement for driverless train control system
Alstom and SMRT Trains, with support from the Land Transport Authority (LTA), have signed an agreement that will ensure the continued reliability and availability of the driverless train control system installed by Alstom on the larger Circle Line (CCL) network. This long-term services support (LTSS) agreement is the first of its kind for a Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line, with a contract length of 16 years which also includes performance guarantees for the entire contracted term. The programme will see Alstom provide spare parts, repairs, obsolescence management and technical support for the CCL system until the year 2035. During this period, a local team of Alstom experts will work closely alongside SMRT Trains’ CCL team to maintain the availability and security of the train control system. Such localisation of dedicated on-site resources, including the adoption of advanced diagnostic tools, offers operational flexibility and efficiency to ensure safe and reliable service for CCL commuters.
Source: Alstom
5 May 2020. Finland. VR wins the first Helsinki commuter train traffic tender
VR Group Ltd has won the tender for Helsinki Region Transport’s (HSL) commuter train traffic and will continue to operate HSL commuter train traffic until 2031. The contract period is 10 years and the tendered traffic begins in June 2021. The announcement follows the first open tender for the operation of the services, which are currently provided by VR under a directly awarded contract. The contract includes HSL commuter traffic operation and rolling stock maintenance and includes a three-year option. The contract of the commuter train traffic covers HSL's entire traffic on the Ring Rail Line, on the Coastal Railway from Helsinki to Siuntio and on the main line all the way to Kerava. This means more than seven million train traffic kilometres and more than 70 million journeys a year.
Source: VR Group
5 May 2020. UK. CAF agrees Translink maintenance contract extension
CAF has concluded an agreement to extend the maintenance contract that the company has been performing on the Class 3000 diesel train fleet for Northern Ireland's public rail operator, Translink, for the past few years. This new contract came into effect this April, amounting to over €60m. CAF Rail UK, a subsidiary of the CAF Group will continue rendering this service for a term of 15 years. The maintenance works will take place at workshops in Belfast City (York Road and Adelaide), which Translink owns. The DMUs that fall under this contract serve the whole of the Northern Irish rail network. The main services connect Belfast to other cities such as Derry/Londonderry, Portadown and Bangor. The Class 3000 trains are fitted with the Continuous Automatic Warning System (CAWS) which is used in the Republic of Ireland. Using this system means that the trains can be used for special cross-border support routes.
Source: Marketscreener.com
5 May 2020. China. CR posts revenue loss as a result of coronavirus pandemic
China National Railway (CR) made a loss of Yuan 611.8bn ($US 86.6bn) in the first quarter of 2020 due to a huge drop in passenger traffic as a result of the coronavirus The loss for the first quarter of 2020 compares with a loss of just Yuan 2.2bn for the same period in 2019 and reflects a 28.1% drop in revenue to Yuan 1883bn. Passenger ticket revenue fell by 51.1% to Yuan 45.3bn, reflecting a 54.8% drop in passenger traffic to 378 million journeys. Revenue from other activities such as hotels, tourism and catering fell by 32.3% to Yuan 46.4bn. Conversely, CR achieved a 3.1% increase in freight traffic during the first quarter and carried 8.24 million tonnes of freight. CR saw a surge in passenger traffic during the spring festival holiday period at the beginning of May. CR operated 7394 passenger trains on May 1 and carried 7.37 million passengers, which it says is a new one-day record.
Source: International Railway Journal
5 May 2020. Australia. Port of Melbourne rail transformation project set to proceed
Following the successful completion of all preconditions, the Port of Melbourne’s Port Rail Transformation Project (PRTP) is now set to go ahead. The A$12 m initiative will involve significant rail infrastructure works and a new rail operating framework inside the port that will provide an alternative to moving containers by trucks. The project is being funded through an increase in the tariff of $9.75 per TEU1 on full import containers, to take effect 1 June 2020. The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) CEO, Caroline Wilkie, said, “The project will enhance the more efficient movement of freight out of Australia’s largest container port and contribute to a more productive supply chain for decades to come. After a strong Expressions of Interest process, Port of Melbourne will execute a Request for Proposal for the infrastructure works with new infrastructure construction expected to commence before the end of 2020.
Source: Infrastructure
4 May 2020. India. Passenger rail suspended until 17 May
The Indian Ministry of Railways has suspended passenger railway operations until 17 May due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. However, it will run special trains for migrants and others stranded across the country due to the ongoing lockdown. Trains will be operated as required by the governments of the different states and as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. This suspension, however, does not include cargo trains to ensure that necessary supplies reach different parts of the country. Passenger railway operations in India have been suspended since 22 March.
Source: Railway Technology
30 Apr 2020. Italy. Bombardier signs logistics services contract with Trenitalia
Bombardier Transportation and Trenitalia have signed a new contract for integrated logistics services to support the fleet of ETR500 very high-speed trains. The base order is for six years and there is also an option for a further six years. The ETR500 trains are very high-speed electric multiple units and the fleet of 58 trains were manufactured by a consortium of Bombardier, Alstom and AnsaldoBreda. The trains have been in service in Italy since the mid-1990’s and they have been operating under Trenitalia’s Frecciarossa (red arrow) brand since 2008. With this new contract, Bombardier will provide around 120 different components to Trenitalia within a 48-hour delivery time, including new, repaired and overhauled items. The contract includes critical components such as traction cooling equipment and transformers.
Source: Bombardier Transportation
28 Apr 2020. UK. 20% drop in public transport use predicted post-pandemic
City transport authorities and operators could face a fall in public transport use even after COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted, suggests a survey. The survey conducted by Systra found that 20% of respondents predict making fewer trips by public transport after travel restrictions are lifted rising to 27% for those who use rail to commute. Passengers said that they will avoid journeys unless health concerns are taken seriously, with commuters ready to change their working travel habits. Two-thirds of respondents said that online meetings would replace some or all of physical meetings. Neill Birch, Director of Public Transport, Systra said: “Our research highlights the need for the public transport sector to think hard and plan ahead to be ready for when travel restrictions are lifted. Public transport operators must reassure nervous passengers by communicating very clearly about their hygiene regimes, driver and passenger responsibilities. A national campaign may well be required.”
Source: TransportXtra
27 Apr 2020. Hungary. Loan deal signed with China for Budapest-Belgrade railway
Hungary and China have signed a loan agreement to finance 85% of the cost of building a long-planned railway between Budapest, Hungary’s capital, and the capital of Serbia, Belgrade. The 20-year, US$1.9bn loan has an annual interest rate of 2.5% and an early repayment option. There is also a five-year grace period on the repayment of the principal. Hungary is to provide the remaining 15% of the cost. The 150-km Hungarian stretch will be built by a 50:50 consortium that includes holding company Opus Global – controlled by Lorinc Meszaros, an associate of Prime Minister Viktor Orban – and the Chinese state railway company, China Railway Group, through its China Tiejiuju Engineering and China Railway Electrification Engineering subsidiaries. Construction in Serbia was launched in 2017 after the country borrowed almost US$300m from China, and work is expected to be complete in 2022.
Source: Global Construction Review
