Dear Readers
I’ve recently had the time to do quite a bit of reading and have just re-read an excellent book which I reviewed way back in 2003 when the world was a rather different place.
Penned by popular British author, Ian Marchant, Parallel Lines: Or Journey on the Railway of Dreams tells the story of two railways - the "real" railway, where the service is appalling, and the trains are always late and the railway of our dreams - evocative of the halcyon days of rail travel. Armed with a copy of the 1862 Railway Traveller's Handbook he goes on what he calls an "Aborigine's walkabout" around Britain's railways. The result is a highly amusing book and one definitely worthwhile putting on your reading list.
It is still available to purchase online from Amazon: -
https://www.amazon.com.au/Parallel-Lines-Ian-Marchant/dp/0747565848
This week's Jobs of the Week are in Thailand, Vietnam and India. In Thailand, we are looking for a Thai National with Civil Works experience. In Vietnam, we're looking for a Telecommunication F-SCADA Manager. And in India, we're looking for a Steel Fabrication Expert and a Deputy Team Leader Signalling.
Regards
Ceri Taylor
Editor
This Week’s Headlines
20 Jul 2020. Australia. Funding boost to improve freight and passenger rail
Regional Victoria can look forward to better freight and passenger rail services thanks to a A$126m rail investment from the Victorian Government.
Source: Ministerial Press Release
18 Jul 2020. Egypt. New Russian trains delivered
The Egyptian Railway Authority (ERA) has taken delivery of three new Russian trains which will join the existing fleet servicing the governorates of Cairo, Alexandria, Assuit and Luxor.
Source: Arab News
17 Jul 2020. India. Nine companies shortlisted for stations redevelopment
Indian Railways has announced that it has shortlisted nine companies for the redevelopment of four railway stations
Source: Railway Technology
16 Jul 2020. USA. Talgo V1 trains withdrawn from Amtrak Cascades service
Washington State Department of Transportation has withdrawn its 1998-built Talgo VI trainsets used to operate the Amtrak Cascades services between Eugene, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, ahead of the procurement of replacement rolling stock
Source: Railway Gazette
16 Jul 2020. UK. Siemens Mobility wins Edinburgh tram extension contract
Siemens Mobility is to supply ‘a broad range’ of intelligent infrastructure solutions for the City of Edinburgh Council’s Trams to Newhaven project
Source: Transport Network
Jobs of the Week
Civil Works Specialist Bangkok, Thailand
Job ID#: 13054
Discipline: Civil
Language: English, Thai
Job Description
Our client is looking for a very experienced local civil project manager who has a lot of construction planning, government liaison, programme control and site supervision experience in railway projects tp work for them in Bangkok.
Job Requirements:
Experienced local civil project manager who has a lot of construction planning, government liaison, programme control and site supervision experience in railway projects
MUST BE THAI NATIONAL
Contact: davidh@railpersonnel.com
Telecommunication F-SCADA Manager Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Job ID#: 13019
Discipline: Telecommunications
Position Type: Contract
Language: English
Job Description
Our client is seeking a Telecommunication cum F-SCADA Manager to cover all aspects of Telecommunications implementation from inception design through to detailed design, C&I design, procurement, installation and Test and Commissioning to form part of the overall Project Engineering Organization.
Project Scope: Design & Construction Project for all E&M System (Rolling Stock, Signaling, Telecommunication, Power Supply, OCS, Track work, PSD, AFC, Depot & Workshop Equipment, F-SCADA, Signage & Graphics) for New MRT Line-1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The Telecommunications Manager will have overall responsibility for all aspects of the delivery of the Telecommunications Systems including:
o Design
o Procurement
o Installation supported by the C&I organization
o Test and Commissioning supported by the Test & Commissioning Organization
o External Interfaces with Client, Civil Contractors and Sub Contractors
o Internal Interfaces with adjacent Sub Systems, Functional Organizations and associated project support organizations
o Delivery of Employer requirements and Verification
o Delivery to the Project Schedule
o Project Reporting as required by the Project Manager.
The candidate will report to the Project Manager.
Job Requirements
1) Years of Experience:
a) Total Year of Experience in railway projects: 10 years minimum
b) Experience as Telecommunications Manager for E&M systems in Railway Projects: 10 years minimum
2) Certificate of Graduation (Engineering majors) minimum
3) Fluent in English
4) Solid knowledge & experience in Engineering Design, Management and Project Life Cycle for overall E&M Systems of railways
5) Familiarity with site installation activities
6) Experienced in managing a Telecommunication Design Team and Site Installation Team in a railway environment
7) Experienced in managing all aspects of project delivery and with a good understanding of commercial impacts and management of change.
8) Technical background in Electrical Engineering, Operating Control Systems, Network System Configuration and Programmable Logic Controller
Contact: jackie@railpersonnel.com
Steel Fabrication/Quality/Fabrication Expat/Welding Expat/Bridges New Delhi, India
Job ID#: 13046
Discipline: Civil
Position Type: Permanent
Language: English
Job Description
This is an esteemed company who is bidding for a high Speed Project Between Mumbai- Ahmedabad
Location: Mumbai and Vadodara
No of Openings : 04
Job Requirements
Position offered : International expert for welding & quality management
Experience : 20 years in Steel Fabrication (Preferably Steel Bridge Fabrication)
Education : Preferably Engineering Graduate, Post Graduate / Graduate in Welding Technology will be an added advantage.
Job Description
International Experts for Welding and Quality Management.
International Experts for Welding and Quality Management, on fulltime basis, in order to ensure technical accuracy, sound technical practice and compliance to the Quality Management System approved by the Engineer in order to achieve International Quality in the fabrication of steel truss members.
Qualification of the International Experts shall be in accordance with following:
1. Shall have a minimum experience of 20 years as supervisor or quality assurance engineer or quality control engineer in the field of fabrication. The experience is inclusive of at least 5 years of experience in International High-Speed Rail projects/ Japanese High-Speed Rail Projects as team lead for fabrication of steel truss/plate girder superstructures for High Speed Railway bridges.
2. Preferably, shall have sound knowledge of Japanese Codes as well as International Codes and Standards on fabrication of steel structures such as Japan Welding Engineering Society Standard, Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS) & weld inspection requirements, AWS D1.1.
3. Shall be a certified International Welding Engineer (IWE) or International Welding
Technologist (IWT) person, with sufficient knowledge on quality systems for fabrication of welded structures.
Desired Candidate Profile
* Have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Working knowledge of English
* Education & Dissemination of information on Quality system management, SPC & SQC.
* Computer proficiency in MS Office (Excel & PPT), managing internet, Preparing PowerPoint presentations, E-mails and Employee Communication.
* Willingness to stay in Campus near the workshop facility.
* Provide necessary support in automation and integration and suggest process improvements for better service delivery.
Contact: varun@railpersonnel.com
Job ID#: 12962
Discipline: Signalling
Position Type: Contract
Language: English
Job Description
We have vacancy for the position of DEPUTY TEAM LEADER - S&T for our EDFC Project APL-3 at Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Project Details Project: Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor Project 3,A project of Indian Railway funded by World Bank
Brief Detail: Project Management Consulting services for construction of Single line Electrified (2X25 KV) Railway Track complete with Signaling & Telecommunication system and related infrastructure for Khurja-Pilkhani, section (Approx. 222 Route Kms) of Eastern Dedicated Freight corridor Project-3.
Project Duration: 68 man months
Place: Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
Estimated Man Months-58 or might be extended
JOB DESCRIPTION:DY. TEAM LEADER-S&T
Overall In-charge for Signalling and Telecommunications
Review Contract Documents
Participate in Pre-Construction Conference
Assist Team Leader in Administration of Contract
Overall Review of Preliminary Design and Drawings and Definitive / Detailed Design and Drawings
Supervision of Works / Inspection of Works
Quality Control and Quality Assurance
Measurement of Works
Supervision of Integrated Testing and Commissioning and TrialRun for 100Kmph Speed
Job Requirements:
Academic Qualification B Tech Electrical/ Electronics, preferably M Tech/MBA
General Work Experience More than 18-20 Yrs.
Experience in Railway/ Transportation / Infra structure projects More than 7 Yrs.
Experience in Similar Position More than 5 Yrs.
International Experience in Railway & Metro Railway Projects with modern technology More than 5 Yrs. and 2 Projects
Contact: varun@railpersonnel.com
Rail News
20 Jul 2020. Australia. Funding boost to improve freight and passenger rail
Regional Victoria can look forward to better freight and passenger rail services thanks to a A$126m rail investment from the Victorian Government, as part of the economic response to the coronavirus crisis. An A$83m freight improvement package will focus on replacing sleepers, repairing ballasts and renewing level crossing equipment along almost 400 kilometres of critical freight-only rail lines. The Government is also investing A$36m to maintain the V/Line Classic Fleet, with works to be done by Bombardier – supporting local jobs in both Bendigo and Melbourne. More than 20 new workers will be hired in V/Line fleet maintenance roles as engineers, repair workers and cleaners. A further A$75mi will be spent improving tracks across the regional passenger network – delivering more reliable services from Deer Park Junction to Ballarat, Ballarat to Ararat, Donnybrook to Seymour, Corio to Waurn Ponds and the Bendigo East Track.
Source: Ministerial Press Release
18 Jul 2020. Egypt. New Russian trains delivered
The Egyptian Railway Authority (ERA) has taken delivery of three new Russian trains which will join the existing Egyptian fleet servicing the governorates of Cairo, Alexandria, Assuit and Luxor. The first batch of 33 railroad cars arrived recently. 22 arrived several days ago and 10 came at the end of last week. A prototype vehicle is being tested without passengers to ensure the safety of the train cars before the start of full commercial operation. The 33 cars form three trains and will continue to operate without passengers until the beginning of August. The new trains will operate on the main lines in lower and upper Egypt and will replace some railroad cars in use. They are scheduled to move to branch lines used to transport passengers between governorates and suburbs. As of next month, Egypt is scheduled to receive 35 new railroad cars a month. The contract states that 1,300 railroad cars will be delivered over a 40-month period. The contract includes the manufacturing of 800 air-conditioned vehicles, 500 of which are third-class. The deal is the largest in the history of the ERA.
Source: Arab News
17 Jul 2020. India. Nine companies shortlisted for stations redevelopment
Indian Railways has announced that it has shortlisted nine companies for the redevelopment of four railway stations. The nine companies include GR Infraprojects, Kalpataru Power Transmission, GMR Business and Consultancy, Cube Construction Engineering, Anchorage Infrastructure Investments Holdings, ISQ Asia Infrastructure Investments, Montecarlo, JKB Infrastructure, and Kalyan Toll Infrastructure are the other shortlisted companies. The Indian Government has planned to redevelop the stations in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, Nagpur in Maharashtra, Amritsar in Punjab, and Sabarmati in Gujarat into commercial hubs. The government has planned to spend around Rs13bn ($173.2m) to redevelop the four stations. The stations are expected to attract large investments after the completion of the project, which is a part of Indian Railways’ plan to attract private investment.
Source: Railway Technology
16 Jul 2020. USA. Talgo V1 trains withdrawn from Amtrak Cascades service
Washington State Department of Transportation has withdrawn its 1998-built Talgo VI trainsets used to operate the Amtrak Cascades services between Eugene, Portland, Seattle and Vancouver, ahead of the procurement of replacement rolling stock. Withdrawal of the Talgo VIs was recommended by the National Transportation Safety Board following the December 2017 Du Pont derailment in which several vehicles were destroyed. The cutting back of services during the coronavirus pandemic enabled the two remaining 12-car trainsets to be taken out of service in June, and these have now been put up for sale. The two Talgo Series 8 trainsets owned by Oregon Department of Transportation, which have improved crashworthiness, will continue to operate in the corridor.
Source: Railway Gazette
16 Jul 2020. UK. Siemens Mobility wins Edinburgh tram extension contract
Siemens Mobility is to supply ‘a broad range’ of intelligent infrastructure solutions for the City of Edinburgh Council’s Trams to Newhaven project. It has been awarded a contract covering electrification, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), telecoms and tram and road traffic signalling. Building on the work it delivered for the first phase of the network, Siemens will be extending the electrification, SCADA, telecoms and signalling systems, as well as installing new and modifying existing traffic signals at 30 road intersections along the route, using extra-low voltage controllers and tram signals. Siemens will be working in partnership with the main contractor, a joint venture between Sacryr, Farrans and Neopul, on the 2.9mile (4.69km) route connecting Leith and Newhaven to the end of the current line at York Place. The new double track line will include eight stops, with two substations providing the traction power for the whole route extension.
Source: Transport Network
16 Jul 2020. Belgium. EU to invest €1.6bn in rail projects
The EU is supporting the economic recovery in all Member States by injecting almost €2.2bn into 140 key transport projects through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The EU will support rail infrastructure projects located on the trans-European transport (TEN-T) core network with a total of €1.6bn (55 projects). This includes the Rail Baltica project, which integrates the Baltic States in the European rail network, as well as the cross-border section of the railway line between Dresden (Germany) and Prague (Czech Republic). Nine projects will contribute to an interoperable railway system in the EU and the seamless operation of trains across the continent through the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS). Upgrading locomotives and railway track to the unified European train control system will boost safety, decrease travel times and optimise track usage. The nine projects will receive over €49.8m.
Source: European Commission
16 Jul 202. Sri Lanka. Colombo light rail project to go-ahead
The Japanese embassy has confirmed that the Japanese-backed light rail project in Colombo is still going ahead and has not been suspended as has been reported locally. The 15·7 km route planned for completion in 2026 would serve 16 stops between Colombo Fort Multimodal Transport Hub and Malabe. It is being financed by Japan’s overseas development agency, JICA, under a March 2019 agreement for a 40-year ¥30·04bn loan with a 12-year grace period. This required the use of Japanese technology, including rolling stock and electromechanical equipment. ‘We acknowledge that the influence of the Covid-19 is inevitable to some extent, but we understand that this project has so far been implemented as planned’, said Hoshiai Chiharu, Head of the Economic & Development Co-operation Section, in a statement.
Source: Metro Report International
15 Jul 2020. Germany. DB selects Siemens Mobility for €1bn train order
Deutsche Bahn (DB) has awarded Siemens Mobility a billion-euro order for 30 new high-speed ICE trains. DB called for tenders at the end of 2019 when the federal government announced it would be reducing the value-added tax on mainline rail tickets as of the beginning of 2020. The trains will initially run on routes between the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and Munich via the high-speed Cologne-Rhine-Main line. The new trains will increase DB’s daily passenger capacity on these mainline routes by 13,000 seats. In addition to the 30 new ICE trains just ordered, there is an option for an additional 60 trains. The new ICE trains will be manufactured at Siemens locations in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Austria. Technically, the train is based on the proven platform of the ICE 3. The new trains will have 440 seats and a top speed of 320 km/h.
Source: Siemens
15 Jul 2020. The Netherlands. Alstom and ProRail to test automatic shunting locos
Alstom has signed an agreement with Dutch infrastructure operator ProRail for the performance of Automatic Train Operation (ATO) tests on shunting locomotives in 2021. The objective is to demonstrate how the use of fully automated trains can optimise rail operation to ensure cost-effective and sustainable mobility in the face of growing demand in shunting operations. Alstom will equip a diesel-hydraulic shunting locomotive owned by Lineaswith automatic control technology, intelligent obstacle detection and environment recognition. Classic tasks, such as starting and stopping, pushing wagons, controlling traction and brakes and the handling of emergencies, will be fully automated, train staff remaining aboard to ensure safety protocol during the tests.
Source: WebWire
15 Jul 2020. RB Rail awards contracts for line evaluation in Estonia and Lithuania
Rail Baltica joint venture (JV) RB Rail has awarded contracts for the evaluation of the Rail Baltica line in Estonia and Lithuania. A consortium of 3ti Progetti Italia from Italy and Yuksel Proje A in Turkey was awarded the contracts. The Estonian contract is worth €1.52m while the Lithuanian contract is worth €686,808.45. The JV is currently searching for an evaluator for Latvia. The contract in Lithuania is valid for 24 months while the Estonian contract is for 27 months. The consortium will evaluate the construction project solutions and provide construction expertise. It will also begin work during the early master design stage until the end of the detailed technical design stage. The services will be done separately for each design priority section and construction object or packs of construction objects.
Source: Railway Technology
15 Jul 2020. China. CRRC completes first train for Harbin metro Line 2
CRRC Nanjing Puzhen has completed the first train for phase 1 of the Harbin metro Line 2. The B2 type aluminium alloy train features a system that integrates facial and behavioural recognition with video and image analysis technology to monitor the driver’s behaviour to improve safety. The trains are also equipped with cold resistance technology, allowing them to continue operating at -30oC during winter, and the lighter overall weight of 9.12 tonnes reduces energy consumption. The 28.7km line, which will connect with Line 1 at Bowugan station and national rail services at Harbin station, will have 19 stations and is expected to open in June 2021.
Source: International Railway Journal
14 Jul 2020. UK. Network Rail launches competition to design new railway stations
Network Rail has launched a competition to redesign its small and medium sized stations. The competition – launched in conjunction with Royal Institute of British Architects Competitions – is open to engineers, architects and designers. It asks all entrants to “reimagine small to medium-sized stations” – which make up 80% of all those on Britain’s railway – so they can better serve the needs of passengers and their local communities. In developing proposals, entrants are encouraged to consider how stations can be sustainable and deliver outstanding value, while considering the impact on the environment to achieve net zero emissions to leave a positive legacy for future generations. Designs should be considered for the adaption of existing stations to better meet passenger requirements, or new-build stations to accommodate the projected increase in demand for rail travel. The brief for this competition has been informed by the findings of the Design Council’s Think Station Report on the design of future local railway stations. The closing date for submission of design proposals is 15 September 2020.
Source: New Civil Engineer
14 Jul 2020. UK. Mace Dragados starts work on HS2 Euston station build
Mace Dragados joint venture has moved onto the HS2 Euston station terminus site to start its £1.3bn main works contract. Steps are now underway to begin construction. New welfare accommodation has been erected and social distancing procedures put in place. Piling work for the basement wall of the station will begin in advance of the large scale excavations and substructure works next year. The progress at Euston will also kick off the search for suppliers for over £400m worth of work over the next two years. During the peak construction period at Euston, around 3,000 people will be working on the construction of the station. HS2 will deliver eleven new 400m long platforms, a new concourse and improved connections to Euston and Euston Square Underground stations.
Source: Construction Enquirer
12 Jul 2020. India. Railways sends its first ever parcel train to Bangladesh
Indian Railways have operated its first-ever special parcel train to Bangladesh, transporting dry chillies from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district to the neighbouring country. Farmers and merchants in and around Guntur area earlier transported dry chillies by road to Bangladesh in small quantities. During the lockdown period when they could not move this essential commodity by road, Railway officials approached the consignors and explained the facilities to transport the produce by rail, the national carrier said. The dry chillies were then moved in bulk to Benapole in Bangladesh by rail through a Special Parcel Express on 10 July.
Source: Live Mint
12 Jul 2020. India. Railways invite private operators to run passenger trains
Indian Railways have invited Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for private operators to run passenger train services. As many as 151 trains will be run by private operators once the selection process is over. The private entities would be selected through a two-stage competitive bidding process comprising of RFQ and Request for Proposal (RFP). The RFQ process will be for pre-qualification and shortlisting of the bidders based on their financial capacity. While this reform will attract private sector investment, Railways have decided not to outsource the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and its hospitals. There was a proposal to set up a Rail Development Authority.
Source: Pragativad News Service
10 Jul 2020. Wales. Work set to begin on South Wales Metro transformation
As part of its three-quarters-of-a-billion-pound investment in Metro, which includes £164m of European Regional Development Funding through the Welsh Government, TfW will begin essential transformational works on railway lines throughout South Wales, starting on 3 August 2020. Earlier this year TfW completed the transfer of rail assets, known locally as the Core Valleys Lines, from Network Rail into its ownership. This innovative and transformative step undertaken by TfW, brought together train operator and railway asset maintainer, creating a joined-up ‘one team’ approach for the Metro. TfW is now starting to build the South Wales Metro which will see major infrastructure works including the electrification of over 170 km of track mostly with overhead lines, station and signalling upgrades and the construction of at least five new stations. The work is expected to take three years.
Source: Wales247.co.uk
10 Jul 2020. Taiwan. Alstom consortium wins Taipei Metro Line 7 extension contract
The Alstom-led consortium with Taiwanese engineering and contracting services company CTCI have been awarded the contract for the Phase Two extension of Taipei Metro Line 7. The contract is valued at close to €424m, with an Alstom share of approximately €248 million. Phase One, which was awarded by Systemwide E&M Project Office Department of Rapid Transit Systems of Taipei City Government in 2018, has been extended to an additional 13.3km with 13 stations as part of Phase Two. When fully completed around late 2028, the 22.8-km medium-capacity metro line, also known as Wanda Zhonghe Shulin Line, will connect Taipei City to New Taipei City more seamlessly. Under the contract, Alstom will be responsible for the design, supply, manufacturing, testing and commissioning of 16 additional fully automated, four-car Metropolis trains, Urbalis 400 Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition.
Source: Alstom
9 Jul 2020. France. Alstom to sell factories ahead of Bombardier acquisition
Following the notification of the transaction to the European Commission on 11 June 2020, Alstom has taken a further step towards closing of its planned acquisition of Bombardier Transportation. The proposed commitments include: A transfer of Bombardier Transportation’s contribution to the V300 ZEFIRO very high-speed train; the divestment of the Alstom Coradia Polyvalent and the Reichshoffen production site in France; the divestment of the Bombardier TALENT 3 platform and dedicated production facilities located within the Hennigsdorf site in Germany; and providing access to certain interfaces and products for some of Bombardier Transportation’s Signalling On-Board Units and Train Control Management Systems (TCMS) The contemplated commitments are subject to the European Commission’s approval. The divestitures will comply with all applicable social processes and consultations with employee representatives' bodies. Closing of the acquisition of Bombardier Transportation remains on track for the first half of 2021.
Source: Alstom
7 Jul 2020. UAE. Dubai Route 2020 Metro extension inaugurated
The Dubai Metro line’s 15-km route extension has been inaugurated and will be open to the public in September. The Dh11bn (US$2.9bn) project, called Metro Route 2020, adds seven stations to the city’s Red Line. The project, commenced in July 2016 and carried out by the Alstom-led ExpoLink consortium, also composed of ACCIONA and Gülermak. The new stations will serve communities in the southern part of Dubai, including The Gardens, Discovery Gardens, Al Furjan, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai Investment Park. Route 2020 will take visitors to and from the Expo 2020 site during the six-month global exhibition, which will open in October 2021 after a one-year delay due to the coronavirus outbreak. The line has been built with a capacity of 46,000 passengers per hour and is estimated to serve around 125,000 passengers per day from next year. Ridership is expected to more than double to 275,000 per day by 2030.
Source: Arab News
6 July 2020. Greece. Three new stations open on Athens Metro Line 3
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has inaugurated three new metro stations on Line 3 which will eventually be linking Athens to the port city of Piraeus upon completion in 2022, in parallel to the current electric railways’ network. Named after the Piraeus suburbs of Aghia Varvara, Korydallos and Nikea, the new Line 3 metro stations will serve 60,000 people daily, a number that will further increase when the extension of line 3 reaches the Municipal Theatre of Piraeus in 2022. The distance from Nikea to Syntagma will be covered in 14 minutes and from Nikea to the airport in 55 minutes. When metro Line 3 intersects with the electric train (ISAP) Piraeus station in summer 2022, some 140,000 passengers are projected to be using the new stations every day. Athens metro Line 3 now has 24 stations, which will increase to 27 in 2022 with the addition of three more stations, at Maniatika, Piraeus and the Piraeus Municipal Theatre.
Source: AMNA
