Dear Readers
This month, we are proudly supporting the upcoming 2nd Edition Rail Technology Expo taking place virtually from 25th to 26th August.
This event is a Conference and Expo for latest technologies & projects in railway, mass transit and high speed sector starting from 25th Aug 2021 to 3rd Sep 2021 where multiple Indian and International Speakers & Industry Experts would address the Railway market and highlight new opportunities. This would also consist of a networking exhibition focused on Rail supply chain ecosystem and latest solutions.
For more details and to register to attend this event, please visit https://digital.railanalysis.com/
Job of the Week this week is in Barcelona, Spain where we are looking for Quality Inspectors to carry out QAQC inspections on rolling stock.
Regards
Rail Personnel
This Month's Headlines:
27 July 2021. Australia. Western Sydney Airport Metro granted approval
The NSW Government has approved planning for Western Sydney Airport Metro Rail Line, with major construction to begin soon. Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, said the approvals are a major step forward for the new Metro rail line, which will transform the way western Sydney connects to the rest of the city.
Source: Infrastructure e-news
26 July 2021. Canada. CN suffers derailment believed to be caused by a washout
On Saturday, July24, a Canadian National train hauling 99 cars derailed, putting a locomotive and 24 empty intermodal cars on the ground near Pointe au Baril, Ontario. A washout is considered the most likely cause, and two crew members received minor injuries.
Source: Railway Track & Structures (RT&S)
22 July 2021. France. Tunneling for Paris’ metro line 11 finished
The Sofia tunnel boring machine has finished its run in Paris last week after 15 months of digging. Six new stations will see the light of day, and an extension of 6 kilometres of track. The extension and additional modernisation works are scheduled to be finished in 2023.
Source: Rail Tech
21 July 2021. UK. World’s fastest maglev train of 600 km/h exits CRRC’s factory
China’s new high-speed maglev train, with a designed top speed of 600 kilometres per hour, rolled off the production line on Tuesday. It is currently the world’s fastest ground vehicle available. This reported China’s state news agency Xinhua on Tuesday.
Source: Rail Tech
Job of the Week:
Quality Inspector, Barcelona, Spain
Job ID#: 13315
Discipline: Rolling Stock
Language: English
Positions Available: 3
Job Description:
We are looking for a number of Quality Inspectors to be based in Barcelona Spain to conduct QAQC inspections on rolling stock being manufactured in the suppliers factory for our client in Singapore.
We are looking for 3 inspectors to work from December 2021 to October 2024 (32 months)
Job Requirements
The Inspector shall possess the following:
(a) Three or more years of work experience in areas relevant to rolling stock manufacturing which include but are not limited to train manufacturing, quality assurance and quality control management;
(b) Proficient in both written and spoken English;
(c) Good level of knowledge and experience in quality assurance and quality control management that is applicable to rolling stock manufacturing;
(d) Good level of knowledge and experience in rolling stock projects;
(e) Good level of knowledge and experience in manufacturing processes or specialised manufacturing processes such as welding and painting that are applicable to rolling stock manufacturing; and
(f) Relevant safety training and certifications required by the Builder.
(g) Proficiency in both written and spoken Spanish preferred.
Contact: David Hyland (davidh@railpersonnel.com)
Rail News
27 July 2021. Australia. Western Sydney Airport Metro granted approval
The NSW Government has approved planning for Western Sydney Airport Metro Rail Line, with major construction to begin soon. Minister for Communications, Urban Infrastructure, Cities and the Arts, Paul Fletcher, said the approvals are a major step forward for the new Metro rail line, which will transform the way western Sydney connects to the rest of the city. The Federal and NSW governments are jointly delivering the 23km metro railway and six stations between St Marys and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, including two stations at the airport.
Source: Infrastructure e-news
26 July 2021. Canada. CN suffers derailment believed to be caused by a washout
On Saturday, July24, a Canadian National train hauling 99 cars derailed, putting a locomotive and 24 empty intermodal cars on the ground near Pointe au Baril, Ontario. A washout is considered the most likely cause, and two crew members received minor injuries. CBC News reported that Transportation Safety Board of Canada spokesperson Chris Krepski said “The train was carrying 99 cars (57 Loads, 42 Empties), weighed 2942 tons and was 5,849 feet long. The TSB is not deploying investigators, but continues to monitor the situation, gather information and assess the occurrence.” Other washouts were reported on Canadian Pacific and Canadian National lines in the area. Last week, RT&S reported on a washout-caused derailment on Union Pacific.
Source: Railway Track & Structures (RT&S)
23 July 2021. Canada. Calgary – Banff passenger train project enters development phase
A detailed memorandum of understanding to accelerate the development of a proposed 150 km passenger line linking Calgary Airport with Banff National Park has been signed by Alberta’s Ministry of Transportation, Invest Alberta and Canada Infrastructure Bank. Project feasibility studies have been completed since an initial MoU was signed by Alberta Transportation and CIB in June 2020. Meanwhile, Liricon Capital has submitted an unsolicited proposal to act as project developer. Invest Alberta plans to undertake market engagement this summer. The province will continue to assess the proposals and seek input from municipalities and indigenous communities. It is envisaged that the project would be undertaken through a long-term PPP.
Source: Railway Gazette International
22 July 2021. France. Tunneling for Paris’ metro line 11 finished
The Sofia tunnel boring machine has finished its run in Paris last week after 15 months of digging. Six new stations will see the light of day, and an extension of 6 kilometres of track. The extension and additional modernisation works are scheduled to be finished in 2023. The Sofia tunnel boring machine finishes its run after three kilometres of digging. With a speed of about 14 metres per day, the tunnel boring machine of metro line 11 was named Sofia in tribute to Sofia Amalou, an agent of the metro’s operator RATP who welcomes passengers on line 11 on a daily basis. It connects the four future stations Serge Gainsbourg, Place Carnot, Montreuil-Hôpital and La Dhuys.
Source: Rail Tech.com
22 July 2021. UK. Thales to develop ETCS data security system
Network Rail has appointed Thales to develop and implement an Online Key Management System to secure the exchange of critical data between trackside and in-cab ETCS equipment. ‘The online element of this solution is truly innovative, having not yet been implemented elsewhere in the world, meaning Network Rail will be leading the market’, said Andy Bell, Vice-President for Thales Ground Transportation Systems in the UK, on July 20. The OKMS will generate, store, manage, distribute, archive and delete the software cryptographic keys which every ETCS Radio Block Centre and onboard unit requires for secure communication over GSM-R. It will centralise key administration for all ETCS users on the UK network, using both online and offline key distribution methods.
Source: Railway Gazette International
21 July 2021. UK. World’s fastest maglev train of 600 km/h exits CRRC’s factory
China’s new high-speed maglev train, with a designed top speed of 600 kilometres per hour, rolled off the production line on Tuesday. It is currently the world’s fastest ground vehicle available. This reported China’s state news agency Xinhua on Tuesday. The new maglev transportation system made its public debut in the coastal city of Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. It was developed by China and marks the country’s latest scientific and technological achievement in the field of rail transit, according to the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC).
Source: Rail Tech
15 July 2021. Netherlands. New night train from the Netherlands to six European destinations from October
Under the name GreenCityTrip, a new sleeper train will run twice a week starting 15 October 2021 from the Netherlands to popular destinations such as Prague, Vienna, Venice, Innsbruck, Verona and Milan. The initiator is travel organisation Flywise from Breda, which originally organised trips by airplane. GreenCityTrip does not have its own trains, but has called in Train Charter Services from the Dutch city Den Bosch for this purpose. “We are not a rail carrier and have no experience at all with train travel”, explains co-owner Hessel Winkelman. “Before corona broke out, we only organised cheap city trips by plane. In order to be able to do something positive in those negative times, we came up with city trips by sleeper train.” Winkelman and his partner Maarten Bastian worked on their idea for a year and a half.
Source: Rail Tech
14 July 2021. Nepal. Cross-acceptance accord to boost Nepalese rail freight
Rail freight movements between India and Nepal are set to increase following the signing of a cross-acceptance agreement as part of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy to enhance regional connectivity. The two countries have agreed to permit the international operation of wagons authorised by the other jurisdiction, with all categories of wagons authorised to carry freight on the Indian Railways network now able to be used for shipments to and from Nepal. Wagons owned by Nepal Railway Co will be permitted to carry both inbound and outbound international traffic on routes between the border crossings at Biratnagar and Birganj and the port of Haldia south of Kolkata, in accordance with IR standards.
Source: Railway Gazette International
14 July 2021. UK. HS2 archaeologists make a once-in-a-lifetime Iron Age discovery, dubbed ‘The Hillingdon Hoard’
Archaeologists working in West London on the HS2 project have uncovered a fascinating rare set of Iron Age potins, an early version of the coin, dating back to the 1st century BC. The hoard of over 300 potins is a significant historical find, and was discovered in Hillingdon in August last year (2020). The find may be recognized as “treasure” under British Law. ‘The Hillingdon Hoard’ – as it has been called – dates back to the late Iron Age, during a period of change as the Romans began to establish themselves in Britain and create Londinium. The potins are based on coins struck in Marseille, France, about 2,175 years ago, which bear the left-facing head of Apollo on one side and a bull charging right on the other. The use of these early coins spread across northern Europe. In England their use was commonly linked to Kent, Essex or Hertfordshire. The term ‘potin’ refers to the base metal silver-like alloy used in coins. It is typically a mixture of copper, tin and lead.
Source: Rail UK
13 July 2021. Japan. Fukuoka Subway orders sky and mountain liveried trainsets
Fukuoka City Transport Bureau has ordered four four-car Series 3000A trainsets to support an expansion of services when the Fukuoka Subway’s 12 km Nanakuma Line is extended by 1·6 km from Tenjin Minami to Hakata in 2022. Two of the 1 435 mm gauge, 1·5 kV DC trainsets are to be delivered from Hitachi’s Kasado works by October for entry in to service before the end of this year, while the other two will arrive during 2022. The design will meet the latest standards for protecting passengers and staff from infections, with the use of antibacterial and antiviral materials and coatings for grab rails, hanging straps and seats and increased space near the entrance vestibules in the end cars. This will reduce of the number of adjacent passengers on longitudinal seats from seven to five.
Source: Metro Report International
13 July 2021. Australia. First look at Cross River Rail’s Pimpama station.
Exclusive designs have been released of the new Pimpama station in the Gold Coast, as part of the transformational Cross River Rail project — with locals invited to have their say on the designs. Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, said major infrastructure like the Cross River Rail project was an important part of the government’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan. Ms Palaszczuk said the images released are part of a consultation on the design of the new Pimpama station, running until August 7 2021. “My government is delivering new infrastructure on the Gold Coast to create jobs and stimulate the local economy at a time we need it most,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Source: Infrastructure Magazine
12 July 2021. Canada. Canada orders rail restrictions to reduce wildfire risk
OTTAWA, July 11 (Reuters) – Canada on Sunday ordered rail transport restrictions for areas where there is a high wildfire risk after a blaze wiped out the town of Lytton, British Columbia, and killed two people earlier this month. The order will require both Canadian National Railway Co and Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd to take precautions against wildfires, including reducing train speeds, according to a Transport Ministry statement. On Friday, Transport Minister Omar Alghabra ordered a 48-hour stop to rail transport in parts of British Columbia that expired on Saturday at midnight. The new restrictions took effect on Sunday morning and will remain until Oct. 31.
Source: Reuters News Service
12 July 2021. Germany. 118 SFBW Stuttgart regional trains to benefit from ETCS and ATO retrofit
Valued at approximately €130 million, the contract will see 118 regional trains retrofitted with ETCS Level 2 and 3, as well as ATO GoA2. Alstom has announced that it has signed a contract with Germany’s Baden-Wuerttemberg State Institute for Rail Vehicles (SFBW) to retrofit 118 regional trains that are operated on the high-traffic Stuttgart network with the European Train Control System (ETCS) and Automatic Train Operation (ATO) digital signalling technology. As part of the Stuttgart Digital Node lighthouse project, the contract is valued at approximately €130 million and includes an innovation cooperation agreement, software maintenance contract and a contract for further maintenance.
Source: Global Railway Review
9 July 2021. United States. Brightline West acquires site in Las Vegas for high-speed rail station
Located at the south end of the famed Las Vegas Blvd., the 110-acre location will create a convenient hub for passengers to connect easily upon arrival in Las Vegas. Brightline Holdings has achieved a significant milestone with the successful acquisition of a 110-acre site that will serve as the future home for Brightline West. Brightline, the only private provider of high-speed passenger rail in America, is developing Brightline West to connect Las Vegas to Los Angeles with its brand of modern, eco-friendly transportation services, and is expected to carry more than 11 million passengers annually. The site will be developed to include the Las Vegas Terminal and other mobility connections to take passengers to and from all key area destinations.
Source: Global Railway Review
8 July 2021. Canada. Toronto – Québec High Frequency Rail procurement to get underway this year
The government has announced the start of procurement for the High Frequency Rail programme to build dedicated tracks for 200 km/h electric passenger trains on the Corridor route linking Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Québec. On July 6 Transport Canada said the process to select a private partner for the country’s largest transport infrastructure project in decades would to begin with a request for proposals later this year. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told media the project could cost C$6bn to C$12bn depending on the scope, with completion envisaged for 2030. The announcement came as speculation mounted about the possibility of an election being called this year.
Source: Railway Gazette
7 July 2021. Lithuania. Soviet-era locomotive rebuilt to extend life and reduce emissions
A TEM2UM-1000 shunting locomotive has been modernised using components from suppliers in the EU and the US to reduce fuel consumption by up 30% and meet the EU Stage V standard for particulate emissions. The modernisation work included installation of a Caterpillar C32 engine, EMIT main and auxiliary generators and an Airpol SK30 compressor. A remote fuel metering system has been installed, along with CCTV. ‘By investing about 60% of the price of a new diesel locomotive, it is possible to have a vehicle that meets current requirements with modern equipment and a new economical diesel engine’, said Albertas Bajorinas, CEO of national freight operator LTG Cargo’s rolling stock maintenance business LTG Tech.
Source: Railway Gazette
7 July 2021. UK. Recycled plastic railway sleepers: a UK first
Trains in Wiltshire are now running on top of old bottles, food packaging and other unwanted plastics, with the introduction of the first composite railway sleepers on Network Rail’s main line tracks. Made from recycled plastic, engineers recently installed the environmentally friendly technology across the weight-restricted Sherrington Viaduct, between Salisbury and Warminster. Previously, wooden sleepers had to be laid on the track across the viaduct, because concrete is too heavy for the structure. Sleepers sit on top of the ballast and hold up the rails, keeping them the correct distance apart.
Source: RailTech
6 July 2021. UK. Flying Scotsman to visit locomotion this summer
Families and steam enthusiasts across the region can see world famous engine Flying Scotsman this summer for free at Locomotion in Shildon. The record-breaking A3 class Pacific locomotive, no. 60103 will go on public display at Locomotion from 28 July to 17 August. Flying Scotsman will be positioned outside the main visitor hall and visitors will be able to get up close to the famous engine and take photos of the Flying Scotsman nameplate. The visit was originally scheduled for 2020 but plans were postponed following the Covid-19 pandemic. Visitors can see Flying Scotsman for free from 10.30 to 16.00 daily, although booking online is required to comply with Test and Trace measures and visitors must observe social distancing.
Source: Rail UK
5 July 2021. Philippines. Line 2 East metro extension opens in Manila
President Rodrigo Duterte visited the newly completed Masinag station on July 1 to inaugurate a 4·2 km extension of Manila’s LRT Line 2 from Santolan. Revenue services will begin on July 5, from when there will be two weeks of free travel. Serving the suburb of Antipolo in the east of the conurbation, the extension meets the existing Line 2 at Santolan, where passengers will initially be required to change trains to reach the city centre. As well as the terminus at Antipolo-Masinag, the extension has an intermediate station at Marikina-Pasig.
Source: Metro Report International
5 July 2021. Australia. Level Crossing Removal project close to milestone
The Victorian Government is getting ready to remove its 50th dangerous and congested level crossing, with number 50 set to be removed by the end of 2021, a year ahead of schedule. Before the year’s end, a further 10 level crossings will be a thing of the past on the city’s train network, smashing the Government’s goal of removing 50 level crossings by 2022. The level crossings at South Gippsland Highway, Dandenong South; Ferguson Street, Williamstown; Manchester Road, Mooroolbark; Maroondah Highway, Lilydale; Edithvale Road and Lochiel Avenue, Edithvale; Chelsea Road and Swanpool Avenue, Chelsea and Bondi Road, Bonbeach, will all be removed by the end of 2021. Victoria is getting rid of 75 level crossings by 2025 – with one being removed on average every four weeks in 2021.
Source: Infrastructure Magazine
3 July 2021. USA. First Kawasaki R211 Subway cars arrive in New York
MTA New York City Transit took delivery of its first five R211 metro cars at the South Brooklyn Transfer Yard on July 1, following delivery from manufacturer Kawasaki Rail Car. Type approval and commissioning testing will begin in the next few weeks, NYCT said, with the cars expected to enter service on the Subway’s B Division of lettered lines next summer. The R211 trainsets feature a number of design innovations, in addition to a more striking livery than the bare metal traditionally carried by Subway cars. The trains have doors 1 473 mm wide, which is 203 mm wider than existing fleets. This is intended to speed up boarding and alighting as part of efforts to reduce station dwell times. The cars also include digital displays that will provide real-time information about service and stations, and brighter lighting and signage.
Source: Metro Report International
