Dear Readers
The MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition 2024 is the leading event for sustainable urban mobility solutions in the MENA region, taking place in Dubai from 28 February to 1 March 2024.
This year's theme, "Sustainable Mobility and Wellbeing", exemplifies our unwavering commitment to shaping a greener future for urban mobility. We're laser-focused on harnessing cutting-edge technology, implementing effective policies, and embracing industry best practices to create a brighter, healthier world. Our objective? Prioritising sustainable mobility and wellbeing to inspire positive change and drive us towards a more sustainable and liveable future.
Get a chance to engage with industry experts, policymakers, and leaders through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive sessions. Together, we can help achieve the global climate objective of net zero emissions by 2050.
For more information and to register to attend, visit: https://www.menatransport.org/website/3387/
We are looking for candidates with strong business development experience and who are also fluent in Arabic for work in Saudi Arabia. If interested, please send your CV to renee@railpersonnel.com.
Best Regards
Rail News
10 October 2023. Saudi Arabia. Hydrogen train to be demonstrated in Riyadh
Alstom and Saudi Arabia Railways are to demonstrate the operation of a Coradia iLint hydrogen multiple-unit in Riyadh. Alstom said ’ This ground-breaking demonstration marks the first-ever introduction of a hydrogen-powered train in the Middle East and Africa’. The iLint will operate over a distance of 10 to 20 km on SAR’s East Line during October. The demonstration builds on a memorandum of understanding covering the development or adaptation of hydrogen technology which was signed by SAR and Alstom at InnoTrans 2022.
Source: Railway Gazette
10 October 2023. Australia. Melbourne’s metro tunnel receives “hi-tech” signalling system
The State Government of Victoria has announced the operation of a high-capacity signalling (HCS) system across the Cranbourne/Pakenham line in Melbourne’s metro tunnel. As previously reported, the new signalling system is set to allow the safe operation of more trains at greater frequencies, currently 17 passenger trains run on the line each day. Victoria Big Build has stated this is the “first time in Australia the next generation signalling system has been retrofitted to an existing network”.
Source: Railway Technology
10 October 2023. North America. Alstom Concludes Demonstration of Coradia iLint
Alstom announced on Oct. 10 that it has concluded the "successful demonstration" of the Coradia iLint, which carried more than 10,000 passengers, over 130 trips, spanning 10,660 kilometers (6,623 miles) in Quebec this summer from mid-June to the end of September. According to Alstom, the demonstration of the hydrogen-powered trains, “saved its railway partner an estimated 8,400 liters of diesel and averted 22 tons of CO2 emissions compared to the diesel trains that normally service this route.”
Source: Railway Age
10 October 2023. France. Transdev awarded contract to operate Kicéo urban transport network
Transdev, through its subsidiary Transdev GMVA Mobilités, has announced that it has secured an eight-year contract worth €14.1 million annually to operate the Kicéo urban transport network in Golfe du Morbihan – Vannes agglomeration, France. The decision to award the contract to Transdev has been influenced by the company’s competitive economic offer and its commitment to innovation, community engagement, as well as the region’s energy transition.
Source: Intelligent Transport
The future of high-speed rail travel in France is taking shape, with the country's next-generation TGV train, the TGV M, currently undergoing rigorous testing on the French national railway network. The TGV M, which is being developed by Alstom and SNCF Voyageurs, is the fifth generation of TGV trains and is set to enter commercial service in 2025. The train is more environmentally friendly, more comfortable, and more technologically advanced than its predecessors.
Source: Rail Technology Magazine
6 October 2023. United States. California’s Surfliner now runs on cooking oil-derived fuel
The Pacific Surfliner, an Amtrak route along the sun-drenched California coastline now runs on biodiesel (known as renewable diesel by the rail operator) for the entirety of its 351-mile (564km) track. The line runs from San Luis Obispo through Los Angeles (and the Southern California conurbation) all the way to San Diego. It stops off at several popular surfing destinations such as Santa Barbara and Lompoc Surf – a station quite literally a stone’s throw from the beach and the waves.
Source: Railway Technology
5 October 2023. United Arab Emirates. Contractors start building Abu Dhabi light rail
Contractors have started work on the first phase of Abu Dhabi’s long-awaited light rail transit (LRT) system. The construction works are being carried out by the local National Infrastructure Construction Company (NICC) and National Projects & Construction (NPC). Phase one includes constructing a tram link through Electra Street, Al-Maryah Island and Al-Reem Island. The line will be 8.4 kilometres long and consists of 15 stations and one depot. The contract to build the depot is being tendered.
Source: MEED.com
