Dear Readers,
Last week's RailNews contained a story saying that South Africa's rail and port parastatal, Transnet, had launched the world's longest train - four-kilometres long with a record-breaking 375 wagons.
A reader in Australia, Bill Singleton, has pointed out that this is not the case. So, to set the record straight...
The record was set on June 21, 2001 in Western Australia between Newman and Port Headland, a distance of 275km (170 miles) and the train consisted of 682 loaded iron ore wagons and 8 GE AC6000 locomotives giving a gross weight of almost 100,000 tonnes and moved 82,262 tonnes of ore, the train was 7.353 km (4.568 miles) in length.
Thank you Bill, I stand corrected!
Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is home to our Job of the Week.
Our client is seeking a Head of HSSE to manage the development and implementation of strategic security policies and topics to deliver business objectives, in consultation with stakeholders. Serve as the HSE Technical Authority for the Company, develop and implement the Company's HSE Management System in compliance with applicable laws.
Candidates must have previous experience working on rail projects in the Middle East in order to be considered for this role.
For further information and other opportunities worldwide, visit our website at www.railpersonnel.com.
Regards
Ceri Taylor
Editor
ceri@railpersonnel.com
This Week's Headlines:
1 Nov 2019. Australia. Transport for NSW to build new digital systems facility
A new digital systems facility to be built at the Rail Technology Campus at Chullora will support the integration of future technologies across the Sydney train network.
Source: Transport for NSW
1 Nov 2019. Australia. Regional logistics terminal opens
The Parkes Logistics Terminal has been opened by Pacific National, joining SCT Logistics and Linfox to connect to the Federal Government’s A$9.3bn investment in the Inland Rail.
Source: Infrastructure
31 Oct 2019. UK. Talgo seals intention to bring GBP40m factory to Fife
Spanish train manufacturer Talgo has sealed its intention to create a GBP40m factory in Fife, which could bring more than 1,000 jobs to the region.
Source: The Courier
31 Oct 2019. The Netherlands. Alstom sign plans to test hydrogen fuel cell train
Alstom and the Province of Groningen, Arriva, ProRail and the energy company Engie have signed plans for a pilot project to test the Coradia iLint, the world's first passenger train powered by hydrogen fuel cells, for the first time in the Netherlands.
Source: Alstom
31 Oct 2019. Norway. Bane NOR signs contract develop double-track on rail route
A new contract between Bane NOR and COWI has been signed to develop a new double track on the Bergen-Floen section of the busiest single-track route in Northern Europe and the freight terminal at Nydardstangen.
Source: Global Railway Review
Job of the Week:
Job Description:
Our client is seeking a Head of HSSE to manage the development and implementation of strategic security policies and topics to deliver business objectives, in consultation with stakeholders. Serve as the HSE Technical Authority for the Company, develop and implement the Company's HSE Management System in compliance with applicable laws.
Candidates must have previous experience working on rail projects in the Middle East in order to be considered for this role.
Accountability Areas:
- Provide specialist technical HSE guidance and advice to Corporate Management on major issues and latest HSE Laws, Regulations and standards and their impact / implementation in the Company
- Develop the Security Strategy, Policies and Security management programs to protect the Company, its customers and employees and other stakeholders from security threats and ensure a safe, secure working environment and to protect the Company from potential liability.
Requirements
- Bachelors Degree in relevant discipline
- Masters Degree in relevant discipline (preferable)
- Membership of IOSH or a Professional Safety / Engineering Society (mandatory)
- A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in HSE.
Contact: jackie@railpersonnel.com
More Rail News:
1 Nov 2019. Australia. Transport for NSW to build new digital systems facility
A new digital systems facility to be built at the Rail Technology Campus at Chullora will support the integration of future technologies across the Sydney train network. The facility will allow new digital technologies to be tested and integrated in a simulated environment without disruptions to the rail network and is part of the A$831m first stage investment to transform the Sydney Trains network. Digital systems will replace legacy signalling and train control technologies with modern, internationally proven, intelligent systems. The new facility will also showcase key features of digital systems technology and provide learning and development areas for staff. The facility is planned to be completed and operational by the end of 2021 with expressions of interest now open.
Source: Transport for NSW
1 Nov 2019. Australia. Regional logistics terminal opens
The A$35m Parkes Logistics Terminal has been opened by Pacific National, joining SCT Logistics and Linfox to connect to the Federal Government's A$9.3bn investment in the Inland Rail. Parkes geographical location positions it as the epicentre of Inland Rail's success. Located at the intersection of the main western railway line running from Sydney to Perth, the future Inland Rail corridor between Melbourne and Brisbane, and the Newell Highway, it is a natural choice to establish an intermodal logistics terminal. The Terminal will be a central hub where trains and trucks meet to exchange or swap over containerised and bulk freight. It is set to be the largest logistics terminal in regional Australia. More than 50,000 person hours have been dedicated to delivering the new terminal with almost 100 pieces of heavy machinery used during construction, 4,500 concrete sleepers laid, 317 cubic metres of concrete poured, and 253 tonnes of aggregate laid. Pacific National's next proposed investment is to better connect Parkes to Port Botany via the establishment of a freight hub at St Marys in the heart of Western Sydney.
Source: Infrastructure
31 Oct 2019. UK. Talgo seals intention to bring £40m factory to Fife
Spanish train manufacturer Talgo has sealed its intention to create a GBP40m factory in Fife, which could bring more than 1,000 jobs to the region. The firm has signed a jointly-agreed framework deal with Scottish Enterprise and Transport Scotland, aimed at ensuring it will be ready to deliver contracts for rolling stock should it be successful with future bids. Plans for the manufacturing base at Kincardine were thrown into doubt in August when the UK Government announced a review of its HS2 rail link, although Talgo said its proposal was not solely reliant on it winning a contract to supply the fleet for the project. Talgo president Carlos de Palacio y Oriol confirmed the company was committed to Scotland.
Source: The Courier
31 Oct 2019. The Netherlands. Alstom sign plans to test hydrogen fuel cell train
Alstom and the Province of Groningen, local operator Arriva, the Dutch railway infrastructure manager ProRail and the energy company Engie have signed plans for a pilot project to test the Coradia iLint, the world's first passenger train powered by hydrogen fuel cells, for the first time in the Netherlands. The tests will be carried out on the track between Groningen and Leeuwarden at up to 140 km/h and will last about two weeks. The ambition is to organise the test during the first quarter of 2020. The objective is to demonstrate that hydrogen fuel cell technology is an appropriate way to achieve zero-emission rail traffic on non-electrified lines in the Netherlands where there are currently diesel trains running. The world's first two hydrogen trains have already been in regular passenger service in Lower Saxony in Germany since September 2018.
Source: Alstom
31 Oct 2019. Norway. Bane NOR signs contract develop double-track on rail route
A new contract between Bane NOR and COWI has been signed to develop a new double track on the Bergen-Floen section of the busiest single-track route in Northern Europe and the freight terminal at Nydardstangen. Both passenger and freight trains will continue to run along the line during construction, requiring frequent and extensive communication between all involved – the majority of construction works will need to be undertaken within close proximity to train traffic. The project area is approximately 1.3km long and, once the section is extended to double tracks, will increase freight capacity by 50 per cent and local train frequency to every 15 minutes. The increased freight capacity will contribute to the authorities' national goal of increasing the proportion of goods on the railway and decreasing emissions. It is expected to be completed by 2024.
Source: Global Railway Review
31 Oct 2019. Pakistan. More than 70 dead in fire on train
A massive fire caused by a cooking gas stove on a train in Pakistan has killed at least 71 passengers, officials said. The train was on its way from the southern port city of Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province, to the garrison city of Rawalpindi when the blaze erupted. Flames roared through the carriages as the train approached the town of Liaquatpur in Punjab, in the latest tragedy to hit the country's Prime minister Imran Khan expressed deep sorrow over the "terrible tragedy", offering condolences to the families of the victims and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
Source: The Scotsman
31 Oct 2019. New Zealand. First new electric train arrives in Auckland
The first of Auckland Transport's new electric trains has arrived in Auckland. AM810 arrived from Spain on via roll-on/roll-off vessel, Hoegh Transporter. The three-carriage train was delivered in the parts by road carrier to the train depot in Wiri. The 15 new trains are being built by the company which manufactured the original 57 trains for Auckland, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF) at their factory in Beasain in northern Spain. They'll have a similar look and feel, with some minor changes - new seat back covers, changes in the carpet and faster doors to reduce time at stations. AM810 will spend the next few weeks being tested by AT and CAF staff before being rolled out into service. All 15 trains should arrive by July 2020 and be on the tracks by next September.
Source: Our Auckland
30 Oct 2019. Ireland. Government approves funding for new trains for Dublin area
The Cabinet has approved the purchase of 41 intermediate coaches to lengthen Iarnrod Eireann's InterCity Railcar diesel multiple-units. This will provide a 34 per cent increase in peak capacity across the Kildare Line, Maynooth Line and Northern Line routes in the Greater Dublin area. The order is being overseen by the National Transport Authority with funding provided as part of Project Ireland 2040. The E118m+VAT contract for the vehicles will be directly awarded to Mitsui & Co, which originally supplied the 63 Hyundai Rotem units under a framework agreement signed in 2004. Deliveries are to begin in late 2021.
Source: Railway Gazette
30 Oct 2019. Germany. DB and RAIL.ONE turnout bearer plant in Schwandorf
Deutsche Bahn (DB) and RAIL.ONE have opened a new plant for the production of prestressed concrete turnout sleepers in Schwandorf in southern Germany. The production plant will be operated by RAIL.ONE Schwandorf GmbH, a subsidiary of the international PCM RAIL.ONE Group. In October 2017, RAIL.ONE won DB Netz AG's tender for the planning, construction and operation of the new plant and will now operate it for the next 15 years. Before the start of serial production in November 2019, an extensive trial run will be carried out to obtain approval from the Federal Railway Authority and the DB AG Quality Inspection Service. The new plant will produce annually up to 180,000 linear metres of prestressed concrete turnout sleepers for Germany.
Source: RAIL.ONE
30 Oct 2019. USA. FRA seeks grant applications for maglev projects
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has y published a Notice of Grant Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Magnetic Levitation Technology Deployment Program (Maglev Grants Program). The funding is provided by two sources totalling US$24.03m: US$10m million as appropriated by Congress in 2019 and an additional US$14m in funds authorized by Congress in 2008 under sections of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, known by the acronym SAFETEA-LU. Grant requirements are different for the two funding sources. Applicants for the US$14m in funding is available only for the Pittsburgh, Baltimore-Washington, and Atlanta-Chattanooga projects, according to the notice. The US$10m in grants funds are not limited to those three maglev projects.
Source: Progressive Railroading
30 Oct 2019. Cuba. Cuba awards additional contract to RZD
Cuba Union Railways (UFC) has awarded a three-year contract worth €92m to RZD International to provide additional assistance to UFC to develop a master plan and upgrade the network. The deal adds to the $US 1.88bn 10-year contract signed on 3 October for RZD to upgrade more than 1000km of the Cuban rail network. Under the new deal, RZD will provide additional assistance in upgrading facilities on the Central line linking Havana Central with Santiago de Cuba and the Southern line, and design an integrated traffic control centre and depot for the maintenance and repair of track machines. RZD will also provide training for 600 Cuban railway workers and advanced training for managers and specialists.
Source: International Railway Journal
29 Oct 2019. Germany. New S-Bahn commuter trains pass extreme environment tests
After undergoing 12 weeks of rigorous testing in the world's longest climatic wind tunnel in Vienna, the new S-Bahn commuter trains for Berlin and Brandenburg have proven that they can withstand all severe weather conditions and extreme temperatures. As part of a larger two-year test, a four-section train of the initial series was assessed to ensure, amongst other things, that: the pantograph will work during heavy snowfalls; the doors will open and close; and the gap-bridging system can be effortlessly extended and retracted. The train met all requirements to pass each test. The climatic wind tunnel, operated by Rail Tec Arsenal, simulates a wide range of weather and temperature conditions - from -25oC with ice and snow, to 45oC with scorching solar radiation. When undergoing testing, temperature probes and heating mats will simulate the experience of passengers within the compartments of train, whilst a humidifier will add moisture to the air.
Source: Global Railway Review
29 Oct 2019. Switzerland. SWISS and SBB to expand airtrain services
Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) has entered a strategic partnership with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) to expand their intermodal services to additional routes within Switzerland next year. Known as Flugzug, the airtrain service is currently available between Zurich Airport and the SBB stations in Basel and Lugano. In the course of next year, the companies will focus on linking other major cities and tourist destinations with the airline's route network. Bern, Lucerne, Andermatt, Interlaken and Zermatt will be the first cities to be connected to the network. New routes will be added to Bellinzona and Locarno to bolster the connections to the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, Ticino.
Source: Railway Technology
28 Oct 2019. Belgium. AB InBev launches the beer train
AB InBev have inaugurated a new rail link between the Leuven brewery, where the Stella Artois is brewed, and the port of the Metropolis, from where it is exported. The rail link is operated by Lineas with Katoen Natie undertaking the logistical organisation and DP World the management of boarding work on the docks. The intention is to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions and road traffic nuisance hitherto caused by the transport of Stella Artois by truck. AB InBev's global ambition is to reduce its CO2 emissions by 25 per cent between 2017 and 2025.
Source: L'Echo
28 Oct 2019. Australia. Construction starts on Gawler rail electrification project
The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government in partnership with the South Australian Government has announced the commencement of construction works on the electrification and modernisation of the Gawler Rail Line. Jointly funded by the Federal and State Governments the multi-million project is due for completion in 2021. The Gawler Rail Line is Adelaide's most heavily used rail line, carrying around 21,000 of the approximately 60,000 train commuters on an average weekday. The project involves electrification of the Gawler rail line from the Adelaide Railway Station to the Gawler Central Railway Station, including the Dry Creek Rail Car Depot and Salisbury Siding, delivering an electrified network through Adelaide from Gawler to Seaford. Work will commence with the installation of a common services trench to accommodate the new signalling system, followed by construction of the concrete footings to support the overhead wiring masts.
Source: Mirage News
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