Railway Gazette October 2017

PASSENGER TRAINS

SCANDINAVIA

ITALY

Rhein-Ruhr Express The first Desiro HC EMUs to operate RRX services start test running in Germany

Nordic Rail Record funding supports Trafikverket’s 12-year investment plan

Expo Ferroviaria RFI invests to upgrade north-south and east-west corridors

PAGE 31

www.railwaygazette.com

PAGE 44

PAGE 56

October 2017

Railway Gazette International | October 2017

3

Chris Jackson COMMENT

‘‘

‘In high performance situations only the best materials will do. And even then there is no guarantee that these will not fail eventually’ Christopher Jackson Editor-in-Chief, Railway Gazette Group | [email protected]

The cost of quality

A

few months ago, a major metro operator with a very high reputation for reliability suffered a major power failure which disrupted much of its network for the whole of an evening rush hour, affecting many thousands of passengers and other people across the city. Eventually the fault was traced to the failure of an electrical insulator in the power supply network. So far, so normal. Such failures can, and do, happen to many operators around the world. Not surprisingly, questions were asked at very high levels as to why this failure caused so much disruption, and why it took so long to find the fault. Insiders suggest that the metro has been using locally-sourced insulators which may not meet the proper quality standards. The use of ‘non-branded’ spares has always been seen as a way to economise as railways seek to reduce their costs and balance their maintenance budgets. We hear reports of a light rail operator sourcing new turnout tiebars from a local manufacturer at around two-thirds of the price quoted by the original supplier. In theory, that offered a worthwhile saving. Yet while the replacements were dimensionally identical, it turns out that they were made of inferior materials, and were failing at less than half the expected life. So the longer term result was higher costs and more disruption for maintenance. As far as we know, this was not a case of deliberate ‘passing off ’, where replacement components were being sold as if they were the real thing, although cases of intellectual property theft are not unknown in the rail sector as with many other industries. Railway operators and infrastructure managers are constantly under pressure to keep their costs down and improve efficiency, and former DB Chairman Rüdger Grube was by no means alone in challenging the supply sector to cut their prices. OEMs are often accused of overcharging for spare parts and exploiting near-monopoly positions. The manufacturers can justifiably argue that the higher prices are needed to recoup their investment in research and development to optimise the products, as well as to fund continuing efforts to further drive up performance and reliability. In many cases, cheaper components can be deployed satisfactorily in less demanding applications, in non safety-critical locations or on secondary lines. But as the heavy haul operators have found (p25), in high performance situations only the best materials will do. And even then there is no guarantee that these will not fail eventually, despite the very best attention to both the quality of manufacturing and regular maintenance. That is why there has been such an emphasis in recent years on

Have your say email us at editor@ railwaygazette. com

continuous monitoring of asset condition and a move towards predictive maintenance, identifying and changing failing components before they actually break in service. Several heavy haul operators are now deploying machine vision systems and advanced algorithms to monitor vehicle and track components and identify a host of possible faults before they can impact on operations. The next step now being explored is the addition of artificial intelligence, so that the monitoring systems can ‘learn’ more about the equipment being supervised and the many potential failure modes. Our latest Industry Watch survey (p70) finds that both railways and suppliers need to do more to raise awareness of life-cycle costs and smarter procurement. Many railway assets — both infrastructure and rolling stock — have lives running into decades, which means that ongoing maintenance will typically account for a greater proportion of total cost than the initial capital outlay. Some suppliers have developed quite sophisticated modelling tools to demonstrate how higher investment in quality components up front can deliver significant savings over the longer term. A major reduction in LCC is one of the three fundamental objectives behind the European Shift2Rail research programme, and various projects are already underway. However, our survey respondents feel much remains to be done to inculcate an LCC culture into traditionally conservative railway organisations and their political decision makers. And that in turn requires a better understanding of all the factors involved. A welcome development has been the adoption by the European Union of the MEAT principle for public sector procurement. Allowing companies to select the Most Economically-Advantageous Tender means contracts do not have to be awarded on the basis of lowest first cost, but can take account of other factors including life-cycle cost, maintainability, compatibility, or even stimulating local economic activity. However, LCC-based procurement assumes that the railway or infrastructure manager has the financial headroom to cover the higher first cost. That is better managed within a multi-year spending plan rather than a series of annual budgets which can fluctuate wildly as a result of external economic and political factors. The impact on customers and reputational damage from the premature failure of cheap substitute components is perhaps not the most obvious element to build into an LCC calculation. But it is certainly something that needs to be considered in the never-ending search for improved efficiency and better performance. n

October 2017 | Railway Gazette International

4

CONTENTS

49

Volume 173 No 10 | October 2017

PASSENGER TRAINS

SCANDINAVIA

ITALY

Rhein-Ruhr Express The first Desiro HC EMUs to operate RRX services start test running in Germany

Nordic Rail Record funding supports Trafikverket’s 12-year investment plan

Expo Ferroviaria RFI invests to upgrade north-south and east-west corridors

PAGE 31

PAGE 44

PAGE 56


October 2017

Railway Gazette International October 2017

Milano-based Greenrail produces railway sleepers using secondary raw materials, produced from a blend of rubber collected from used tyres and plastic from urban waste. A start-up spun out of Politecnico di Milano, the company has licensed its product for use around the world.

CONTACT US Railway Gazette International 7th Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1JB, Great Britain Tel +44 20 8652 5200 Fax +44 20 8652 5210 [email protected] See p69 for full details www.facebook.com/ railwaygazette @railwaygazette

Annual subscription in USA $275. Railway Gazette International, ISSN Number 0373-5346, is published monthly by DVV Media UK Ltd, 7th Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1JB, United Kingdom. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by agent named Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431. US Postmaster: Send address changes to Railway Gazette International, Worldnet Shipping Inc., 156-15, 146th Avenue, 2nd Floor, Jamaica, NY 11434, USA Subscription records are maintained at DVV Media UK Ltd, 7th Floor, Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1JB, United Kingdom. Worldnet is acting as our mailing agent.

7

62


5

CONTENTS

22

COMMENT 3 The cost of quality

INTELLIGENCE 7 Main Line | Indian high speed line launched, Smart inaugurated, ’Akko – Karmi’el opens 15 Urban Rail | Wien U-Bahn buys driverless trains, Lucknow metro opens 18 Market | Contracts & Tenders 21 Industry | Progress Rail and Seeing Machines agree driver monitoring partnership, CRRC opens office in Tel Aviv 22 Innovations | Road-rail shunting robot launched, DuPont develops disposable coveralls 25 Analysis | DB seeks its digital direction, Canada’s missing links, complex relationships overshadow Thai investment

PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK

25

31 RRX trains are ready to roll | Testing of the Siemens Desiro HC high-capacity EMUs to operate the Rhein-RuhrExpress is now underway. Dr Harry Hondius reports from Wildenrath 37 Lastochka Premium takes centre stage | Toma Bačić describes the passenger vehicles on display at this year’s Expo 1520 trade show in Moscow

31

important experience that could inform digital railway investment in other countries

40 Scottish hotel train fleet on test | Now undergoing trials at Velim in the Czech Republic is the first batch of cars being built to replace rolling stock on Anglo-Scottish overnight services 42 Elf2 enters the fray | Pesa’s first Elf2 EMU entered service in Katowice last month

SCANDINAVIA

52 Reducing noise and optimising maintenance | Nordic railway infrastructure managers are making more use of under-sleeper pads 54 Compact lights keep locos bright at night | Harting has designed bespoke lights for the Nordic variant of the Siemens Vectron electric locomotive

SPOTLIGHT ITALY 56 Upgrading the Adriatic Corridor | Work is in progress to enhance the busy 800 km railway along Italy’s Adriatic coast 59 Southern upgrades move ahead | Reconstruction of the Napoli – Bari route to raise speeds and add capacity is advancing steadily with contracts let this year for work at the western end of the line 62 Northern high speed network nears completion | Work is in hand to complete the final stages of Italy’s Alta Velocità/Alta Capacità network 63 Pigneto interchange under construction | A large main line, metro and light rail hub is being built in the Pigneto district of Roma 64 Intercity performance contract signed | Trenitalia has a 10-year agreement with the government to retain and improve the existing network of Intercity day and night trains

FORUM 66 People | Ahlburg to succeed Spuhler as Stadler CEO, Trenitalia management reshuffle 67 Research & Skills | Short line hazardous materials academy to be established, FS and UIC discuss cybersecurity risks 68 Sidetrack | Dieter

44 Future-proofing Sweden’s rail sector | As Trafikverket’s 12-year plan goes out to consultation, Astoc CEO Björn Westerberg argues that more investment is needed 49 Learning lessons from a national ETCS roll-out | Denmark’s national Signalling Programme is yielding

69 Diary & Contact 70 Industry Watch | Our survey respondents suggest that more work is needed by suppliers, operators and independent advisors to emphasise the importance of life-cycle cost oriented procurement

THREE FAIRS ONE MEETING PLACE

SEE TH WHOLEE

JÖNKÖPING,

10–12

OCTOBER

CONFE PROGRRENCE A N D RE A M M E GIS ONLINE TER !

2017

HALFWAY TO THE FUTURE You will find everything about the transport and infrastructure of the future gathered in one place in October when the entire industry meets at Elmia in Jönköping, Sweden. VISIONS & TECHNOLOGY

LIVE CRASH TESTS!

CONDITIONS & POLICIES

OVER 350 SWEDISH AND

LOGISTICS & TRANSPORT

INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITORS

DEALS AND PROJECTS ELMIA FUTURE TRANSPORT, ELMIA NORDIC RAIL & ELMIA NORDIC ROAD elmia.se/futuretransport elmia.se/nordicrail elmia.se/nordicroad


7

Main Line INTELLIGENCE NEWS IN BRIEF

INDIA

High speed project launched

Hamburg-Köln-Express is to suspend its open access passenger service from October 4 until the December 10 timetable change. The company said the two-month break in the off-peak season would be used ‘to better adapt HKX to customer needs’ and develop an attractive product for 2018.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe attended a groundbreaking ceremony at Abe said Japan would co-operate with infrastructure development Sabarmarti in Ahmedabad on Septem- in India at both the public and private sector levels, ‘combining the ber 14 to officially launch India’s first technology of Japan with the human resources of India’ in a ‘win-win co-operation’. He said high speed rail had ‘signalled the start of rapid high speed rail project. economic growth in Japan’, and he hoped the Indian project would The planned 508 km Mumbai – ‘act as a catalyst for realising further growth in India.’ Ahmedabad line is to use Japanese Shinkansen technology including 1 435 mm for limited stop services calling at Surat and Vagauge tracks. The alignment with a design speed dodara and 2 h 58 min for stopping services, comof 350 km/h and an operating speed of 320 km/h pared to a current travel time of 7 to 8 h. would be elevated, apart from a 21 km underCompletion is planned by December 2023, but ground section north of Mumbai including a 7 km MOR said ‘all-out efforts’ would be made to finish undersea tunnel. the line by August 15 2022, the 75th anniversary There would be an underground station at of independence. Mumbai, and elevated stations at Thane, Virar, The total cost of the project is estimated at Boisar, Vapi, Bilimora, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Rs1 080bn, with 81% to be financed by a Japanese Anand, Ahmedabad and Sabarmati. soft loan at 0·1% per annum with repayment over Services are to be operated using a 10-car vari- 50 years, including a 15-year grace period. ant of JR East’s Series E5 Shinkansen trainset, MOR said India was getting the loan ‘at almost with Indian Railways expecting to order an initial zero cost without putting any strain on existing fi25 trainsets for Rs50bn. nancial resources available with the country’, which The Ministry of Railways said India would compared favourably with a loan from an agency ‘leapfrog to the cutting edge of latest train de- such as the World Bank which would cost ‘about 5% velopments’, offering a journey time of 2 h 7 min to 7% with a repayment period of 25 to 35 years’. n SWITZERLAND

St Moritz rebuilt

On September 7 Ontario’s municipal pension fund Omers and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan completed the sale of the UK’s High Speed 1 operation and maintenance concession to a consortium of HICL Infrastructure, funds managed by Equitix Investment Management Ltd and third party funds managed by InfraRed Capital Partners. At a cost of 70m pesos, Trenes Argentinos Infraestructura has completed the refurbishment of González Catán and Ingeniero Castello stations on the Belgrano Sur commuter network in Buenos Aires. Tracklaying has been completed on the 343 km Harbin – Jiamusi passengerdedicated line in China’s Heilongjiang province. Designed for trains to run at 200 km/h, the line with 14 stations is expected to open in June 2018.

A train broke through a polystyrene barrier on August 26 to mark the completion of a SFr66m project to rebuild Rhätische Bahn’s St Moritz station. Over 1 million passengers a year pass through the station, which now meets the latest national accessibility regulations. With five covered platform tracks, the station provides interchange with local bus services. There are also four spaces for tour coaches connecting with Bernina Express or Glacier Express services. n

RZD Logistics and the Russian Export Centre launched an intermodal service on September 13 linking Vorsino in Russia with Chengdu via Mongolia. The initial outbound train of 41 40 ft containers carried baked goods for Obyedinennye Konditery. According to RZD Logistics, the timetable has been designed to ensure no empty wagons are moved in either direction.

SOUTH AFRICA

Gautrain stakes to be sold Engineering and construction services company Murray & Roberts announced on August 22 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire the 8·5% stakes in Gautrain concessionaire Bombela Concession Co held by Bouygues Travaux Publics and Bombardier Transportation in a deal worth a total of R405m. Completion was subject to regulatory approval. MRL originally held a 25% stake in the concession to design, partly finance, build, operate and maintain the Gautrain network, which it increased to 33% in 2011. Bouygues and Bombardier Transportation

Digital ticket retailer Trainline launched its Price Predictor tool on September 6. Intended to predict movements in the price of quotacontrolled Advance tickets in the weeks before a chosen travel date, the tool uses historical data patterns to anticipate price changes. ‘Our data scientists have used historical pricing trends from billions of customer journey searches to predict when the price of an Advance ticket will expire’, says Jon Moore, Chief Product Officer at Trainline. ‘We now share this information in our app to allow our customers to get the best price possible for their journey.’

have now decided to divest their holdings. MRL said its investment in BCC provides ‘strong returns in the short to medium term’, explaining that the acquisition formed part of a broader capital allocation strategy. The other Bombela shareholders are black economic empowerment company Strategic Partners Group, and financial services, healthcare, IT and industrial investor J&J Group. Bombardier told Railway Gazette it was ‘constantly optimising’ its portfolio, and remained ‘committed’ to the South African rail market. n

Kazakhstan’s national railway KTZ is implementing a capacity optimisation plan which will see the containers from three Chinese 1 435 mm gauge intermodal trains arriving at the Dostyk border crossing being loaded on two trains for the 1 520 mm gauge leg to the Polish border. The Chinese trains carry 41 containers, but the ex-Soviet broad gauge network can handle trains of 62 containers. Launceston City Council has approved Toll Group’s plans for a A$20m transport hub which would increase its use of Tasmania’s railways.


8

INTELLIGENCE Main Line EUROPE

ISRAEL

Powered up

’Akko – Karmi’el line opens

Completion of 25 kV 50 Hz electrification between Minsk and Vilnius was marked with a ceremony on September 16. Electrification of the final 111 km began in September 2015. Work on the 84 km Belarusian section between Maladzyechna and the border was undertaken by Belarus Railways and China United Engineering Corp, with 85% of the US$72m cost financed by a loan from China EximBank. Electric passenger services are scheduled to start on December 10, with the journey time being reduced by 40 to 45 min. Belarus Railways plans to deploy its Stadler Flirt EMUs, while Lithuania’s LG will use Škoda Transportation Class 575 double-deck EMUs. LG plans to begin electric operation on the Vilnius bypass in 2018, and to extend electrification to Klaipeda in 2020 and Kaliningrad in 2021. n

Revenue operation on Israel Railways’ ’Akko – Karmi’el line began on September 20, following a ceremonial inauguration on September 5. The 23 km branch was built by Israel Roads Ltd at a cost of US$785m, with General Manager Nissim Peretz describing it as a complex engineering The ’Akko – Karmi’el line was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister project including a 4·7 km twin-bore Benjamin Netanyahu, Transport Minister Israel Katz and ISR General tunnel under Mount Gilon. There is one Manager Shahar Ayalon on September 5. intermediate station at Ahihud, provision for the future installation of 25 kV 50 Hz – Jerusalem Malkha service has been split at Beit electrification. Shemesh, allowing the Flexliner IC3 DMUs to be In conjunction with the start of regular opera- replaced by double-deck push-pull sets providing tions, ISR introduced a revised national timetable additional capacity. Services on the 60 km Valley on September 20 which provides additional ser- line will begin calling at the new Haifa Hamifratz vices on several routes. The Herzliyya – Tel Aviv Central station when it opens in 2018. n EUROPE

Torino services extended into France

Electrification is expected to increase crossborder freight capacity by 40% to 60%.

UK

HS2 stations The process to appoint the Construction Partners for High Speed 2’s London Euston and Old Oak Common stations has been launched by project promoter HS2 Ltd, which expects to issue invitations to tender by the end of the year and award contracts in late 2018. The Construction Partners would work with the station designers and the Euston Master Development Partner which are being appointed under a separate process. ‘We’re looking for the best the construction industry has to offer’, said HS2 Ltd Chief Executive Mark Thurston on August 29. ‘Together we will create two iconic stations; gateways to the capital and to the nation that local communities and the travelling public can be proud to call their own.’ Market engagement has begun for the two Birmingham stations which have shorter lead-in times. Procurement of these is expected to begin in early 2018 for contract award in 2020. n

Trenitalia-operated regional trains reached the French alpine town of Modane for the first time in a decade on September 10, in what the regional authorities in both France and Italy hope will mark the start of a renaissance in cross-border rail provision. Initially, regional trains on route SFM3 between Torino and Bardonecchia are being extended through the Frejus Tunnel to Modane on Sundays and public holidays. Currently the only passenger service between Torino and Modane is SNCF’s three times per day TGV service between Milano and Paris. According to SFM, the timetable for the Modane trains is designed to facilitate connections with SNCF regional services towards Chambery,

as well as with the MobiSavoie network of bus routes which are focused on local tourism. SFM3 is one of eight suburban and regional routes radiating from Torino that operate under the Servizio Ferroviario Metropolitana brand introduced in 2012 (RG 6.16 p56). Managed through a multilateral partnership between the Piemonte region, the city of Torino, national passenger operator Trenitalia and municipal transport company GTT, the SFM network is intended to deliver an intensive service with clockface timetabling, multimodal ticketing provision and a clear brand identity which exploits substantial infrastructure investment over the past decade, notably the cross-city Passante which serves the redeveloped station at Torino Porta Susa. n

USA

NORWAY

Virginia route upgrading moves forward

Bergen tunnel

The US Federal Railroad Administration has completed a Tier II Draft Environmental Impact Statement for a capacity and speed enhancement programme on the 197 km corridor south from Washington DC to Richmond, Virginia. The railway is owned by Class I freight railroad CSX, but it is also an important passenger corridor, handling Amtrak trains to and from New York and Virginia Rail Express commuter services. The upgrading proposals are being developed by FRA with the Virginia Department of Rail & Public Transportation. They are provisionally costed at $5bn at 2025 prices, although no funding mechanism has yet been agreed. The enhancement is intended to reduce capacity constraints, improve speeds and punctuality, and accommodate forecast growth in the number of passenger and freight trains. n

A ceremony in the suburb of Fløen on August 29 marked the breakthrough of the 7·8 km Ulriken tunnel. The bore will complement an existing single track tunnel, and it is expected to see its first trains in 2020. Excavation began in the town of Arna in January 2016, and the next step in the construction phase requires the boring of 16 cross-passages to link the new alignment with the existing tunnel. The tunnel work is part of a wider upgrading programme worth NKr22bn on the Oslo – Bergen corridor being co-ordinated by infrastructure manager Bane NOR. n


10

INTELLIGENCE Main Line GREECE

BANGLADESH

Trainose sold

Coach order and new line

Italian state railway group FS Italiane completed its €45m acquisition of Greek national operator Trainose on September 14. Privatisation agency Hradf named FS as preferred bidder in July 2016. Russian Railways and infrastructure and mining group Gek Terna had also expressed interest, but FS submitted the only binding offer. A share purchase agreement was signed on January 18, but completion was subject to EU approval of financial support for the restructuring of Trainose and infrastructure manager OSE. ‘Today’s closing is another important step for the international growth of the FS Group, as anticipated in the 201726 business plan’, said CEO Renato Mazzoncini. FS sees significant potential for developing freight traffic to central Europe. In 2016 Trainose carried 15·6 million passenger-journeys, of which 10·1 million were on suburban services, and 1·1 million tonnes of freight. This generated revenue of €120m and a profit of €3·3m, and FS said Trainose had achieved ‘financial equilibrium’ since 2013. The operator has 672 employees, leases around 1 160 vehicles, and operates around 350 trains per day. Mazzoncini said FS was ‘evolving into a major European mobility player’. It was ‘already one of the leading operators in the rail passenger and freight market as well as in local public transport’, being ‘first in Italy and Greece, second in Germany, and we also operate with subsidiaries in Great Britain, France and the Netherlands’ (p66). International activities account for 15% of revenues, Mazzoncini said, and the target is for international turnover to grow from €1bn to €4bn by 2026. n

A contract for Indonesian company PT Inka to supply Bangladesh Railways with 200 coaches was signed on September 14, and was followed two days later by the finalisation of a joint venture agreement for the construction of a new line. The 5·8bn taka coach contract is being financed by Indonesia Eximbank. Deliveries of the metregauge stainless steel vehicles with roof-mounted air-conditioning are scheduled to run from May 2019 until mid-2020. PT Inka had previously supplied coaches to BR under contracts awarded

EGYPT

Freight reform

EBRD has invited expressions of interest in a contract to assist Egyptian National Railways with the planned conversion of its freight business into a stand-alone subsidiary operating through commercial relationships with the remainder of ENR. Phase 1 would establish a track access charging regime and and propose a legal framework, structure and strategy. Phase 2 would assist ENR in the establishment of Freightco, develop relationships with the remainder of ENR and prepare a three-year business plan. n

in 2006, 2015 and 2016. Separately, on September 16 China Railway Group, China Civil Engineering Construction Corp and local companies Toma Construction Co and MAX International signed a joint venture agreement to build a 102 km dual-gauge line from Dohazar near Chittagong to Cox’s Bazar and Gundum on the border with Myanmar. The project is being partially funded by a loan signed by the Asian Development Bank and the government in June, and is scheduled for competion in 2022. n

AUSTRALIA

‘Held to account’ in new contract Metro Trains Melbourne is to continue to operate and maintain the city’s suburban rail network under a new contract, Victoria’s Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan announced on September 12. The joint venture of MTR Corp (60%), John Holland Group (20%) and The Evolution Rail consortium of Plenary, CRRC Changchun Railway UGL Rail Services (20%) has operated Vehicles and Downer Group has unveiled a mock-up of the 65 High Capacity EMUs that it to supply for use in Melbourne from mid-2019. the 390 km network since 2009 under The EMUs are based on CRRC’s Type A design and are being built at a contract which gave it the right to Downer’s Newport facility in western Melbourne. exclusive negotiations for the next contract. The new deal will not include a similar clause. spending, and MTM faces a A$10m penalty if it The next contract runs for seven years from No- does not achieve higher maintenance standards in vember 30 2017, with an option for up to three the first 2½ years. MTM would be penalised up to years. It includes additional services, cleaner trains A$700 000 to compensate passengers if a network and stations, a ‘crackdown on operational practices failure results in more than 50% of services being such as city loop and station skipping’, ‘more timely cancelled or delayed by 30 min or more within a and accurate’ passenger information, no ‘overbear- 2 h period. ing and in your face advertising’ at stations and on ‘We have listened to passengers, staff and unions trains, higher performance requirements. There so that these new contracts hold MTM to account will be a 37% increase in maintenance and renewal in delivering’, said Allan. n POLAND

Arriva secures open access paths Polish rail regulator UTK has granted Arriva RP paths for the operation of open access passenger services on several routes. Arriva RP has secured paths until December 11 2021 for its existing summer-only seasonal service from Bydgoszcz Główna to Hel and a shuttle service along the Hel peninsula. The DB subsidiary has also secured seven paths for the phased introduction of new services, starting with the operation of a Szczecin Niebuszewo – Olsztyn service between September 1 2018 and August 31 2023, and a Wejherowo – Kielce Białogon service from December 10 2018 to December 9 2023. Arriva RP plans to operate a Łódź Fabryczna – Szczecin Niebuszewo service from September

1 2019 to August 31 2024, as well as a Wrocław – Zielona Góra – Szczecin Niebuszewo service. Paths for Wejherowo – Katowice, Łódź – Chełm and Wejherowo – Chełm services have been secured from December 14 2019 to December 13 2025. However, UTK declined Arriva RP’s application for paths from Warszawa Wschodnia to Poznań, Kraków and Łódź, as the regulator felt these would replicate subsidised services operated under public service obligation contracts. An application for Wrocław – Poznań – Szczecin Niebuszewo train paths was rejected owing to modernisation works limiting the available capacity on the route. Arriva plans to appeal against the rejections, as it believes the routes are necessary to ensure a coherent network. n


11

Main Line INTELLIGENCE NEWS IN BRIEF

USA

Smart opens Celebrations on August 25 marked the opening of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District commuter line in the North Bay area of California. Smart runs for 69 km from Sonoma County Airport to San Rafael, and initially has 10 stations. The infrastructure has been built by a joint venture of Stacy & Witbeck and Herzog using a partially-disused railway alignment. T-shirts and free travel were offered on the first day, followed by halfThere are 34 weekday and 10 week- price travel until the introduction of normal fares on September 5. end trips, operated using a fleet of 11 two-car diesel multiple-units supplied by Sumi- Transit, Santa Rosa CityBus and Sonoma County tomo and Nippon Sharyo. The 127 km/h DMUs Transit services. have Cummins engines, a capacity of 300 pasIn June Stacy & Witbeck and Herzog were sengers, 2+2 seating, free wi-fi, an Americans with awarded a $36·3m contract to build a 3·5 km exDisabilities Act-compliant toilet and space for up tension from San Rafael to Larkspur, connecting to 24 bicycles. with ferries to San Francisco. This is expected to Other local public transport services have been open in early 2019; at present Smart passengers adjusted to co-ordinate with the trains; passen- can use connecting bus services free of charge. gers receive transfer credits when connecting with An extension north to Cloverdale is also planned, Golden Gate Transit, Marin Transit, Petaluma taking the route to 110 km. n INTERNATIONAL

Roar into action

The UK’s replacement South Western franchise, awarded to a joint venture of FirstGroup and MTR Europe, was ceremonially launched on September 4. The seven-year franchise had begun on August 20, but the formal lauch was held back until the completion of platform extension works at London Waterloo. Mazowieckie voivodship is to directly award Koleje Mazowieckie and WKD contracts to continue to operating Warszawa regional passenger services through to the end of 2019. Kansas City Southern and Bulkmatic Transport Company has signed a memorandum of understanding to form a 50:50 joint venture which would facilitate and expand the export of liquid fuel from the USA to Mexico. In conjunction with Colombia’s infrastructure agency ANI and freight operator Fenoco, Holdtrade Atlántico has operated a trial service to the port of Santa Marta comprising eight wagons carrying six containers, bagged fertiliser and steel wire. Holdtrade hopes to begin regular operations to the port next year, once the 118bn pesos programme to rehabilitate the 522 km La Dorada – Chirguaná route is completed.

Hong Kong-based supply chain company Tigers has launched Tiger Rail, offering a 16-day transit between Duisburg in Germany and 15 destinations in China including Hefei, Chongqing and Chengdu. Customers can charter a train, or book fullcontainer-load or less-than-container-load shipments onto weekly scheduled services. The company is also planning to introduce a ‘costeffective’ business-to-consumer parcels service. Track and trace is offered through Tigers’ Tiger Trax platform. n

Short line group Patriot Rail has announced a ‘combination’ with Diversified Port Holdings, which operates eight breakbulk, bulk, and heavy lift terminals and two container, roll-on/roll-off and lift–on/ lift-off terminals on the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts.

AUSTRALIA

Budget backs rail growth The Western Australian government has allocated A$1·4bn for rail investment as part of its 2017-18 budget announced on September 8. The bulk of the money is destined for the Metronet programme to expand and upgrade the Perth suburban rail network over the next four years. This includes federal funding reallocated following the cancellation of the Perth Freight Link toll road project, and A$105m to be raised through additional land sales and ‘a new value-capture method’. The budget provides A$406·5m for the Forrestfield-Airport Link which is under construction for opening by the end of 2020. Another A$423m has been allocated for the Thornlie – Cockburn cross-suburbs connection, which is currently budgeted at A$536m, and A$441m towards the A$520m northern extension of the Joondalup line

Rhätische Bahn and Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn have established Glacier Express AG as a 50:50 joint venture to develop the service over the next few years. Additional Chur – Brig trains are to be introduced this year to accommodate rising demand, and renewal of the panorama cars is envisaged from 2020.

to Yanchep. The government is providing A$70m for level crossing removal, and A$28·2m for relocation of the station at Midland, paving the way for a future extension to Bellevue. A$22·1m has been allowed to support planning of the future Byford extension and the Morley – Ellenbrook line. Another A$101·3m has been committed for new and upgraded stations. Funding for regional passenger services is also included in the state budget, with A$32m allocated under the Rail Future Fund to revitalise TransWA’s Australind route between Perth and Bunbury in the southwest. A new build of DMU cars for the twice-daily service is likely to be piggybacked onto a contract for 102 suburban EMU cars to be acquired as part of the Metronet programme. n

Belgian freight operator Lineas has extended its GreenXpress network of intensive wagonload services to include the Austrian cities of Graz and Wels. Amtrak has begun the refurbishment of the Amfleet I coaches which are widely used on its Northeast Corridor and Midwest inter-city services. The $16m overhaul programme to be carried out at eight depots across the northeastern USA covers more than 450 vehicles, with completion planned for mid-2018. Materials are being sourced from ‘approximately a dozen’ domestic suppliers in 10 states, including new seat cushions, carpets and toilet flooring, LED reading lights, enhanced wainscoting and bulkhead design, new curtains in Business Class and redesigned galleys.


12

INTELLIGENCE Main Line PORTUGAL

Portuguese national operator CP reinstated a daily return passenger service on the 141 km Eastern Line between Entroncamento and the Spanish city of Badajoz on August 29, using Allan diesel railcars built in the 1950s and refurbished by EMEF at Contumil in the early 2000s. Passenger services on the route had been withdrawn in January 2012 following the publication in 2011 of the then-government’s Sustainable Mobility: Horizon 2011-15 transport plan which recommended replacement by buses. While the line remained open for freight, this left the Portalegre district without any regional passenger rail services until September 2015, when an Entroncamento – Portalegre service began op- A rebuilt Allan diesel railcar operated by CP stands at Badajoz. erating on Fridays and Sundays under an agreement between CP, Infraestruturas de Portugal, the municipalities of Alter do Chão, The service to Badajoz has now been reintroduced after parliament Ponte de Sor and Portalegre and the Alentejo Regional Co-ordination backed a proposal from one of the parties that supports the current gov& Development Commission. ernment and seeks to reverse rail closures. n SPAIN

AFRICA

High speed to Extremadura

Good times ahead

Spain’s Ministry of Development says that it remains on course to open in 2019 the first section of the high speed line between Madrid and Badajoz, in the Extremadura region close to the border with Portugal. With tracklaying now in progress, the first section to enter service with diesel traction would be the 177 km between Plasencia and Badajoz. Electrification between Plasencia and the Portuguese border would follow in 2020, according to the ministry. Infrastructure manager ADIF has called tenders for design work. At the eastern end of the route, the ministry has called tenders to undertake

Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority and Zambia Railways Ltd have signed an open access agreement intended to facilitate the seamless movement of freight trains across each other’s infrastructure. Tazara hopes to gain an additional 200 000 tonnes of freight in the first year of the agreement. ‘In the past, Tazara and ZRL have collaborated in different ways, through business agreements that have enabled the operators’ respective wagons to cross into each other’s territory’, said Tazara Managing Director Bruno Ching’andu at the signing ceremony on August 17. ‘This time around, however, the collaboration has gone a step further, now permitting each operator to run locomotives and wagons alike onto each other’s line, thereby smoothing the services.’ Ching’andu said performance at Tazara had ‘been in decline for a long time’, with the ‘paltry’ 87 000 tonnes carried in 2014-15 being the lowest figure in its history. However it is a ‘now on a profound recovery trajectory’, with traffic totalling 130 000 tonnes in 2015-16 and 170 000 tonnes in 2016-17. The 2017-18 target is 350 000 tonnes. The open access agreement ‘signals the beginning of good times ahead’, said ZRL CEO Christopher Musonda. He said the government of Zambia was introducing a transport quota system which would require all bulk cargo exceeding a certain tonnage to move from road to rail. n

routing studies for a high speed alignment between Madrid and Oropesa. To be produced within a year, the preferred alignment would then be put out to public consultation and submitted to the environment ministry for its approval during the fourth quarter of 2018. In addition to revising work undertaken in 2008, the study is to examine options for enabling the new line to serve Toledo, ‘to increase potential demand’, as well as Talavera de la Reina. It will also consider the infrastructure works necessary in the Madrid area to enable freight trains to use the high speed line to Extremadura. n

KAZAKHSTAN

Subsidised services launched Private company Turan Express has begun operating local passenger services from Kapshagai and Uzynagash to Almaty on behalf of the city authority. Following the failure of two privately funded attempts to introduce services on the Almaty – Kapshagai corridor, the local authority called tenders for the operation of a subsidised service in the hope that it would reduce car travel. An estimated 200 000 cars now enter the city from surrounding settlements every day. The five-year contract is worth 354m tenge for the period from the launch on August 16 until the end of the year, and 3·4bn tenge in 2018-21. Turan Express operates two trains each way per day on each route. The 72 km route from Kapshagai to Almaty-1 is worked by a six-car DR1A DMU with

ARGENTINA

Capacity expansion

a journey time of around 1½h, while the 74 km from Kazbek-bek (Uzynagash) to Almaty-2 is operated using a locomotive and nine coaches offering a journey time of around 2 h. The flat fare of 80 tenge can be paid onboard the trains using Onay payment cards. n

Inter-American Development Bank announced on August 24 that it had approved a US$400m 25-year loan to part fund 25 kV 50 Hz electrification of the 76 km San Martín commuter route in Buenos Aires. The US$522m programme includes track renewals, resignalling, new telecoms, construction of a depot at Playa de Alianza and refurbishment of Pilar station. The San Martín route recorded 51 million passenger-journeys in 2016. The replacement of diesel by electric traction is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by between 20% and 25%. n

Photo: Andre Pires

Service reinstated

BOMBARDIER is a trademark of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries.

WE MOVE CITIES

Our smart mobility solutions keep people moving - safely, quickly and comfortably. In a rapidly changing environment we are continuously creating better ways to move the world, expanding and connecting cities, communities and cultures. At Bombardier we move cities - together.

#WeMoveCities

www.rollon.com

How are you planning to move it?

Linear solutions for railway applications: linear and telescopic guides robust and reliable.

Milan, Italy - October 3-5, 2017 Hall 2, Stand 183


15

Urban Rail INTELLIGENCE SWITZERLAND

AUSTRIA

Work begins on Limmattalbahn

Wien automated U-Bahn fleet

President Doris Leuthard attended a groundbreaking ceremony for the Limmattalbahn light rail project at Schlieren near Zürich on August 28. Preparatory work began on August 2 for the first phase of the route, which runs between Altstetten in Zürich and Geissweid in Schlieren to the west of the city. This is due to open at the end of 2019. Work is planned to start on the second phase in autumn 2019. This would extend the Limmattalbahn to Killwangen-Spreitenbach, with opening envisaged at the end of 2022. The entire 13·4 km metre-gauge route with 27 stops would run along existing roads. Around 92% of the route would be on reserved track, which would permit speeds up to 60 km/h. The new line is being developed by Limmattalbahn AG, which is jointly owned by the cantons of Zürich and Aargau. The two cantons are financing the project, with Zürich contributing the larger share. Around one-third of the SFr755m cost (excluding rolling stock) is being covered by the federal government. BDWM Transport will operate the line for the first 10 years. n USA

Clearing house for joint procurement The Federal Transit Administration has launched a Joint Procurement Clearinghouse where transport agencies can share information about their rail vehicle, bus and ferry requirements. A requirement of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, the clearing house is intended to help agencies find partners who are interested in pooling resources to achieve economies of scale through the joint purchases. FTA believes that this will be particularly useful for smaller organisations. The forum is open to recipients who engage with and receive assistance from FTA, and is accessed through the TrAMS federal grant award platform. n

Wiener Linien has selected Siemens as preferred bidder for a contract to supply and maintain trainsets for the future Wien metro Line U5, which would be the capital’s first fully automatic line. A firm order is expected to be signed later this year for 34 trainsets to be A ceremony on September 2 marked the opening of a 4·6 km southern delivered from Siemens’ plant in the extension of Wien metro Line U1 to Oberlaa. city for testing from 2020. Options for a further 11 trainsets would take the overall driver to enable them to replace older vehicles on value to €550m, of which around 30% would be lines U1, U2, U3 and U4. for maintenance to be undertaken by Wiener Meanwhile, Kiepe Electric and IFE are refurLinien staff on behalf of, and at the risk of, the bishing 78 Bombardier Type T low-floor vehicles manufacturer. in service on Line U6. The project is intended to The trainsets would have walk-through and ensure another 20 years of operational service for step-free interiors with air-conditioning and the vehicles. TÜV is providing certification servicCCTV. Although running in driverless mode on es for the refurbishment, which is due to be comU5, they would also be suitable for control by a pleted by the end of 2019. n TAIWAN

Ankeng signalling contract China Steel Corp has awarded Thales a contract to supply signalling for the Ankeng light rail project in New Taipei City. Being developed by the New Taipei City Department of Rapid Transit Systems, the 7·5 km route with nine stops will run on a mix of elevated and at-grade alignment southwest from Shisizhang station on the future Circular Line,

to Erbazi Botanical Garden. It is scheduled to open in early 2022. In addition to signalling, Thales is to supply communications, automatic vehicle location, priority management at road crossings, a public address system, a passenger information system, CCTV, Scada equipment and an operations control centre. n

SINGAPORE

SMRT to run Thomson-East Coast line Land Transport Authority has selected SMRT for the initial contract to operate and maintain the Thomson-East Coast Line. Running from Woodlands in the north to Sungai Bedok in the east, the 43 km L-shaped route serving 31 stations is expected to open in phases between 2019 and 2024. Valued at S$1·7bn, the SMRT bid is reported to be around 30% lower than that submitted by ComfortDelGro subsidiary SBS Transit, which operates the North-East and Downtown lines. SMRT also scored higher on the quality criteria, according to LTA. The TEL operating contract will start in 2019 and run for nine years. It is the first to be tendered by LTA with a contractual penalty and bonus regime to incentivise the operator to improve performance, service reliability, customer satisfaction, and maintenance. If the operator fails to meet the key performance indicators, its contract payments will be reduced. Unlike the earlier lines, the TEL concession does not include the rights to raise non-fare revenue through the renting of commercial space

at stations and the sale of advertising. These rights are to be tendered separately by LTA next year. n LTA has awarded the first three civil works contracts for the 4 km Circle Line 6 project, which will close the Circle Line loop by connecting HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations. Construction is expected to commence by the end of 2017 for completion by 2025. A S$314m contract for construction of the two-level underground station located south of Keppel Road next to the Keppel Terminal has been awarded to a joint venture of China State Construction Engineering Corp and Nishimatsu Construction Co. A S$225m contract for construction of cut-andcover tunnels between the future CCL6 Prince Edward station and the existing CCL Marina Bay station has been awarded to Koh Brothers Building & Civil Engineering. Woh Hup has been awarded a S$1·21bn contract to extend Kim Chuan Depot, almost doubling its capacity from 70 to 133 trains. The integrated depot will also house 550 buses to optimise land use.


16

INTELLIGENCE Urban Rail NEWS IN BRIEF Philippine National Economic & Development Authority has approved a 25 km metro line linking Mindanao Avenue in Quezon City with Manila International Airport. The 355·5bn peso project has a target completion date of 2025 and would be financed by Japan International Co-operation Agency. A 2·8 km extension of São Paulo metro Line 5 between Adolfo Pinheiro and Brooklin opened on September 6. A southeastern extension of Shiraz metro Line 1 was inaugurated on August 22. The 10·5 km extension runs from Vali-e Asr to Shahid Dastgheyb. Intermediate stations are open at Fazilat and Shahid Doran, with five more due to open later. The UK Department for Transport is to provide £59·8m towards the construction of the Edgbaston extension of the Midland Metro tram route in Birmingham, meaning the £149m project is now fully funded. Bahia Governor Rui Costa opened the latest phase of the Salvador metro on September 11. The 7·5 km extension of Line 2 takes the route east from Pituaçu to Mussurunga, adding four stations. The Government of Québec will contribute C$330m towards the construction of a new depot on the Montréal metro network, with operator STM to provide the balance of the C$440m cost. The underground depot with space to stable 10 trainsets will be built in four years at the CôteVertu terminus of the Orange Line. The first of eight Combino trams that Siemens is lengthening returned to Potsdam on September 7. Siemens is producing two intermediate sections, 3 m and 7 m long, for eight trams under a €50m project to lengthen the five-section vehicles to 42 m. Revenue service on a 700 m extension of the Tallinn tram network to the airport began on September 1. There is an intermediate stop at Ülemiste linnak, as well as a tunnel under the railway and a main road. Construction began in August 2016 and was undertaken by Merko Ehitus and KMG Insenerehituse, with the EU meeting 85% of the €11·5m cost. The government has allocated HF4bn for the construction of a 2 km tram line to serve the Hungexpo exhibition centre in Budapest. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is to provide US$500m towards the estimated US$2·22bn cost of the metro Line 4 project in Mumbai. Incumbent RATP Dev has been awarded a new contract to operate and maintain the Casablanca tram network for 12 years from December.

INDIA

Lucknow inauguration A ceremony marked the opening of the Lucknow metro on September 5, with passenger services starting the following day. Services are operating between 06.00 and 22.00 on an initial 8·4 km ‘priority corridor’ between Transport Nagar and Charbagh, serving eight stations. When complete, the city’s starter Designed in Bangalore and manufactured at Sri City and Coimbatore, line will connect Chaudhary Charan the 20 four-car Metropolis trainsets each have 186 seats arranged Singh International Airport and Mun- longitudinally and two areas for passengers with reduced mobility. shipulia. Three stations on a 3·4 km section will be underground, with the remaining In 2015 Lucknow Metro Rail Corp awarded 19·4 km and 19 stations on an elevated alignment. Alstom a €150m contract to provide rolling stock The project is being developed as a joint venture and signalling. Alstom’s factories in Bangalore between the central government and the state of and Saint-Ouen in France are supplying Urbalis Uttar Pradesh. CBTC signalling. n SOUTH KOREA

Seoul LRT opens A ceremony on September 4 attended by Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon marked the opening of the Ui-Sinseol Light Rapid Transit line. Running north from Sinseol-dong to Ui-dong, the 11·4 km underground line serves 13 stations. Interchanges are provided with metro lines 1 and 2 at Sinseol-dong and with Line 4 at Sungshin Women’s University. Hyundai Rotem has supplied a fleet of 18

two-car driverless trainsets from its Changwon factory. The 28 m long trains will operate with staff on board for the first three years. n

AUSTRALIA

RUSSIA

Keolis Downer retains Melbourne

Moscow tramway growing again

The Victoria government has awarded incumbent Keolis Downer the next contract to operate the Yarra Trams network in Melbourne. Running for seven years from November 30 2017. The current contract gave the operator the right to exclusive negotiations ahead of any tendering, but the new deal will not include a similar clause. The new contract includes the creation of more than 100 jobs, with an emphasis on engineering and trades-based roles, as well as 70 apprenticeships and traineeships, growing to around 120 by the end of the contract. Other improvements cover availability, reliability, digital information and accessibility, including introducing assisted boarding aids on low-floor trams at level access stops and the development of a best practice design guide for new stops. n

A short extension of the Moscow tram network from Lesnaya to the Belorusskaya railway and metro stations at Tverskaya Zastava square opened on September 9. The 450 m extension is intended to significantly ease interchanging between surface transport and the metro. A turning loop has been built as part of a redevelopment of the square, which is now served by 11 bus, trolleybus, tram, metro and suburban rail routes. The whole project, including the redevelopment of the square, cost 74m roubles. Around 17 000 passengers/day are expected to use the extension, increasing to 30 000 by the end of the year. The extension is served every 3 to 4 min by tram routes 7 and 9, which use Metrowagonmash/PK Transportnye Systemy Vityaz-M 100% low-floor articulated trams. Route 7 offers a journey time of around 30 min between Belorusskaya and the ‘three stations’ square which gives access to mainline trains at Leningradski, Kazanskaya and Yaroslavskaya. This is slightly slower than the 20 min by metro, but avoids the need to carry luggage up and down escalators and stairs. n


17

Urban Rail INTELLIGENCE CHINA

TURKEY

Chinese cities open more lines

Izmir extension opens as Marmaray trainset tested

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport gained a metro service on September 6 with the opening of the first phase of Line 10, the city’s first express metro line. The 10·1 km route runs southwest from the Taipingyuan terminus of Line 3 to the airport. The six stations include one for each of the airport’s two terminals. Services are operated with a fleet of six-car Type A trainsets. Running at up to 100 km/h, these offer an end-to-end journey time of 12 min. The second phase would extend the line by 27 km to Xinping, with 10 stations. Opening of this extension is scheduled for December 2020. The fourth metro line in Kunming opened on August 29. The 23·4 km east-west route serves

20 stations between Western Hills Park and East Coach Station via West Coach Station. Interchange is provided with Line 6 at East Coach Station and with Line 2 at Dongfeng Square. In the future, interchange with an extended Line 1 will be provided at Panjiwan. The first domestically developed straddle monorail to enter revenue service in China opened on September 1 at the China Flower Expo Park in Yinchuan. The 5·7 km route with eight stations uses a fleet of seven three-car trainsets travelling at up to 80 km/h. Each trainset has capacity for 170 passengers. The project was developed by BYD. Yinchuan plans to build a 300 km monorail network. n

USA

Maryland Purple Line breaks ground A groundbreaking ceremony for the Purple Line in Maryland took place on August 28. The 25·7 km light rail line with 21 stops is being built between Bethesda and New Carrollton in the northern suburbs of Washington DC. The ceremony also included the signing of a $900m Full Funding Grant Agreement from the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grant Program. In 2016 the Purple Line Transit PartThe orbital light rail route will connect suburbs around Washington ners consortium of Meridiam (70%), DC and provide interchange with Wmata metro services and MARC Fluor Enterprises (15%) and Star commuter rail. America (15%) was awarded a PPP concession to design, build, finance, operate and consortium will provide 30 years of operations maintain the Purple Line. and maintenance. Purple Line Transit Operators The Purple Line Transit Constructors joint also includes Alternate Concepts and CAF USA, venture led by Fluor Enterprises and including which is supplying a fleet of 26 five-section light The Lane Construction Corp and Traylor Bros rail vehicles. Passenger service is scheduled to beis the design-build contractor. Another Fluor-led gin in early 2022. n

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım opened a 17 km extension of Izmir’s Southern Line suburban service from Tepeköy to Selçuk on September 8. The extension cost TL300m, of which 70% was covered by the national budget, and makes use of a railway alignment originally opened in the 1860s. There is one intermediate station at Sağlık. Services are operated by Izban, which is owned 50:50 by national rail operator TCDD Taşımacılık and Izmir Metropolitan Municipality. Meanwhile, on August 28 test running began with a Marmaray trainset that has been transferred to Izmir. The majority of the 440 Hyundai Rotembuilt Marmaray cars will not be required in Istanbul until work to upgrade suburban lines either side of the Bosporus is completed, which is now expected at the end of 2018. If testing with the initial trainset is successful, six Marmaray trainsets will be transferred to Izmir to enable headways on the overcrowded suburban services to be reduced from 10 min to 6 min. n

Izban services currently operate with a fleet of 73 EMUs of two designs supplied by CAF (above) and Hyundai Rotem.

UICScan – innovative Data logging and evaluation from rail vehicles Benefits of the UICScan System • Camera based automatic UIC number scan • Ready for immediate use, vehicles require no extra equipment • Suitable for high drive-through speed Venite a trovarci a Expoferroviaria 3-5 Ottobre Fiera Milano Pad. 2, Stand 257

UICScan is manufactured by Prometheus GmbH & Co. KG, a subsidiary of Hugo Vogelsang Maschinenbau GmbH

• Logging of all relevant parameters • Combination with additional service systems • Compatible with the Vogelsang VEBSys online real-time documentation system

Visit us on vogelsang.info ENGINEERED TO WORK

RELIABLE AND ECONOMIC APPLIC ATION PL ANNING Anz.Railway_UIC-Scan-Expo Ferroviaria_EN.indd 1

11.09.17 12:05


18

INTELLIGENCE Market ROLLING STOCK

ISRAEL

Electric arrival The first of 62 Traxx AC electric locomotives which Bombardier is building at Kassel for Israel Railways arrived at Kishon Port in Haifa on August 28, and was then transported by rail to ISR’s Kishon workshops. ISR currently has no electrified lines, but 25 kV 50 Hz overhead is being installed on several routes. A section of the A1 fast line to Jerusalem near the Latrun monastery is due to be used for testing and commissioning purposes.  As part of the A1 fast line construction project,

BRAZIL: CRRC Sifang is to supply

eight eight-car EMUs for use on the future Line 13 of the São Paulo suburban network operated by CPTM. The 1 600 mm gauge trainsets based on CRRC’s Type A metro design are to be delivered from 2019.

CHINA: Chengdu Metro Corp has the first test train comprising a Euro 4000 diesel locomotive and a rake of loaded ballast hoppers ran from Tel Aviv to the Latrun bridge on August 20. n

INFRASTRUCTURE CANADA: The 4Transit joint venture of Hatch, Parsons and WSP Canada has been awarded a C$300m contract to provide technical advisory services for two packages within Metrolinx’s Toronto RER programme. HUNGARY: Contracts totalling €235m have been awarded for modernisation of the northern section of Budapest metro line M3 by 2020. Swietelsky Vasúttechnika has a €156m contract covering track renewals and tunnel works, while Strabag Építőipari will modernise six stations for €79m. INDIA: Larsen & Toubro Construc-

tion has won a contract for trackwork on Phase 1 of the Ahmedabad metro.

IRAN: At the Expo 1520 fair in Mos-

cow (p37), Sinara Transport Machines subsidiary Kalugaputmash signed a €24m contract to supply contractor Ferrotek Steel with 36 track machines in 2018. Sinara also plans to establish a servicing centre in Iran.

MALAYSIA: China Communications Construction Corp has awarded HSS Integrated a 16·5m ringgit design and consultancy contract for the first 220 km of the planned East Coast rail link. MEXICO: Metro operator STC has

selected a consortium led by Consultoría Integral en Ingeniería for a 156m pesos contract to undertake studies for the extension of Line 9 from Tacubaya to Observatorio. A group led by Ingeniería, Servicios y Sistemas Aplicados will study the planned express rail service to Mexico City’s new airport.

POLAND: PKP PLK has selected

Trakcja PRKiI for a 139m złoty deal to upgrade lines from Szczecin to Gryfino, Stargard Szczeciński and Goleniów to carry suburban rail services.

A consortium of Siltor and KZN Rail has begun work on a 40m złoty contract to modernise the Gliwice Port freight yard by the end of November 2018, installing new signalling and lengthening sidings to 800 m. Intercor has started work on a 62m złoty contract to modernise Gdańsk Główny station, raising platforms and improving accessibility. NDI, Balzola Polska and Construcciones y Promociones Balzola are to modernise 1·3 km of Tramwaje Śląskie track in Sosnowiec for 20·6m złoty. SWEDEN: TÜV Süd Danmark has

been selected to act as NoBo providing safety management and TSI conformity inspection for the Ostlänken high speed line and Västlänken tunnel in Göteborg.

THAILAND: A KS Joint Venture Co/

China Railway 11th Bureau Group consortium and the STPP joint venture of Sino-Thai Engineering and Thai Picon & Industry have been named preferred bidders for double-tracking work on SRT’s Khiri Khan – Chumphon line totalling 12·3bn baht. With a bid of 8·6bn baht Unique Engineering & Construction has been named preferred bidder for double-tracking between Tha Khae and Pak Nam Pho.

UK: Garco Rail is supplying remote void monitoring equipment manufactured by Datum Group to the ABC Electrification joint venture of Alstom, Babcock and Costain. USA: Chicago Transit Authority has awarded Walsh Construction Company II a $31m contract to upgrade Jefferson Park and Belmont stations on the Blue Line. VIETNAM: Wegh Group is to supply a further 150 PLD TD96/2 level crossing barrier machines to DSVN.

awarded Alstom a €57m contract to supply traction equipment for 62 eightcar trainsets to operate Line 5, which is due to open by the end of 2019. Optonix equipment will be supplied by Shanghai Alstom Transport Electrical Equipment Co and Chengdu Alstom Transport Electrical Equipment, with support from Xi’an Alstom Yongji Electric Equipment Co.

CZECH REPUBLIC: ČD has ordered nine Škoda Vagónka Class 650 RegioPanter 3 kV DC/25 kV AC two-car EMUs for delivery by December 2018, as an option within a KC1·2bn framework contract for 11 signed in February 2015. EUROPE: MRCE has ordered a further 30 Siemens Vectron electric locomotives, including 10 multisystem locos rated at 6·4 MW for Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland and the Netherlands, and 20 DC locomotives rated at 5·2 MW for Italy. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in January 2018, and there is an option for a further 20.

Railpool has ordered 20 Bombardier Traxx MS electric locomotives for delivery between May 2018 and December 2019. Suitable for use in 12 countries, they are expected to be deployed in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium. Following a successful pilot project covering 50 vehicles, Transwaggon and ScandFibre have installed Savvy Telematic Systems equipment on 6 000 freight wagons. VTG and Dutch company Intermodal Telematics have launched a programme to develop and install continuously operating load-unload sensors across the leasing company’s entire fleet of liquid, bulk and container wagons. Alpha Trains has taken delivery of the last two of 10 Siemens Vectron multi system locomotives ordered for FS subsidiary TX Logistik. In addition to financing and project management, the leasing company is also responsible for servicing and maintenance.


19

Market INTELLIGENCE FINLAND: VR has awarded Škoda Transportation subsidiary Transtech a €50m order to supply a further 20 Type Ed double-deck coaches in 2019 as an option on a contract signed in 2015. GERMANY: Alpha Trains has begun

taking delivery of eight five-car Flirt multi-system EMUs which will be used by Keolis on Netz Teutoberger Wald route RB61 between Bielefeld and Hengelo from the December 10 timetable change. Leasing company GATX Rail Germany has awarded WBN Waggonbau Niesky a contract to supply 50 Moltrag modular wagons for use by BASF from April 2018, with an option for a further 100.

HUNGARY: MÁV-Start has ordered a further 11 KISS double-deck EMUs at a cost of €16·7m, exercising an option within its framework contract for 40 sets agreed with Stadler earlier this year (RG 5.17 p7).

POLAND: Newag submitted the best

bid to overhaul 31 Class EP09 locomotives for PKP IC at a cost of 52·8m złoty. PKP IC has also awarded two contracts totalling 372m złoty to Pesa and ZNTK for the conversion of 80 Type 1141A second class coaches into 40 composite vehicles and 40 specialpurpose coaches with catering, family and wheelchair facilities, with options for up to 20 more vehicles of each type. Pesa submitted the sole bid to supply two two-car DMUs for Wielkopolskie voivodship, offering two Link trainsets from a batch originally intended for Oberpfalzbahn services in Germany. MPK Kraków has awarded Autosan a 2·5m złoty contract to supply 6·5 m low-floor centre sections for six GT8S trams, with options for 14. Modertrans is to modernise 40 KT4Dt bogies for Tramwaje Szczecińskie for 6·9m złoty, with options for 32 more.

INDONESIA: The first of 10 trainsets being built by PT Inka and Bombardier for the 36·4 km Soekarno-Hatta airport rail link in Jakarta was delivered to operator PT KAI in August.

ZNTK Mińsk Mazowiecki is to refurbish three EN57 EMUs for SKM w Trójmieście in a 5·3m złoty project covering new seats, floors, an accessible toilet and a passenger information system.

LATVIA: Nordic Investment Bank and Latvian Railways have agreed a €22·8m 12-year loan to finance an ongoing project for LDz Ritošā Sastāva Serviss to rebuild 14 twin-section 2M62Us locomotives into Type 2M62UM.

RUSSIA: PK Transportnye Systemy is

MONGOLIA: LokoTech

subsidiary Ulan-Ude LVRZ has overhauled 60 diesel locomotives for Ulanbataar Railway at a cost of 19m roubles, and has secured a 20m roubles order to repair 450 wheelsets used on freight and passenger vehicles.

MOROCCO: ONCF has awarded SKF a contract to supply 15 000 spherical roller bearings over three years for use on passenger and freight rolling stock. The bearings are designed to be highly tolerant of misalignment and shaft deflection, as well as high temperatures and a harsh climate. NORWAY: State-owned rolling stock

company Norske Tog has invited tenders for the mid-life refurbishment of 36 Class 72 EMUs used on regional passenger services around Oslo and Stavanger. On September 9 NSB Gjøvikbanen officially put into service the first of 10 Stadler Flirt EMUs which will replace older Class 69 EMUs on the Oslo – Gjøvik route.

to supply three 100% low-floor threesection trams to St Petersburg operator Gorelektrotrans by December under a 255m rouble contract.

State Transport Leasing Co has awarded B-VRZ a 2·8bn rouble contract to supply 1 000 Type 19-9950 covered hoppers with a capacity of 105 m3 or 70·5 tonnes for low density products. Transmash is to supply 3 000 Type 139751-01 flat wagons to leasing company Russian Container Co in 2018-20, and has won a 500m rouble contract to supply 200 Type 13-9744-06 container wagons to TransContainer this year. Uralvagonzavod submitted the best offer of 5bn roubles for a contract to supply Federal Freight Co with 2 400 heavy axleload open wagons by the end of 2017. TMH Tver, VTB Leasing and Russian Post have signed an agreement for 45 postal vans to be supplied by the end of November for use on domestic and international routes. They will be 1 m longer than existing designs, increasing capacity by 2 tonnes to 24 tonnes, and will be delivered in two configurations with or without crew compartments. SAUDI ARABIA: Having won a con-

tract to provide industrial shunting

services, Savage Services is taking delivery of two NREC 3GS21 Tier 3 genset locomotives, with an option for a third. SWEDEN: Arriva has awarded Alstom

a €135m eight-year contract to maintain 99 Coradia Nordic EMUs owned by the Skånetrafiken regional transport authority for use under the Pågatåg operating contract. Alstom is to deploy its TrainTracer predictive maintenance system as part of its HealthHub platform.

THAILAND: Bangkok Expressway &

Metro and CH Karnchang have selected a consortium of Siemens and ST Electronics to supply 35 three-car trainsets from Siemens’ Wien factory as well as railway systems for the Blue Line extension of the Bangkok metro.

UK: London Underground has awarded Bombardier a contract to replace the DC traction motors on the 85 eight-car 1992 Stock trainsets used on the Central Line with Mitrac AC traction and control equipment. Including ongoing maintenance support to 2024, the contract is valued at £112m. USA: Amtrak has selected Rockwell Collins to supply its ArincRailwayNet onboard equipment for 310 locos, supporting interoperable PTC operation on the tracks of 19 host railroads.

Chicago South Shore & South Bend Railroad has leased 100 covered steel coil wagons from CIT Rail to carry traffic for ArcelorMittal.

CONTRACTS GERMANY: Transdev

has been awarded a contract to manage ticket sales, including support for vending machines and supplying staff handsets, for Erfurter Bahn and Süd-ThüringenBahn for 11 years from December. Bielefeld tram operator moBiel has started installing 100 Scheidt & Bachmann ticket vending machines which offer audio support for users with impaired vision.

INDIA: Kolkata Metro Rail Corp has selected Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric and Panasonic Manufacturing (Beijing) Co to supply platform screen doors for 12 stations on the east-west Line 2. PERU: Spanish regional operator FGC

and Ardanuy are to supervise infrastructure and rolling stock maintenance on Line 1 of the Lima Metro under a €2∙1m two-year contract.

More Market For the latest news go to www. railwaygazette. com

THE NEW GENERATION: HYBRID GRINDING TECHNOLOGY

13.63 HWS Hybrid Switch Grinding Machine • • •

Intelligent use of energy: due to intermediate power storage in the supercap during grindstone idling Precise grinding pattern: by means of low-vibration construction and optimum view of grinding area Universal operation: from switch grinding to reprofiling

More on the product: www.robel.info/rg1017


21

Industry INTELLIGENCE SEEING MACHINES

Driver monitoring partnership Vision technology company Seeing Machines has signed an extended partnership agreement providing Progress Rail Services with an exclusive worldwide licence covering rail applications. Following an agreement announced at InnoTrans 2014 (RG 11.14 p76), the two companies have undertaken trials using a dashboard-mounted infra-red camera and artificial intelligence to monitor the head and eye movements of a train driver to check that they are not distracted or affected by fatigue. If the camera detects that movements and blinking have ceased, or the driver is looking in an unexpected direction, then an alarm can be sounded. ‘We are delighted to be moving our partnership with global leaders Progress Rail into the commercial phase’, said Paul Angelatos, General Manager

Fleet, Rail & Off-Road at Seeing Machines. ‘Having worked closely over the past few years to understand and develop a robust solution for the rail industry through trials, it’s very pleasing that both parties share the same vision and see large market opportunity to enter the commercial ramp phase, which will deliver significant benefits in safety and productivity across the rail sector.’ n

Hanson Professional Services Inc of Springfield, Illinois, has acquired Engineered Rail Solutions LLC, which has six staff and provides logistical and market analysis, engineering design services and operational optimisation for the US rail and material handling industries.

LocoTech’s Ulan-Ude facility has been certified to repair Russian Railways EP1P main line passenger electric locomotives, as well as its core business of freight locomotives. More than 226m roubles is to be spent on specialist tools and equipment this year.

CRRC comes to Israel bidder to supply 90 articulated vehicles to operate the 23 km Red Line, with an option for 30 more. A long-term maintenance agreement was envisaged as part of this contract, subject to government approval and the finalising of an industrial co-operation agreement. The following day saw the unveiling by Transport Minister Israel Katz of a full-scale mock-up for the new light metro car, which is being displayed for public consultation close to the city’s Culture Hall. n

UNITED WAGON CO

US-bound bogie castings United Wagon Co’s Tikhvin plant in Russia has begun shipping Barber S2-HD bogie side frames and bolsters for the North American market, after obtaining Association of American Railroads approval for their use on wagons for unrestricted interchange in Canada, Mexico and the USA. UWC plans to supply bogies for up to 5 000 wagons per year under a 10year contract with Wabtec. ‘The start of shipments to the mature and competitive North American market confirms the high quality of our products and compliance with world standards’,

IVU Traffic Technologies has acquired Zürich-based consultancy Soft Tech Informatik as a basis for growth in Switzerland. ‘The aim is to bundle our joint activities under one roof in order to give our customers here even better service and to tap into the additional potential of the Swiss market’, said Marc Schaffert, who heads the IVU office in Basel. IVU also reported that revenues in the first half of 2017 were up 15% to €26m while gross profit rose by 10% to €19m. EBIT was slightly negative owing to seasonal factors at -€592 000, but still up around €1m on the previous year. The company said the ‘good level of orders also highlights the positive prospects for the year as a whole.’

William Cook Rail has won an order to supply bogie parts for the Citadis Spirit LRVs which Alstom is building for Ottawa. The UK-based engineering company has completed a £15m rail plant in Leeds, and said the bogie castings would be ‘among the most complex and highly specified cast steel components in the market’.

CRRC CHANGCHUN

CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles formally opened a regional office in Tel Aviv on September 12. Located in the city’s Ramat-Gan district, the new office is close to Israel Railways’ principal station at Tel-Aviv Savidor. On the same day, a 16-year contract was signed for CRRC Changchun to maintain the fleet of vehicles that it is supplying for the Tel Aviv light metro Red Line. CRRC Changchun had been selected in November 2015 as preferred

NEWS IN BRIEF

said Maxim Kuzemchenko, Deputy CEO for Business Development. ‘We keep on diversifying UWC’s business by using our competitive strengths and building relations with the industry leaders.’ In order to produce castings for the North American market, TVSZ had to pass a quality management system audit to confirm compliance with AAR specification M-1003, and also meet AAR’s foundry technical requirements. Sample castings were subjected to static and dynamic structural testing at an AAR-approved CTLGroup materials testing centre. n

VIA Rail has entered into a partnership with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, which aims to foster economic opportunities for Aboriginal peoples and businesses across Canada. The national passenger operator plans to attain CCAB’s Progressive Aboriginal Relations certification. Systra announced on August 31 that it had completed the acquisition of International Bridge Technologies. This will enable the consultancy to establish ‘a global bridge centre of excellence’ that will offer specialist design expertise. This is Systra’s first acquisition in a specific engineering discipline, marking a significant strategic move, the company says. It added that more than 60% of bridges globally are used in rail projects, making the specialism highly complementary to Systra’s core business. French notified body and independent safety assessor Certifer has acquired the Belgian certification and inspection specialist Belgorail. Active in France since 1997, Certifer has branches in Italy, Turkey, Algeria, Brazil and Australia, plus an office in Dubai. PCM Rail.One and S:t Eriks have announced an agreement to co-operate in the supply of concrete sleepers and slab track for the Swedish market. On September 11, xG Technology announced an agreement to work with Panasonic System Solutions Europe to supply its Vislink video communications equipment in the rail sector. xG said its technology was suitable for use on vehicles where it would experience shock, vibration and challenging radio frequency conditions. ‘Together, we can solve long standing challenges that the industry faces, such as the ability to offer latency-free surveillance across the rail network’, said Tony O’Brien, Managing Director of Panasonic System Solutions Europe.

Read more Innovations and Industry news at www.railwaygazette.com


22

INTELLIGENCE Innovations STEEL

LOCOMOTIVES

Coloured wheels

Russian steelmaker Evraz NTMK has delivered a batch of 240 BA220 coach wheels to Deutsche Bahn for the first time, with a further 1 440 to follow this year. The 920 mm diameter BA220 is a new product, manufactured with ER7 steel with a rim hardness of >235 HB. At DB’s request the wheels have been coated with detector paint which changes colour if it reaches a temperature which could lead to structural changes in the steel. This alerts staff, enabling the wheel to be sent for inspection. n DATA

Tank telematics Asto Telematics has been awarded a contract to equip Sasol Germany’s fleet of ethylene oxide tank wagons and tank-containers with its new aJour ATEX Compact+Sensor telematics technology. This is intended to allow Sasol to monitor wagon movements, temperature and impact forces. In the event of potential danger, an automated message with data on the wagon and its load can be sent to the appropriate authorities. n

Road-rail shunting robot Vollert has developed a compact battery-powered road-rail machine for light shunting of up to 300 tonnes at industrial sites, ports and freight terminals. ‘As a specialist supplier of economical shunting and transport systems, we were often asked for a small road-rail machine’, explained Jürgen Schiemer, Vice-President Shunting Systems. As a result the company has produced the VLEX. Articulated steering with four individual wheel hub motors allows a turning radius of 7·2 m while being gentle to the solid tyres. The machine can also turn 360° on the spot if space is very confined. A swing axle ensures that all four drive wheels have maximum contact with the ground, enabling the machine to cross small obstacles and unpaved ground without any loss of traction. The joystick remote control uses a colour-coded system for steering, direction and switching between rail and road modes to minimise training requirements. The track guide rollers are hydraulically lowered for

Quality Assured With rail authorities facing ever increasing demands, there’s no room for delays. That’s why we developed our Connect Road Crossing System with Network Rail. Its innovative design means panels can’t be dislodged, yet still allows individual panels to be removed without dismantling the whole crossing. It ensures the safest crossing possible, whilst significantly reducing maintenance costs and time. Rosehill Rail – Setting New Standards For more information, or to enquire about training, please call the Rosehill Rail sales team on +44 (0)1422 317 473, or email [email protected]

10 - 12 October 2017 Elmia Centre, Jönköping - Sweden 29 November - 1 December 2017 Makuhari Messe Chiba - Japan

Road Crossings

//

Road Rail Access

//

Pedestrian Crossings

//

Anti-Trespass

rail travel, and automatically adjust themselves to counterbalance each other. The steering is hydraulically locked in rail mode to ensure stability. ‘With its high manoeuvrability, high traction and intelligent drive technology with a pulling force of 20 kN, the road-rail robot can be employed in all shunting operations and is easily and safely operated by one person’, says Schiemer. ‘Access to all relevant components as well as for battery replacement is possible through large gullwing doors at any time. This makes maintaining the road-rail robot very easy.’ n


23

Innovations INTELLIGENCE NEWS IN BRIEF

STAFF PROTECTION

DuPont develops disposable coveralls To meet an SNCF requirement for protective workwear which combines high visibility with chemical protection, DuPont Protection Solutions has developed Tyvek 500 HV disposable coveralls. These provide a barrier to low concentration, aqueous inorganic chemical products, as well as biological risks encountered by staff inspecting trains following a collision with an animal or person. The disposable garments can be kept in response vehicles ready for use in the event of an accident or when carrying out repairs. They also help to reduce the number of items of protective clothing required; previously each worker had 23 woven, washable, high visibility garments. ‘Since the coveralls are designed to be disposable, they will never be washed’, said Lionel Delport, responsible for safety at SNCF’s equipment

management department. ‘This enables them to retain their fluorescent and retroreflective properties until they are discarded, unlike woven apparel which may fade when subjected to repeated washing.’ n

DB Cargo UK has awarded PickersgillKaye a contract to supply new cab door locks for its Class 66 locomotives. VTG and Dutch company Intermodal Telematics have launched a joint engineering programme to develop and install continuously operating load-unload sensors across the leasing company’s entire fleet of liquid, bulk and container wagons.

TICKETING

TfL launches mobile ticketing app Transport for London launched its first app for Android and Apple smart phones and tablets on September 7. The TfL Mobile Ticketing App allows Oyster card users to top up their cards, manage their accounts and view journey histories. Pay-as-you-go balance top-ups and season tickets can be purchased through the app and

ABB India is to supply solar inverters for 750 stations in north India as part of an Indian Railways project to reduce dependence on electricity generated using coal, lower energy costs and meet greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. Forming part of rooftop solar installations being set up by Azure Power, the inverters, which convert the DC output of photovoltaic cells to an AC supply, will vary between 5 kW and 50 kW depending on the size of the station where they are deployed.

added to an Oyster card after 30 min by touching the card on a yellow reader at a station. The app has been developed by Cubic Transportation Systems. Future updates will allow users to view journeys made with contactless bank card payment, and will allow cards to be updated using readers on buses. n

United Wagon Co’s bulk freight transport subsidiary Unicon 1520 and Russian petrochemical exporter Avestra Group have agreed to develop the use of modern tank wagons and tank containers to transport liquefied hydrocarbon gases, methanol and other chemicals.

RAILWAY POWER SUPPLIES CONFERENCE ON RAILWAY EXCELLENCE Rail: smart, automated, sustainable

30 APR – 2 MAY 2018 ICC SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

The 11th RTSA Conference on Railway Excellence (CORE) and Exhibition is pleased to announce our keynote speakers.

Leslie Woo, Chief Planning Officer at Metrolinx, Ontario Canada - described as The Transit Changemaker by Spacing Toronto in 2016 and awarded Canada’s Women’s Infrastructure Network’s 2015 Outstanding Leader. Leslie is a passionate and influential strategist on urban planning issues internationally and has been leading the transformation of Canada’s largest and fastest growing metropolitan centre for over twenty years, shaping multi-billion dollar infrastructure investments. Jean-Pierre Loubinoux, was appointed Director-General of the International Union of Railways (UIC), the worldwide association representing the rail sector and encompassing 240 railways across all continents, in 2009. Prior to joining UIC, he was Chairman and CEO of French railways SNCF International and SNCF Director of International Development from 2001 to 2009, having been appointed Chief Executive of SNCF Freight International in 2001. Come and join us in Sydney for the premier technical railway conference in Australia. HOST SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GALA DINNER SPONSOR

For more info visit: www.core2018.org

STAY ON TRACK. WITH OUR INNOVATIONS. Visit us in O ctober 2017 at EXPO Ferrov iaria - Booth 544 Elmia Nordi c Rail - Boot h B05:50 NEW: Series PCMDNI300 without galvanical isolation • Output power: 300 W; Efficiency: ≥95 % • Input voltage range: 18...100,8 VDC / 28...160 VDC • Output voltage: 12 V / 24 V • Ambient temperature: -40...+70 °C / +85 °C 10 min • Transient protected, vaccum encapsulated • EN 60950-1 / EN 61000-6-4 / EN 61000-6-2 • Fire protection acc. to EN 45 545-2 www.mtm-power.com


25

Analysis INTELLIGENCE GERMANY

Digital direction Germany’s national railway was reflecting on its role in the fourth industrial revolution at the recent Railway Forum in Berlin. Nick Kingsley reports.

A

s Rolf Härdi, Chief Technology Officer of Deutsche Bahn, reached the concluding slide of his presentation to the fifth Railway Forum Berlin on August 31, a spontaneous and unexpected round of applause rang out around the Estrel Congress Centre. On the slide was written an exhortation to remember that ‘digitalisation is not everything’, and that ‘classical’ engineering challenges related to rolling stock, permanent way and signalling still abound. Quite why the delegates felt compelled to applaud at this juncture was not clear; perhaps it reflected something about the demographics and career level of those attending the Forum. Perhaps it also served as an unintentional signal of the scale of the challenge facing a giant legacy railway group like Deutsche Bahn in convincing staff, customers and policymakers that it can emerge as the agile, digitallysavvy entity it seeks to become. Held on August 30-31, the Railway Forum is a quasi-official DB event organised by Hannover-based IPM. This year, the organisers sought to group the sessions around four key industry trends: automation, digitalisation, inter nationalisation and competitiveness, but in reality digital and data-driven strategy underpinned all four strands. References to the ubiquitous ‘Industry 4.0’ were made by almost every speaker. However, the Forum offered a important overview of the changes taking place within the DB as it seeks to implement its Zukunft Bahn reform programme (RG 9.16 p43). ‘This is our response to the mobility challenge’, said Chief Procurement Officer Uwe Günther as he reflected on the national railway’s encouraging first half results (RG 9.17 p28). Insisting that ‘high volumes of bundling and large framework contracts’ were already proving to be ‘the right strategy’, Günther went on to argue that digitalisation and supply chain innovation would be fundamental to DB’s future. From the first quarter of

Debating digital priorities in Berlin. DB Fernverkehr’s Birgit Bohle (second right) and FlixBus CEO Jochen Engert.

2018, electronic data exchange will be introduced between DB and many of its largest suppliers, and he expects einvoicing, paperless documentation and BIM modelling to become standard in its procurement practices in the years to come.

17

variants OF ICE TRAINSET IN THE DB FERNVERKEHR FLEET, INCREASING COSTS AND COMPLICATING DEPLOYMENT

Long-distance renewal Addressing a panel including Jochen Engert, co-founder of long distance bus brand FlixBus, DB Fernverkehr Chief Executive Birgit Bohle elaborated on what she saw as the ‘priorities’ for digitisation in rail. ‘We talk a lot about buzzwords such as driverless vehicles or automation. But for our business, we do not want to get rid of drivers. What we need digital technology to do is deal with our pressure points. Can it help us to improve throughput at key hubs?’ She also urged faster progress in addressing ‘the cost base of long-distance passenger transport’, which she suggested was the motivation for introducing the IC2 double-deck trainsets on some cross-country routes. On procurement though, she suggested much work remained. ‘We are still so far from having standard products. There are 17 different production variants of the ICE trainset in my fleet’, she argued. More positively, she highlighted ‘tangible examples of small but real innovation’, including an app-based ‘self check-in’ service which would reduce the pressure on onboard staff to check tickets. She also reported that DB’s distribution tools have found that ticket sales rates fall by half ‘when people realise they have to change trains’, and that this was a key driver for restructuring the IC and ICE network to give more through trains between city pairs and enhanced frequencies. In response, Engert suggested that

while ‘DB’s planning horizon looks to 2025’ for infrastructure enhancement and rolling stock renewal, FlixBus could change its operating model ‘within three months’. So he was ‘not too worried about any new inter-city offering’ from the national railway. n INTERNATIONAL

The future is now The ‘fourth industrial revolution’, driven by data connectivity, advanced computing, artificial intelligence and machine learning, is already starting to reshape the rail freight industry, according to numerous speakers at the International Heavy Haul Association conference in Cape Town last month. In her keynote address, the World Economic Forum’s Head of Industries Dr Cheryl Martin said almost all established industry sectors faced the prospect of disruption to their established business models. The question was ‘not will I be disrupted, but when?’ Railways had to consider three fundamental questions, she suggested: ‘what will be moving in the future, how will it be moving, and who will be moving it?’ Distributed manufacturing and online retailing were already changing what moves, as well as where, and Martin underlined the importance of improving cross-border connectivity to support global trade. Environmental concerns were influencing the choice of packaging and reducing demand for raw materials, she said, but railways should be well placed to capitalise on a growing awareness of external impacts such as climate change. ‘It is time to


26

INTELLIGENCE Analysis think about new business models’, she concluded. Industry health check Welcoming a record attendance of more than 900 delegates from 39 countries, newly-elected IHHA Chairman Brian Monakali picked up on the conference theme of ‘Advancing Heavy Haul Technology & Operations in a Changing World’ (RG 8.17 p29). He hoped that the event would take ‘a health check’ of the industry and start visualising the railway of the future. Reflecting his role as General Manager, Capital Projects, at Transnet Freight Rail, Monakali said it was important to consider strategic issues, including the lack of interconnectivity between African rail networks and a shortage of funding for investment. He was keen to promote the adoption of heavy haul principles for general rail freight operations, and wanted to empower the next generation. As co-sponsor, Transnet had brought many of its younger staff to learn more about industry developments and meet professionals with many years of accumulated expertise. Transnet CEO Siyabonga Gama said young people had an important role to play in ‘making the world a better place’. Benchmarking study Over the past 35 years, IHHA has primarily focused on the technical and engineering aspects of heavy haul, particularly around the wheel/rail interface. And while this again featured heavily in Cape Town, there was more emphasis on operational issues, such as improving performance and capacity utilisation by moving to scheduled operation, introducing driver advisory systems and recovering faster from disruption. As many established industry experts approach retirement, IHHA is keen to ensure that its learnings are passed on. As part of its industry health check, the association has commissioned a benchmarking study to determine what technical developments have contributed to the success of its member railways, and what innovations might do so in the coming years. Presenting the outline results, former Canadian Pacific General Manager Mike Roney noted that heavy haul railways had long ‘benefited from common innovations and technology platforms’, and were already working on many of the technologies that would shape their business over the next decade. In terms of safety, Roney cited current priorities as understanding the interaction between wheel and rail profiles and moving towards a better understanding and management of longitudinal rail

stresses. In the longer term, respondents saw much potential in machine vision inspection systems and vehicle-mounted condition monitoring to improve awareness of asset condition, backed up by real time data recording and ‘big data analysis, above and below rail’. Operational innovations included the use of distributed power, AC traction drives and improved braking systems. More use of standard train consists and improved yard operations would contribute to improved average speeds. Several railways were introducing driver advisory systems to boost operational efficiency, which Roney described as ‘the big one’. Communications-based train control and moving block offer the potential for autonomous train operation, and he believed that ‘we have got to get there’. Australian insiders confirmed that Rio Tinto was expecting to launch driverless operations across its Pilbara iron ore lines by the end of 2018. Roney said the emerging vision was

that the future railway would be shaped by ‘network-centric information flows’ and seamless data streams to optimise performance across the entire supply chain. Railways were already using data to manage their relationship with customers, which included sharing movement data and estimated delivery times. Better communications and data were supporting staff management, with intranets helping to keep people informed, while standardised work methodologies and lean management played a role in evolving safety management systems. Some railways were looking to adopt computer-driven train planning and scheduling using real time data, while greater awareness of vehicle condition would facilitate ‘on-train repairs’, with wagon components being replaced as trains passed through

terminals, helping to reduce downtime by keeping rolling stock out of the workshops. Noting that many of these systems are already being deployed or are expected to come into widespread use over the next decade, Roney concluded that in reality ‘the future is now’. n EUROPE

Diversionary tactics IHHA delegates took a hands-on look at heavy haul railway operations at Salkor yard on Transnet’s Sishen – Saldanha iron ore line.

Serious questions are being asked about the provision and use of diversionary routes to ensure that important rail freight flows can keep moving in the event of major disruption, such as that caused by the blockage to the Rhein Valley main line by the tunnel collapse at Rastatt, south of Karlsruhe, on August 12 (RG 9.17 p72). European Union policy to improve the competitiveness of international rail flows has largely centred around the development of trunk corridors linking the member states. There are rail freight corridors, Ertms priority corridors and the TEN-T core network corridors, which in many cases overlap. The result has been to funnel more and more traffic onto these trunk routes while other lines are left with a more limited regional or domestic role. Rastatt lies on one of Europe’s busiest routes, the Rotterdam – Genoa Rail Freight Corridor 1, which usually sees around 200 freight trains per day, as well as regional and long-distance passenger services. So the loss of this vital artery for almost two months has sent shock waves through the industry. In an open letter to European Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc and German Federal Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt on September 4, more than 20 industry trade bodies called for urgent action to prevent the ‘collapse’ of European rail freight and the wider logistics sector as a result of the blockage. Signed by associations including the European Rail Freight Association, logistics body Clecat and the International Union of Wagon Keepers, the letter was copied to seven other transport ministers and Josef Doppelbauer, Executive Director of the EU Agency for Railways. With DB Netz not expecting to have the line reopened until early October, the associations warned that the rail logistics sector would by then have suffered ‘immense damage’. Although the infrastructure managers had suggested that up to 150 of the 200 daily freight trains could be diverted via other routes


27

Photo: Deutsche Bahn AG

Analysis INTELLIGENCE

including Stuttgart – Singen, the Brenner corridor in Austria and the Alsace region of France, the associations said that in practice only a quarter were being successfully re-routed, while for time-critical high-value intermodal traffic the figure was just 15%. This posed the risk of significant damage to European manufacturing and supply chains, as well as the long-term loss of rail freight to other modes. Capacity constraints notwithstanding, one major problem in diverting trains has been a lack of available drivers qualified for the alternative routes. And national rules prevent German-speaking drivers operating trains in France, for example. The associations proposed that ERA should co-ordinate short-term measures to simplify the operating procedures on these diversionary routes, while operators needed support to reinforce the pool of drivers with suitable route knowledge. More fundamentally, Bulc and Dob rindt were asked to establish a task force at ministerial and/or EU level to mitigate the crisis, and to set up a special commission to review ‘the largest and most serious freight traffic blockade in recent decades’. This could perhaps usefully consider whether the transEuropean corridors strategy should be expanded to embrace the provision of suitable diversionary routes, and if so how they might be funded. n CANADA

Broken links The Canadian government is pushing to restore rail services along the Hudson Bay Railway serving Churchill in northern Manitoba, after the line was breached by what operator OmniTrax described as ‘catastrophic’ flood damage. With trains unable to run over the northernmost 250 km between

DB Netz is pushing ahead with emergency repairs to the Rhein Valley main line at Rastatt, announcing in mid-September that it hoped to cut five days out of the expected 57-day blockade.

68 C$m INNVESTMENT PROVIDING UNDER 2008 AGREEMENT FOR UPGRADING THE HUDSON BAY RAILWAY BETWEEN THE PAS AND CHURCHILL

Churchill and Amery, OmniTrax said in June that the line connecting the remote port with the Canadian National network near The Pas would remain out of use ‘indefinitely’. It said communities along the route should plan ‘alternative means of transport’. OmniTrax had previously closed the port at short notice in August 2016. However, on September 1, Minister of Natural Resources Jim Carr pointed out that OmniTrax had ‘legal obligations’ to repair the line, adding that the government had ‘formally demanded that the Hudson Bay Railway Company repair the rail line in line with the terms of its 2008 contribution agreement with the government of Canada, which requires the company to operate, maintain and repair the entire Hudson Bay Railway Line in a diligent and timely manner until March 31 2029’. The federal government and province of Manitoba had agreed in 2008 to provide C$40m to upgrade the track between The Pas and Churchill and C$8m for port improvements, while Omni Trax committed C$20m. However, the Denver-based short line group now argues that the severe blizzards and flooding amount to force majeure, rendering the 2008 agreement obsolete. According to the ministry, the government is ‘willing to explore the possibility of working with a new owner toward the repair of the line’. The Missinippi Rail consortium had previously signed a memorandum of understanding with OmniTrax for the potential acquisition of the port and railway for a reported C$20m. Meanwhile, the obligation to maintain in operational condition railways which have not been formally closed has become a live issue in Ottawa, where the privately-backed Moose Consortium is promoting a commuter rail network for the National Capital Region. Services north into Québec-Gatineau would cross the Ottawa River using the Prince

of Wales Bridge, which has been out of use since the former Canadian Pacific line was acquired by the city in 2005 to use part of it for its pilot O-Train diesel shuttle, now the Trillium Line. MooseRail is contesting the removal of a short section of the Ottawa River Line to make way for a new entrance to O-Train’s Bayview station and proposals to convert the bridge into a cycle and walkway. The Canadian Transport Agency ruled in June that the city had acquired the line for ‘current operation’, which was still its intention, and had not initiated a mandatory discontinuance process. Last month, Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson confirmed that the city was keen to launch a rail service to Gatineau across the Prince of Wales Bridge, but told local media that it was ‘not interested’ in having a third-party operator to run the trains. n AUSTRIA

Order halted Plans to replace ÖBB’s rolling stock used on daytime inter-city services to Italy and to update its overnight fleet with new trains are in doubt after Austria’s Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) ruled that the tender process should be stopped. The state-owned operator requires new stock to replace its existing Euro City coaches that will not meet revised fire safety regulations in Italy after 2021. Bids were invited for around 160 coaches to form eight daytime and 13 overnight trainsets. The tender included a number of driving trailer coaches and ‘multi-function’ cars with a low-floor section; the 26 m long vehicles had to be able to run at up to 200 km/h in Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Italy. Bombardier and Siemens are both understood to have prepared responses after the initial call for tenders. Siemens is reported to have offered a derivative of the Viaggio design used in ÖBB’s Railjet trainsets with steel bodyshells, while Bombardier is believed to have proposed an aluminium vehicle. Austrian media report that Siemens had complained to ÖBB in August that changes had been made to the specification at a late stage, alleging that these favoured its rival. The changes included alterations to the specification for the bodyshell, the power supply for onboard electrical equipment and the use of inside or outside bearings for the wheelsets. Tendering was suspended last month, and following the court’s ruling ÖBB is unable to proceed with the procurement as originally envisaged. n


28

INTELLIGENCE Analysis POINTERS

Photo: Peter Janssen

French senators Hervé Maurey and Louis Nègre have put forward draft legislation to open up the domestic passenger rail market to competition in line with the EU’s Fourth Railway Package. The proposal envisages that PSOsupported TER and Intercités services would be put out to competitive tender from 2019, while ‘profitable’ TGV routes would be awarded as a monopoly franchise in 2021, bundled with obligations to operate unprofitable services. Any staff transferring to a new operator would have their conditions of employment protected.

Thailand is pushing ahead with upgrading SRT’s existing metre-gauge network while negotiating with Chinese firms for construction of its long-planned high speed line.

THAILAND

Dual-track diplomacy Construction is expected to get underway this month on the first section of Thailand’s long-planned high speed line. This follows the signing of two cooperation contracts with China at the Brics summit in Xiamen on September 3-5. Billion-dollar railway projects seem to be all the rage in Asia at present, fuelled in part by the signature One Belt One Road policy of Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha had not been among the 30 leaders invited to the Beijing-hosted OBOR forum in May, which observers suggested was a snub for his failure to kick off the longdelayed Sino-Thai rail project. Although Thailand is not a member of the Brics grouping, which brings together Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa, Prayuth was invited to Xiamen following decisive moves this summer (RG 9.17 p28). On the drawing board since 2010, in many permutations, the high speed line has been a priority for Prayuth since he took power in the May 2014 military coup. Once in office, he was quick to visit China, signing a memorandum of understanding which envisaged that China would finance a line between Bangkok and Nong Khai on the Laos border, with a connection to the 414 km Laos-China Railway (RG 8.17 p52). The project then ran into numerous delays, as the Thai side baulked at the high interest rates to be charged on the Chinese loan and the Chinese objected to Thailand’s insistence on going ahead with double-tracking its existing

metre-gauge line between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai. In the end a compromise was reached with Thailand deciding to finance the line itself, but build the initial section using Chinese technology. Prayuth used extraordinary powers under Article 44 of the interim constitution to push the project through, sweeping aside legal obstacles such as a prohibition on the use of ‘unlicensed’ Chinese engineers. Valued at US$156m, the contracts signed in Xiamen cover design and construction supervision for a 252·5 km line linking Bangkok with Nakhon Ratchasima, the largest city in northeastern Thailand where many rich Thais have second homes. This is to be designed for 250 km/h, offering an end-to-end commercial speed of around 180 km/h. The intention is that the Department of Highways will start construction of the first 3·5 km in October, to Chinese designs, with the aim of having this short section finished before the anticipated general election in late 2018, when Prayuth is hoping to be elected. There is no firm commitment yet to build the second phase between Nakhon Ratchasima and Nong Khai, but just days after the Brics summit Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said he had instructed officials to start looking into this section. ‘We should eventually be connected with Laos in 2021 or 2022’, he suggested. Meanwhile, SRT is still going ahead with doubling the existing line, which makes a lot of economic sense as it will facilitate freight transport from the impoverished northeastern region to the deep-water port at Laem Chabang on the eastern seaboard. Politically, the double-tracking also offers the prospect of an economical 90 km/h passenger service for Thailand’s poorer inhabitants, who may never be able to afford high speed trains. n

India’s Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has confirmed his intention to sell two of Indian Railways’ profitable subsidiaries as part of the government’s privatisation programme. Bids are to be called for the Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corp and Indian Railway Finance Corp, valued at around Rs20bn. The plan is to offer 80% to institutional shareholders and 20% to individuals. The Indonesian government says it is making progress with plans to develop a new elevated alignment between Jakarta and Surabaya along the north coast of Java. The new line would largely follow the route of the existing 727 km, 1 067 mm gauge northern main line used by national operator PT KAI. The objective of the new line would be to reduce journey times between the two cities to around 4 h from around 9 h today, the Transport Ministry’s DirectorGeneral for Rail Zulmafendi told local media. On September 8, the national railways of Ukraine, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed a memorandum of co-operation to form a joint venture to operate train ferry services on the Black Sea using UZ’s ships Geroi Plevni and Geroi Shipki. Spanish infrastructure manager ADIF has awarded a €1∙96m contract to undertake design studies over 12 months for electrification of the 70 km Monforte de Lemos – Lugo route. The electrification project is expected to cost a total of €83∙5m. Currently designing the 1 700 km Sichuan – Tibet railway, China Railway Eryuan Engineering Group has expressed interest in undertaking an engineering survey for a rail link to Nepal. The proposed line would connect the Tibetan town of Kerung with Kathmandu, Pokhara and Lumbini. A 540 km extension from Xigatse to Kerung is expected to be completed around 2020. Greater Toronto transport agency Metrolinx has issued a request for proposals showing how hydrogen fuel cells could be integrated into double-deck EMUs. It plans to commission a number of rolling stock manufacturers to prepare designs and demonstrate the impact on performance, to support studies of whether fuel cells could offer an alternative to overhead electrification for the GO Regional Express Rail programme (RG 8.17 p25) Spanish Development Minister Íñigo de la Serna has commissioned a study of providing a rail link to AlacantElx Airport, located close to the route between Alacant and Murcia. One of the five busiest airports in Spain, it is expected to handle 14 million passengers this year. Polish state railway holding group PKP SA has confirmed its intention to transfer the ownership of railway land to PKP PLK by the end of 2018, in exchange for a majority stake in the infrastructure manager which since its establishment in 2001 has been owned by the government through the State Treasury. The Iraqi government is reported to be seeking an operator for two proposed underground metro lines in Baghdad. Both lines would be 23 km long. Line 1 would have 25 stations and Line 2 would have 22, with one interchange station serving both lines. The main maintenance depot would build be alongside Line 1, and there would also be a depot at the southern end of Line 2. Edinburgh council has approved the outline business case for extending the city’s tram line to Leith and Newhaven.

Going places with Vossloh’s infrastructure expertise

Vossloh is setting new standards for the construction and operation of modern rail infrastructure with its latest technological developments. Reliable and cost-effective track fastening and switch systems made by Vossloh thus take pride of place in urban transport networks. Our turnkey solutions and signalling components lead the field in urban centres around the world: safe, eco-friendly and economical.

Visit us at Nordic Rail, Jönköping, Sweden, 10-12 October 2017, Stand B06:18. www.vossloh.com

EXPO Ferroviaria 2017, Milan, Italy, 3-5 October 2017, Stand 100.

SYSTEMS AND DEVICES FOR RAIL VEHICLES • Train Control and Monitoring System • Passenger Information, Reservation and Diagnostic System, CCTV • Public Address System • The Mobile Application Management System • Train Communication Network • Energy Consumption Measurement and Saving System • Video Surveillance System

BENEFITS FOR CUSTOMERS • Interoperability in accordance with international standards • Backup of key product components • Operation reliability and safety • Products suitable for demanding work conditions • Integration of our solutions with existing systems • Strong R&D department • Taking of individual customer needs into consideration

www.unicontrols.cz

03 – 05 OCTOBER / Milan / Italy We would be happy to welcome you on our stand No. 774

Smartio® … THE SAFE, SMART REMOTE I/O SYSTEM -

Electronic connection terminal: Bus electronics and connection terminal in one housing offers maximum installation efficiency SIL 2- and SIL 0-certified modules together in one system Flexible system architecture: More compact, less wiring Specially adapted for use in new vehicles and modernization projects Supports network standards like Ethernet TRDP, CANopen, MVB | www.selectron.ch |


31

Desiro HC PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK

RRX trains are ready to roll Photo: Harry Hondius

The first of 82 Desiro HC high-capacity EMUs being supplied by Siemens to operate the RheinRuhr-Express network was unveiled on July 12, and testing of the first units is now underway. Dr Harry Hondius reports from Wildenrath.

O

ver the next few months, seven pre-series Desiro HC electric multiple-units are set to undergo extensive testing ready for the launch of the Rhein-Ruhr-Express network at the end of 2018. The first of 82 four-car EMUs which Siemens is supplying to a consortium of local transport authorities under a €1·7bn deal announced in March 2015 was unveiled at the Wildenrath test centre on July 12. RRX 5 Wesel Oberhausen

The RRX project is the latest in a string of initiatives to improve public transport in the busy Rhein-Ruhr conurbation. In the early 1920s, the Rheinisch-Westfälische Städtebahn envisaged a separate privately-run 1·5 kV DC electrified railway to link Köln and Dortmund, while more recently a maglev link was proposed. As finally authorised by the Land of Nordrhein-Westfalen, RRX will introduce a network of fast regional express

Gelsenkirchen E-Altenessen

WanneEickel

Wattenscheid

Münster RRX 7

Kamen

Duisberg Düsseldorf/ Flughafen Neuss Dormagen Düren

Köln Hbf

Source: DB AG

Aachen RRX 1 RRX 2 Bonn Koblenz RRX 6 RRX 4

Mülheim/ Ruhr

Essen

Düsseldorf RRX 5 RRX 7 Düsseldorf-Benrath Leverkusen Mitte

Bochum

Dortmund RRX 1

RRX 3 Hamm Bielefeld Minden RRX 4 RRX 6 Paderborn

Kassel RRX 2

Köln-Mülheim station is not currently included in the BVWP 2030, but is under consideration?

Köln/ Bonn Flughafen RRX 3 RRX 1 Köln Messe/ RRX 2 Deutz RRX 3 RRX 4 RRX 5 RRX 6 RRX 7

The first Desiro HC for RRX on the T1 test ring at Wildenrath on July 12, with the first class section in the leading car.

Aachen – Köln – Düsseldorf – Essen – Dortmund Aachen – Köln – Düsseldorf – Essen – Dortmund – Hamm – Paderborn – Kassel Köln/Bonn Flughafen – Neuss – Düsseldorf – Gelsenkirchen – Dortmund – Hamm Koblenz – Köln – Düsseldorf – Essen – Dortmund – Hamm – Bielefeld Düsseldorf – Duisburg – Oberhausen – Wesel Koblenz – Köln – Düsseldorf – Essen – Dortmund – Hamm – Bielefeld – Minden Düsseldorf – Duisburg – Essen – Gelsenkirchen – Münster

Fig 1. The future RRX network. The new route numbers do not always correspond with those of current RE services.

services operating over seven existing railway routes which are being upgraded and expanded (Fig 1). The core of the network will be the Köln – Düsseldorf – Duisburg – Essen – Dortmund (– Hamm) axis. Frequencies on most routes will be increased from the current two trains/h to four, which together with the introduction of rapidlyaccelerating, high-capacity trains with a top speed of 160 km/h should generate a substantial increase in rail ridership. As well as the new trains, capacity enhancement is a vital element in the project (Fig 2). The line between KölnMülheim and Düsseldorf-Benrath will be expanded from three tracks to four, while the section from Benrath to Duisburg will be increased to six, with a number of grade-separation projects to segregate fast and slow trains. Further improvements are also needed between Duisburg and Dortmund, but as this is one of the most densely-populated areas in Germany, the work is not expected to be completed until 2030-35. Total cost of the civil works was estimated at €2bn in 2014. RRX is being promoted by a joint venture of four local authorities: Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Ruhr, NWL Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe,


32

PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK Desiro HC Köln Messe/ KölnLeverkusen Köln Deutz Mülheim Mitte

Reisholz

Duisburg

Benrath

Köln-Kalk

Düsseldorf-Lierenfeld Oberhausen

Source: DB AG

Düsseldorf Flughafen

Düsseldorf

Mülheim (Ruhr)

Essen- EssenWattenEssen Steele Steele Ost scheid

Bottrop

Bochum

Wuppertal Hattingen Development area

Long distance services

Rhein-Ruhr Express

Desiro HC in numbers Top speed km/h Service acceleration m/s² Service braking m/s² Emergency braking m/s² Platform heights mm Minimum curve radius (depot) m Steepest gradient % Vehicle profile Fire prevention Crashworthiness Buffing load kN

160 1·2 1·0 1·2 760 / 550 120 4·0 EN15273-2 DE2 EN 45545 TSI + EN 15227 1 500

Mechanical Axle arrangement Bo’B‘+2‘2‘+2‘2+’Bo’Bo’ Automatic couplers Voith, Scharfenberg Type 10 Overall length over carbodies m105·252 Empty weight tonnes < 198 Maximum axleload tonnes < 18·0 Width mm 2 820 Height mm 4 640 Driving motor car Length mm 26 226 Gangway width mm550 Door width/height mm 1 400 / 2 050 Seat width mm450 Spacing between facing seats mm 1 750 to 1 850 Spacing between airline seats mm 800 to 850 Bogie wheelbase mm 2 600 Wheel diameter new/used mm 920 / 840 Bogie centres mm 18 576 Double deck trailer car Length mm Door width/height mm Bogie wheelbase mm Wheel diameter new/used mm Bogie centres mm Electrical equipment Power supply Traction motors Continuous rating kW Motors rev/min Transformers MVA Inverters MVA

25 200 1 800 / 2 120 2 500 920 / 840 19 000 15 kV 16·7 Hz TB221 8 x 420 2 200 2 x 1·97 2x2

Seats (including folding) 400 of which 36 first class Standees (@ 4/m2)462 Weight per seat kg495 Power to weight kW/tonne16·8 Desiro HC suppliers BodyshellsSiemens Bogies Siemens, Graz Transformers Siemens, Nürnberg Motors Siemens, Nürnberg Inverters Siemens, Nürnberg Electronic controls, Sibas Siemens, Nürnberg Static inverter Siemens, Nürnberg CouplersVoith DoorsBode Air-conditioning Faiveley / Melco Exterior and interior design Tricon AG Compressor Atlas Copco PantographsRichard Electro-pneumatic brakes Faiveley Magnetic track brakes Schwarzer

Regional services

Fig 2. Work is underway to increase the number of tracks between Köln and Düsseldorf to four, and six from Benrath to Duisburg. Between Leverkusen Mitte and Mülheim/Ruhr the 160 km/h RRX trains must share tracks with ICE services.

Zweckverband Schienenpersonennahverkehr Rheinland-Pfalz Nord and Nordhessische Verkehrsverbund, under the leadership of VRR. Most services in the Rhein-Ruhr region are currently operated by DB Regio, but in 2015 the local authorities invited competitive tenders for operation of the RRX network for a 15-year period starting in December 2018. The five routes were offered as three lots, attracting five bidders. Two lots were awarded to National Express and one to Abellio NRW. National Express will take over route RE5 (Koblenz – Köln – Düsseldorf – Wesel) as part of the future RRX5, and RE6 (Köln-Bonn Flughafen – Essen – Hamm – Minden) as part of RRX6, operating 6 million train-km per year across the two routes. It will also provide 2·4 million train-km per year on route RE4 Aachen – Monchengladbach – Hagen – Dortmund. Abellio NRW will operate routes RE1 (Aachen – Köln – Essen – Hamm) as the future RRX1 and RE11 (Düsseldorf – Essen – Dortmund – Hamm – Kassel) as RRX2, totalling 6·2 million train-km per year. To operate the network, the local

Langendreer

Dortmund

Witten S-Bahn

Freight

authorities decided to procure a common fleet of 160 km/h EMUs which would then be made available to the contract operators. Using €60m of funding from the Land, tenders were called for a combined supply and maintenance package, which was won by Siemens. The 82 four-car EMUs are costed at €800m and the 32-year maintenance element valued at €900m, with Siemens guaranteeing ± 99% availability. The trains are to be maintained at a new facility being built by Siemens on the site of a former shunting yard at Dortmund-Eving; construction began in March. The 7 ha site is owned by VRR and will be leased to Siemens until at least 2050. The 163 m long main building will be 63 m wide with six tracks. There also will be a warehouse, administration building, an outdoor train washing plant and an underfloor wheel lathe with an automatic wheel profile scanning and diagnostic system. In total, the depot is expected to have 5·5 km of track. The new depot will be fully connected into the Siemens digital train monitoring system (RG 9.16 p127). The units will be continuously monitored to identify any Below: The trailer bogies under the doubledeck cars have one brake disc per axle and magnetic track brakes. Below right: The motored bogies have wheelmounted disc brakes.


33

4 640

Desiro HC PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK

2 500

1 800

2 600

800 18 576 26 226 2 820

19 000 25 200

1 400

High-performance EMUs At present, DB operates RE1 with its most modern regional push-pull trainsets, a six-car double deck formation comprising a driving trailer with low-floor entrances, three second class coaches with high-floor entrances, one composite and one first class vehicle, powered by a Class 146 electric locomotive rated at 4·4 MW. Dating from 2002, these 208 m trainsets have seats for 186 first class passengers in a 2+1 layout and 493 second class arranged 2+2. With a total weight of around 400 tonnes, this gives a power-toweight ratio of 10 kW/t. For the RRX operations, which will need to run in mixed traffic with ICE services, the promoters were looking for something with more capacity and faster acceleration. The four-car Desiro High Capacity EMUs combine both single- and double-deck vehicles in one unit. The single-deck driving cars have wide doorways for rapid boarding and alighting, and standing room for short trips, while the double-deck intermediate cars offer plenty of seating for passengers travelling longer distances. The units are intended to operate in pairs, creating a 210 m long train with seats for 800 passengers — 72 first and 728 second class. That is an 18% increase in seating capacity.

A power-to-weight ratio of 16·8 kW/t means 60% more power for faster acceleration, which with the 160 km/h top speed and higher braking rates should meet the requirement for mixed operation. Entrance heights of 730 mm in the driving cars and 800 mm for the centre cars will give near-level boarding from 760 mm high platforms, substantially improving the speed of boarding and alighting to optimise station dwell times. Aluminium bodies The single-deck driving cars of the Desiro HC are being manufactured at Uerdingen, while the newly-designed double-deck centre cars are being assembled in Wien. Both plants are equipped to weld long extruded aluminium profiles to create the Desiro ML carbodies. The crash energy-absorbing nose section is made of steel and bolted to the aluminium bodyshell. All vehicles have electrically-operated sliding-plug doors. The driving cars are essentially derived from the Desiro ML family, which began with the 17 sets supplied to Mittelrheinbahn from 2008 (RG 9.08 p613). These were followed by 305 Desiro ML sets for SNCB in Belgium and the 54 Lastochkas supplied to Russia, which

Above: Fig 1. The Desiro HC combines single and doubledeck cars. Standard toilets are fitted in the centre vehicles, while an accessible toilet is provided in one driving car and a small first class section in the other. Right: Steps inside driving car 1 give access from the 800 mm high centre section to the high floor area above the bogies and the gangway to car 2.

have been followed by further locallybuilt sets (p37). Siemens is now supplying 156 Cityjet units to ÖBB under a programme to be completed in 2019. These vehicles have a central ‘lowfloor’ section between the doors with a floor height of 800 mm above rail; two steps up at each end lead to a 1 200 mm high section over the motor bogies. One end car has a wheelchair accessible toilet in the low-floor section, which is

Below right: Entrance heights are arranged to suit a 760 mm high platform. The end car (right) has doorways level with the 800 mm floor area. The double-deck cars (left and photo on right) have a 730 mm high entrance descending to a 465 mm floor area, and three steps leading up to the intermediate level above the bogie. A further eight steps give access to the upper deck. A retractable step closes the gap, and also facilitates boarding from 550 mm high platforms.

+760

+760

±0∙00

±0∙00

Image: Siemens

potential faults, with the performance data uploaded to the company’s Mobility Data Services Centre at MünchenAllach. After analysis, any recommendations for intervention will then be passed back to the service team at Eving.

© Railway Gazette 2017


34

PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK Desiro HC configured as a multi-service area with tip-up seats and room for up to 18 bicycles. In the other end car the low-floor central section has conventional transverse seating, while the outer high-floor bays behind the cab in this vehicle provide the small first class section. The Desiro HC runs on bolsterless bogies derived from the SF 6500 design, of which four are motored and two unpowered. All have a similar mechanical configuration, although the motored bogies have a 2 600 mm wheelbase while that for the unpowered ones is shorter at 2 500 mm. The axles are guided by longitudinal linkages, which at one end support the bogie frame by coil springs contained in rubber elements and are complemented by vertical shock absorbers. Traction forces are transmitted between carbody and bogie frame by a central linkage using rubber/metal springs and bearing surfaces. The secondary air springs have a twopoint levelling system, while a torsion stabiliser prevents the car from rolling. The self-ventilating three-phase motors are fully suspended from the bogie frame by rubber springs and drive the Flender gearbox via a toothed coupling. The gearbox is supported from the frame on one side and the other side rests directly on the axle, giving a halfriding suspension. Wheel-mounted disc brakes are fitted, while the end axles have sanding gear for use in times of poor adhesion. The unpowered bogies have one brake disc per axle and are also equipped with magnetic track brakes. All of the electrical equipment comes from Siemens, and most is mounted on

The driver’s desk has a similar layout to other EMUs in the Desiro ML family.

Below: Entrance area in car 2, showing the steps up to the intermediate and thence to the upper deck. Below right: The upper deck in car 2. Bottom right: The lower deck in car 2, looking through to the next entrance vestibule.

the roof apart from the air-compressor and batteries. The standard Sitrac traction control system is fully redundant. Each motor car has its own pantograph and oil-directed air-forced transformer with a four-quadrant converter feeding the liquid-cooled IGBT inverter pack, which in turn powers the four motors under that vehicle. Roof-mounted HV cables provide a 15 kV 16·7 Hz connection between the two power cars, so that a unit can operate with only one pantograph raised. The electro-dynamic braking is fully regenerative, with no brake resistances. Each car has its own roof mounted air-conditioning unit. A new window coating has been developed to allow radio waves to pass through the double-glazed panes up to 500 times more easily than conventional

thermally-insulated glazing. This avoids the need for any special in-train repeaters to amplify mobile phone signals, while the train is reportedly ready for the introduction of 5G technology. By the time of the presentation of the first unit to NRW representatives in July, four trains had been delivered to the Wildenrath test centre. Siemens expects to use seven sets for an intensive testing programme before the first trains enter passenger service on route RE11 in autumn 2018. Deliveries are due to be completed in 2019. Running at 110 km/h riding on test ring T1 at Wildenrath, the unit exhibited a very low noise level, even including the air-conditioning. The riding qualities seemed excellent, with very smooth acceleration and braking. n

Point cloud by Grunder Ingenieure AG

Enabling inter-Europe mobility through 3D digital realities

3.5 million passengers and 90,000 freight trains pass through the Gotthard Base Tunnel each year

Enabling understanding Deep under the Alps, the Gotthard Base Tunnel provides an essential high-speed rail link, connecting Northern and Southern Europe.

The firm used the Leica Pegasus:Two mobile mapping platform to capture in just a few weeks what would have taken months to complete with traditional methods.

To enable better understanding of the tunnel, Grunder Ingenieure AG created an immersive and accurate digital representation of the structure and its surroundings.

Find out more at leica-geosystems.com/gotthard-base-tunnel

Leica Geosystems AG leica-geosystems.com

3D Mobile Mapping Enabling Digital Realities © 2017 Hexagon AB and/or its subsidiaries and affiliates. Leica Geosystems is part of Hexagon. All rights reserved.

PROUD TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS SUCCEED Building close relationships and fully understanding our customers’ needs are key to ensuring success. As a new company with 150 years of heritage, we’ve been developing products and providing solutions to secure a sustainable rail industry. We’re proud to be helping build stronger futures for high speed, heavy duty, mixed traffic, metro and tramway networks.

Discover how we can work with you to help you succeed: T | +44 (0)1724 404040 E | [email protected] @BrSteelRail

BRITISHSTEEL.CO.UK/RAIL

FIND US AT EXPO FERROVIARIA IN HALL 2, STAND 264

FIND US AT NORDIC RAIL ON STAND B08:29


37

Russia PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK

Lastochka Premium takes centre stage Toma Bačić describes the passenger vehicles on show at this year’s Expo 1520 trade show, which took place at the Shcherbinka railway test centre between August 30 and September 2.

O

Photos: Toma Bacˇic´

wned by the all-Russian railway research institute VNIIZhT and opened in 1932, the Shcherbinka test centre on the edge of Moscow has been a long-standing proving ground for novel rolling stock destined for use in the 1 520 mm gauge region. Every two years, the centre is thronged with visitors to the Expo 1520 trade show, and between August 30 and September 2 this year was no different. The centre has three test rings for dynamic vehicle trials at up to 140 km/h, and the daily cavalcades of rolling stock, both historic and modern, are an obvious crowd-pleaser for Expo 1520 visitors. But at the core of the exhibition are the products and services being developed and deployed by Russian suppliers and their international partners, which offer a snapshot of wider investment in the Russian market (RG 6.17 p49). Speaking at the opening ceremony, RZD President Oleg Belozerov announced that rolling stock fleet renewal remained at the top of the national railway’s priority list. No fewer than 450 locomotives would be added to the RZD fleet this year, with a value of 58bn roubles. Like many of his peers around the world, Belozerov also stressed to visitors the importance of digital tools in enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the rail network. ‘The digital railway is a project for the very near future’, he emphasised. Meanwhile, Deputy Trade & Industry Minister Alexander Morozov highlighted the importance of state support in the development of the domestic supply industry. He pointed out

an increase in exports in the year to date of 9bn roubles, up 42% on the first eight months of 2016. Longer-distance Lastochka Among passenger vehicles, three novel electric multiple-units were highlights of the show. Arguably taking centre stage was the long-distance variant of the Lastochka EMU. The Ural Locomotives joint venture of Sinara Group and Siemens displayed a Lastochka Premium inter-regional version of their Desiro RUS electric multiple-unit family. Russian Railways had previously used the Lastochka Premium brand to refer to some faster services operated

The five-car ES2GP Lastochka Premium is 126·5 metres long with 347 seats. The interior is divided into three classes; first class features a 2+2 seating arrangement, while second and third class have 2+3 seating.

Thanks to its 3 480 mm width, the two-car EP2D trainset with 2+3 seating is still very comfortable.

using standard Desiro RUS EMUs, but the Type ES2GP prototype which was completed last year is a modified design intended to be better suited to longer routes of up to 200 km. The air-conditioned EMU has economy, tourist and business class accommodation with more comfortable seats than the local variant, as well as power sockets, wi-fi and a passenger information system. There is a food preparation area in an end coach, and a compartment for train crew. Supporting the policy of localising manufacturing, the Lastochka Premium has 90% Russianproduced content. According to RZD Passenger Director Dmitry Pegov, there are now 128 Lastochka EMUs in revenue operation in Russia. In June, RZD and Ural Locomotives agreed to


38

PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK Russia

develop a Type EM variant for intercity routes with journey times of around 4 h. Under its earlier agreements with RZD, Ural Locomotives is contracted to supply 240 Desiro RUS EMUs in 2017-23. Suburban development Transmashholding presented a fullsize mock-up of its newly-developed EP2TV suburban EMU, which would be produced by its Tver Carriage Works subsidiary. The basic configuration is an 11-car trainset with a length of 246 m and a maximum speed of 140 km/h; a regional option with a 160 km/h maximum speed is also to be offered. Interior layout would be in 2+2 or 3+3 arrangements, and total capacity in high-density layout would be 3 300. An installed rating of 7·2 MW would offer acceleration of 0·7 m/s2. TMH Director General Kirill Lipa said that the EMU was designed for use in the more populous European and Ural regions of Russia. Meanwhile, TMH also displayed an EMU aimed at lightly used routes electrified at 3 kV DC. The two-car EP2D design is produced at TMH’s Demikhovsky Engineering Plant and is a variant of the established EP2D electric 16 Moskva metro trainsets were brought into use on Moscow metro line 7 in early September.

Top: Transmashholding exhibited a mock-up of an EP2TV cab, showing that it is suitable for use with 1 100 mm high platforms. Wide doorways and a spacious interior mean the EMU is suitable for busy suburban routes, offering fast boarding and alighting. Above: Stadler Metelitsa trams for St Petersburg have been branded Chizhik by the operator, continuing a tradition to name railway and tram vehicles after bird species.

multiple-unit family. DMZ currently produces EP2D EMUs in four-car and 11-car configurations, with a total of 257 units now in service with Russian Railways. The steel-bodied EP2D is 45·6 m long and has 136 seats. It has a maximum speed of 120 km/h and, according to TMH, offers a 20% reduction in energy consumption compared to previous designs. It also offers lower noise and vibration in the passenger saloons and improved collision protection. Among non-powered vehicles, TMH exhibited a Type 61-4473 double deck restaurant car. The 160 km/h diner has 48 seats in the restaurant and four in the bar. Urban rail vehicles Stadler presented one of six Metelitsa trams that are to be delivered to St Petersburg operating consortium Transportnaya Koncessionnaya Kompanya next month. The tram, designated B85600M or Chizhik by the operator, will be used on a new fast tram route being developed by TKK to serve the Krasnogvardeisky district of the city. TKK has ordered 23 Metelitsa trams in total; the three-section cars have a Bo’Bo’Bo’Bo’ wheel arrangement where two bogies are located under the central

section. The 100% low-floor design features five double-leaf doors and seating for 66 passengers. Door width is 1 300 mm, which is intended to enable fast boarding and alighting at city centre stops. The saloon is air-conditioned, and standing room is provided for up to 376 passengers, assuming peak loading conditions of eight passengers/m2. The bi-directional cars are 33·4 m long and 2 500 mm wide. Maximum power rating is 560 kW and maximum speed 75 km/h. TMH subsidiary Metrowagonmash exhibited a Type 81-765 Moskva trainset for the Moscow metro. The city operator signed a contract in December 2014 for the supply of 96 eight-car trainsets, and a prototype was delivered to Vykhino depot in February. Each trainset comprises two powered driving cars, four powered trailers and two unpowered intermediate cars. Total passenger capacity is 2 402, and the cars feature 1 400 mm wide doors and wide walkthrough gangways to enhance passenger throughput. The trains also feature wheelchair spaces and USB sockets. While the Moscow metro uses an 825 V DC third rail supply, the demonstrator on show at Expo 1520 was equipped with pantographs to run on the test circuit during the event. n

www.caf.net

Meet us at: Elmia Nordic Rail Stand B04:54

10 - 12 October 2017 Elmia, Jönköping (Sweden)


40

PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK Caledonian Sleeper

Scottish hotel train fleet on test Now undergoing trials at Velim in the Czech Republic is the first batch of cars being built to replace rolling stock on Anglo-Scottish overnight services operated under Serco’s 15-year Caledonian Sleeper franchise. Murray Hughes investigates.

T

he first of a fleet of 75 coaches destined for Serco’s Caledonian Sleeper franchise is due to arrive in the UK by the end of this year. The first five cars were sent to the Velim test centre in the Czech Republic during August from Spanish manufacturer CAF’s Beasain factory — CAF signed a €200m contract for the new fleet in 2015 (RG 3.15 p8). At Velim the cars are undergoing several weeks of dynamic testing before shipment to Scotland via the Channel Tunnel. Further deliveries will be by sea from Spain, initially via Teesport. After static tests, the fleet will be trialled on the West Coast Main Line over the winter, and some cars may be displayed at major stations served by Caledonian Sleeper services. Announcing further details of the MkV rolling stock fleet on August 30, Caledonian Sleeper said that a phased introduction is planned from spring 2018; April has been set as a target date for entry into service. All the cars are due to be operational by the autumn of next year. As with the current service operated using MkIII sleeping cars dating from 1982 and MkII lounge and seating vehicles, the new cars will be formed into four sets and will run on Sunday to Friday nights. Two services run in each direction: the ‘Lowland’ sleeper

has sections to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh and the ‘Highland’ sleeper has portions to and from Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen. Formation Each set will consist of up to 16 cars, with 11 vehicles available as spares. The new fleet consists of 11 seating cars, 10 lounge cars, 14 sleeping cars meeting PRM TSI requirements and 40 other sleeping cars. Serco says that the number of beds and seats on each train will Right: Some cars will offer accommodation with double beds and ensuite shower and toilet. Below: Computer-generated image of the Caledonian Sleeper lounge car.

Above: The first five cars are currently on test at Velim in the Czech Republic.

remain ‘broadly as now’, with 31 seats in each seating car. Interior styling is by Scottish designer Ian Smith. Four types of accommodation will be on offer: reclining ‘Comfort’ seats with secure lockers; ‘Classic Rooms’ with single or twin berths and a washbasin; ‘Club Rooms’ with twin or single berths and an ensuite toilet and shower; and ‘Suites’ offering a double bed plus ensuite toilet and shower. Around 60% of the sleeping accommodation will have en suite facilities, Serco says, and all three types of sleeping compartment will be available to passengers with reduced mobility. The lounge car in each train has been designed to feature a ‘brasserie’ style, with banquette seating grouped around tables and individual seats or stools on the other side of a central gangway.


41

Caledonian Sleeper PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK The fleet will have air-conditioning, plug doors, dimmable lighting, key cards for compartment access, wi-fi and charging sockets for phones and other devices. Information screens will be provided in the vestibule area at each end of the cars. Mattresses and other bedding are being supplied by Glencraft of Aberdeen. Mounted on inside-frame bogies with axle-mounted disc brakes, each aluminium-bodied car is 22·2 m long and will be able to run at 160 km/h. CAF has a contract to supply spares, and maintenance will be in the hands of Alstom, which was awarded a 15year service contract worth €125m in 2015. Most maintenance work will be carried out at Polmadie in Glasgow and at the Wembley traincare centre in London. Serco has contracted GB Railfreight to supply traction, with Class 92 electric locomotives originally built for Channel Tunnel services being deployed on the London to Edinburgh/Glasgow legs. Rebuilt Class 73/9 electro-diesel locomotives haul the trains to Fort William and Aberdeen, with operation in pairs on the Inverness service. Both types of locomotive are being equipped

The five carriages were transported by road from CAF’s Besain factory to Hendaye in France, from where they were taken to the Czech Republic by rail.

with Dellner couplers to match the new stock. The Scottish government is contributing £60m towards the cost of the replacement fleet, with additional finance from Caledonian Sleepers Rail Leasing Ltd, a subsidiary of Lombard North Central plc. Interfleet was appointed in 2015 as project manager for design, construction and introduction of the new fleet. Other European operators will be keeping a close eye on the Caledonian

Sleeper business as investment in new overnight stock in western Europe is rare. Only Austrian Railways is currently planning to acquire a new fleet of overnight trains. Achieving the right balance of fares to attract all types of passenger will be critical. A 12-month booking option is already available, allowing passengers to plan well ahead of their journeys. Caledonian Sleeper Chairman Peter Strachan said that ‘the new trains will improve the service dramatically’. n

MOVING FORWARD. YOUR GOALS. YOUR PRODUCT LINE. YOUR PROJECT PARTNER.

t

Visit us a

EXPO ia 2017 Ferroviarn, Italy in Mila 2017 October 3rd–5th 6 4 Stand 5

lappkabel.com/rollingstock


42

PASSENGER ROLLING STOCK Poland

Elf2 enters the fray Having been supplying EMUs for its home market since 2004, Pesa has established a firm presence with its Elf family. The design has now been updated, and the first Elf2 entered service in Śląskie in September. Ryszard Piech reports from its inaugural run.

L

ocal dignitaries from the Śląskie region and invited guests joined the 10.57 train between Katowice and Tychy Lodowisko on a sunny September 13 to celebrate the handover of Pesa’s first Elf2 electric-multiple unit to launch customer Koleje Śląskie. The regional operator is taking delivery of 19 Elf2 sets under a 288m złoty contract supported by the voivodship’s funding body UMWŚ. The fleet comprises four two-car units and three threecar sets ordered directly by KŚ, plus 12 four-car trains financed by UMWŚ using a 70% grant from the voivodship’s Regional Operational Programme fund. The train used for the handover event was one of the three-car variants. These units are 59 m long with seats for 154 passengers. The floor height is 760 mm above rail, which is standard for Poland, and the maximum speed is 160 km/h. Each train comes with a 10-year warranty and all 19 sets are expected to be in service by the end of 2018. The contract includes a series of follow-on options, and

Invited guests marked the launch of the Elf2 by joining the 10.57 service train between Katowice and Tychy Lodowisko.

The Elf2 has been developed with an interior to comply with TSI PRM, and it is fitted with ETCS onboard equipment to meet interoperability requirements.

KŚ is understood to be evaluating the procurement of two more three-car units. Changing market needs Pesa has developed the Elf2 as a response to changing legislation, technical standards and TSI compliance requirements. The Bydgoszcz-based supplier produced its first EMU in 2004, and to date it has delivered 133 3 kV DC trainsets for the domestic market. Over the first few years the company experimented with various designs and components, but in 2010 it finalised the Elf platform, of which 77 trains have subsequently been supplied in various configurations from two to six cars. In recent years, budget pressures in the Polish public sector spurred Pesa to develop low-cost variants, including the Acatus2 and Acatus Plus, while nonstandard trains were supplied to Warszawa suburban operator WKD. The company says the Elf2 draws on all of these developments to combine affordability with quality. As well as having ETCS onboard equipment installed to meet TSI requirements, the Elf2 incorporates a number of other features. For the convenience of onboard staff, a glass cubicle has been fitted where crew can leave their belongings and the train manager can undertake duties including making audio announcements and monitoring CCTV. On the technical side, the ceiling has been redesigned to improve air flow and ambient conditions. Pesa has also updated its remote

condition monitoring suite to improve the response time in case of failure. Following consultation with local rail users, KŚ requested an increase in the provision of handrails on its trains, as well as seats with armrests, tables and power sockets. A more advanced passenger information system can now deliver real time information about connecting services. More orders in prospect Pesa has already won a further three contracts for the Elf2, including a 125m złoty order for five three-car and two four-car trains from Podkarpackie voivodship, which are due to be delivered before the end of this year. A further four two-car trains are destined for national regional operator PolRegio within a budget of 58m złoty, while Wielkopolskie voivodship has placed orders worth 238m złoty for 10 five-car trains. The provision of GSM-R and ETCS also raises the prospect of ‘a truly interoperable train that could one day run into neighbouring Slovakia and the Czech Republic’, suggested KŚ President Wojciech Dinges at the handover ceremony. Pesa CEO Robert Świechowicz noted that the delivery marked ‘a history of cooperation swinging around’, recalling that the first Elf EMU had also been ordered by Śląskie voivodship. He emphasised the importance of support of the regional and national governments, which continues to underpin investment in ‘modern, safe, European-standard rolling stock’. n

CATENARY SPECIALIST MAINTENANCE INSTALLATION DIAGNOSTICS

TRANSFER CAPABILITY AS PASSENGER TRAIN ON RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURES

www.tesmec.com

N

EW

NE

GE

W O G

N

TIO A R

IRE

L

S ES

!

BT

New Bluetooth generation • Wireless full contact measurement • Compact soft edge design

D I G I TA L P R O F I L E M E A S U R I N G

• Brand new modern-age software

Full contact - Your way to valid and reliable data www.miniprof.dk


44

SCANDINAVIA Investment

Future-proofing Sweden’s rail sector

Photo: SJ / Stefan Nilsson

A substantial increase in rail investment is envisaged in Trafikverket’s 2018-29 National Plan, with the government anticipating significant modal shift. However, Astoc CEO Björn Westerberg argues that more needs to be done to ‘future-proof’ the Swedish rail network.

BJÖRN WESTERBERG CEO, Association of Swedish Train Operators

Top: In its objectives shaping Trafikverket’s national plan, the government wants to encourage modal shift from road to rail in order to reduce the environmental impact of transport.

C

onsultation is now underway on the priorities for transport infrastructure spending in Sweden over the next 12 years, following the launch by Trafikverket of its draft 2018-29 National Plan on August 31. The proposals have been submitted to the government, and — subject to any modifications following the three-month public consultation — the plan is expected to be adopted in the spring of 2018. According to Trafikverket Director General Lena Erixon, the national plan responds to the government’s ambition for ‘a modern, efficient and sustainable transport system’. It covers state-owned infrastructure for all modes, including road, rail, maritime transport and aviation. The state has already agreed a funding envelope of SKr622·5bn, an increase of SKr100bn on the current plan period, while Trafikverket anticipates that an additional SKr90bn will be raised through road congestion charges, track access fees and co-financing. Around SKr280bn has been allocated

for rail investment, of which SKr125bn is intended for operations, maintenance and renewal of existing infrastructure compared to SKr164bn for the national road network. There is to be a 47% increase in maintenance and reinvestment spending, which Erixon says will ‘restore the functionality of the railways’. Much of the investment is to be targeted at the busiest corridors used by commuter and freight traffic. Sustainability agenda The National Plan is Trafikverket’s response to the infrastructure bill adopted by the government in December 2016, which was followed by a series of directives in March 2017 clarifying its strategic objectives. The package has also been informed by a dialogue with many different stakeholders at both national and regional level. The starting point is the increasing demand for transport by all modes, which has been putting pressure on network capacity. This also means additional maintenance is required to cope with

the increased wear and tear. And that in turn has shaped the spending priorities. The government’s primary objective is to ensure that Sweden remains a strong and sustainable country, and that its industries and businesses are competitive in the global economy. This is reflected in its five national development priorities which underpin the long-term transport policy: • transitioning to a fossil fuel-free economy; • ensuring good connectivity between all parts of the country; • increasing the provision of housing to accommodate a growing population; • improving conditions for doing business in a competitive global market; • achieving the lowest rate of unemployment in the EU. In terms of climate change, there is an explicit objective — now enshrined in law — requiring a 70% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from domestic transport by 2030. Although the development of electric road vehicles is moving forward rapidly and there is


45

Investment SCANDINAVIA increased use of renewable fuels, these will not be enough, and the government wants to encourage modal shift from road to rail. To improve the competitiveness of Swedish industry, the transport sector is expected to ensure reliable commuting to and from work, as well as improved accessibility. Freight transport must also be reliable and ensure the availability of goods wherever required. Rail is expected to play a core part in delivering these objectives, which is reflected in the increased public funding being made available for network enhancement. However, Sweden has one of the most liberalised rail markets in Europe, very much in line with European Commission policy. This means that all parts of the rail sector — including the train operators, regulators and other players — will have to work with the infrastructure manager to deliver a sustainable, rapid, and efficient transport system. With the right measures in place to encourage growth and modal shift, the Association of Swedish Train Operating Companies estimates that there could be a doubling in rail freight volumes and a tripling of passenger ridership by 2050. Capacity for growth Overall demand for rail transport in Sweden has been increasing for many years, particularly in the passenger sector. Since the early 1990s, ridership has doubled, while car usage has only risen by between 10% and 15%. Infrastructure enhancements and on-rail competition in an increasingly deregulated market have been key drivers. However, maintenance and renewals have not kept pace, and the National Plan priorities belatedly reflect some of the network shortcomings which have become increasingly apparent. There is a shortage of capacity in both road and rail, leading to delays, congestion and increased costs. The Government Agency for Transport Analysis concluded in its last annual review that the system ‘does not in any way’ look able to achieve the long-term sustainability objectives. Rail needed to increase its market share, the agency said, yet the worn-out infrastructure was impacting on performance, reducing user confidence and the profitability of operators. This risked triggering a period of stagnation or even decline at a time when the country should be investing in rail expansion. Regional development In recent years, social development in Sweden has seen the emergence of larger urbanised regions, with increased commuting between and within them, increasing flows of freight to and from the cities, as well as serving the vital export industries. Expansion of the service

‘‘

‘Infrastructure development needs to be matched with — or preferably run ahead of — projected increases in demand’ sector has resulted in increased demand for a well-educated workforce, along with better conditions for work, study and culture. Regional development has largely been a labour market issue and the emergence of larger regions has been driven by local efforts to increase competitiveness and create growth. Accessibility to labour and education is crucial, but in recent years the growth trend has been throttled by capacity constraints on both the rail network and major roads. In Astoc’s view, it is important that infrastructure development is seen from this perspective, integrating Sweden’s regions into trans-European communities, and generating social benefits over the longer term. Major projects Trafikverket’s 2018-29 National Plan has been described as the ‘most ambitious’ transport development strategy that the country has ever seen, backed by record levels of public funding. Trafikverket has adopted a ‘four-step process’ to identify and prioritise its investment requirements: ‘reflect – optimise – rebuild – build new’. While it has been looking to make best use of the existing rail network through selected enhancements and modern traffic management systems, the infrastructure manager accepts that in some places the network has reached its limits and new capacity is needed, not least to handle increased freight for the mining, forestry and manufacturing sectors. The government has committed to improving cross-border connectivity with our Nordic partners, and ensuring full interoperability on the TENT core corridors. The National Plan

envisages that Sweden will meet the TEN-T commitments by 2030, including infrastructure improvements to accommodate 750 m long freight trains and the implementation of Ertms, which along with other digitisation projects is expected to increase capacity. Responding to Astoc’s concerns about the impact of Ertms implementation on the competitiveness of rail freight (RG 3.17 p68), Trafikverket is planning to consult on how it might fund up to 50% of operators’ costs. This recognises that the installation of ETCS onboard equipment is really an extension of the signalling infrastructure into the rolling stock. Enhancement projects to be undertaken during the 12-year plan period include four-tracking the remaining sections of the Uppsala – Stockholm line, with a fifth track for freight on the northern approaches to the capital. Accessibility improvements are planned for many regional lines. In the centre of the country, the ongoing Hallsberg – Mjölby doubletracking project is to be completed, along with capacity enhancements between Tomteboda and Kallhäll. Upgrading works are also envisaged on the lines linking Värnamo, Nässjö and Jönköping. The Hamnbanan freight link and Vastlänken cross-city tunnel in Göteborg are to be completed, along with capacity improvements on the main line to Laxå. In the south, the final section of the West Coast main line remodelling is to be completed between Ängelholm and Helsingborg. Further north, expansion of the Ostkustbanan is envisaged, including double-tracking from Gävle to Kringlan

Opening of the Citybanan tunnels for Stockholm commuter services in July will release capacity on the core network to accommodate more regional and longdistance trains.


46

SCANDINAVIA Investment and Dingersjö to Sundsvall. Construction is also expected to start on the first stretch of the Norrbotniabanan from Umeå as far as Skellefteå. Axleloads on the Malmbanan iron ore line are to be increased from 30 tonnes to 32·5 or 35 tonnes, in conjuction with similar work on the Ofotbanen in Norway leading to the port of Narvik. Recognising that Trafikverket needs to be able to respond rapidly to changing circumstances, a ring-fenced ‘buffer’ of SKr1·2bn has been set aside, which can be called off in response to emerging market requirements with clear public benefits. These might arise from structural changes in different industry sectors, or the restructuring of logistics flows, for example, including the need to tackle specific bottlenecks.

Infrastructure improvements to accommodate longer and heavier trains, along with the roll-out of ETCS for European interoperability, will help Sweden’s rail freight operators support economic development and drive the country’s global competitiveness.

High speed downgrade In terms of new capacity, the biggest single project under development in recent years has been the planned Y-shaped high speed line connecting Stockholm with Göteborg and Malmö. This is intended to accommodate the growing demand for fast inter-city services, where national operator SJ faces competition from open access companies on both routes, while freeing up capacity on the existing line for more freight and regional passenger trains. The National Plan envisages that work will be pushed ahead on the Ostlänken between Järna and Linköping, where planning is already well advanced, and also on the Lund – Hässleholm section of the Malmö branch to provide more capacity in the south. However, neither project is now expected to be completed within the plan period. Ostlänken is still not fully funded, and the completion date has moved back from

2028 to 2035. Meanwhile, the intention is now that the line should be built with ballasted track for a maximum speed of 250 km/h rather than the 320 km/h originally envisaged. Astoc is concerned that the choice of a lower maximum speed will have a significant impact on the viability of the project. Trafikverket has not confirmed that building a 250 km/h mixed-traffic route would reduce infrastructure construction costs, compared to building a dedicated line for 320 km/h. Earlier studies showed that a segregated high speed line offered a better return on investment and a greater capacity increase. From the passenger perspective, the correlation between train and air journey times and market share is very well established. Longer journey times mean fewer rail trips and less transfer from other modes, so abandoning the target of 2 h 30 min to Malmö will have a significant effect. The slower journey times will also impact on connectivity between the labour market regions around the bigger and smaller cities. Adopting 250 km/h for Ostlänken will effectively determine the standards for the whole Swedish high speed network and goes counter to the policy in other countries which are looking for at least 320 to 400 km/h. The slower average speeds means that more trains are needed to handle a given throughput, yet there is no established European rolling stock market where operators can buy standard vehicles for 250 km/h. Short-term thinking Astoc also has a number of other concerns about the proposals, which we believe reflect a degree of short-term thinking that does not really ‘futureproof ’ the Swedish rail network.

While the commitment to increased maintenance spending is welcome, this work needs to be undertaken systematically to ensure that the funds are used in an optimal way. We would therefore like to see Trafikverket developing a longterm national maintenance plan. The traffic projections seem to be based on an extrapolation of recent demand trends, rather than any fundamental reassessment of future market requirements. As such, it is not clear how rail is expected to become a catalyst in shaping the future of Swedish society in line with the government’s broader objectives. We are particularly concerned that the timescale for the planned enhancements is too slow. In recent years the rail system has become increasingly vulnerable in terms of performance, and this lack of reliability may inhibit growth or even encourage the transfer of traffic from rail to road, in direct contradiction to the government’s aims. Infrastructure development needs to be matched with — or preferably run ahead of — projected increases in demand. We are also concerned that decisions on sector taxes and track access charges seem to be taken in separate silos, with no overall view of the impact on transport strategy or the need to ensure that rail remains competitive with other modes. For example, there is no proper intermodal freight strategy in the National Plan which would encourage modal shift from road to rail. In addition to the plan itself, Trafikverket recognises the need for other incentives to achieve the climate objectives, including one described as ‘environmental compensation’. This could reduce the track access charges for rail freight by around SKr350m a year, in accordance with Article 34 of the Single European Railway Area Directive as already adopted in Denmark. At the same time, we have to question whether there is sufficient capacity in the supply and construction sectors to deliver the huge raft of investments that are needed without disrupting train operations. Additional capacity may be made available in the short term through more efficient use of existing infrastructure, including changes to track access charging, administrative instruments and remodelling to accommodate longer and heavier trains. But these are relatively minor steps. In order to achieve a real step-change in transport provision — both in terms of service quality and environmental impact — there is no alternative to new construction. The national rail network must be expanded to meet future demands for a sustainable and competitive transport system. n

TEE THE MAR

KE

T FFE NO

DOBEL®

R

THE BE S

KL A SIF IE D. se S E P TE M BE R 2017

AN

T

G

AR

CA

U

Quality & Service Guarantee

EN 45545 HL3 APPROVED

DOBEL® FILM LAMINATED METAL Safety First Can you imagine a product so strong that it can be bent, stretched, stressed and used for years without any loss of performance or looks? DOBEL® F 105 allows designers to be creative in form while retaining both the functional and safety properties. The combination of strong and highly shapeable metal together with design features in foils gives a versatile material very suitable for exclusive interiors. DOBEL® F 105 Aluminum now also meets the criteria for the highest level of fire safety in accordance with EN 45545-2: 2013 requirements R1, HL3.

Metalcolour 07.05. M ZC A/S Agrovej 0/2 6 13460 DK-4800 Nykøbing F. P-CST Phone: +45 5484 9070 13460 [email protected] 04:32 10:36 M ZC 07.05. 0/2

Metalcolour Sverige AB Emaljervägen 7 SE-372 30 Ronneby Phone: +46 457 –781 00 F 08.05. 09.05. [email protected]

13460

Metalcolour Asia Pte Ltd 08.05. Ti-To ZC 17 Tuas0/1 Avenue 4 SG-639368 Singapore Phone: +65 9030 5157 [email protected] 67:44 08.05. Ti-To ZC 0/1

W19/12 10.05. Ti-To ZC 0/0

09.05. Ti-To ZC 0/0

P-CST

13441

09.05. Ti-To ZC 0/0

F 08.05. P-CST 13441 D F 08.05. – 09.05. 27:26 pnr3070-annons_halvsida_railway gazette_8 sept_MC_infor.indd 1 13460 03:26 09:42 67:44 04:32 13620 10:36 13691 13610 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13441 P-CST 13620 13691 13610 F 08.05. 16:32 20:04 13441 09:53 D 05:02 11:08 03:40 08:58 05:02 27:26 03:26 09:42 14590 12570 Semester 09.05. – 12.05. P-CST P-CST 13620 13691 13610 14590 12570 P-CST17:42 P-CST P-CST 13610 13620 13691 09:28 18:53 12:35 16:32 20:04 21:51 05:02 11:08 03:40 08:58 05:02 09:53 14750 14420 P-CST P-CST P-CST 14590 12570 Semester 09.05. – 12.05. P-CST P-CST 14750 14420 :22 13:23 20:52 14590 12570 14:27 23:23 12:46 19:09 16:01 17:42 18:53 12:35 21:51 13835 09:28 13815 13650 CST P-CST P-CST 14420 14750 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13835 13815 D 13650 18:03 5:58 14750 9:32 14420 03:09 09:32 03:35 13:23 10:02 16:00 20:00 05:32 10:01 :22 20:52 14:27 23:23 12:46 19:09 16:01 13805 14790 P-CST CST 13650 13835 13815 F 09.05. P-CST P-CST CST 13805 14790 28:30 D 13650 13815 03:11 13835 08:58 13:28 22:54 9:32 18:03 5:58 03:09 13865 09:32 03:35 13540 10:02 16:00 20:00 05:32 10:01 12670 P-CST P-CST CST 13805 14790 P-CST CST 13865 13540 12670 F 09.05. 18:12 14790 21:52 03:25 13805 09:32 03:44 09:39 07:31 13:30 28:30 03:11 08:58 13:2812760 22:54 13590 P-CST P-CST 12670 13865 13540 P-CST P-CST CST 13590 12760 D 12:16 9:45 13865 12670 13540 12:16 18:3921:52 04:24 10:39 18:12 03:25 09:32 03:44 09:39 07:31 13:30 12760 13590 P-CST P-CST 13590 12760 D 12:16 9:45 09.05. 07.05. M ZC 08.05.12:16 Ti-To ZC 18:39 04:24 10:39 Ti-To ZC

IVU.rail

06:20

Sjuk 10.05. P-CST

21:05

1413

06:27 11553 1413 11553 1413 1673 11553 1673 11553 1493 1673 1493 1673 11513 1493 11513

14415

P-CST

1413

07.05. M14:16 ZC 39 P-CST P-CST

07:28 06:27

15:21 14:16 P-CST P-CST

06:21 07:28

15:21 15:21 P-CST P-CST

05:57 06:21

P-CST

14415

15:50 15:21 P-CST

22:51

16798 14415 16798 14415 16799 16798 16799 16798 16797 16799 16797 16799 P-CST 16797

04:57

13410 13410

133

P-CST

14770 14770

P-CST

13876 13876

134

P-CST

42:50

124202017-09-12 09:39 1251012:50 12510

06:58 42:50

15:13 12510

P-CST

12510

21:05 16460

06:58

16460

15:13

P-C

20:58

23:00

13710

P-CST

16460

P-C 17:

13710

19:00 16460

05:01

23:00

10:01 20:58 13710

P-CST

13710 05:01

10:01 P-CST

17: 1

1

26:04

15:34 13420

P-CST

18:07

P-CST

13420

26:04 04:46

10:05

1

1 1

15:34

13420

P-CST www.ivu.com/rail 13420

18:07

04:46

14400

P-CST

14400

10:39 Ti-To ZC 16:49 20:43 03:07 09:32 15:34 09.05. Ti-To ZC 08.05. 134 133 13710 16460 13710 14770 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13410 14770 13876 14400 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13710 16460 13710 14770 13410 14770 13876 23:00 05:01 10:01 16:01 23:00 05:01 10:01 16:49 14400 20:43 22:51 04:57 13610 10:39 16:49 20:43 03:07 09:32 12640 15:34 11810 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13710 16460 13710 14770 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13610 11810 12640 P-CST 13710 14770 23:00 05:02 13710 09:53 17:04 16460 01:39 08:04 17:32 23:00 05:01 13420 10:01 16:01 23:0011690 05:01 10:01 16:49 20:43 14650 P-CST P-CST 11810 P-CST 12640 13610 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13420 11690 14650 11810 12640 22:45 04:46 13610 10:05 19:58 05:25 11:27 19:20 23:0011690 05:02 09:53 01:39 08:04 17:32 11710 1465017:04 13835 P-CST P-CST P-CST 13420 11690 14650 P-CST P-CST P-CST 11690 14650 13835 11710 P-CST P-CST

12:50 ZC 10.05. Ti-To 0/0

12420

06:20 Sjuk 10.05.P-CST

INTEGRATED 46:33 19:00 SOFTWARE FOR VEHICLES 46:33 AND CREW

39

12420

P-CST

www.metalcolour.com 12420W19/12

00:20 P-CST

06:27 13876

W19/12

10.05. Ti-To ZC 10:05

1

133

12440

P-CS

12440

W19/12 13:51 10.05. Ti-To ZC 133

12440 P-CST 13876 12440 03:07 09:32 00:20 06:27 13835 P-CST 13876 P-CST 13835 03:09 13876 09:32 03:07 13441 09:32 P-CST 13835 P-CST 13441 03:26 13835 09:42 03:09 09:3212620 P-CST 13441 P-CST 12620

P-CST

P-CS 15:46 13:51 P-CST P-CST 15:50 15:46 P-CST P-CST 15:50 15:50 P-CST

1

1

1

1

Thursday 22 February 2018 London Hilton on Park Lane In association with

THE 20TH RAIL BUSINESS AWARDS

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR RAIL

www.railpro.co.uk

LOGO SEPT 2012.indd 1

20/02/2017 14:21

20 years of recognising and rewarding excellence in rail

Enter now ENTRY DEADLINE EXTENDED TO 10 OCTOBER

Enter online:

railbusinessawards.com

19

OS I CL

NG DAT

10 OCT

E

AR

DS CEREMO

22 FEB

NY

T E GO R I E S CA

AW

[email protected] | 020 8722 8370


49

Denmark SCANDINAVIA

Learning lessons from a national ETCS roll-out MARK FIELDING-SMITH Digital Rail Director Atkins

F

irst launched in 2009, the Danish National Signalling Programme is now more than halfway to completion. Arguably unmatched to date in scale and ambition, the Signalling Programme marks the first national rollout of the latest version of Ertms, and the Danish experience is already yielding some important lessons for future projects around the world. The entire Banedanmark main line network will be fitted with ETCS Level 2 Baseline 3. Final commissioning is scheduled for 2023, which is a reflection of the complexity of the task (RG 3.12 p41). Nevertheless, the achievement will be substantial. The København S-bane network, which operates on segregated tracks with 1·65 kV DC electrification, is to be equipped with CBTC by 2021. Atkins is involved in the Signalling Programme in a project support capacity, working in joint venture with consultants Rambøll, Parsons Inc and Emch+Berger. The consortium’s focus has been on the design and installation of ETCS Level 2 Baseline 3 with an integrated Traffic Management System (RG 12.16 p37) on the existing railway in accordance with the EU’s Common Safety Method for risk assessment in interoperability. The team is also supporting the roll-out of CBTC on the S-bane as well as the development of two national operational control centres, which will ultimately manage the entire Banedanmark network. Handling contractors As part of its competitive procurement strategy, Banedanmark split the Signalling Programme into four major framework contracts. Alstom was selected to supply all ETCS onboard equipment, as well as winning the Fjernbane East contract to install lineside ETCS equipment and TMS in the east of the country under one of two geo graphically oriented packages. Thales won the matching Fjernbane West contract. The last of the four framework contracts covers the S-bane CBTC and went to Siemens. We believe that the competitive tendering

Now approximately halfway to completion, Denmark’s national Signalling Programme is yielding important experience that could inform digital railway investment in other countries.

‘‘

process and the selection of multiple suppliers has encouraged flexibility and reliability in the supply chain. However, one change in approach adopted since the outset of the programme has been to ensure a greater focus on ‘whole system’ thinking among contractors and delivery partners. Previously, asset owners and suppliers had the freedom to make independent decisions about individual components without considering the impact on the overall programme performance. This was recognised as a risk, and Banedanmark now manages all change requests centrally from a whole-system perspective, recognising the wider impacts on other parties and interfaces. One especially successful element of this centralisation philosophy has been the creation of a systems integration lab, allowing the simulation of digital scenarios prior to their application on the live railway. The Joint Test Lab was established to flush out integration risk early and has become a model of collaborative delivery. A wide range of equipment has been co-located or simulated,

including all the existing interlockings across the Banedanmark network. This helped to ensure that the Radio Block Centre integration works first time and that the handover between the east and west TMS will be seamless. Not only has the lab delivered value by identifying and enabling the early resolution of digital integration issues, it has also significantly reduced the time needed for on-site possessions, reducing the potential inconvenience to passengers and freight operators. Safety and cybersecurity The Danish case is the first time that the Common Safety Method, as set out by EU Regulation 402/2013, has been applied to a national signalling roll-out, and many lessons have been learned. It is important that the CSM Risk & Evaluation assessment and safety approvals process is defined early and understood by all stakeholders and suppliers. Cybersecurity is clearly critical to the safety and availability of digital control systems, and this needs to be incorporated into the safety case.

‘We believe that the competitive tendering process and the selection of multiple suppliers has encouraged flexibility and reliability in the supply chain’


50

SCANDINAVIA Denmark Cybersecurity policy and methodology are a central element to the CSM, and clear advice must be provided to end users of the signalling and traffic management platforms regarding the security of assets throughout their life. Where cybersecurity falls outside the scope of the Signalling Programme contractors (for example the telecommunications systems and interfaces), the project support team designed and implemented extra monitoring, technical controls and firewalls. We have also found that connecting IT and operational railway technology requires a different strategy which goes beyond conventional IT data protection. The primary challenges identified include the need to connect with legacy systems which may not have been built for secure interconnection, the requirement to connect to external stakeholders’ systems and the adoption of commercial off-the-shelf IT tools, which ordinarily rely on frequent software updates to secure potential vulnerabilities as they are discovered. Our strategy recognises that patching such gaps requires the revalidation of the safety case. The creation of an offline digital ‘twin’ simulation replicating the operational signalling and traffic management systems will be essential for facilitating the integration and testing of software changes throughout the life-cycle. This will be used to continually test and strengthen cybersecurity as it adapts to the changing threat landscape. The Signalling Programme also requires a certification approach governing which software can communicate across the fixed and mobile networks. This is best implemented through Online Key Management to semiautomate the rapid and comprehensive distribution of these authorised codes to all onboard and wayside Ertms and IT components. Cultural change The Signalling Programme requires the introduction of multiple digital technologies in a short timeframe. The adoption of new operating rules, organisational structures and technology, as well as the migration from legacy signalling centres to two centralised control hubs, requires a significant shift in skills and processes across the Danish rail sector. As Denmark is pioneering the ‘big bang’ roll-out of Ertms across a national network, this is unchartered territory. The programme has learned over the last eight years the scale of the business change required within the delivery, operational and maintenance teams to adopt these digitally oriented working

2023

methods. A significant focus has been placed on delivering the required business change, including operational concepts, organisational design, a roadmap of changes to internal processes, operating rules, recruitment and upskilling, and training facilities and programmes. These changes affect a whole gamut of railway staff, from signallers and dispatchers to drivers, track maintenance staff and telecoms specialists. Atkins and its partners have sought to develop a holistic approach to manage this transition and seek to address the impact of each stage of the Signalling Programme on the affected workforce.

FINAL COMMISSIONING DATE FOR MAIN LINE ETCS LEVEL 2 BASELINE 3 UNDER BANEDANMARK’S SIGNALLING PROGRAMME

Collaboration is key Because the four principal subsystem contracts were tendered separately, Banedanmark accepted that the individual suppliers would retain responsibility for integration. However,

from the support perspective, this meant that collaborative behaviours had to be established from the outset, so that they could be reflected in the selection process and resulting contracts. So far, we have managed to promote a ‘one team’ culture across the various programme partners, where commercial responsibility is largely taken away from the delivery teams. This has facilitated clear communication, the early identification of risks and effective joint problem solving. The Signalling Programme also requires close liaison with various other projects across the Danish rail sector, such as electrification, track and rolling stock renewals, prioritising the replacement of fleets which are approaching the end of their service life. n The author would like to thank the team from Atkins Denmark for their help with this article. © Railway Gazette 2017

N

2018 2018

2018/19 2019

2023 2019 2020

2023

2021

2022

2021 2021 2022

2023

2020

2021

2022

2020 2022

2021

2021

2021

2019 2022

2021

2023 2023 2023

2018/19

2022

2023

2021

2021

Stay ahead. Stay informed. Subscribe today.

GERMANY

Mastering complexity DB’s Quality must underpin t, says technical developmen Dr Heike Hanagarth PAGE 44

FREIGHT

Bold moves needed needs European rail freight to behavioural change achieve modest growth PAGE 74

INNOTRANS 2014

The global gathering The international railwayin industry comes together Berlin this month PAGE 128

September 2014

.com

www.railwaygazette

Serving the customer

The number one publication for the international rail industry

Subscribe today and save 20%* www.railwaygazette.com/subs112

For Terms and Conditions, go to www.railwaygazette.com/terms

†

th In to S es te R ub e rn ail sc ex a wa ri ce tio y be pt na Ga rs io l r ze na ec tt l b ei e en ve efi ts

• Issues delivered direct to your home or office • Continuous Service† – you can cancel your subscription whenever you like (minimum six issues) • Discount – subscribe today and save 20% off the normal rate* • Digital Issue – free of charge, with access to our digital archive • Our Guarantee – if you’re not happy with your subscription, we’ll refund the remaining issues to you

Your connection for safety, reliability and efficiency We can support you with complete testing, Notified Body (NoBo) certification, CSM assessment, ISA and training solutions for all your rail needs: - Rail infrastructure - Rolling stock and refurbishment - Light rail and metro - Rail energy and signalling - Rail automation JOIN US AT NORDIC RAIL: BOOTH B05:29

TÜV SÜD Rail GmbH Barthstr. 16 80339 Munich Germany +49 89 5791-1473 [email protected] www.tuv-sud.com/rail


52

SCANDINAVIA Track

Reducing noise and optimising maintenance THOMAS LORENT General Manager, Pandrol CDM Track

Photo: Banedanmark

D

ue to open for revenue service in December 2018, the 60 km København – Ringsted line will be the first high speed line in Denmark. Banedanmark’s contractor Strukton Rail completed tracklaying in February, having started work at the end of October and laid up to 2 000 m of track per day for several months. As the line has been designed for 250 km/h operation, Banedanmark is keen to ensure the quality and maintainability of the trackwork. Among the innovations adopted is the deployment of under-sleeper pads. Pandrol CDM Track was awarded a contract to supply USPs for 6 000 sleepers in specific areas, notably where there is a transition in stiffness between the normal ballasted track and structures such as bridges or concrete trough sections with a shallower ballast depth. USPs have been installed widely around the world since the 1990s and the benefits are now well understood. They provide vibration protection, whilst extending ballast life and improving track stability to permit longer intervals between maintenance interventions. Adding an elastic layer to the underside of the sleeper provides a simple and costeffective way to modify the stiffness of ballasted track, for both conventional or high speed lines as well as those carrying heavy axleloads. Optimising the track stiffness can reduce the formation of rail corrugation, particularly in tight radius curves. That allows the grinding interval on such lines to be extended by at least a factor of two. A considerable amount of development work has been undertaken to understand the benefits of USPs. Research has shown that our USPs increase the contact surface between ballast and sleeper by around 31%, while

Nordic railway infrastructure managers are making more use of undersleeper pads to improve track geometry and extend maintenance intervals. Tracklaying has now been completed on the København – Ringsted fast line, where Pandrol CDM Track has a contract to supply under sleeper pads.

Under sleeper pads can be used to extend ballast life and manage transition zones between plain line and structures.

rigorous tests have confirmed the reduction in ballast wear and the rate of track deterioration. USPs can also mitigate the effects of local discontinuities, such as differences in track settlement, hanging sleepers and differences in soil stiffness. As well as their use on the approaches to bridges and other transitions between track construction types, as specified by Banedanmark, USPs can beneficially be deployed to control track response over short bridges and rail expansion joints. Defined elasticity The use of USPs in the Nordic region is has been growing, with Pandrol CDM Track USPs recently approved by Trafikverket for use in Sweden, as well as the Banedanmark installation. They are already in use in Norway, having been approved by Bane Nor, and one specific application has been the Malmbanan iron ore corridor linking northern Sweden and Norway, where the infrastructure managers are replacing timber sleepers with pre-stressed concrete sleepers and USPs as part of a programme to increase axleloads from 30 to 35 tonnes. The pads increase the contact area between the underside of the sleeper and the top layer of ballast, allowing the ballast stones to become embedded, and ensuring that they are subjected to as little mechanical damage as possible.

Ballast protection is an important consideration, as specifying the right USP elasticity allows infrastructure managers to almost double the intervals between levelling, lining and tamping. The extended maintenance intervals offer efficiencies in terms of cost, but equally important is the reduction in disruption to railway operations. The improved load distribution across the sleeper allows infrastructure managers to achieve the same track quality with a ballast depth of 200 mm rather than the usual 300 mm. While reducing ballast thickness could deliver significant cost savings, the reverse is probably more significant, as the introduction of USPs provides a relatively cost-effective method of upgrading existing tracks where the ballast depth may have been specified for lower axleloads, a common scenario in the Nordic region. Pandrol’s track elastic model software is used to calculate the optimal stiffness of the USPs for each application, in combination with the normal rail pads used with Fastclip, e-clip and Fastclip FE fixings. USPs also offer important benefits in terms of reducing ground borne vibrations, which can cause noise disturbance to lineside residents. This can be particularly important in urban areas such as those traversed by the København – Ringsted line. n

We advance technology in safe rail transportation

Join us at:

AusRAIL PLUS 2017

Stand 692 | Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre | 21 - 23 November


54

SCANDINAVIA Components

Compact lights keep locos bright at night Siemens and VR Group have worked with Harting to install bespoke lights for the Nordic variant of the Vectron electric locomotive now being delivered to Finland.

I

n the long crisp darkness of a Nordic winter, lights are a very serious matter. So it was perhaps little surprise that the 1 524 mm gauge Vectron locomotive fleet that Siemens is supplying to Finnish national operator VR between now and 2026 (RG 2.14 p10) includes some bespoke features appropriate for local conditions. One such addition concerns lighting. Working alongside VR Group as the customer, Siemens approached connector and electrical component specialist Harting with a view to developing a range of compact lights and associated housings that could improve the locos’ illumination. Building on a long working relationship between the two companies, Siemens asked Harting to evaluate designs for a miniature lighting structure that had to fit the superstructure of the Vectron loco, design of which was already finalised. At first sight, this kind of application was not covered in the Harting range. However, the more we learned about the project the more common ground we detected, and we began to work on an LED design to achieve the primary objective: a compact lighting structure. The additional lighting structure had to be integrated into the loco bodyshell with a minimum of effort and structural changes. Therefore we opted to encase the LED bulbs in a

DANNY MAIJINCKX Business Development Director, EMEA Harting Technology Group

protective metal housing, which would also meet another key criterion: suitability for a harsh environment. Outdoor use, IP rating, shock, vibration, low temperatures and high luminary output were all requirements that had to be reconciled with specific railway standards and norms. More lights please A further bespoke request from the customer was the addition of bodyside lights to improve illumination around the locomotive. LED lights have been installed in two variants: white lights for the front and rear of the loco and around the couplers to improve visibility when shunting and preparing trains. White LEDs have

also been fitted to illuminate the cab access steps. For general visibility, the locomotives have been equipped with bodyside positioning lights, which use orange LEDs. Harting designed customised brackets for the light mountings, and worked with the customers to ascertain the optimum routing for the necessary cabling. All the lights have cables, flexible protective tubing and 3A HPR connectors. Cabling is routed via a bespoke junction box designed specifically for this application. The lights are operated from a piezoelectric switch integrated into a Harting 3A HPR connector housing, meeting the request for a rugged yet compact assembly. n


56

SPOTLIGHT Italy

Upgrading the Adriatic Corridor Photo: David Campione

Work is in progress to enhance the busy 800 km railway along Italy’s Adriatic coast, paving the way for faster services from Bologna to Lecce. Benjámin Zelki reports. Trenitalia operates two Frecciarossa services a day in each direction between Milano, Bari and Lecce.

Trenitalia operates frequent regional services along the Adriatic Corridor. This double-deck push-pull service is between Bari and Lecce.

Modern signalling with CTC and ACC-M interlockings is being installed, with corresponding modifications to the control centres in Bologna and Bari. In Pescara, a new control centre has been built. ACC-M equipment will in future control traffic on the following segments of the corridor: Bologna – Rimini; Rimini – Cattolica; Cattolica – Pesaro; Fano – Montemarciano; Pescara – Termoli; Termoli – Foggia; Foggia – Bari; Brindisi – Lecce. This will help to improve punctuality and give signalling staff the tools to optimise traffic flows when there is disruption or

when engineering work is in progress. The 3 kV DC power supply is also being enhanced, the cost of resignalling, power supply work and civil works together being around €350m. Last bottleneck The smooth flow of rail traffic along the Adriatic Corridor has long been hindered by a 33 km single track section between Lesina and Termoli, some of which requires trains to reduce speed to 40 km/h or even 25 km/h. Plans to rebuild this section of the corridor have existed for many years, but local government in the Molise region, which covers

Photo: David Campione

A

mong the projects currently being implemented by infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana is a scheme to upgrade the important route from Bologna to Rimini and along the Adriatic coast to Ancona, Pescara, Foggia, Bari and Lecce. The programme was launched in 2015 with the objective of raising line speeds to 200 km/h through a combination of resignalling and infrastructure improvements. Completion is expected in 2018. If related projects planned over a longer timescale are included, the total cost will amount to nearly €1·6bn. Although most of the corridor is already double track, line speed limits vary from 115 km/h to 180 km/h. Realignment to ease curves and other improvements planned for the upgrading include elimination of the last singletrack bottleneck. Maurizio Gentile, Managing Director of infrastructure manager RFI, said the goal of the route modernisation was to increase speed and capacity and reduce travel times along the east coast. When the work is finished, travel times from Bologna are expected to fall by 8 min to Rimini, 45 min to Bari and 60 min to Lecce. The programme continues a series of line speed enhancements that has been implemented over the last 15 years. These include doubling of a single-track section between Apricena and Lesina in 2003, while double tracking of the 150 km from Bari to Lecce was completed by 2006.


57

Italy SPOTLIGHT the Ripalta – Termoli part of the route, would not agree. Their objections centred on a section of the proposed line near the sea that included a viaduct, which the authority viewed as unattractive in a popular holiday area. The objectors wanted to eliminate the viaduct and relocate the tracks inland, which required construction of a 2 km tunnel, but RFI and the Puglia region would not accept the additional cost. After years of arguments, a meeting was held in July this year at which RFI, the Ministry of Transport and the two regions finally agreed on a compromise to relocate the railway which will now be built as a double track alignment. The additional cost will be partly funded by reallocating €150m destined for the Molise region from the EU’s Cohesion Fund during the 2014-20 financial period. Work on the Lesina – Ripalta section in Puglia will start in August 2019 and finish in December 2022, the cost being €106m. Construction of the two sections in Molise, from Termoli to Campomarino and from there to Ripalta, will cost €700m and work is not due to be completed until 2026. Further south, in Bari, another section of new alignment is planned to move the railway away from the beach area between Bari Centrale and Bari Torre a Mare. Relocated further inland, the 10·2 km alignment will have four tracks from Bari Centrale as far as the site of a new station at Bari Executive; from there two tracks will continue to join the existing double-track main line to Lecce. The realigned route will have two more new stations at Campus and Triggiano. Due to be finished by 2020, the rerouting is costed at €391m.

Photo: Staraldo/Shutterstock.com

Station rebuild A separate but related project is the complete rebuilding of Pescara Porta Nuova station at a cost of €10m. Work begun in 2015 includes relaying tracks

Photo: Benjámin Zelki

to allow trains to pass at 135 km/h and construction of an additional platform track to avoid conflicting movements between trains on the Adriatic Corridor and those using the cross-country route to Sulmona and Roma. The station buildings have been refurbished and platform heights raised to 550 mm. Bologna – Rimini The main line through the densely populated region between Rimini and Bologna carries heavy regional and suburban traffic, as well as significant quantities of freight. The upgrading programme will allow inter-city trains to run at 200 km/h along this section, but achieving this requires all the bridges to be replaced. Bridge replacement work demands that contractors have full access to the railway, and the new bridges are being installed during a programme of weekend line closures. For example, over the weekend of May 20-21 2017 two bridges were replaced at Prati and Sabbioso. All stations between Rimini and Bologna will have been rebuilt by the end of next year. This work falls under RFI’s ‘500 Stazioni’ programme which provides for updating or reconstruction of 500 stations, including 40 hub stations in the Emilia-Romagna region. Rebuilt stations on the Rimini – Bologna line include Cesena, Forlì, Faenza, Castelbolognese, Imola and Castel San Pietro


Top: A Frecciabianca service arrives at Falconara, north of Ancona on the Adriatic coast. Above: The last of 706 Vivalto double-deck push-pull coaches was delivered to Trenitalia in July.

Lecce is the southern terminus for many long-distance trains on the Adriatic Corridor.

Terme. The work includes raising platform heights to 550 mm to meet EU standards for level boarding, as well as enhancement of audio and visual passenger information systems. To increase capacity for handling freight, the Villa Selva intermodal terminal near Forlì is being expanded to quadruple capacity. Rolling stock enhanced In addition to regional trains, Trenitalia operates two Frecciarossa and 12 Frecciabianca services daily in each direction along the Adriatic Corridor, plus six pairs of conventional Intercity trains. Passengers travelling on the premium services can expect to benefit from a cascade of rolling stock triggered by delivery of the 50 ETR1000 trainsets for Frecciarossa services in the Torino – Milano – Roma – Napoli corridor. These have displaced ETR500 sets for use on the Torino – Milano – Venezia route, in turn releasing Frecciabianca trainsets formed of pairs of Class E414 power cars and locomotive-hauled coaches. These have been allocated to services from Milano to Bologna, Bari and Lecce, and this route now offers the most frequent daily services under Trenitalia’s Frecciabianca brand. n Download our app for more maps

Stay ahead. Stay informed. Subscribe today.

LIGHT RAIL G Ababa OPENIN Addis

22 PAGE 10

37 PAGE 32

INDUSTRY CARS LOW-FLOOR Turkey

suppliers make Domestic Market review in growing patterns a rapidly insupply progress Changing market a complex market 41 PAGE 38

2014 er 2017 Spring Septemb

om cleaner ldfrof orfit wne CitiesAbe enance track maint

opportunity

RAIL TRAMS | LIGHT

es Inte to MSub e rn e sc ex a tr ri ce tio o R be pt na e rs io l r po na ec r t l b ei en ve eﬁ ts

as new trend emerges in all A Turkey are increase rail projects order Urbanvolumes 2016 inng regions multiplyi

ort.com www.metro-rep

First choice for the urban rail professional

†

MARKET ION cars EXPANS Metro

transport Bringing Edinburgahnew at ran Sub-Saha running y to technolog Trams start Africa last

COMMUTER | METROS |

RAIL

For Terms and Conditions, go to www.railwaygazette.com/terms

• Issues delivered direct to your home or ofﬁce †

• Continuous Service – you can cancel your subscription whenever you like (minimum two issues)

th

• Digital Issue – free of charge, with access to our digital archive

• Our Guarantee – if you’re not happy with your subscription, we’ll refund the remaining issues to you

2017

Brisbane

2 1 – 2 3 Nov e mbe r

RAIL’S DIGITAL REVOLUTION Co-Hosting Sponsors

Official Event Guide Sponsor

Premium Platinum & Gala Dinner Sponsor

Luncheon Sponsor (Day 2)

350+ EXHIBITING ORGANISATIONS

Copper Sponsor

Premium Gold & RTAA Yellow Tie Dinner Sponsor

Supporting Sponsor

Lanyard Sponsor

Registration/Entrance Feature Sponsor

| AUSTRALASIA’S LARGEST RAIL CONFERENCE + EXHIBITION

Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities at AusRAIL PLUS 2017 are highly sought after. Ensure you book early to position yourself in front of rail leaders. Contact Deborah Bocock on 02 9080 4348 or email [email protected]


59

Italy SPOTLIGHT

A

s one of two major railway projects currently in the Sblocca Italia programme (p62), upgrading of the Napoli – Bari route for 200 km/h is due to be finished by 2026 at a cost of €6·2bn. Apart from shorter journey times that include a target Roma – Bari timing of around 3 h, benefits will include better punctuality and reliability, while the availability of double track throughout with modern signalling and gradients limited to 1·3% will raise capacity. Rather than re-electrify at 25 kV 50 Hz, RFI has decided to retain the 3 kV DC power supply because the line will be used by freight locomotives without 25 kV capability — the upgrade is partly intended to attract more freight traffic in line with the European Union’s Transport White Paper objective of switching 30% of goods moving over 300 km to rail by 2030. So far around €4bn or 65% has been agreed towards the total investment cost. At the moment line speeds are generally limited to 120 km/h, but a short section from Benevento to Apice was doubled and upgraded in 2008, allowing speeds to be increased to 150 km/h. Upgrading of a further 21 km between Cervaro and Bovino at a cost of €270m was completed earlier this year, and a special train conveying Transport Minister Graziano Delrio and RFI Managing Director Maurizio Gentile from Foggia to Benevento ran on June 28 to mark the occasion. The upgraded section is laid with UIC60 rails on concrete sleepers, and SCMT train protection is provided, allowing freight trains to run at 140 km/h and passenger trains at 200 km/h. More contracts let In March RFI awarded two contracts for work at the western end of the route. A consortium of Salini Impregilo and Astaldi won a €397m contract for design and construction of the westernmost section between Napoli and Cancello, where speed will be limited to 130 km/h. Included in the contract is construction of an elevated station © Railway Gazette 2017

Southern upgrades move ahead Reconstruction of the Napoli – Bari route to raise speeds and add capacity is advancing steadily with contracts let this year for work at the western end of the line. serving the Le Porte di Napoli shopping centre and two new underground stations at Casalnuovo and Acerra; at Acerra there will be interchange to the Circumvesuviana suburban service. About 4 km of the 15 km alignment will run on viaduct, with a further 3 km in tunnel. The new railway is due to be commissioned in 2022. A second phase of work at Afragola station, which opened in June (RG 7.17 p9), will see the construction of two extra platforms for regional trains from Napoli to Caserta and Benevento. This work is also to be completed by 2022. Another new station for high speed

San Severo

The station at Napoli Afragola opened earlier this year. Two more platforms will be built to accommodate regional services. Contracts have been let this year for upgrading sections at the western end of the Napoli – Bari route. The Foggia – Bari section forms part of the Adriatic Corridor where improvements are also being made to raise speeds to 200 km/h (p56). 50 km

0

Manfredonia

Campobasso Foggia Cervaro Bovino Deliceto

Frasso Telesino

Benevento

Caserta

N Barletta Molfetta

Ariano Irpino

Bari Afragola Napoli

NAPOLI – BARI

Cancello

Pompeii Sorrento

Vesuvio Est (planned) Salerno

Upgrading in progress or planned Other RFI lines High speed line Potenza

Lecce

services, not forming part of this contract, is planned at Vesuvio Est to the east of Napoli. This will serve a catchment area with a population of around 742 000. Contracts for the adjoining section of the Napoli – Bari route from Cancello to Frasso Telesino were awarded to a consortium formed of Pizzarotti, Itinera and Ghella. The job entails construction of 16 km of new alignment, of which about 3 km will be elevated and over 4 km will run in tunnel. The 180 km/h line will partly follow the existing single track route, and new stations will be built at Valle di Maddaloni and Dugenta-Frasso Telesino. Completion is scheduled for 2022 at a cost of €312m. Still at the planning stage is the Frasso Telesino – Vitulano section, where the work will be divided into three lots with completion expected by 2025. The 47·4 km Apice – Orsara section is next. This will be split into two lots, with contracts for the line from Apice to a new station at Hirpinia and from there to Orsara. This work should be finished by 2026. Outline planning for the adjoining Orsara – Bovino section is due to be finished by the end of 2017.


60

SPOTLIGHT Italy


Having travelled over the Roma – Napoli high speed line as far as Caserta, Roma – Bari trains turn east on to the Napoli – Foggia route. Once upgrading is complete, the Napoli – Bari line will form part of Italy’s AV/AC network.

For the moment open access operator NTV considers that the condition of the infrastructure on routes to Bari is not sufficiently good to warrant adding the city to its network. Nevertheless, the company is watching progress with the route modernisation to see if it would warrant services to Italy’s southern towns and cities. Currently NTV offers ‘Italobus’ connections from Salerno to and from Matera, Potenza, Taranto and Cosenza. NTV’s 12 non-tilting Pendolino sets that are due to enter service from December will initially run on existing routes, but in the near future they will be used in northern Italy, primarily in the Torino – Venezia corridor. The first trainset began trials in June, and a number should be available for the December timetable change. Sicilian upgrade As part of the Sblocca Italia programme, the Palermo – Catania – Messina line is to be upgraded for 200 km/h operation by 2024. Priority has been allocated to the Catania – Palermo section, and the Catania Cannizzaro – Catania Centrale lot was double tracked in June. Work is now concentrated on the Catania Centrale – Catania Bicocca section, with a start planned in the near future on the Bicocca – Catenanuova part of the route. n

Right: Upgraded sections of the Napoli – Bari line are suitable for 200 km/h. Below: A new station may be built on the Foggia bypass that opened in 2015, possibly near Cervaro.

Photos: David Campione

Speed-up implemented Until recently Trenitalia has operated three daily return Frecciargento services from Roma to Bari and Lecce, with Bari reached in about 4 h from the capital. These trains use the Roma – Napoli high speed line as far as Caserta where they join the single track route towards Foggia. The trains do not call at Napoli, and another disadvantage is the requirement to reverse at Foggia. In future, trains from Roma will serve Napoli Afragola and Centrale where they will reverse, thence using the new alignment to Cancello. To avoid the reversal at Foggia a bypass was built to the south of the city in 2015. This made use of an abandoned alignment used during World War 2 to allow freight trains to bypass the central area, which was an important military site. Local residents were unhappy as it meant that trains from Roma would no longer have to call at Foggia. Plans for a new €15m station south of the town on the bypass have proved controversial, with residents and politicians saying that it would be too far from the city centre. If plans for the station go ahead, it is likely to be sited at San Lorenzo, although an alternative site has been identified further east at Cervaro. At the end of June Trenitalia launched a non-stop Bari – Roma Frecciargento service that completes the 503 km trip in 3 h 34 min, significantly quicker than other services that typically take just over 4 h. Departing at 06.24, it arrives in Roma just before 10.00. The return working leaves Roma at 18.55 and is

scheduled to arrive in Bari at 22.35. From September 3 Trenitalia added a pair of Frecciargento trains between Roma and Foggia. Calling at Caserta and Benevento, they take only 2 h 42 min compared to other services that typically average 2 h 55 min. Rolling stock consists of ETR485 tilting trainsets. This is likely to change in June next year when Trenitalia plans to introduce the former V250 trains built by Ansaldo Breda for the Amsterdam – Brussels Fyra service on the Roma – Bari – Lecce route. Trenitalia announced in August that it had acquired 17 of the 19 trainsets from Hitachi Rail Italy, successor company to AnsaldoBreda, remarking that it was a particularly advantageous opportunity available for a very short time at a price considerably lower than market value. The V250 fleet ran only briefly in commercial service in December 2012 and January 2013 before all sets were withdrawn because of chronic unreliability and other problems (RG 2.13 p25). The fleet was repurchased in 2014 by the supplier, with a view to rectifying the faults and finding a new customer. Trenitalia anticipates that technical changes will render the 250 km/h fleet able to operate reliably on medium-speed routes. Thanks to their 25 kV 50 Hz and 3 kV DC capability, the trains are suitable for operation throughout Italy.

Israel Railways bringing the future closer You are invited to join R.F.I. – Sale of a Shunting Locomotive

How do you weigh your trains?

www.weighwell.com

Israel Railways ltd. ("ISR") is requesting information regarding a sale of a shunting locomotive number 131("131"). Guiding Lines 1. This RFI shall not be considered as a tender. 2. ISR is free to take whatever action it may consider upon receiving addresses from prospects following this RFI and will not be obliged to negotiate and/or sell and/or publish a tender regarding 131. 3. ISR may use any information received following this RFI in any way it might find useful. 4. ISR may address one or more prospects that will submit information regarding 131 following this RFI. 5. This RFI shall not be considered as a declaration of any kind as to the technical condition of 131. Details about 131 1. 131 is a G-12 shunting locomotive. 2. Model no. T-44/622CW. 3. 131 was manufactured by KALMAT VERKSTAD. 4. 131 is stationed at The Kisohn rails yards in Israel. 5. 131 can be examined at its current location by appointment to be set up with the undersigned. 6. Year of production – 1989. 7. 131 has an EMD engine - 1650 horsepower. 8. Kilometers travelled from 1999 – 22, 434 km. 9. 131 is operative and may be considered for further examination in its current condition – AS IS. Prospects who are interested in 131 may address the undersigned via e-mail – [email protected] until 21/10/2017 Aviad Shafir Head of Commerce Unit Israel Railways

INVITATION DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF RAIL

Visit our experts at the Rencontres nationales du transport public 10 —12 October 2017 in Marseille Stand 48

Alpha Trains Continental Europe’s train and locomotive leasing specialists. www.alphatrains.eu


62

SPOTLIGHT Italy

Northern high speed network nears completion

W

hile the spine of Italy’s T-shaped Alta Velocità/ Alta Capacità network was completed in December 2009, gaps are still evident in the bar of the ‘T’ across the north of the country. Further work is planned to bridge them, but high costs mean that infrastructure manager RFI has had to settle for upgrading rather than new construction over some sections. It is worth recalling that Italy was the first European state to open a section of dedicated high speed railway when the Orte – Orvieto section of the Roma – Firenze direttissima was inaugurated on February 14 1977. Italy now has 1 113 km of high speed line in operation (Table I). In determining priorities for further AV/AC lines, there are two essential requirements: one is to make progress with the TEN-T corridors and the other is to implement a programme called Sblocca Italia (Unblocking Italy). This legislation entered the statute books in November 2014, two of the main aims being to foster economic recovery, especially in the south, and to enhance rail services between principal cities.

Work is in hand to complete the final stages of Italy’s T-shaped Alta Velocità Alta/Capacità network, with further projects in the pipeline. Benjámin Zelki reports. Ceremonies were held on December 10 2016 to inaugurate the 39·6 km Brescia – Treviglio line, Italy’s newest high speed route.

Missing links The projects currently in progress in northern Italy are intended to complete missing links in the AV/ AC network in the industrial triangle bounded by Milano, Torino and Genova. Plans for a high speed line between Milano and Genova date back to 1990, but the project, also termed the Terzo Valico line, was controversial, forcing planners to cut it back to the section between Tortona and

Table I. High speed lines in Italy Route

Length km

Opened

Maximum speed km/h

Power supply

Firenze – Roma

254

1977-92

250

3 kV DC

Roma – Napoli

205

2005

300

25 kV 50 Hz

Torino – Milano

125

2006

300

25 kV 50 Hz

Padova – Venezia Mestre

25

2007

220

3 kV DC

Milano – Treviglio

27

2007

180

25 kV 50 Hz

Napoli – Salerno Milano – Bologna

29

2008

250

3 kV DC

215

2008

300

25 kV 50 Hz

Bologna – Firenze

79

2009

300

25 kV 50 Hz

Bologna – Verona

114

2009

200

3 kV DC

Treviglio – Brescia

40

2016

300

25 kV 50 Hz

Genova; high speed services will use existing lines from Tortona to Milano and Torino. Work on the 53 km new alignment began in 2013 and completion is planned for 2020-21. No less than 37 km will run in tunnel. A high speed line linking Torino and Milano was completed in two phases in 2006 and 2009, but less progress has been made on the eastern bar of the T from Milano to Verona and Venezia. Following completion last December of a 39∙6 km section parallel to the existing railway between Treviglio and Brescia (RG 1.17 p10), no further work is taking place at the moment. However, construction of the 60 km Brescia – Verona section was approved by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning in July, paving the way for work to start before the end of this year, and planning is well advanced for the Verona – Padova section. This will be built as two lots: Verona – Vicenza (51 km) and Vicenza – Padova (28 km). The Padova – Venezia Mestre section has been in use since 2007. The original proposals envisaged that the high speed corridor would continue east from Venezia to Trieste. Plans for a new 155 km alignment were prepared in 2010, but the cost proved to be prohibitively high, obliging infrastructure manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana to accept the cheaper

alternative of upgrading the existing line to allow the speed limit to be raised to 200 km/h. Routes to the border Whether something similar will happen to plans for a 195 km AV/AC line running north from Verona to connect with the Brennero base tunnel remains to be seen. Draft proposals for a short section from Verona to Pescantina were approved by the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning in July, but the proposed 2026 completion date following a start on construction in 2019 seems optimistic. Partly because the alignment would pass through environmentally sensitive areas, no less than 168 km would run in tunnel. Another long-planned project surrounded by controversy is the 235 km Torino – Lyon high speed line which includes a 57 km base tunnel through the Alps between the Susa valley in Italy and Maurienne in France. Despite numerous inter-governmental agreements in favour of the scheme, the French government announced in July that it had been ‘paused’. According to Transport Minister Elisabeth Borne, this was to allow time to review the project as part of the Macron government’s policy of not making commitments to major projects unless they had been fully funded. The EU is expected to meet 40% of the cost, with the rest financed by the two governments. n


63

Italy SPOTLIGHT

Pigneto interchange under construction

PUSHING TRANSPORTATION

O

n June 26 work began in Roma on a project to construct an interchange station at Pigneto to the southeast of the city centre (RG 4.16 p36). The station is expected to become the busiest node in the capital after Termini and Tiburtina. Infrastructure manager RFI said that the Pigneto scheme is the most complex station project currently underway in central Italy. The site is already served by metro Line C, and metro passengers will in future be able to change to and from suburban services on route FL1 connecting Fiumicino Airport and Fara Sabina and on route FL3 between Viterbo and Roma Tiburtina. There will also be a connection with the Termini – Parco di Centocelle light rail line and with tram routes 5, 9 and 14. Another objective is to reconnect the neighbourhood’s two parts that are currently separated by the railway which runs here in a cutting. A raft will be constructed over the tracks and a ‘green’ pedestrian area created. An agreement to go ahead with the project was signed between RFI and the municipality in 2012, and a contract was awarded in 2015 to Mageg Srl. The total cost is €54m, but

the project is split into two phases. Only the first, valued at €22m, is currently funded, and this is scheduled to be finished by the end of 2019. This will see construction of platforms and other facilities serving the two suburban lines, plus a pedestrian link to the metro. Four new bridges over the tracks will connect the two parts of the Pigneto neighbourhood, and creation of a green pedestrian area is included. The second phase to be implemented later at a cost of €32m will entail covering over the tracks through the whole of the densely-populated Pigneto area between Ponte Casilino and Ponte Prenestino, in all about 500 m. n

The railway cutting will be covered by a pedestrian precinct.

Powerful Interfaces Visit us at: EXPO Ferroviaria in Milano, Italy 03.-05.10.2017 APTA Expo in Atlanta, USA 09.-11.10.2017

The future concourse will offer interchange between suburban services and metro Line C.

Nordic Rail in Jönköping, Sweden 10.-12.10.2017 12th IREE 2017 in New Dehli, India 11.-13.10.2017

MODULARITY FOR YOUR IDEAS Only the right combination of data, signal and power allows the realisation of optimal solutions.HARTING offers a broad range of products, systems and solutions.

www.HARTING.com


64

SPOTLIGHT Italy

Intercity performance contract signed

Under the terms of a 10-year agreement with the government, Trenitalia will retain and improve the existing network of Intercity day and night trains, writes Murray Hughes.

O

n July 31 Trenitalia signed a 10-year performance contract with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Economy & Finance for the continued operation of medium and longdistance Intercity services. Covering Intercity Giorno daytime and Intercity Notte overnight trains, the contract had started in January. The previous contract expired in December 2014, but it was extended by two years without changes to the terms and conditions. In return for commitments by Trenitalia to improve punctuality and quality, the government will provide financial support until the end of December 2026. This will amount to about €348m in 2017 and around €366m in subsequent years. FS Group said that without this funding Trenitalia would have had to consider withdrawing about 40% of Intercity services. A regime with financial incentives and penalties will apply. Trenitalia currently operates 88 daily Intercity Giorno and 20 Intercity Notte trains, plus 10 weekend services, that together serve more than 200 towns and cities, carrying about 12 million

Alstom has been contracted to convert 53 hauled coaches to driving trailers as part of the investment in the Intercity rolling stock fleet. Trenitalia is also rebuilding 40 Class E402 locomotives as a single cab design; all Intercity services are intended to operate at 200 km/h with air-conditioned rolling stock.

passengers a year. Some trains had operated until January this year at Trenitalia’s own financial risk, but they will in future be included in the ‘universal’ contract as socially desirable services. Fares will be set at levels below those applying to AV high speed services, which are required to cover their own costs. More train-km Under the terms of the agreement Trenitalia will increase annual train-km by 7% to around 25·1 million, with 16% more seats available on daytime trains.

Photo: David Campione

Photo: Andrea Fava

Adjustments will be made to Intercity Notte trains to reflect changes in demand. Around €300m will be made available for investment in rolling stock refurbishment and other enhancements. This includes refurbishment and modernisation of the day fleet and conversion to push-pull operation thanks to the rebuilding of 53 Type UIC-Z1 coaches to driving trailers; 40 Class E402A locomotives are being modified for pushpull operation. The first of these push-pull services commenced on August 2 between Roma and Salerno, with subsequent deliveries of driving trailers allowing Milano – Grosseto and Milano – Livorno routes to switch to push-pull operation from September 4. The €70m programme should see all 53 driving trailers in use by the end of 2018. Travelling cleaning staff, already working on some trains, will be allocated to more services, and minibar catering will be provided on longer-distance journeys. Passengers can expect comfort enhancements as Frecciabianca rolling stock is cascaded to Intercity services, gradually reducing the average age of the Intercity fleet from 25 years to 15 years. From 2019 onwards some trains will be operated by ETR460 and ETR470 trainsets. All Intercity trains will be air-conditioned and able to run at 200 km/h. Both daytime and overnight rolling stock is receiving a new livery. Refurbished stock will meet the latest fire regulations and be equipped with CCTV and new lighting. All seats in refurbished stock will have power sockets and tables or trays for drinks. n

11–12 April 2018 Istanbul Congress Center Istanbul, Turkey Istanbul Rail Tech Conference and Exhibition

Powered by

Connecting you to Rail Technology Buyers

Supporters

Content Partner

Organiser

Global Transport Forum

“THIS FAIR IS ORGANIZED UNDER SUPERVISION OF TOBB (THE UNION OF CHAMBERS AND COMMODITY EXCHANGES OF TURKEY) IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW NO.5174”


66

FORUM People Thomas Ahlburg is to take over as CEO of Stadler Group with effect from January 1 2018, succeeding founder and majority shareholder Peter Spuhler, who will remain Chairman of the company board and focus on strategic development. Ahlburg is currently Deputy CEO and manages the company’s main plant at Bussnang, in which role he will be succeeded by Production Manager Georg Kapeller. Phil Verster has been appointed President & CEO of Ontario transport agency Metrolinx, succeeding interim CEO John Jensen. A former Managing Director of the ScotRail Alliance, Verster was most recently CEO of the UK’s East-West Rail project. Per Schrøder is to join Danish state operator DSB in February as Operations Director. Currently Fleet Director for Thomas Cook Airlines, he succeeds Anders Egehus who is stepping down. Andrzej Matysiewicz has taken over as Regional Director of Polish infrastructure manager PKP PLK in Lublin, succeeding Zygmunt Grzechulski who has retired. Erik Johansson has been named Chief Financial Officer at Swedish freight operator Green Cargo, succeeding Henrik Backman who stepped down last month. Andrey Solovey has been appointed as Head of the Tver Carriage Works at Transmashholding, while retaining his leadership of the Tsentrosvarmash business unit. Evgeniy Vozhakin becomes General Director of Kolomensky Zavod, replacing Vladimir Karpov who remains as Advisor on diesel engine

development. Mikhail Skurato becomes General Director of Penzadieselmash, having previously worked at the Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant. Alstom has appointed Didier Pfleger as Senior Vice-President, Middle East & Africa. He is succeeded as Managing Director for Germany and Austria by Jörg Nikutta. Xavier Boisgontier becomes Managing Director of the company’s Southern Africa Cluster. Karolis Sankovski has been nominated to head the Infrastructure Directorate at Lithuanian national railway Lietuvos Geležinkeli. He will continue to serve as Managing Director of LG subsidiary Rail Baltica Construction, a post he assumed in June. Former RFF Procurement Director François Meyer has been appointed as Director-General of the French industry association Fer de France, succeeding former SNCF Rolling Stock Director Alain Bullot who has stepped down after four years in the post. Andrus Kimberi has been appointed to the Eesti Raudtee management board as Finance Director with effect from October 1. Aigars Laizāns has been named interim Chairman of Latvijas Dzelzceļš, succeeding Ansis Zeltiņš who has moved to manage the Freeport of Riga. Previously Director of Service Delivery for TriMet in Portland, Oregon, Ken Zatarain has joined WSP USA to lead station access planning for the California high speed rail programme, where WSP is acting as Rail Delivery Partner.

ITALY

Trenitalia leadership reshaped Following the completion of a corporate restructuring programme and the consolidation of rail freight operations into Mercitalia, FS Group has appointed a new leadership team to run its national passenger business Trenitalia. With effect from the annual shareholder meeting on September 15, Tiziano Onesti (above left) has been named President, with the former Director of the Regional Passenger Division Orazio Iacono (above right) becoming CEO & General Manager. They will serve on the Trenitalia board until December 31 2019, along with Paolo Colombo, FS board member for Finance Antonella D’Andrea and Maria Rosaria Maugeri. The new board will be responsible for developing Trenitalia operations in line with the FS Group’s 2017-26 Strategic Plan, focusing on the development of regional and urban transport, managing substantial investment in new regional trains for delivery from 2019, and developing integrated mobility services across the Italian public transport market. Former President Barbara Morgante is to head up a new FS Group international business unit, overseeing six subsidiaries operating in five countries outside Italy, including Trenitalia UK, Netinera in Germany and Trainose in Greece. n

HEADS OF THE MONTH Piyush Goyal has been named Minister of Railways and Minister of Coal in the Indian government, replacing Suresh Prabhu who relinquished the rail portfolio after a recent series of accidents and becomes Minister of Commerce & Industry. Currently head of the global motor-cycle division at BMW Group, Stephan Schaller is to take over as President & CEO of Voith with effect from April 1 2018, succeeding Dr Hubert Lienhard, who is retiring after 10 years as CEO and will join the company’s supervisory board. Elizabeth O’Neill has been named acting CEO of Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, in succession to Keith Parker who stepped down last month. Currently the agency’s Chief Legal Counsel, she will be supported by recently appointed Deputy General Manager Arthur Troup. Sophie Heurtault Malherbe (left) has been named Finance Director at Transports Publics Genevois, where Sheba Corti becomes Director of Human Resources. Both have joined the TPG management board headed by Director General Denis Berdoz. Sudhir Rao has been appointed Managing Director of Bombardier Transportation in India. A graduate from the University of Michigan, he has worked for 34 years in the automotive sector, most recently as Chairman & Managing Director of Skoda Auto India. Russian Railways’ Senior Vice-President for Economics & Finance, Vadim Mikhailov has been named First VicePresident, with responsibility for the company’s development strategy, structural reform, attracting investment for railway development and overseeing the Transport, Logistics & Commercial business unit. Vossloh AG Chief Technology Officer Volker Schenk has been re-elected as President of the German rail industry association VDB for a further three years. Polish rail regulator UTK has named Radosław Pacewicz and Kamil Wilde as Vice-Presidents, working with President Ignacy Góra. Former Merseyrail Managing Director Maarten Spaargaren joined Ricardo on September 1 as General Manager, Netherlands, heading the consultancy’s rail business interests in continental Europe. He succeeds Gert Liefting, now responsible for Ricardo’s global Rolling Stock Design & Engineering services. Dr Young Tae Kim has taken over as Secretary-General of the OECD’s International Transport Forum, succceeding José Viegas who has completed his five-year mandate. Most recently Senior Vice-President, Europe, at Alstom, Andreas Knitter has joined the board of Dellner Couplers.


67

Research & Skills FORUM

The keystone of sustainability

USA

Short line hazardous materials academy The Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has awarded the Short Line Safety Institute a $500 000 grant to create a Hazardous Materials Training Academy in Washington DC. ‘Small railroads will greatly benefit from the expertise and resources the Hazardous Materials Training Academy will provide’, said SLSI Executive Director Tom Murta on August 28. ‘The academy will provide classroom

training, hands-on instruction, response exercises, and support individual railroads in training their personnel. Our programme will enhance the training currently provided in the industry.’ SLSI was established by the American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association in 2014 with Federal Railroad Administration support, in order to provide safety training for smaller railway companies. n

DVM series IN BRIEF Around 4 000 operations and maintenance staff are to be trained at a High Speed Rail Training Institute which is to open in Vadodara in India by the end of 2020 (p7). A further 300 young officials from Indian Railways are to receive high speed rail training in Japan, and the Japanese government has offered Indian Railways 20 fully-funded seats per year for master’s courses at Japanese universities. The Enhance the UK charity is providing Arriva Rail North staff with disability awareness training. Formal classroom training for new employees includes a full day of training by instructors with a disability, and ‘roadshows’ are being provided at main stations. Network Rail plans to double the number of apprenticeships offered to 600 over the next 12 months, including ‘exciting new opportunities’ in cybersecurity and the digital railway. Hitachi Rail has launched a UK programme which will see 56 trainees, graduates and apprentices join the company over two years. This follows the recruitment of 54 manufacturing apprentices at Newton Aycliffe. The Level 3 apprenticeships will last up to three years and be administered by the National Training Academy for Rail. The UK Department for Transport and government agency Innovate UK have announced a further round of funding worth £7·9m under their Accelerating Innovation in Rail programme. The funding is open to bidders pitching ideas to make the railway more reliable and attractive to end users. Bids must be collaborative, involve more than one organisation and include at least one small or medium-sized business. The deadline for entries is November 15.

ITALY

Understanding cybersecurity risks The risks emerging from the digitisation of railway operations and infrastructure were the core topic of a two-day conference held in Roma on September 18-19. Organised by UIC and FS Group, the International Digital Days event addressed the technical and security aspects of digitisation. Keynote speakers included Franco Gabrielli, Italy’s most senior police officer, and Howard Marshall, Head of the Cyber Criminality Department at the US Federal Bureau of Investigation. Supporting industry partners included diagnostics and monitoring equipment specialist MerMec and IBM. Speaking ahead of the conference, UIC Chairman and FS Group President Renato Mazzoncini said that the Italian national holding group would be investing €800m in digital technology in 2017-18, which he believed would help it to use its infrastructure and rolling stock more efficiently ‘to benefit the whole Italian population’. But with such investment comes risk, as cyber threats become more prevalent and obstruction of key public services moves up the agenda of cyber criminals. FS and UIC would encourage the sharing of best practice in IT security and the sharing of preventative measures ‘using common tools and language’, the organisers added. n

• AC & DC voltage from 600VRMS to 4200VRMS • Improved accuracy & temperature stability • High partial discharge extinction voltage: 5kVRMS @ 10pC • 30% lower profile – 25% less volume – 56% lighter • Low sensitivity to magnetic fields • Unmatched performance for common mode operation • ± 50mA, ± 10V or 4 to 20mA outputs

www.lem.com At the heart of power electronics.


68

FORUM Sidetrack MOZAMBIQUE

Auckland DMUs shipped to Mozambique Eight 1 067 mm gauge two-car DMUs as well as spare parts have been shipped from New Zealand to Mozambique, where they are to operate passenger services around Maputo. The units have been surplus to requirements since electrification in Auckland in 2014. ‘Selling the trains reduces Auckland Transport’s costs, as these have been stored in Mount

Maunganui since the new electric trains began operating’, said Brendon Main, Group Manager, AT Metro Operations. ‘The diesel trains served Auckland well between 1994 and 2014. With the introduction of the new electric fleet, the diesel trains were retired from the network, except for the ones which currently operate between Papakura and Pukekohe. Since the city’s rail network was electrified we’ve seen

incredible growth in patronage, we’re nearing 20 million rail trips a year.’ Six ex-Queensland Railways SX coaches and 104 ex-British Rail MkII coaches built in the 1970s and shipped to New Zealand in the 1990s remain in storage at Taumaranui. AT has entered into conditional sales agreements for 31 of these vehicles, and has received expressions of interest in the remaining 79. n

ADVERTISERS Alpha Trains 61 Ansaldo STS 53 AusRAIL PLUS 58 Bombardier13 British Steel 36 CAF39 CORE 2018 23 ECMIBC Elmia Nordic Rail 6 Gally68 GHH-BonatransBC GreenrailFC Greenwood Engineering 43 Harting63 Hitachi Automotive Systems 54 Israel Railways 61 Istanbul Rail Tech 65 IVU47 International Wheelset Congress 55 KLW9 Lapp Group 41 Leica Geosystems 35 LEM67 Metalcolour47 MTM Power 23 MTU24 Robel20 Rollon14 Rosehill Rail 22 Selectron30 Tesmec43 TÜV SÜD Rail 51 UniControls30 Vogelsang17 Vossloh29 Weighwell61 Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric IFC

DIETER

With work getting underway on India’s first high speed line between Mumbai and Ahmedabad (p7), Dieter wonders whether the Japanese-backed project will provide sufficient capacity to meet the burgeoning demand for low-cost travel.

SELF-LOCKING NUTS EXCELLENT FOR HIGH SECURITY APPLICATIONS NO LOSS UNDER SEVERE VIBRATIONS PERFECT FOR REUSE ®

...since 1949

Gally S.p.a. s.u. Frazione Melotti 19/A - 10084 Forno Canavese (To) Italy Tel +39 0124 700104 - www.gally.it - E-mail: [email protected]


69

Diary & Contact FORUM

November 2

London, UK

Rail Network Resilience

www.waterfrontconferencecompany.com

November 6 - 7

Brussels, Belgium

European Rail Summit


November 7 - 9

São Paulo, Brazil

NT Expo - Business on Rails

ntexpo.com.br

November 8 - 9

Paris, France

Transrail Connection 2017

www.transrail-connection.com

November 8 - 10

Birmingham, UK

RailSIMtech

www.railsim.tech

November 9 - 10

Fulda, Germany

Signal+Draht Kongress

www.eurailpress.de/events

November 13 - 14

Brussels, Belgium

Global AirRail Conference

www.globalairrail.com/events/global-airrail-2017

November 14 - 15

Amsterdam, Netherlands World Rail Festival

www.terrapinn.com/conference/rail-festival

November 14 - 15

Praha, Czech Republic

Railway Interiors Expo 2017

www.railwayinteriors-expo.com

November 14 - 16

Barcelona, Spain

Smart Mobility World Congress

www.smartmobilitycongress.com

November 15

Derby, UK

Railway Brake & Friction Conference

www.brakefriction.org

November 21 - 22

Nairobi, Kenya

East Africa Rail

www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/east-africa-rail

November 21 - 23

Brisbane, Australia

AusRail Plus

www.ausrail.com

November 28 - 29

Singapore

Aspect 2017

www.irse.org/aspect

November 28 - 30

Aachen, Germany

International Railway Symposium Aachen

www.irsa.rwth-aachen.de

November 28 - 30

Wien, Austria

Intelligent Rail Summit 2017

www.railtech.com/intelligent-rail-summit-2017

November 29

Edinburgh, UK

Scottish Rail Conference

www.mackayhannah.com/conferences

November 29 - December 1

Chiba, Japan

Mass-Trans Innovation Japan 2017

www.mtij.jp

November 30 - December 1

Hanoi, Vietnam

GMS Rail Expansion Summit 2017

gmsrail.org

December 6 - 7

Baku, Azerbaijan

Caspian & Central Asia Rail

www.terrapinn.com/conference/central-asia-iran-rail

January 25 - 26, 2018

Paris, France

ICRETM 2018

www.waset.org/conference/2018/01/paris/ICRETM

February 22

London, UK

Rail Business Awards

www.railbusinessawards.com

CONTACT & SUBSCRIPTIONS

DVV Media UK Ltd 7th Floor, Chancery House St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1JB Great Britain Phone +44 20 8652 xxxx using extension as shown right Fax +44 20 8652 5210 E-mail firstname.lastname@ railwaygazette.com www.railwaygazette.com

A publication of

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING

CORRESPONDENTS

Editor-in-Chief Chris Jackson FCILT AIRSE

Argentina

5201

Managing Editor Nicholas Kingsley

5204

Australia Belgium Brazil Canada

Deputy Editor Robert Preston

5202

China

Head of News & Online Andrew Grantham

5203

Czech Republic

Assistant Editor Karol Zemek

5207

Production Editor Isabel Burton

5205

Consultant Editor Murray Hughes

5206

Commercial Manager Andrew Walker Sales Manager Marianne Ripsher

Croatia Finland

5215

John Kirk Harry Hondius Julio Baptista J P Stewart Andrew Benton, M K Ba Toma Bacic Michal Málek John Pagni

France

Jean-Paul Masse

Greece

Artemis Klonos

Hungary

Benjámin Zelki

India

Aharon Gazit

Japan

Akihiro Nakamura

New Zealand

Hans Scherpenhuizen P R Parry

Norway

Tørris Rasmussen

Pakistan

A Naim Kurayeshi

Poland

Ryszard Piech

Sales Manager Sharon Addison

5217

Portugal

André Pires

Sales Executive Amy-Louise Weston

Romania

Mihai Tudosa

5218

Russia

Vladimir Waldin

Head of Events Kelly Farley

Singapore

Haziq Hamidon

5216

Journal Assistant Linda Gruosso

5200

South Africa Spain Switzerland Thailand

Rollo Dickson J Robledo Morales Lorenz Degen Michael Mackey

Publisher Andy Salter

Turkey

Chief Executive Officer Martin Weber

Uruguay

Marcelo Benoit

Vietnam

Lê Huy An

United States

Railway Gazette Subscriptions DVV Media UK Ltd 7th Floor, Chancery House St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1JB Great Britain Phone +44 20 8652 5200 Fax +44 40 8652 5210 E-mail [email protected] Recommended by

Raghu Dayal

Israel Netherlands

5214

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Enrique Garibotto

Türker Ahi David Lustig

THE EUROPEAN RAIL INDUSTRY

THE EUROPEAN RAIL INDUSTRY

TM

TM C M Y K

100 0 100 20

C M Y K

70 0 100 10

C M Y K

50 0 100 5

C M Y K

0 0 0 60

Railway Gazette International is a member (*associate) of these railway associations: * Unife Logo

©2017 DVV Media UK Limited All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical (including photocopying), recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission from the copyright owners. Multiple copying of the contents of this publication without prior written approval is not permitted. Railway Gazette International (ISSN 0373-5346) is published monthly by DVV Media UK Ltd, 7th Floor Chancery House, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1JB, Great Britain. Origination and printing in Great Britain by Buxton Press Ltd.

Further details and more events at www.railwaygazette.com

EXHIBITIONS | CONGRESSES | CONFERENCES


70

SURVEY Industry Watch

A paradigm shift is still required Despite widespread promotion of the benefits of using life-cycle costs to inform investment decisions over many years, more work is needed by suppliers, operators and independent advisors to emphasise the ailway assets have a long life. importance of LCC-oriented procurement strategies.

ANDREAS SCHWILLING and STEPHAN BUNGE Roland Berger

R

Rolling stock, track, electrification and control systems can last for at least 30 years, and often 40 or more, while structures can last much longer. The costs of operation and maintenance therefore assume a significant role relative to the initial capital outlay — in the case of vehicles the purchase price typically accounts for only 40% of the total lifecycle cost. Yet despite growing evidence of the financial advantages of adopting a lifecycle cost approach when planning procurement and spending, it seems that many operators and infrastructure managers have been slow to do so. We asked our panel of senior executives what steps they felt would facilitate more rapid progress towards an LCCoriented rail sector. It is particularly notable that only 4% of survey respondents felt that their customers already had an advanced understanding the impact of life-cycle costs, while a similar proportion said that they were already providing their customers with tools to calculate the possible savings in operating and maintenance costs. A vast majority of the respondents (85%) felt that a cultural change was needed among railway operators and infrastructure managers. Organisations that are owned by national or local governments have traditionally planned expenditure on the basis of annual budgets rather than depreciating investments over a long period. In addition, the tendency to specify tender requirements in great detail can constrain the suppliers’ ability to deliver LCCoptimised solutions. Governments that want to transform their state-owned railways into modern businesses need to consider changing both the corporate objectives and management culture in order to inculcate a focus on lifecycle costs. While culture is the leading concern, 41% of respondents believe that manufacturers had to do more to make their customers aware of life-cycle cost impacts. Many manufacturers already promote the maintenance cost advantages or provide LCC calculation tools. Other steps could include the provision of case studies with real data to show the development of key performance indicators over time compared to assets

To find out more about the survey and apply to join our panel, visit the RSIW website at: www.railsupply industrywatch. com

Fig 1. Possible steps to facilitate more rapid progress towards an LCCoriented rail sector.

with a lower purchase price and higher operating costs. In terms of vehicles, the metrics could include life-cycle cost per vehicle-km or per seat-km, for example. In a similar vein, 37% felt that more independent reviews should be undertaken to provide evidence of the economic benefits. It is understandable that some potential customers may be concerned about the accuracy of manufacturers’ claims, whereas independent reviews by academics or service providers may be more likely to convince them. The question then arises as to who should finance such independent reviews. If they are funded by the supply industry, it may be appropriate to involve operators in steering the project to ensure a neutral perspective. However, almost one fifth of the respondents thought that the benefits of LCC orientation should not be overstated, because the savings are only realised after a long period. This can be an adverse incentive for railway managers to authorise higher expenditure upfront, as it is likely to be their successors that reap the benefits. One factor that may convince operators with a high risk

aversion and a corresponding high discount factor in their Net Present Value calculations is a relatively short payback period. In summary, it seems clear that all the main stakeholders have to pull together in order to achieve a greater understanding of LCC across the rail sector. As Unife Director-General Philippe Citroën suggests, ‘systematic application of the EU’s new principles on Most Economically Advantageous Tenders is essential in order to make the rail sector more LCC-oriented. Such an approach would be beneficial not only for the rail sector, but for the whole of society, as it would help to prevent wage and social dumping and strengthen the regional economic structure.’ Enhanced exchange of data and experience with operations, maintenance and engineering is also important, and here the independent players can contribute by providing a neutral benchmarking platform for the industry with guarantees over data confidentiality. If various operators, including startups, have access to comprehensive data, it becomes possible to experiment and simulate innovative methodologies which can trigger technical evolution. This should in turn result in further improvements in life-cycle cost, which as the Shift2Rail programme has pointed out are essential to ensuring the competitiveness of the rail mode at a time when other mobility concepts are evolving rapidly. n

A A culture change is needed among railway operators and infrastructure managers to consider whole-life costs and benefits, particularly those state-owned entities which are still constrained by annual expenditure limits.

85%

B Manufacturers should focus more on life-cycle costs in their marketing activities, such as using case studies to convince potential customers.

41%

C More independent reviews should be undertaken to provide evidence of the economic benefits of taking an LCC approach, given that many companies seem to be waiting to learn from the experience of others. D The benefits of LCC should not be overstated. Some savings will only be realised after 15 or 20 years and there may be a high level of uncertainty to be taken into account.

37%

19%

E Our customers are already heavily oriented towards life-cycle cost, and we see little room for improvement.

4%

F Other.

4%

PIONEERS OF WHEELSET SOLUTIONS

Family of noise-absorbing systems developed and being diversified by GHH-BONATRANS.

Innovative induction-hardened axle. It is our solution to the requirements of increased safety and reliability.

• High absorption effect – up to 10 dB(A) rolling noise, up to 30 dB(A) squealing noise

• Allows older platforms to comply with current safety requirements

• Applicable in all types of rail vehicles

• Increased NDT intervals for axles

• Variety of dampers with lifespan not limited by the service life of the wheel

• No damage on axle body • No seizure during maintenance

• Tailor-made design

Stress optimized wheels

Family of enhanced wheel steel grades for all types of passenger, locomotive and freight wheelsets that ensures greater life in mileage.

Dedicated for railway vehicles in which wheels are exposed to high thermal and mechanical loads, especially for freight wagons with tread brakes.

• Up to 30% greater life in mileage compared to wheels made of standard EN grades

• Low residual stress

• Greater resistance against Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) and hence also against the development of shelling on the wheel tread

• Loading capacity 23.5 t, 25 t, 32.5 t, etc.

• Minor deformations

• Ultimately reduction of the wheelset Life Cycle Costs (LCC) during the rolling stock operation

www.ghh-bonatrans.com

Railway Gazette October 2017

Recommend Documents