Industry news

France to invest €100bn in rail upgrades by 2040

27 February | Investment

France is reportedly looking to spend around €100bn by 2040 to improve its rail transport in the country.

This initiative is mainly aimed at extending and upgrading the rail network besides supporting the government’s goal of lowering carbon emissions.

According to France Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, the funding will help roll out express commuter trains that are analogous to the Paris RER system in major cities.

This rail project will be implemented by the government with investments along with national train operator SNCF, European Union, and local governments.

Borne was quoted by Reuters as saying: “Lacking access to transportation sometimes means having to give up a job offer, missing out on education, not seeing a loved one.”

President Macron’s government is also focusing on relaunching some of the country’s night trains for longer journeys. The French Government plans also include the formation of regional train networks in around ten major cities in the country.

16 July | Contract

Arup AECOM JV secures consultancy contract for Northern Link project

The Arup AECOM joint venture (JV) has secured a preliminary design consultancy contract from Hong Kong Mass Transit Railway (MTR) to conduct the planning and design for the proposed Northern Link main line project.

Work will include the development of the scheme into an engineering design, preparing the construction programme and gazette plans, as well as determining the cost estimate.

The Arup AECOM JV will work closely with MTR’s Capital Works team to deliver the works.

2 march | electrification

New research suggests electrification possible for 95% of UK freight trains

The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) has released new research that highlights an opportunity to electrify 95% of rail freight operations in the UK by the mid-2040s.

The detailed map suggests that only 800 miles of additional electrification is needed to enable this.

It is estimated that the initial 60 miles of infill electrification will cost around £50m per annum over two years.

Only 10% of British freight trains are currently hauled by electric locomotives.

However, an electrification programme of 40 route miles per annum for 20 years could deliver the opportunities highlighted by CILT. The total cost would be £100m per annum.

17 February | Acquisitions

Great Western Railway buys Vivarail’s battery train-linked assets

British train operating company Great Western Railway (GWR) has concluded the acquisition of multiple assets from battery and hybrid trains manufacturer Vivarail.

GWR reached contracts to purchase intellectual property, rolling stock and equipment, which support the development of battery and FastCharge technology.

These components are expected to help the launch of battery-driven trains on the rail network in the UK. The deal will enable planned trials of the technology in a real-world environment.

GWR has also recruited nine former Vivarail employees. Vivarail went into administration in December last year after failing to secure new investors.

10 February | rolling stock

New Hitachi train completes first test run on West Coast Main Line

FirstGroup has announced that the first of Avanti West Coast’s new Hitachi train fleet has concluded its trial run on the West Coast Main Line in the UK.

Designed to operate on both electric and diesel power, the class 805 bi-mode train completed the 560-mile inaugural round trip from Alstom’s Oxley depot in Wolverhampton to Glasgow Central.

This trial run was conducted following two months of dynamic testing at Network Rail’s Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) at Melton Mowbray. Over the coming months, the trains will be placed through their paces to operate at full speed of 125mph.

Various new features for customers, including enhanced passenger information, seat reservation system, multiple running, and selective door opening, will also be evaluated.

The train’s basic functionality, including the pantograph, Wi-Fi, onboard CCTV, coupling capabilities when running as a pair and the emergency lighting, was examined during its time in Leicestershire.

8 February | Accessibility

London Waterloo trialling AI digital sign language screens

Britain’s busiest station, London Waterloo, is trialling Artificial Intelligence (AI) that provides train information through British Sign Language (BSL).

The new AI technology being trialled by South Western Railway (SWR) translates live journey information into BSL, which is displayed through a friendly figure on digital totem screens.

Travellers who are deaf or have hearing loss often struggle to hear station announcements and communicate with staff, which can make it harder to plan and carry out journeys.

The project, in partnership with Waterloo Station and Inform Media by LB Foster, will provide accessible travel information to deaf customers who use BSL, displaying information in their first language.

The technology will be evaluated across a six-month trial period, with a view to rolling it out across the rest of the SWR network.

8 February | environmental

New report says HS2 Ltd got its figures wrong on nature impact

A new report reveals fundamental flaws in the way HS2 Ltd has assessed the value of nature along the construction path of the new UK high-speed railway, HS2.

The report, called ‘HS2 double jeopardy: how the UK’s largest infrastructure project undervalued nature and overvalued its compensation measures’, finds that HS2 Ltd has hugely undervalued natural habitats and the wildlife that is being destroyed by construction along the route – while simultaneously overvaluing the impact of its nature compensation measures.

HS2 Ltd promised that nature would not lose out when natural areas and important habitats were destroyed. It also made a commitment to ‘No Net Loss’ of biodiversity for replaceable habitats along Phases 1 and 2a of the route, and a net gain for biodiversity along Phase 2b.

Compensating for nature losses relies on accurate baseline assessments of the value of wildlife habitats along the route.

In brief

Alstom wins €230m contract for more Coradia Nordic trains

French multinational rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has received a second order worth over €230m for the delivery of 25 additional Coradia Nordic regional trains to Norwegian firm Norske tog.

Siemens Mobility to spend $220m in new US rail factory

Siemens Mobility, a separately managed company of Siemens, is set to construct a new $220m manufacturing and rail services facility in the US.

NGE wins high-speed rail contract in Egypt

French construction company NGE, through its rail expertise subsidiary TSO, has received a contract for a 330km high-speed rail line in Egypt.

Network Rail announces partners for 2024-2034 Southern portfolio

Network Rail has announced partners for the Southern portfolio for 2024-2034, selecting VolkerFitzpatrick for Buildings and Civils, Octavius for Electrification and Plant, VolkerRail for Track, and Atkins for Signalling. The team will deliver the southern region’s estimated £9bn renewals portfolio.

Alstom opens new equipment production site in Italy

Alstom has launched a new production plant in Lecco, Italy to make electrification equipment for the railway sector for both the Italian and foreign markets.

Nexus receives first Class 555 Metro train for Tyne and Wear Metro

Metro operator Nexus has received the Class 555 Metro train for the Tyne and Wear Metro from Swiss rail rolling stock manufacturer Stadler. The new trains will replace Metro’s current 43-year-old rolling stock.

25 January | Business & Operations

Union Pacific net income rises 7% in 2022 compared to 2021

Union Pacific has reported a net income of $7bn for the full year ended 31 December 2022, a 7% increase from $6.52bn a year ago.

The US-based freight-hauling railroad’s earnings per diluted share were $11.21 in 2022, up from $9.95 in 2021. Similarly, operating income rose 6% year-on-year to $9.9m.

Benefitting from higher fuel surcharge revenue, core pricing gains, and volume growth, the company’s operating revenue grew 14% to $24.9bn.

The firm’s business volumes, as measured by total revenue carloads, rose 2%, while its 60.1% reported operating ratio dropped 290 basis points.

17 February | Business & Operations

DB mulls reviving plans to divest Arriva transport business

German national rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) is looking to revive a sale of Arriva, its subsidiary for regional passenger transport outside Germany, Bloomberg reports.

Offloading the UK-based business would reportedly allow DB to reduce debt and streamline operations.

The business may be valued at €1-€2bn if the deal goes through. The move is in line with DB’s aim to focus on its core German rail business under a wider revamp.

Efforts to divest or list the business were abandoned in 2019 after bids received were “well below book value”.