In brief
faces cutbacks Chinese HS expansion continues C
cuts and line closures, which are being implemented with the aim of improving the overall efficiency of the network, but points out that “it would have been advisable to lay down in a decree which are the profitability criteria to be used in this process.” Meanwhile the Ministry of Public Works and Transport published its draft budget for 2013 at the end of September, which includes a 15.6% cut in infrastructure investment for all transport modes in line with the Spain’s deficit target for 2012.
If parliament approves the bill, rail infrastructure investment will fall by 26% from ƒ5.11bn this year to ƒ3.78bn in 2013, but rail will still retain its position as the department’s top priority with a 50% quota over the total budget. Almost seven Euros out of every 10 allocated towards rail investment will be used to push ahead with the country’s extensive high- speed network construction programme to connect all 15 mainland regions. However, the government
will reduce the amount allocated to cover Renfe’s regional and suburban services operating deficit by 43% to ƒ480m during the next year. According to Renfe’s own budget, the company will close 2012 with a loss of just ƒ17m, but this will increase tenfold in 2013 to ƒ172m, mainly as a result of the consolidation with narrow- gauge operator Feve, which is heavily loss-making.
OMMERCIAL operations began on September 28 on the latest addition to China’s high-speed network, the 536km line between Zhengzhou and Wuhan. The eight-station line has a design speed of 350km/h and trains will operate at up to 300km/h, reducing the fastest journey time between the two cities from more than four hours to 1h 56 min. Initially the line will be used by 24 trains per direction per day. Regular services began on October 16 on the 131km line between Hefei and Bengbu in the eastern province of Anhui. The 350km/h line reduces the journey time between the two cities by at least one hour to 38 minutes, and brings
FTER years of delays, work was finally due to begin at the end of October on a $US 250m project to electrify and four-track one of Indonesia’s busiest sections of railway, the 32km Manggarai - Cikarang line in Jakarta. A $US 228m long-term soft loan agreement with Japan International Cooperation
Hefei within four hours of Beijing. Construction began in January 2009 on the Yuan 13.6bn ($US 2.17bn) project, which includes eight new stations.
The north-south link is an important addition to the region’s high-speed network, connecting the Wuhan - Nanjing and Beijing - Shanghai high-speed lines. Trial operation also
commenced last month on the 921km Harbin - Shenyang - Dalian high-speed line. Commercial operation is expected to start next month, reducing the journey time between Harbin and Dalian from 8h 30min to around four hours.
Work to begin on Jakarta upgrade A
Agency (JICA) was signed on October 9. The project will be implemented by a joint venture of Sumitomo and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and is due to be completed by the end of 2016. Construction has been delayed by eight years due to problems with finance and land acquisition.
Netinera places dmu order: Trenitalia’s German regional transport subsidiary Netinera signed a contract worth around ƒ300m with Alstom on September 19 for the supply of 63 Coradia Lint regional dmus. The trains will be assembled at Alstom’s Salzgitter plant and will be introduced on Koblenz - Bingen - Kaiserslautern and Frankfurt - Bad Kreuznach - Saarbrücken services from December 2014. The 140km/h dmus will operate a total of 6.7 million train-km per year. The order comprises three-car trains, which seat 270 passengers, and two-car sets seating 160.
Belgium
The Belgian national railway safety authority (DVIS) granted the long-awaited authority to place in service the AnsaldoBreda-built V250 Fyra high-speed emus operated by NS Hispeed on September 14. Having been granted approval by both the Belgium and Dutch safety authorities, the V250s can theoretically enter commercial service between Amsterdam and Brussels immediately, although the launch date has not yet been confirmed.
Canada
Saskatchewan’s transport and infrastructure minister officially launched the province’s 13th shortline, the 66km Long Creek Railroad, on October 2. The provincial government has provided a $C 800,000 short-term loan for the acquisition of the former Canadian Pacific line from Estevan to Tribune.
Georgia
Georgian Railway (GRZhD) has taken delivery of the first train from a second batch of five four-car inter-city emus ordered by CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock, China, at a cost of $US 30m. All five sets will be delivered by June 2013, and will enter service on the Tbilisi - Kutaisi and Tbilisi - Batumi routes, where they will be used alongside the initial batch of three trains supplied by CSR in 2009.
Germany
The Bavarian Transport Authority (BEG) has awarded Veolia a contract to operate the Bayerische Oberland concession for a further 11 years. The new concession starts in December 2013 and covers services from Munich to Lenggries, Tegernsee, and Bayerischzell.
Hungary
The National Infrastructure Development Agency (NIF) has invited bids for a contract to extensively rebuild the station at Vác, a key junction on the line from Budapest to Szob and the Slovak border. The Forints 14.8bn
IRJ November 2012 5
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