In brief
DB Networks to compensate freight operators for diversions G
ERMAN infrastructure manager DB Networks launched a compensation scheme on December 9 for railfreight operators forced to divert their services due to engineering work.
The scheme will operate on a trial basis this year and will cover the diversion of freight
trains on the Hamburg - Hannover, Nuremberg - Saalfeld - Naumburg and Bremen - Leer lines as well as services affected by engineering work in the Leipzig area. DB Networks developed the scheme in conjunction with the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV)
International
and Network of European Railways (NEE) because diversions incur significant additional costs for operators and put railfreight at a disadvantage with competing modes. If the pilot proves successful, the scheme could be extended to other routes next year.
DB Schenker, in cooperation with YunXinOu, China, successfully trialled the use of a common consignment note for railfreight shipments on the 11,000km route from Chongqing, China through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and Poland to Germany at the end of November.
Italy
The region of Tuscany has awarded Pesa a ƒ48m contract to supply 10 dmus for use by Trenitalia on six non-electrified routes. The trains will be delivered by the end of 2013.
Japan
Longer freight trains launched on Germany - Denmark route: A ceremony was held at Maschen yard near Hamburg on November 27 to mark the introduction of 835m-long freight trains between Germany and Scandinavia. German infrastructure manager DB Networks has adapted the 210km line between Maschen and the Danish border at Padborg for longer trains in a ƒ10m project which included modifications to track layouts as well as repositioning of axle counters and adjustments to protection systems at 29 level crossings. 835m-long trains have been operating in Denmark for some time, but until now the maximum train length permitted on the German section of the route was 670m. Photo: DB AG
Locomotive plant inaugurated in Kazakhstan P
RESIDENT Nursaltan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan officially
inaugurated a new locomotive manufacturing plant in Astana on December 4, in a ceremony attended by a host of national dignitaries including Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) president Mr Askar Mamin. EKZ, a joint venture of
Transmashholding (25%), Alstom (25%) and Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) (50%), will produce electric passenger and freight locomotives at the plant, beginning this month with assembly of 15 KZ8A eight-axle freight units produced at Alstom’s factory in Belfort, France. Ten freight and 20 KZ4AT four-axle passenger units from a ƒ1.5bn order placed by KTZ in 2010 for 295 locomotives are also being built in Belfort while the remaining 175 freight and 75
IRJ January 2013
passenger locomotives will be manufactured in Kazakhstan. The consortium has invested
ƒ50m in the 31,000m2 Astana plant which has taken a year to build and can produce 100 sections, or 50 dual-unit locomotives per year. The units will be tested at a new 2km test track opening this year a short distance from the plant, with certification taking around a month. Alstom expects to produce 60-70 sections/year by 2016-17. Local workers will be trained at Belfort and at TMH’s plant in Novocherkassk, Russia, in order to make up for a local skills shortage. The JV also aims to increase the level of local content to 30% by 2016, a further 5% when the Railcomp joint venture with TMH begins producing traction
transformers for passenger locomotives at its TRTrans
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is to construct a new test centre at the Wadaoki Plant of its Mihara Machinery works in Hiroshima. The centre will include a 3.2km looped test track and will be designed to international standards with a view to the export market. It is scheduled to begin operations in the first half of 2014.
Kazakhstan
plant in Novocherkassk in 2014, an additional 7% when braking components are produced in Russia in a joint venture with Knorr Bremse, and up to 72% by 2020 when it will provide a localised spare components service (p14). Alstom CEO Mr Patrick
Kron told IRJ in Astana that he anticipates substantial demand for locomotives not just in Kazakhstan but neighbouring CIS countries over the next few years. Much of the region’s rolling stock is reaching life expiry while railfreight traffic is expected to increase. Kron also expects a decision
to be reached soon on the Astana light rail project with negotiations continuing with the city and national governments over three proposals. The first line will link the airport with the city.
The Export-Import Bank of the United States has signed a $US 425m credit agreement with Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) and its subsidiary Locomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty (LKZ) to finance the supply of around 200 GE Evolution Series diesel locomotives. They will be produced as kits at GE plants in Erie and Grove City, United States, and will be shipped for finally assembly at LKZ’s
plant in Astana. GE Transportation, the Remlokomotiv subsidiary of KTZ, and Transmashdiesel have established a joint venture company to produce GE Evolution series engines at a new $US 90m, 9000m2 plant in Astana which will have capacity to produce up to 400 engines per year.
Liechtenstein
The government will invest ƒ45m, or half of the overall cost of upgrading the Feldkirch, Austria - Liechtenstein - Buchs, Switzerland line to enable services operated by ÖBB to run at 30 minute intervals.
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