Stadler has been awarded the largest contract in the company’s history with a total volume of up to four billion euros: it has won an international tender held jointly by six transport companies fromGermany and Austria for up to 504 vehicles as part of the VDV Tram-Train project. In addition to vehicle production, the framework agreement also includes a maintenance contract lasting up to 32 years. Part of the framework agreement is a fixed order quantity of 246 CITYLINK vehicles representing a volume of around 1.7 billion euros. There is also an option to order up to 258 more vehicles.
The award of the contract marks the beginning of a long-standing partnership between Stadler and the project consortium, consisting of Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe (VBK), Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft (AVG), Saarbahn Netz, Schiene Oberösterreich, the State of Salzburg and Zweckverband Regional-Stadtbahn Neckar-Alb. Over the next ten years, Stadler will produce 246 CITYLINK vehicles for the six operators. The first four vehicles will be delivered to the Saarbahn in 2024.
All vehicles will be supplied in a three-part design. The length of the vehicles, the number of doors, the boarding and coupling height as well as the configuration of the CITYLINK versions will vary depending on the delivery location and the customer. All the vehicles will have certain features in common: they will be fitted with an HVAC system for the passenger compartments and driver’s cab, and have spacious multi-purpose areas with two wheelchair spaces that can be flexibly configured. The tram-trains will be individually equipped to suit the place of use. For example, the vehicles for the Albtal-Verkehrs-Gesellschaft will have a toilet as well as facilities for cycle racks, while Schiene Oberösterreich has opted for luggage racks as an extra feature.
Providing one type of vehicle for six operators is unusual. “On the project team, we spent hours developing a common set of specifications. We defined a standard with up to five further versions to meet the operator- specific requirements such as boarding height, coating and place of use,” explains the overall project manager Thorsten Erlenkötter from Verkehrsbetriebe Karlsruhe.
The three unit FLIRT Akku used for the record journey has been developed by Stadler since 2016 as a local CO2 neutral mobility solution for the climate-friendly operation of unelectrified railway routes. The vehicle was approved by the German Federal Railway Office and introduced to the public for the very first time in 2018. Ever since when the FLIRT Akku test carrier has travelled around 15,000 kilometers in battery only operation, before setting the world record for a regional train journey in battery-only mode without additional charge now.
Climate friendly bestseller FLIRT
The first Fast Light Intercity and Regional Train was developed in 2002 at the request of the Swiss Federal Railways SBB for the Zug city railway. Ever since the unit was put into service, the FLIRT has turned into an international bestseller with over 2,000 vehicles sold. These vehicles are being operated in 20 countries in virtually all climate zones, from the equator to the polar circle, with 528 of them operating in Germany alone. The single-decker regional and intercity multiple unit convinces with its flexibility in the process. The trains are configured for normal and broad gauge tracks, with top speeds of 160 to 200 km/h. Thus, the FLIRT can be customized to any individual client requirements in terms of its drive technology, number of seats, passenger flow and interior design. The lightweight aluminum construction and common components help to keep the operating, energy and maintenance costs low. Besides electric, diesel or bi-modal drives, the FLIRT is also available with climate-friendly battery and hydrogen propulsion.
With the FLIRT Akku train sets, Stadler has developed a so called BEMU (battery-electric multiple unit) that will run as both a classic EMU (electric multiple unit) under overhead contact cable or battery-operated on un-electrified routes. This makes it optimal for partly electrified routes that currently still need to be served with diesel trains. Stadler had already won the first green technology tender in Germany and sold 55 FLIRT Akkus to NAH.SH, the Schleswig-Holstein Local Transport Association in 2019. In November 2021, another order for 44 vehicles followed from Deutsche Bahn Regio. In addition Stadler is also building the first hydrogen-powered FLIRT for the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) in the USA.
Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) announced that its Board of Directors today voted to increase the quarterly dividend on the Company’s common shares by 10% to $1.18 per share. The dividend is payable December 30, 2021, to shareholders of record December 20, 2021. Union Pacific has paid dividends on its common stock for 122 consecutive years.
“Union Pacific continues to deliver strong cash returns to our shareholders,” said Jennifer Hamann, Union Pacific executive vice president and chief financial officer. “Today’s action, coupled with the 10% increase earlier this year, is consistent with our targeted dividend payout ratio of 45 percent.”
About Union Pacific
Union Pacific delivers the goods families and businesses use every day with safe, reliable and efficient service. Operating in 23 western states, the company connects its customers and communities to the global economy. Trains are the most environmentally responsible way to move freight, helping Union Pacific protect future generations. More information about Union Pacific is available at www.up.com.
Alstom (OTC: ALSMY) and Hitachi Rail have today confirmed that the Hitachi-Alstom High Speed (HAH-S) 50/50 joint venture has signed contracts with High Speed Two (HS2) to design, build, and maintain the next generation of very high speed trains for HS2 Phase 1 as part of the £1.97 billion contract, including an initial 12-year train maintenance contract.
The UK’s two leading train manufacturers will deliver Europe’s fastest operational train, capable of operating at maximum speeds of 225mph (360 km/h), significantly reducing journey times for passengers. The fleet will be 100% electric, and be one of the world’s most energy efficient very high speed trains due to the lower train mass per passenger, aerodynamic design, regenerative power and latest energy efficient traction technology.
In a major boost to grow and rebalance the economy, the HAH-S joint venture will manufacture the 54 trains at newly enhanced facilities in County Durham, Derby and Crewe. The award to the British-based firms will protect and create thousands of green jobs and add £157 million GVA to the UK economy for every year of the train building phase.
The new 200m-long, 8-car trains are set to run in Phase 1 of the project between London and Birmingham, and on the existing network, and will dramatically increase capacity and connectivity between towns and cities across the country including Stoke, Crewe, Manchester, Liverpool, Carlisle, Motherwell and Glasgow. They will have a major impact in reducing carbon emissions from transport by encouraging people away from fossil fuelled cars and planes, and onto rail.
9 November 2021 – Israel Railways (ISR) has issued a notice to proceed for the supply of additional 36 Traxx locomotives from Alstom (OTC: ALSMY) as part of its framework agreement in 2015 for the supply of 63 electric Traxx and additional 74 double-deck coaches in 2019.
In September 2015, ISR ordered 62 Traxx 160 km/h P160 AC3 locomotives. The contract also included an option for additional 32 units.
The 36 locomotives will be delivered between April 2023 to October 2024, at a beat rate of two or three locomotives each month and will include unique features and advanced safety features. To date, Alstom concluding the delivery of 27 locomotives to ISR. The delivered locomotives are serving ISR growing electrified network, the locomotives maintained by ISR at the Lod depot with warranty services support by Alstom’s Product Introduction teams.
The locomotives are powered with 6,000 kW traction suited for ISR electric network of 25kV 50 H. The Traxx electric-locomotive hauled ISR Twindexx Vario red double-deck coaches delivered by Alstom. More than 500 of these double-deck cars are successfully in service in Israel since 2002, providing safe, reliable and comfortable journey to all passengers in Israel.
More than 2,300 Traxx locomotives have been sold around the world in the last 20 years. They are authorized to operate in 20 countries around the world and drive a cumulative total annual mileage of 300 million km.
Alstom has been contributing to the development of railway systems in Israel for more than 30 years, and everyday hundreds of thousands of Israelis enjoy its products, services, and green and sustainable mobility solutions. The company operates in 6 sites in Israel: the headquarters in Tel-Aviv, a retrofit site and Fleet Maintenance site in Haifa, a vehicle production site in Dimona and a Signaling project in Tel-Aviv and Be’er-Sheva. Alstom retains over 250 employees in Israel and is involved in 8 advanced infrastructure projects, for which it provides passenger coaches and electric locomotives, signaling and integration systems and maintenance services.
Rolls-Royce (London: RR.L) business unit Power Systems is strengthening its research and development (R&D) capabilities in China with a new test bench for MTU engines at the company’s location in Suzhou. The new test bench was inaugurated as part of an event celebrating 25 years of the Rolls-Royce location’s existence. The R&D test bench can accommodate MTU engines with a power output of up to 3,600 kW and will be used to test parts, engines and complete systems for power generation and industrial applications.
The new R&D test bench in Suzhou will first be used for test runs of gensets based on MTU 16V 4000 engines, starting in 2022. It is suitable for testing a wide range of versions of the versatile Series 4000 engine which is also celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. A further upgrade of the test bench is planned for 2022: The capabilities will be extended to testing MTU Series 2000 engines as well.
The company opened its first facility in Suzhou 25 years ago to provide customers in China with faster and more efficient after-sale services in applications such as railway, marine and power generation. Suzhou later became the third production base for MTU engines globally at that time, responsible for the assembly of MTU Series 2000 gendrive engines. Branches in Beijing, Shanghai and Dalian were also established gradually. In October 2021, the former MTU Engineering (Suzhou) Co.,Ltd. was renamed Rolls-Royce Solutions (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.
With the new test bench, the localization strategy of Rolls-Royce Power Systems in Suzhou is now covering the whole process ranging from sales and services to manufacturing and R&D.
Siemens (OTC: SIEGY) Mobility unit will install a comprehensive rail system that will feature the first ever high-speed, electrified main and freight rail line that will transform transportation in Egypt. The initial 660 km line will connect the port cities of Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea to Marsa Matrouh and Alexandria on the Mediterranean and will provide efficient, safe, and affordable transportation for all Egyptians, as well as goods across the country. The Egyptian government has an ambitious plan to invest heavily in a reliable and sustainable 1800 km state-of-the-art rail network that will establish Egypt as a regional leader for transportation and provide an additional boost to the economy.
The 660 km line connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean will create a Suez Canal type of link on the tracks. The connection will transport up to 30 million people per year and save up to 50 percent travel time. The electrified line will cut carbon emissions by 70%, in comparison to the current car and bus transportation. Siemens Mobility will deliver its Velaro high-speed trains, Desiro High Capacity regional train sets, and Vectron freight locomotives.
CALGARY, Alberta & KANSAS CITY, Mo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (NYSE: CP) and Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) have announced they have jointly filed a railroad control application with the Surface Transportation Board (“STB”) regarding the proposed transaction to create Canadian Pacific Kansas City (“CPKC”), the only single-line railroad linking the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The comprehensive control application provides an overview of the proposed operational integration of the CP and KCS rail networks, the impact of that consolidation on the companies’ finances and labour needs, and the anticipated competitive and other benefits that will flow from providing shippers with new and better transportation alternatives. Information in the filing outlines the public and customer benefits a CP-KCS combination would bring, including more efficient north-south trade arteries to support the interconnected supply chains of the United States, Mexico and Canada.
In addition to the central foundation of the transaction to invigorate transportation competition and support economic growth across North America, the CP-KCS combination will generate many other public benefits, including:
The creation of more than 1,000 direct new jobs system-wide, including approximately 760 in the United States, over the next three years brought about by expanded rail operations across the combined network.
Capital investments in new infrastructure of more than USD$275 million1 over the next three years to improve rail safety and capacity of the core north-south CPKC main line between Louisiana and the Upper Midwest.
Avoidance of more than 1.5 million tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within five years due to the improved efficiency of CPKC versus current operations.
Diverting 64,000 long-haul truck shipments to rail annually with new CPKC intermodal services, eliminating another 1.3 million tons of GHG emissions over the next two decades, saving $750 million in highway maintenance costs.
Rail customers will not experience a reduction in independent railroad choices as a result of the CP-KCS combination. The joint control application reiterates the applicants’ commitment to keep all existing freight rail gateways open on commercially reasonable terms, including the Laredo gateway between the United States and Mexico, and shows how customers will not lose competitive routings because no new regulatory “bottlenecks” are being created. It also describes how the combined company will compete aggressively to attract traffic to its network via new single-line lanes between Canada, the Upper Midwest and the Gulf Coast, Texas, and Mexico.
More than 960 stakeholders, including more than 440 shippers, 186 smaller railroads, dozens of public officials, eight major ports, railroad labor unions representing both CP and KCS employees and 289 rail industry suppliers have written letters to the STB supporting CP’s proposed combination with KCS.
CP has agreed to acquire KCS in a stock and cash transaction representing an enterprise value of approximately $31 billion, which includes the assumption of $3.8 billion of outstanding KCS debt. The transaction, which has the unanimous support of both boards of directors, values KCS at $300 per share, representing a 34 percent premium, based on the CP closing price on Aug. 9, 2021, the date prior to which CP submitted a revised offer to acquire KCS, and KCS’ unaffected closing price on March 19, 2021.2
The transaction is subject to approval by shareholders of each company along with satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including Mexican regulatory approvals. Shareholders are expected to vote on the transaction later this year.
CP’s ultimate acquisition of control of KCS’ U.S. railways is subject to the approval of the STB. In April 2021, the STB determined it would review the CP-KCS combination under the merger rules in existence prior to 2001 and the waiver granted to KCS in 2001 to exempt it from the 2001 merger rules. In August 2021, the STB reaffirmed that the pre-2001 rules would govern its review of the CP-KCS transaction. On Sept. 30, 2021, the STB confirmed that it has approved the use of a voting trust for the CP-KCS combination.
The STB review of CP’s proposed control of KCS is expected to be completed in the second half of 2022. Upon obtaining control approval, the two companies will be integrated fully over the ensuing three years, unlocking the benefits of the combination.
While remaining the smallest of six U.S. Class 1 railroads by revenue, the combined company would have a much larger and more competitive network, operating approximately 20,000 miles of rail, employing close to 20,000 people, and generating total revenues of approximately $8.7 billion based on 2020 actual revenues.
For more information about the benefits of the CP-KCS combination, visit futureforfreight.com
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, OCTOBER 27, 2021 – The Port of Long Beach (POLB), the Utah Inland Port Authority (UIPA), and Union Pacific Railroad (NYSE: UNP) announced today a bold initiative that brings rapid relief from existing port congestion by optimizing rail deliveries between California and Utah.
The initiative is the first implementation of an agreement between POLB and UIPA that focuses on reducing congestion and cost associated with cargo movement through the corridor by optimizing the existing on- and near-dock rail system of the Port of Long Beach to reduce dwell times and improve the speed and consistency of rail deliveries to and from Utah.
Millions of TEUs of international goods are imported to or exported from the Intermountain West annually, but only 10% of this cargo currently moves by rail. This initiative aims to provide consistent, reliable movement of cargo on rail that improves fluidity and reduces delays of shipments already set to come to the Intermountain region, rather than increase cargo volume.
Loading 100 intermodal rail cars equates to 300 trucks off the road. An analysis by the Association of American Railroads concluded railroads are, on average, four times more fuel efficient than trucks and moving freight by rail instead of truck lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 75 percent.
Improving visibility of cargo is also a key component to untangling the supply chain and improving capacity. UIPA has announced the Intelligent Crossroads Network (“ICN”), a private 5G and artificial intelligence network built in partnership with QuayChain Technologies that will allow cargo tracking, monitoring and planning, and even greater efficiencies for users throughout the corridor connecting Long Beach and Utah.
