Tag: railroad (Page 10 of 16)

Alstom to Supply Taipei Integrated Metro Line 7 Extension

July 18, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

The Alstom-led consortium with Taiwanese engineering and contracting services company CTCI reached contractual close on 23 June 2020 for the Phase Two extension of Taipei Metro Line 7. The contract is valued at close to €424 million, with an Alstom share of approximately €248 million.

Phase One, which was awarded by Systemwide E&M Project Office Department of Rapid Transit Systems of Taipei City Government (SEMPO) in 2018, has been extended to deliver a seamless customer experience on the new metro line, spanning an additional 13.3km with 13 stations as part of Phase Two. When fully completed around late 2028, the 22.8-kilometre medium-capacity metro line, also known as Wanda Zhonghe Shulin Line, will connect Taipei City to New Taipei City more seamlessly. In addition, passengers can look forward to more convenience travelling between the various districts within New Taipei City such as Chong-he, Shu-lin, Tu-chen, Xin-zhuang.

Under the contract, Alstom will be responsible for the design, supply, manufacturing, testing and commissioning of 16 additional fully automated, four-car Metropolis trains, Urbalis 400 Communication Based Train Control (CBTC) signalling system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, as well as platform screen doors. The trains will be manufactured in Alstom’s Taubaté factory in Brazil, while the signalling system will be delivered by its Saint-Ouen site in France and Bangalore site in India. Alstom and CTCI will also jointly carry out project management and system integration. CTCI will provide the track work, power supply, depot equipment, Telecommunication and Ticketing systems.

“Taipei Metro Line 7, which interchanges with five other lines, will be a game changer for the travelling public of Taipei, and Alstom is delighted to continue to be a part of this iconic project. The success of this project extension with SEMPO positions us as a reliable and trusted partner, established for the long term in Taiwan and well beyond our 40 years of active presence,” said Ling Fang, Senior Vice President of Alstom Asia-Pacific.

Alstom’s metros are world-leading, proven, safe and reliable trains that serve many of the world’s great cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Paris and Singapore. Alstom has more than 65 years’ experience in the production of metros, having sold over 17,000 metro cars that operate in 55 cities around the world and carry 30 million passengers every day.

In Taiwan, Alstom provides signalling systems to all but one of Taipei’s metro lines and is currently supplying a driverless signalling system for Taichung Green metro line. In 2017, Alstom won its first tramway project in Taiwan, supplying its latest Citadis tram to Kaohsiung tramway line phase two.

Amtrak and Penndot to Restore Daily Keystone Service

July 4, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

New safety initiatives will continue to be in effect for customers and employees

In coordination with state partners at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, beginning Monday, July 6, Amtrak is partially restoring full-length Keystone Service (New York – Philadelphia – Harrisburg) with one roundtrip between Harrisburg and New York in response to anticipated increased demand. Keystone Service train 640 will operate through to New York and train 653 will originate in New York and operate through to Harrisburg.

Modified Keystone Service includes nine weekday roundtrips and six roundtrips on weekends. Aside from the one additional roundtrip being added to New York, other Keystone Service trains will continue to temporarily operate between Philadelphia and Harrisburg only. Pennsylvanian (Pittsburgh – Philadelphia – New York) service was previously fully restored in June and includes one daily roundtrip operating normally between New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Amtrak continues to take extra steps to keep train travel safe, including limiting bookings to less than half of capacity to maintain ample space for physical distancing onboard trains. All trains will be reserved to allow for physical distancing. Ticketing is now available on Amtrak.com, on Amtrak mobile apps or by calling 800-USA-RAIL.

“We are dedicated to doing everything possible to return service safely. We want everyone to feel comfortable as they navigate this new normal,” said Amtrak President and CEO Bill Flynn.

In addition to aggressive steps to disinfect stations and trains, additional Amtrak measures deliver a New Standard of Travel by including the following:

Face coverings: As part of Amtrak’s ongoing commitment to protect customers and front-line employees in response to the coronavirus pandemic, Amtrak is requiring that all customers in stations, on trains and Thruway Buses wear face coverings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the use of simple cloth face coverings or masks to slow the spread of the virus and prevent transmission.
Limiting bookings: We are limiting bookings on most trains to allow for more physical distancing in seating areas. Individuals traveling alone may use the seat next to them for personal belongings, while friends and family members will easily find seats together.
Air quality: All Amtrak trains are equipped with onboard filtration systems with a fresh air exchange rate every 4-5 minutes.
Cashless service: As an added measure to ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees, we are temporarily accepting only cashless payments in stations and on trains.
Physical distancing: Signage has been displayed at our busiest stations to indicate safe distances in high customer traffic areas such as waiting rooms, ticket offices, base/top of escalators, lounge entrances, etc. In addition, clear protective barriers have been installed at stations where there were no barriers.

Amtrak Downeaster, Boston, MA, BON, Amtrak Conductor The Downeaster is a 145-mile regional passenger train service, managed by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, and operated by Amtrak.

Amtrak Downeaster Resumes Limited Service June 15

June 13, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

PORTLAND, MAINE – The Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA) announced yesterday that the Amtrak Downeaster will begin Phase 1 of Service Restoration beginning June 15, 2020. Service will resume with one round trip on weekdays only between Brunswick, ME and Boston, MA: southbound Train 680 and northbound Train 685. Downeaster service has been suspended since April 13, 2020.

A number of protocols and procedures have been implemented to protect the health and safety of passengers and crews.

Highlights of Phase 1 Service Restoration Plan:

Amtrak has implemented new cleaning and disinfecting protocols nationwide, and train equipment used in Downeaster service will undergo enhanced cleaning before and after each trip.
Crews and passengers will be required to wear face covering while boarding and moving about the train
The number of passengers per train will be limited to no more than 50% of available seating capacity so riders are able to adhere to physical distancing guidelines.
Advance reservations are required and cash sales will not be accepted.
Station facilities will not be open; passengers should go directly to the outdoor platform to wait for their train.
Café service will not be available, however complimentary water will be available upon request.
Stations are being updated with signage and other enhancements to promote public health and physical distancing.

While NNEPRA expects Downeaster increase service throughout the summer months, no date has been set for subsequent phases. The NNEPRA Board of Directors plans to meet later this month to evaluate the potential for adding more daily trips.

Pan Am Railways has expedited a series of track improvement and maintenance projects along the Downeaster corridor to take place this spring to avoid construction-related service interruptions later in the year. The schedule for Train 680 has been modified slightly to adjust for construction-related delays. Passengers on travelling on Train 685 to stations north of Haverhill should expect delays of approximately 15 minutes.

Complete information about the steps Amtrak is taking to protect the health and safety of their passengers and crews is available at Amtrak.com

For additional Amtrak Downeaster information visit: AmtrakDowneaster.com

Agreement Between Alstom & Snam for Development of Hydrogen Trains in Italy

June 5, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom, a global leader in integrated solutions for sustainable mobility, and Snam, one of the world’s leading energy infrastructure companies, have signed a five-year agreement to develop hydrogen trains in Italy.

The agreement, after the conclusion of the first phase dedicated to feasibility studies planned in Autumn, aims to develop, already at the beginning of 2021, railway mobility projects including both hydrogen-powered trains and the related technological infrastructure, as well as management and maintenance services.

As part of the agreement, Alstom will manufacture and maintain newly built or converted hydrogen trains, while Snam will develop the infrastructures for production, transport and refuelling.

This co-operation stems from the joint commitment of the two companies on hydrogen: Alstom has launched the Coradia iLint, the first fuel cell train in the world, which has successfully been in service for one year and half on a regional route in Germany, while Snam has been one of the first companies in the world to experiment a 10% hydrogen injection into the natural gas transportation network.

Amtrak Receives $63 Million from FRA for Northeast Corridor Infrastructure Improvements

May 29, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

State of Good Repair grant financing will help fund projects in New Jersey and Maryland

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has awarded two Northeast Corridor (NEC) grants to Amtrak as part of its $302.6 million in the State of Good Repair grants to help repair and rehabilitate railroad infrastructure and other assets across the country for 12 projects in nine states. Totaling more than $63 million, the two grants will help fund the Portal North Bridge Project and the Winans to Bridge Improvement project.

“Improving infrastructure in this country is vital to strengthening the economy and providing a safer, more reliable travel experience as we look towards recovery,” said Amtrak President and CEO Bill Flynn. “We thank the FRA, and our state and NEC partners for their invaluable support in awarding us these grants.”

A total of $55.1 million of the State of Good Repair grant issued by the Federal Railroad Administration was awarded towards the Portal North Bridge Project to replace the century old two-track swing bridge in Kearny, New Jersey with a fixed span. Serving as a critical link for intercity and commuter customers traveling to or from New York City, the current bridge was used by 450 daily trains with passengers making more than 200,000 daily trips on Amtrak’s intercity and New Jersey Transit’s commuter rail services in 2019.

The new bridge is designed as a 2.44-mile modern fixed structure that will eliminate the failures associated with aging infrastructure that causes delays across the NEC. A higher clearance (more than 50 feet above the Hackensack River), will eliminate the need for the bridge to open, allowing for faster operating speeds (from 60 to 90 mph), improved performance and greater reliability for an upgraded customer experience. Early construction of the new bridge began in Fall 2017 and was completed on time and on budget. NJ TRANSIT is seeking a Core Capacity grant from the Federal Transit Administration that would allow major construction to begin as soon as next year.

The Portal North Bridge Project is a key component of the Gateway Program and is identified as a regional priority in the NEC Commission’s five‐year capital plan.

Additionally, as part of a separate project, Amtrak, in partnership with Maryland Department of Transportation, Maryland Transit Administration (MDOT MTA), is also slated to receive $8 million to rehabilitate and upgrade a five‐mile section of track that is part of the Amtrak‐owned NEC mainline near Baltimore.

The project will restore Track A to 90 mph speeds, up from 60 mph, to shorten trip times, improve ride quality, and provide operational flexibility. The work will include upgrades from Winans to Bridge interlockings, replacing timber ties with concrete, installing heavier rail and laying new ballast. Bridge interlocking is located at the north end of West Baltimore Station and Winans is at the south end of Halethorpe Station. These upgrades will enable high‐speed operations on all four tracks on this segment.

The project will also enable service to be maintained while tracks are taken out of service to allow support for construction elements of the B&P Tunnel Replacement project. This work is included in the Northeast Corridor Commission’s five‐year capital plan as a regional priority. To learn more about these and other critical infrastructure projects Amtrak is working on, visit nec.amtrak.com/readytobuild/.

Other grant awards include Amtrak shared joint applications with Connecticut DOT for the WALK Bridge Replacement in Norwalk, Connecticut and Substation 41 Reconstruction in Kearny, NJ as led by NJ TRANSIT as well as other NEC related projects in New York and Pennsylvania. In addition, grants were awarded to various projects in California, Illinois, Michigan and North Carolina that provide benefits to Amtrak and its Long Distance and/or State-Supported customers.

Alstom’s Prima Electric Locomotive Begins Indian Railways Operation

May 27, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

The first of the 12000-horsepower, Prima T8 electric locomotives has been put into commercial service by Indian Railways. Built by Alstom and certified by the Ministry of Railways and Commissioner of Railway Safety/RDSO, the electric locomotives – known locally by the designation WAG-12 – are the most powerful locomotives to run on Indian rails. The 2015 contract will see a total of 800 locomotives built for Indian Railways.

Set to revolutionise freight logistics in the country, the e-locos will allow faster and safer movement of heavy freight trains, capable of hauling 6000 tonnes at a top speed of 120 km/h. Planned for deployment on Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs), they will increase the average speed of freight trains in India by approximately 25 km/h. Equipped with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) propulsion technology, the e-locos will also allow considerable savings in energy consumption thanks to the use of regenerative braking.

“Alstom is very pleased to be delivering these electric locomotives to Indian Railways. The introduction of the Prima locomotives into the IR fleet demonstrates our commitment to the country. This revolutionary product which will be faster, safer and more environmentally friendly, and it will help write a new chapter for India’s sustainable mobility journey. We are immensely proud to be a partner in this,” said Ling Fang, Senior Vice President of Alstom Asia-Pacific.

In line with the Make-in-India mandate, all the 800 Prima locomotives are being manufactured locally. Designed at Alstom’s Engineering Centre in Bengaluru, the Prima T8 WAG-12 are being built in one of India’s largest integrated greenfield manufacturing facilities at Madhepura in Bihar. Spread across 250 acres, with a production capacity of 120 locomotives per year, the Madhepura site is built to international standards of safety and quality. Two ultra-modern maintenance depots in Saharanpur and Nagpur will ensure the high service availability of the locomotives. The Saharanpur depot is already operational and the one in Nagpur is under construction. Equipped with the latest features, these depots will play a critical role in maintaining India’s most advanced freight locomotives at significantly lower costs.

As part of the largest Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) project of Indian Railways, in 2015 the Ministry of Railways and Alstom signed a contract worth €3.5 billion (INR 25,000 crore) and created a joint venture for the project. The contract allowed for the manufacture of 800 double-section, 12000-horsepower electric locomotives for freight service and associated maintenance for a period of 11 years. The scope also included the set-up of a manufacturing plant at Madhepura (Bihar) for building the e-locos and two maintenance depots at Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh) and Nagpur (Maharashtra). A true embodiment of India’s vision, the project will create more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the country (primarily in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra).

Amtrak Supplemental Funding Needed to Maintain Minimum Service Levels

May 27, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Amtrak submitted a letter to Congress outlining an additional $1.475 billion in supplemental funding needed in FY 2021. This additional funding is necessary for Amtrak to operate minimum service levels across the passenger rail network and continue capital investments for the future. The funds would also support Amtrak’s 17 state partners on the National Network and nine commuter and state partners on the Northeast Corridor.

“As the severity and duration of this pandemic and its economic fallout become clearer, we are seeking supplemental federal funding for the next fiscal year,” said Amtrak President and CEO Bill Flynn in the letter.

To help offset the impact of revenue losses, Amtrak is taking significant steps to reduce its operating costs by approximately $500 million, including temporarily reducing train capacity across our system to match demand, restructuring our workforce, and controlling discretionary expenses. Yet even with these steps, Amtrak still requires additional federal investment in FY 2021.

“It is clear that Amtrak faces daunting challenges in Fiscal Year 2021, which will require us to take action to protect our rail network, our critical capital assets, and the livelihoods of our employees,” said Flynn in the letter.

With strong ridership and revenue levels in the first quarter of FY 2020, Amtrak was on track for another record-breaking year. However, Amtrak, like all other modes, has seen a dramatic decline in demand for service since the pandemic, and is expecting ridership to only return to approximately 50% in FY 2021. The $1.475 billion is in addition to Amtrak’s $2.040 billion annual grant request submitted to Congress earlier this year, and without this support, Amtrak will be unable to minimize the impacts to service and its workforce as described in the letter.

Kiwi Rail Plans $1.2 Billion Investment to Rebuild New Zealand

May 18, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

The Government’s $1.2 billion rail investment in Budget 2020 will help KiwiRail attract more customers and get more freight on rail, KiwiRail Group Chief Executive Greg Miller says.

Building on the Government’s $1 billion investment in Budget 2019, this second round of funding includes $400 million towards replacing the aging Interislander ferries and $421 million to continue the replacement programme for some of KiwiRail’s oldest locomotives.

The funding also includes $246 million, plus a $148 million top up of the National Land Transport Fund, towards ensuring New Zealand’s rail network, which includes more than 3000km of track, more than 1000 bridges and nearly 100 tunnels, is reliable and resilient.

“I welcome this substantial funding, which is another major boost for rail in New Zealand. For our customers this investment sends a clear signal that rail has a big future and gives them the confidence to get on board,” Mr Miller says.

“Our customers want to make greater use of rail and we’re seeing more road operators reach out for our support as their networks contract. We’re here to help them.”

“The Government’s investment allows us to continue with our locomotive replacement programme and raise the standard of our rail lines, bridges and tunnels across the country. This will enable KiwiRail to offer better and more reliable train services for our customers, and move more of New Zealand’s growing freight task onto rail.

“This funding recognises that rail has a greater role to play in New Zealand’s transport sector, and that it can make a valuable contribution towards lowering our transport emissions, reducing road congestion and saving in road maintenance costs – which benefits our nation as a whole.

Fifteen new Gen 2.3 DL locomotives depart KiwiRail’s Mt Maunganui yard, shortly after arriving at the Port of Tauranga, in 2018.

“The range of track renewal and facility upgrades we are planning will also support our workforce of almost 4000, as well as numerous civil contractors and material supply businesses across the country.”

“I’m very grateful to the Government for this level of support and I know that KiwiRail’s customers will be pleased by this demonstration of our shareholder’s commitment to rail.”

Mr Miller says the $400 million contribution to replacing Interislander’s three aging ferries and necessary landside infrastructure highlights how important the ferry connection is to New Zealand.

“Our Cook Strait ferries are an extension of State Highway 1, moving 800,000 passengers and up to $14 billion worth of road and rail freight between the North and South Islands each year.

“They are a must have for NZ Inc. The two new rail-enabled ferries will be more advanced, have significantly lower emissions and last for the next 30 years.

“This is a once-in-a generation investment and I am thankful for the Government’s support. It gives us the security to go out to international tender to build the ships, which we hope to see arriving on our shores in 2024 and 2025.”

Coastal Pacific crossing the Kahutara River.

Alstom Barcelona 3D Printing Hub Joins COVID 19 Fight

April 2, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Production and development of new solutions for hospitals

Alstom’s 3D printing hub in Barcelona is coordinating initiatives being implemented at a Group level to contribute to the fight against the COVID 19 global pandemic. Since last week, engineers and developers based in Santa Perpetua site (Barcelona) have been coordinating and implementing different initiatives to produce pieces, supply consumables and design new solutions.

Alstom’s hub is working in coordination with the 3Dcovid19.org network to manufacture visors for face shields and ventilators valves, that are being delivered to different hospitals.

“The aim is to help the healthcare community by manufacturing parts that meet appropriate quality and safety standards,” says Jaume Altesa, responsible for Alstom’s 3D printing hub at Santa Perpètua. “3D printing has gained prominence due to its particular usefulness for creating equipment to protect against COVID-19, as it can be used to manufacture materials currently suffering severe shortages such as face masks, mechanical respirators and even door openers, among others”, he adds.

The CAD design experts at the Santa Perpetua facilities are also innovating in new solutions and developments. They are currently working, for example, on portable personal protectors for door handles and the use of anti-bacterial materials in the masks.

Launched in 2016, Alstom 3D printing hub in Barcelona is one of the components of Smart Operations, Alstom’s ‘Industry of the Future’ programme. Its ambition is to produce 3D-printed parts quickly and at a competitive price for new trains, to meet the customers’ requests for parts, and to facilitate some manufacturing and maintenance operations. At Alstom, 3D printing is used for four applications: tools for our factories, prototypes to validate a design, moulds produced in half the time of classic production methods and series parts with around 70 references in plastic and metal.

Alstom to Equip Regional Trains in Sweden with ERTMS Onboard Control System

March 25, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom has been awarded a contract by AB Transitio, Region Skåne through Skånetrafiken, Region Blekinge, Hallandstrafiken AB, and DSB SOV to equip a fleet of 77 X31 regional trains with ERTMS onboard train control system, with an option of an additional 34 trains. All trains will be ready by end of 2023. The contract is worth about 35 million euro.

The trains are running in the growing Öresund region in the South of Sweden, and Eastern Denmark.

Alstom will install a solution that features an integrated dual system enabling the trains to run on legacy lines equipped with ATC-2 system in Sweden, whilst being also able to run on lines newly equipped with the ERTMS Level 2 system both in Sweden and Denmark. Furthermore, the trains are also equipped to run on the existing ZUB 123 system in Denmark. The design of the dual system minimizes hardware equipment by sharing some on-board components, and the wheel sensors. Alstom is the ERTMS market leader and is currently delivering a similar solution in Norway on over 400 trains, to be completed in 2026.

“We are very pleased to deliver an onboard control system solution for AB Transitio and their fellow vehicle owners for Öresundstrafiken. This contract is a strategic win for Alstom in Sweden, where its longstanding international ERTMS experience now will be applied to a major part of the train fleet in southern Sweden,” said Björn Asplund, Managing Director of Alstom Sweden.

“To us, an updated and modern train fleet is important as we see a steadily increasing flow of passengers to a region that continues to grow. With a new digital signalling system, the trains will continue to provide a very safe railway service in the Öresund region”, says Stefan Kallin, CEO of AB Transitio.

The project will be delivered by Alstom Sweden together with Alstom center of excellence for ERTMS in Charleroi, Belgium. Installation design and supply chain will be performed by the Alstom team in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Alstom’s Atlas is the worldwide number one in on-board ERTMS equipment, representing 70% of the on-board systems in service in ERTMS Level 2. Today, across 20 countries, trains under Atlas supervision have covered over 150 million kilometers, including Deutsche Bahn’s ICE3 fleet recently equipped in Germany. Alstom has also delivered the first ERTMS Level 3 in commercial service in the world in Germany.

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