Tag: speed (Page 3 of 5)

Amtrak Seeking Contractors for New Carrollton Station Project

January 22, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON – Amtrak is transforming Northeast Corridor train travel by enhancing the customer experience, both in stations and on board trains. As part of this effort, Amtrak is currently accepting Letters of Interest from interested contractors until Feb. 15, 2021, for construction associated work at New Carrollton Station in Maryland. The project involves work within the existing station and the construction of a side platform, and will be closely coordinated with Amtrak for minimal impacts to service.

This infrastructure work is underway in preparation for the introduction of the new Acela fleet scheduled to begin entering service in 2021. The project is necessary to support higher frequency Acela service by expanding the routing options available for high-speed trains in the busy triple-track territory between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, which is also heavily utilized by commuter trains.

Constructed in 1983 as an intermodal facility, the New Carrollton station serves Amtrak and Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) trains, Washington Metrorail, Metro buses, MTA buses and county transit, as well as many commuting drivers who connect to transit and Amtrak. The New Carrollton Station is served daily by Amtrak’s Acela, Northeast Regional, Palmetto and Vermonter trains. New Carrollton Staton is located on the Northeast Corridor (NEC), one of the busiest, most complex, and economically vital transportation systems in the world connecting eight states and the District of Columbia.

In an effort to make Amtrak the smarter way to travel, we are also upgrading our infrastructure and modernization efforts and improving track capacity and ride quality all along the Northeast Corridor. The New Carrollton Station project also complements other significant station expansion investments at New York Penn Station; the opening of the new Moynihan Train Hall in New York; and further development of stations in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Visit Amtrak.com to learn more about the Future of Rail and infrastructure improvements.

Siemens Mobility SignsMoU to Install Egypt’s First High-Speed Rail System

January 17, 2021 / WIL BALDWIN

Agreement comprises a rail system with a network of around 1000km – first being a 460km project valued around 3bn$
Turnkey Engineering, Procurement and Construction project including 15 years of services
Siemens Mobility to provide high-speed and regional trains, locomotives, rail infrastructure, system integration and other services

The National Authority for Tunnels, a governmental authority under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Transport of Egypt, and Siemens Mobility have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) – together with the local companies Orascom Construction S.A.E. and The Arab Contractors (Osman Ahmed Osman & Co.) – to design, install and commission Egypt’s first ever high-speed rail transportation system. Additionally, Siemens Mobility will be providing maintenance services. The agreement comprises a rail system with a network of 1000km, with the first being a 460km high-speed line. The order value of this initial high-speed line is around 3bn$.

The MoU was signed by Essam Waly, Chairman of Egypt’s National Authority for Tunnels, and Michael Peter, CEO Siemens Mobility, in a meeting on January 14, 2021 in Cairo. This was witnessed by His excellency, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, His excellency, Minister of Transport Egypt Kamel Al Wazir, as well as Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser and Siemens Deputy CEO Roland Busch.

The first 460 km long high-speed line will connect the vastly developing cities of El-Alamein on the Mediterranean Sea to Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea, while also passing through the New Administrative Capital. The line will also be operable for freight transport purposes which will further foster economic growth in the region.

Siemens Mobility is the global leader in high-speed rail operations and is one of the leading companies in the Egyptian mobility market since the 1960s. The company has also extensive experience in delivering high-speed rail projects in the Middle East and Africa region.

As a leading global rail turnkey project provider with a proven track record of delivering projects on time, Siemens Mobility integrates its portfolio elements and delivers complete rail systems reliably and from one single source. So far, the company has successfully completed around 50 turnkey projects all over the world – delivering many ahead of schedule. Latest projects include the Extension of the Blue Line metro in Bangkok finished last year and the Copenhagen Light Rail project.

For further information about Siemens Mobility, please see: www.siemens.com/mobility

Boeing Says More Freighters Needed to Support Global Supply Chains

November 17, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Boeing [NYSE: BA] today released its biennial World Air Cargo Forecast (WACF), reflecting COVID-19 impacts and opportunities as well as substantial long-term demand for freighters over the next two decades.

Enabled by a rebound in global trade and long-term growth, the WACF forecasts demand for 2,430 freighters over the next 20 years, including 930 new production freighters and 1,500 freighters converted from passenger airplanes.

According to the new forecast, world air cargo traffic will grow at 4% per year over the next 20 years. This growth is influenced by trade and growing express shipments to support expanding e-commerce operations. With these developments and the proven need for dedicated freighter capacity to support the world’s transportation system, the global air cargo fleet is expected to grow by more than 60% through 2039.

“Freighter operators have been in a unique position in 2020 to meet market requirements for speed, reliability and security, transporting medical supplies and other goods for people and communities around the world,” said Darren Hulst, vice president of Commercial Marketing. “Looking ahead, dedicated freighters will be even more critical to compete in air cargo markets; they carry more than half of air cargo traffic, and airlines operating them earn nearly 90% of air cargo industry revenue.”

In addition to projecting long-term demand for freighters, the WACF provides insights into air cargo performance during the pandemic, including the following:

– E-commerce, which was growing at double-digit rates prior to the pandemic, has accelerated its impact on the air cargo market as more businesses shifted to online selling platforms. Year to date through September, express carriers increased traffic by 14%

– Passenger belly cargo, which in 2019 accounted for about half of the world air cargo capacity, was significantly reduced when airlines parked thousands of planes. Freighter operators responded by operating above normal utilization levels, and traffic for all-cargo carriers grew 6%

– So far in 2020, approximately 200 airlines used more than 2,000 passenger widebody aircraft for cargo-only operations to generate cash flow and support global supply chains. These passenger freighters have taken up some of the capacity shortfall and, in some cases, generated quarterly profits for carriers despite minimal passenger operations

Siemens Mobility Awarded Billion-Euro Order for Deutsche Bahn High-Speed Trains

August 10, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Beginning in 2022, DB will expand its mainline fleet with 30 new high-speed trains. Deutsche Bahn has awarded the billion-euro order to Siemens Mobility. DB called for tenders at the end of 2019 when the federal government announced it would be reducing the value-added tax on mainline rail tickets as of the beginning of 2020.

The trains will initially run on routes between the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and Munich via the high-speed Cologne-Rhine-Main line. The new trains will increase DB’s daily passenger capacity on these mainline routes by 13,000 seats.

Dr. Richard Lutz, CEO of Deutsche Bahn AG said: “Today marks a big step for a strong and environmentally friendly rail system: DB is investing in new trains at a record level. Our fleet will be getting state-of-the-art additions with the new ICE trains, and our passengers will benefit from more seats, greater comfort and higher speeds by the end of 2022. The entire DB fleet will grow by 20 percent over the coming years. Even though demand has sharply declined due to the corona pandemic, everything speaks in favor of climate-friendly rail transport for the longer term. That’s why we’re committed to growth!”

Andreas Scheuer, Germany’s Federal Minister for Transportation and Digital Infrastructure, commented: “The new, ultra-modern ICE trains make rail travel even more attractive – also because high-performance high-speed trains, along with modern rail infrastructure, are a key prerequisite for increasing the frequency of nation-wide rail service. With this move, rail is increasingly becoming a climate-friendly alternative for long-distance travel. The order is also a strong economic stimulus and therefore a positive signal for many employees in the rail industry and their families. With an order of this size, we are securing thousands of jobs and strengthening innovations made in Germany.”

“We are helping Deutsche Bahn implement its master plan for transforming Germany’s transport sector. The goal is to massively reduce CO2 emissions while at the same time attracting more people to public transport,” said Roland Busch, Deputy CEO andMember of the Managing Board of Siemens AG. “Siemens and DB have long enjoyed a highly successful partnership. The most important requirement for the ICE order was to get the new trains on the rails very quickly. We can do exactly that by relying on our proven Velaro platform.”

By 2026, 421 ICE trains with 220,000 seats will be operating on Germany’s rail system. In addition to the 30 new ICE trains just ordered, there is an option for an additional 60 trains.

The new ICE trains will be manufactured at Siemens locations in North Rhine- Westphalia, Bavaria and Austria. Technically, the train is based on the proven platform of the ICE 3. The new trains will have 440 seats and a top speed of 320 km/h. They will offer passengers greater comfort and convenience with features like frequency- transparent windows for stable mobile phone reception and space for transporting bicycles.

European Commission Clears Alstom’s acquisition of Bombardier Transportation

August 3, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom and Bombardier welcome the European Commission’s (EC) decision for conditional clearance of the proposed acquisition of Bombardier Transportation by Alstom.

The Commission’s approval for the transaction is conditional on the proposed engagements that consist of:

A transfer of Bombardier Transportation’s contribution to the V300 ZEFIRO very high-speed train and an offer of IP licence to Hitachi for the train co-developed by Hitachi and Bombardier Transportation for use in future very high-speed tenders in the UK
The divestment of the Alstom Coradia Polyvalent and the Reichshoffen production site in France
The divestment of the Bombardier TALENT 3 platform and dedicated production facilities located within the Hennigsdorf site in Germany
Providing access to certain interfaces and products for some of Bombardier Transportation’s Signalling On-Board Units and Train Control Management Systems (TCMS)

The divestitures will comply with all applicable social processes and consultations with employee representatives’ bodies.

The transaction remains subject to further regulatory approvals in several other jurisdictions and customary closing conditions.

Closing of the acquisition is expected for the first half of 2021.

ALSTOM; IBRE ; experienced designer and producer and brake discs & levers; IBRE , experienced designer and producer and brakedisc & levers; 89100 Saint-Denis-lès-Sens.Autorisation image OK

Alstom Expands Braking System Expertise With Ibre Acquisition

July 4, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Alstom is taking a new step forward in the implementation of its AiM (Alstom in Motion) strategic plan in France with the acquisition of Ibre, a company specialised in the development, manufacture and supply of cast iron or steel brake discs for high-speed, intercity, regional and suburban trains, trams and metros. Alstom and Ibre already had a long working relationship on projects for SNCF.

With the acquisition, Alstom will reinforce its internal capabilities regarding railway braking systems, which are essential to the overall dynamic performance of trains.

Ibre employs around 30 people at its Sens site in the region of Bourgogne Franche Comté and had a turnover of approximately €10 million in 2019. It is a company with an international scope, with more than half of its sales in France, of both original equipment and replacements. The rest primarily serves customers in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Scandinavia, England, India and Germany.

“This acquisition represents very promising development potential for Ibre and its employees and is in line with Alstom’s strategy to extend its know-how,” says Jean-Baptiste Eyméoud, Senior Vice President Alstom France.

Railway brake discs are one of the critical components of the braking system. Alstom’s acquisition of Ibre represents a unique opportunity to extend its offer. Ibre products will be offered as original equipment and as part of maintenance contracts. Following completion of the transaction, which took place on 30 June, the company, renamed “Alstom Ibre”, becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Alstom.

IBRE is an experienced designer and producer and brake discs & levers

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).

Airbus Warns Staff on Jobs With its ‘Survival at Stake’

April 27, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

FILE PHOTO: Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury poses before Airbus’s annual press conference on full-year results

By Tim Hepher

PARIS (Reuters) – European planemaker Airbus issued a bleak assessment of the impact of the coronavirus crisis, telling the company’s 135,000 employees to brace for potentially deeper job cuts and warning its survival is at stake without immediate action.

In a letter to staff, Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said Airbus was “bleeding cash at an unprecedented speed” and that a recent drop of a third or more in production rates did not reflect the worst-case scenario and would be kept under review.

Airbus said it did not comment on internal communications.

The letter was sent to employees late on Friday, days before the company is due to give first-quarter results overshadowed by a pandemic that has left airlines struggling to survive and virtually halted jet deliveries since mid-March.

Airbus has begun implementing government-assisted furlough schemes starting with 3,000 workers in France, “but we may now need to plan for more far-reaching measures,” Faury said.

“The survival of Airbus is in question if we don’t act now,” he added.

Industry sources have said a new restructuring plan similar to its 2007 Power8 which saw 10,000 job cuts could be launched in the summer, but Faury indicated the company was already exploring “all options” while waiting for clarity on demand.

People familiar with the matter say Airbus is also in active discussions with European governments about tapping schemes to assist struggling industries, including state-guaranteed loans.

It has already expanded commercial credit lines with banks, buying what Faury described as “time to adapt and resize”.

Click the link below to read the full story!

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/airbus-warns-staff-jobs-survival-024101490.html

High-Speed Cabin Connectivity for New Bombardier Learjet Aircraft Now Offered on In-service Fleet

March 4, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

Gogo AVANCE L5 provides the fastest and most reliable 4G air-to-ground
high-speed internet coverage over North America for business aircraft today
Retrofit available for Learjet 40, Learjet 45, Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft throughout Bombardier’s growing service network, which has unparalleled OEM expertise to enhance the ownership experience for customers
This high-speed connectivity is already available on new Learjet aircraft, and will be an option on the new Learjet 75 Liberty business jet

Bombardier Aviation is bringing faster connectivity to its in-service Learjet fleet as part of a continuing commitment to this legendary platform. Gogo Business Aviation’s next-generation, 4G air-to-ground (ATG) internet system, Gogo AVANCE L5, has been an available option on new Learjet aircraft since last year.

Bombardier is now offering customers the high-performance 4G in-cabin Wi-Fi system as a retrofit for in-service Learjet 40, Learjet 45, Learjet 70 and Learjet 75 aircraft. Customers can have the system installed at all Bombardier Service Centres and Authorized Service Facilities throughout the United States.

“Learjet aircraft are renowned productivity tools, and this enhancement ensures that our customers have the connectivity they need to maximize their time in the air,” said Michael Anckner, Vice President, Worldwide Sales, Learjet Aircraft and Corporate Fleets, Bombardier Business Aircraft. “With various upgrades available for our large fleet of in-service aircraft and the recent unveiling of our value-added Learjet 75 Liberty aircraft, there’s never been a better time to own a Learjet.”

The new and significantly faster 4G service uses Gogo AVANCE L5, which is lightweight and compact, accesses the Gogo Biz 4G ground network of more than 250 towers and delivers seamless connectivity over the continental U.S. and large parts of Canada and Alaska. Designed specifically for business aircraft, the system offers audio and video streaming as well as faster web surfing for a vastly improved user experience over previous-generation technology.

The iconic Learjet brand is synonymous with excellence in aviation, with more than 2,000 Learjet aircraft in service around the world. This fleet is a testament to the longevity and reliability of this platform, while the upcoming Learjet 75 Liberty signals a strong future for the world’s best light jet.

Bombardier is growing its worldwide support network, including a new service centre at Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport and the recent addition of two U.S. line maintenance stations in Teterboro and Van Nuys. In addition to providing this 4G connectivity upgrade to the Learjet fleet, Bombardier is also offering the latest update to the popular Garmin G5000 avionics suite aboard Learjet aircraft, which was recently certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and brings many workload-reducing improvements to the cockpit.

The Learjet 75 Liberty aircraft is on track to enter service in mid-2020. Its spacious cabin features a
six-seat configuration that gives light jet passengers unprecedented freedom to stretch out. A standard pocket door delivers a quiet, productive flight coupled with the comfort of Bombardier’s signature smooth ride.

The Learjet 75 Liberty aircraft has a range of 2,080 nautical miles, able to connect Las Vegas to New York, Seattle to Washington, D.C., and Mexico City to San Francisco, nonstop.* This aircraft has the same operating costs as its competitors in the light jet category while offering the most spacious cabin, the fastest speed, the longest range and the smoothest ride. It is also a step up from other light jets in terms of safety standards, certified to the FAA’s more stringent Part 25 regulations, applicable to commercial airliners, unlike other light jets certified to Part 23 regulations.

Amtrak Names William Flynn as CEO and President

March 2, 2020 / WIL BALDWIN

WASHINGTON – Amtrak announced that it has named William J. Flynn as its next Chief Executive Officer and President. Flynn, a seasoned business leader with four decades of transportation and logistics experience, will begin his role on April 15, 2020. Flynn succeeds Richard Anderson, who joined Amtrak as CEO in July 2017. Anderson, who fulfills his three-year commitment to the company this year, will remain with Amtrak through the end of the year as a senior advisor to Flynn.

Flynn, 66, has been a successful leader across multiple modes of transportation, including rail, maritime and aviation. Most recently, he served 13 years with Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc., which serves the global air freight, military charter and passenger charter markets, as President and CEO and Board Chairman. He also held senior roles with CSX Transportation, Sea-Land Services, Inc., and GeoLogistics Corp.

“Bill is the right executive to lead us into the future,” said Amtrak Board Chairman Tony Coscia. “We’ve never been stronger as a company than we are today. We are modernizing the customer experience and delivering our service to more people. Bill has a consistent track record of growing and improving complex transportation businesses. We are confident he will build upon the strong foundation of record-setting growth and improvement set by the Board, Richard and the entire Amtrak team.”

In fiscal year 2019, Amtrak set new records in ridership, revenue and earnings. In 2020, Amtrak is on pace to achieve operational breakeven for the first time in the company’s 49-year history. Additionally, Amtrak is investing billions in capital assets and is undertaking the largest fleet renewal in company history, with new high-speed Acela trains entering service on the Northeast Corridor next year.

“Amtrak’s future is incredibly bright and I’m excited to join the team,” said Flynn. “Amtrak service is vital to millions of Americans across the nation and by improving the customer experience, driving safety, and strengthening our partnership with states and other stakeholders, we can do much more for the American people. Tony, Richard and Amtrak’s dedicated employees have done an amazing job modernizing the company for the 21^st Century. It’s a privilege to join them in continuing this work and advancing something as important as Amtrak’s mission.”

“I congratulate the Board on selecting Bill to lead Amtrak into its 50th year and beyond,” said Anderson. “Bill brings deep expertise across all aspects of transportation and a true passion for the customer. As the company refleets our equipment, expands our services and advances key infrastructure projects like the Gateway Program, it will require the steady leadership and relentless drive for improvement that I know Bill can provide.”

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