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Rail Articles

ADIF looks towards the future

26 September 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review and Joaquin Jiménez Otero, International Affairs Direction, ADIF

Heavy investments will be made in the Spanish railway network in forthcoming years. The Spanish railway network has been split into separate companies managing the railway infrastructure (ADIF) and train operations (Renfe). There is strong political impetus to invest in the railways, with the 15-year Strategic Plan for Transport Infrastructure…

Renfe faces the future with confidence

26 September 2007 | By James Abbott, Technical Editor, Global Railway Review

Completion of the first high-speed line in Spain 15 years ago gave Renfe a new confidence and investment in the network is continuing at a sustained pace. Spain has one of the fastest–growing railway networks in Europe. Renfe (Spanish National Railways) gained a new confidence with the opening of the…

Corrugation and dip angle measurements performed by Eurailscout

26 September 2007 | By Steffen Knape, Director, Eurailscout

Corrugation on rails causes severe damage to the railway infrastructure. Corrugation causes noise, additional stress in the rails and high frequency vibration which damages the subsoil; squats can also occur if rail head corrugation is not controlled.

Beneficial monitoring: not whether, but when?

26 September 2007 | By Ton Bontekoe, Product Manager – Gotcha, Lloyds Register Rail

Achieving high levels of rail system reliability in all the phases of the life cycle at an optimal cost requires sound information, robust risk based analysis, proper implementation of asset management activities and on-going critical review.

Power Supply Solutions

26 September 2007 | By Maurice Debrand, Managing Engineer, RFF, Margo van Vliet, Senior Consultant and Remco Paulussen, Senior Power Supply Specialist, ARCADIS The Netherlands and Mikaël Beck, Project Management Assistant, ARCADIS France

The dimensioning of power supply systems for railways is complex. To obtain a power supply that fulfils the traffic demands over its lifespan, improving or upgrading of the power system cannot be avoided. The many planned projects for the northern transalpine line Lyon – St Jean de Maurienne and the…

Strong port investments to create efficient Intermodal links

26 September 2007 | By Luc Lallemand, CEO, Infrabel

Infrabel, the infrastructure manager of the Belgian railway network, is investing strongly in the extension of a competitive, suitable railway infrastructure in various Belgian ports. These extensions support the development of the ports and will improve intermodality between rail and water. In an interview with Global Railway Review, Luc Lallemand,…

MACs for infrastructure operation, maintenance & renewal

26 September 2007 | By Paul McMahon, Deputy Director, Competition and Regulatory Economics, Office of Rail Regulation

A multi-annual contract (MAC) for rail infrastructure operation, maintenance and renewal is an agreement between the government, as a key funder of the infrastructure, and the infrastructure manager. It sets out the funding the government will provide over a number of years and what services and outputs the infrastructure manager…

Success and growth – the ÖBB way

30 July 2007 | By Martin Huber, Chairman, ÖBB-Holding AG

ÖBB is on the way to renewal – and on the way to European achievement. One thing is clear to all members of the Group; ÖBB must be fit for European competition. This will require extensive work in major activities – ranging from the new main railway station of Vienna…

Enhancing economic growth

30 July 2007 | By Arnold Schiefer, Director of ÖBB-Infrastruktur Betrieb AG

Reorganisation of the ÖBB into a group with market orientated companies is the passport to successful participation in a liberalized rail transport market. Aiming to be among the best, ÖBB-Infrastruktur Betrieb AG is improving the quality of its existing network while intensifying the push for internationalisation to embrace the economic…

SUPERNOVA – the evaluation tool

30 July 2007 | By Erwin Kastberger, SUPERNOVA Project Officer, ÖBB PV AG

In early 2005, Global Railway Review’s sister publication, Eurotransport, published an article describing the main functions and the development of SUPERNOVA – the evaluation tool of ÖBB Passenger Transport Department. Since 2005, there have been some relevant improvements of SUPERNOVA which has enlarged widely the possibilities to use the model.…

SBB – service upgrades for tomorrow’s railway

30 July 2007 | By Paul Blumenthal, Head of SBB Passenger Traffic Division

Three years after the Rail 2000 project entered the operational phase, SBB now plans to introduce further service upgrades. In particular, the opening of the Lötschberg Base Tunnel in December 2007 will shorten journeys to Valais and Italy. The new timetable due to be introduced in December 2008 will see…

The Gotthard Railway: 125 years of excellence

30 July 2007 | By Christian Kräuchi, Head of Communications, SBB Infrastructure Division

The railway line traversing the Gotthard massif is a vital artery through Switzerland. In 2007, the Gotthard Railway will be celebrating its 125th anniversary. During the past few decades, the line has been consistently modernised and adapted to the needs of today’s traffic. In a few years’ time, the existing…

The continued development of Switzerland’s rail network

30 July 2007 | By Hansjörg Hess, Head of SBB Infrastructure and Member of the Management Board

Overall mobility in Switzerland is forecast to grow by 15-30% between 2000 and 2030. Public transport is set to grow even faster, increasing its market share at the expense of car travel. For its part, SBB is forecasting an increase of 45% in passenger traffic in the same period. There…

Substantial plans to ensure Italy’s development

30 July 2007 | By Federico Fabretti, Director of Media Relations, Ferrovie dello Stato S.p.A

Ferrovie dello Stato’s business plan for 2007-2011 was approved by the Government on 4 May 2007. It is a development plan, a turning point and a real revolution from a quality point of view, with the aim of re-launching the Group on the domestic and European market and turning it…