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After a wave of expansion, Europe’s largest railfreight operator DB Schenker Rail is now in a process of consolidation and streamlining in the face of the economic crisis. CEO Dr Alexander Hedderich explains the strategy behind its continued ambitions for growth to IRJ regional editor Anitra Green.

 

Railways minister Ms Mamata Banerjee has announced plans to radically expand and improve India’s network over the next 10 years. Kevin Smith takes a closer look at the 2010-11 railway budget and how this fits into Indian Railways’ Vision 2020 plans.

 

GERMAN Rail (DB) successfully maintained profitability during 2009 despite the adverse effects of the economic crisis. Although revenues dipped 12.3% to Euros 29.3 billion, DB ended the year with an operating profit of Euros 1.7 billion, Euros 800 million below the record result achieved in 2008. Net debt fell by 5.9% to Euros 15 billion.

BRITISH infrastructure contractor and railfreight operator Jarvis announced on March 25 it had gone into administration, citing a significant reduction in rail renewal work as a contributor to the company's worsening financial performance.

INCREASED marketing efforts and improvements to passenger services initiated on February 1 appear to have reaped immediate dividends for Aeroexpress with ridership on its rail links to Moscow's three airports increasing dramatically throughout the month.

FRENCH Railway Network (RFF) has awarded the first of nine civil works contracts for the second phase of TGV Est to a consortium of French construction companies. Guintioli, Maia Sonnier, and NGE will begin construction this summer on the 16.8km Sarraltoff - Danne-et-Quatre-Vents section at the eastern end of the 106km extension from Baudrecourt to Vendenheim, north of Strasbourg. The contract is worth Euros 78.9 million.

BELARUS Railways (BC) has awarded Stadler a Euros 60 million contract to supply a fleet of 10 four-car Flirt emus for suburban services in the Minsk area.

 

INTERPIPE, Ukraine, and its KLW wheelset subsidiary, is to host the next International Wheelset Congress in 2013. The announcement was made yesterday at closure of the 16th congress in Cape Town, South Africa.

GERMAN RAIL (DB) could be poised to take over British train and bus operator Arriva, just weeks after talks with French National Railways (SNCF) ended in failure. The Financial Times reported today that DB had approached Arriva in a bid that could value the company at around £1.2 billion.

DRILLING work has commenced on the 15.4km Ceneri base tunnel, which is on the south ramp of the Gotthard base tunnel and part of the same project. The formal start was marked by a first detonation at the midway point of Sigirino, where an access tunnel has already been excavated.