Administrator

YESTERDAY's conference by German Rail's (DB) board of management to announce its 2010 results was overshadowed by revelations that European Commission (EC) inspectors visited DB offices in Berlin, Frankfurt and Mainz on Tuesday. The unannounced visits were part of an investigation into allegations that DB Energy provided traction power to DB Schenker Rail at more favourable rates than to other freight operators.

JR East says it is making steady progress in repairing damage to its network caused by the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11. It expects train services to be "almost back to normal" by the end of this month.

BOMBARDIER today confirmed it has received a $A 269 million ($US 278 million) contract from the government of South Australia to supply and maintain 22 three-car A-City emus for the Adelaide suburban network.

GERMAN RAIL (DB) has ordered the suspension of construction on the Stuttgart 21 project pending the appointment of a new government in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Tendering for further contracts on the controversial project to replace the city's terminus main station with a new underground through station has also been curtailed.

With CSR aiming to substantially increase its export activities in the next five years, CSR Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive president Xu Zongxiang outlined the company’s plans to Kevin Smith at Middle East Rail 2011 in Abu Dhabi.

ISLAND nations often have an idiosyncratic view of the world and a tendency to act and think differently from others. Britain adheres to this trait, which is particularly evident in its current attitude to rail transport, where politicians and civil servants make decisions which should really be left to experienced railway professionals. This makes decision-making very protracted and costly, leading to higher costs and sub-optimal choices.

FINNISH Railways (VR) has awarded Transtech, Finland, a Euros 90 million contract to supply 12 IC2 double-deck driving cars and 15 restaurant cars for intercity services. The coaches will be delivered in 2013-2014 and the deal includes options for an additional 13 driving cars and 11 restaurant cars.

 

ITALIAN Railways (FS) has responded to claims by nascent open-access operator NTV that it is trying to jeopardise NTV's plan to launch high-speed services in Italy in competition with FS subsidiary Trenitalia. FS says NTV is attacking it and its infrastructure manager subsidiary, RFI, with statements "devoid of foundation" because of its own difficulties in launching its train services.

THE European Commission (EC) today published its White Paper setting out EU transport policy for the next 10 years, and its longer-term perspective on the 2020-2050 period. The White Paper stresses the need to balance increasing demand for mobility with the need to drastically cut carbon emissions, tackle congestion, and overcome the impact of declining natural resources.

THE board of NTV, Italy's first high-speed rail open-access operator, has unanimously denounced the behaviour of infrastructure manager Italian Rail Network (RFI), which it claims has unilaterally changed an agreement between NTV and RFI reached in January 2008 on which NTV's whole business plan is based. NTV sees this action as yet another attempt by RFI, which together with Trenitalia are subsidiaries of Italian Railways (FS), to prevent NTV from launching its high-speed services later this year.