February 2024

IRJ
February 2024 | Volume 64 Issue 2

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High-speed champion
China’s rapid network expansion continues
Landslide detection in Taiwan = Full pelt at the Fehmarn Belt

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Contents
February 2024 Volume 64 issue 2
Post 46 Killigrew Street News

Falmouth 4 This month
Cornwall, TR11 3PP, UK 5 News headlines
Tel +44 1326 313945
10 Transit news
Web www.railjournal.com
12 Financial news
Editor-in-Chief
6
Kevin Smith
[email protected]
Consulting Editor/ Asia
Associate Publisher 14 Chinese high-speed network grows
David Briginshaw
Around 60 projects on course to complete by 2028
[email protected]
Associate Editor
18 Landslide victory for new software
Robert Preston Innovative software pioneered in Taiwan
[email protected] 21 Elevated light rail structure unveiled
Deputy Editor Koreans claim their design is a world first
Mark Simmons
14
[email protected]
Business Development Manager
Ann Gamble
[email protected]
Production Manager Signalling and Telecoms
Sue Morant
22 Europe totally recasts CCS TSI
[email protected]
In-depth analysis of the comprehensive changes
Advertising sales office

Post 1809 Capitol Avenue,
22
Omaha, NE 68102
United States European projects
Tel +1 212-620-7200
26 Fehmarn Belt tunnelling well underway
Business development manager IRJ reports from the Danish construction base
Jerome Marullo [email protected] 29 Dart+ to grow Dublin network
Tel +1 732 887 5562 Ireland’s latest commuter rail project explained
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International Railway Journal (Print ISSN 2161-7376,

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26
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33 Full contact list shrinking in China as
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Publishing Corp, PO Box 239, Photo: Shutterstock: Maoyun-
Lincolnshire, IL, 60069-0239, High-speed champion
ping China’s rapid network expansion continues
USA Landslide detection in Taiwan = Full pelt at the Fehmarn Belt
IRJ February 2024 3

This month | Kevin Smith
Rail freight ill-equipped

intermodal and conventional • coordination of infrastructure
freight traffic had fallen by work and compensation for
to seize the moment

10-15% year-on-year in 2023. operators - work interrupting
Trans-Alpine freight flows rail traffic should only take
have also been hit by the place if there are diversion
T HE Red Sea shipping crisis

and the mass re-routing of
cargo ships around the Cape of
rail completely, many looked to
the middle corridor through
western China to Kazakhstan,
simultaneous closure of the
Gotthard Base Tunnel and
Fréjus Tunnel in the second half
options for 80% of freight
volumes. It says improved
international cooperation
Good Hope beginning in late the Caspian Sea and the southern of 2023. The current poor between infrastructure
December has added 10-20 Caucasus to Europe as an condition and unreliability of managers is essential.
days to sailings from Chinese alternative. the German network is likewise • improve and increase
to European ports. Volumes increased by 77% a major source of frustration for capacity of passing loops and
The delays have prompted year-on-year in the first half of rail freight companies, which are yards to support short-term
shipping companies to look to 2023 to 1.3 million tonnes. The struggling to adapt to changes in freight paths, and
rail as an alternative. Yet various signs are that this momentum maritime flows to European ports. • stabilisation and reduction of
factors are preventing rail freight will continue. However, “On certain routes north of track access charges.
from seizing this golden shipments on this route can take Switzerland, more than half of Further improvements
opportunity to grow market up to 60 days, all but ending freight trains are running more envisaged under proposed
share from its current modest rail’s speed advantage over the than six hours late,” BLS says. revisions to the regulation on
3% and to convince shippers of shipping lines. And while the “[This] year further major the use of rail infrastructure
rail’s longer-term merits for gap has closed, the middle infrastructure work is planned capacity, currently being
moving certain goods. corridor’s volumes are still just on the northern approach and discussed in the European
After launching in 2013, the 18% of those carried on the routes will even be closed to rail Parliament, also offer hope. The
“
China-Europe Railway Express proposed regulation promises
(CRE) network steadily grew to to optimise capacity allocation
73 routes, connecting more than The increased risk of moving goods and potentially increase overall
50 cities in mainland China with capacity by 4%, making it
217 cities in 25 countries in through Russia has forced shippers to easier to obtain paths at short
Europe. China Railway and the notice, and ease cross-border
Chinese government regularly look at other options. flows which account for 50% of
cite CRE as a successful result freight traffic.
of the country’s flagship Belt Encouragingly, there is
and Road Initiative: more than northern corridor where journeys freight traffic for months without optimism within the rail freight
80,000 CRE trains carrying more to Europe can now take just 12 the necessary diversionary industry that passage of the
than 7.6 million TEU have made days following the fall in traffic. capacity being made available. legislation will happen before
the transcontinental journey. Growing demand on the This leads to planned and also the European elections in June.
Shippers value the speed of the middle corridor is prompting short-term cancellations of Success here would offer some
route, in particular for high-value action. Kazakhstan is working freight trains, which means a light in what is proving to be a
goods, moving more than hard to improve capacity, high financial burden for the dark time for the sector.
50,000 different products in the launching a project to build a rail transport companies.”
last 10 years. third line to China (p9) and a The situation was compounded
However, Russia’s invasion new 152km cross-border link in January by a series of strikes
of Ukraine in February 2022 from Darbaza to Maktaaral in in Germany, which have
changed the picture. Uzbekistan in the last few crippled traffic on the network.
The most popular route for months. Europe looks likely to Mr Clemens Först, CEO of [email protected]
this traffic has been the provide funding to support Austria’s Rail Cargo Group,
northern corridor via Russia’s middle corridor development took to social media to vent his
Trans-Siberian railway to as it seeks greater energy security. frustration, describing the
Belarus and Poland. While But these new railways and strikes as “a serious threat to
official figures from China upgrades are still years in the sustainable logistics” and
Railway state that traffic is making. Even further off, given bemoaning the impact on rail’s
continuing to grow - including the current war in the Middle long-term reputation and
by 27% in the first seven East, is the plan launched at the ability to lure back shippers
months of 2023 - according to G20 summit last year for a new that have switched to road.
data released by Eurasian Rail trans-Arabian freight corridor On current form, the target
Alliance Index, the volume of from India via the Arabian to increase rail freight traffic by
TEU reaching Europe fell 48% Peninsula to Jordan, Israel and 50% by the end of this decade,
year-on-year between January the Mediterranean. as enshrined in the European
and August 2023 to 149,360 TEU, Union’s (EU) Sustainable and
just 11.8% of the total carried Smart Mobility Strategy,
on the route. The number of Europe in flux look increasingly
European destinations has also The situation in Europe itself unrealistic. The
fallen to just five. CRE has in is also far from conducive for situation can
effect become the China-Russia growing rail freight traffic. still be turned
Railway Express. In a lengthy statement around and
The increased risk of moving released in December entitled BLS suggests
goods through Russia has forced “The shift to rail is faltering,” immediate
shippers to look at other options. Swiss operator BLS Cargo action in three
Rather than turn away from pointed out that rail’s share of areas:
4
News | headlines In brief
Mexican passenger projects make progress Australia

The state of Victoria has
P ASSENGER operations classes,” Morales Ángeles says. service, which opened on awarded Alstom a €900m,
have begun on the 308km Services are initially December 15 (IRJ January p26) 10-year contract to maintain
railway running across the operating once a day in each to Palenque for a total of VLocity DMUs and other
Isthmus of Tehuantepec from direction, departing from both 892km. regional rolling stock. Alstom
Coatzacoalcos on the Atlantic Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz Passenger services began on will set up a fleet control
coast and Salina Cruz on the at 07.00 with a journey time of January 1 with the following centre in South Dynon,
Pacific coast of Mexico. seven hours. The number of stations added: Edzná, Carrillo drawing on its experience of
Freight operations began in trains is expected to increase as Puerto, Escárcega, Candelaria, maintaining the Voyager
September 2023 following an demand rises. El Triunfo, Tenosique, Boca del DEMU fleet for British
upgrade under the Isthmus of The CIIT project involves the Cerro, and Palenque. operator CrossCountry.
Tehuantepec Interoceanic upgrade of 1197km of railway Six trains are now operating
Corridor (CIIT) project, which in total. This includes the on the Mayan Train route per Britain
aims to provide a rail 328km Line FA from day. Two depart from Cancún FirstGroup has submitted an
alternative to the Panama Coatzacoalcos to Palenque, Airport at 07.00 and 09.00, with initial application to regulator
Canal for freight moving which is due to open in March one bound for Mérida, and the the Office of Road and Rail
between the Atlantic and the and will connect with the other operating on the full (ORR) seeking to introduce
Pacific. Mayan Train project. route to Palenque. Return open-access services between
According to CIIT director Also being upgraded is the trains from Mérida depart at London King’s Cross and
general, Mr Raymundo 459km Line K from Ixtepec to 15.00 while the return train Sheffield. First hopes to
Morales Ángeles, the upgraded Ciudad Hidalgo on the border from Palenque leaves at 16.55. introduce two return services
railway known as Line Z can with Guatemala, which is due Sections 1 and 2 involved the a day in the second half of
accommodate freight trains up to enter service in July. upgrade of an existing freight 2025, competing with East
to 65 wagons in length, as well railway. The remaining Midlands Railway (EMR)
as double-stack trains carrying sections 5, 6 and 7 from services from London St
up to 260 containers or 5200 Mayan Train Cancún Airport south to Pancras.
tonnes. Mexican president, Mr Chetumal and then west to = London North Eastern
The upgrade has included Andrés Manuel López Escárega are new build. They Railway has launched a two-
the renovation of four stations Obrador, officially inaugurated are scheduled to open on year pilot project to simplify
and the construction of two the second phase of the Mayan February 29, a self-imposed fares for journeys from
new stations. “We are Train project on December 31, deadline set by López Obrador London King’s Cross to
operating trains with capacity extending the Cancún Airport - ahead of the Mexican general Newcastle, Berwick-upon-
for up 400 passengers in three San Francisco de Campeche election on June 2. Tweed and Edinburgh. This is
based on three ticketing
options including a new 70min
EC forces Renfe to open up ticketing data to third parties Flex fare enabling passengers
real-time data provided on all to travel on other LNER
its online channels to third services either 70 minutes
parties by February 29. before or after their original
The legally-binding booked journey.
commitments also include a
non-circumvention clause Europe
Romanian operator
Photo: Shutterstock/ABB Photo
preventing Renfe from using

unfair, unreasonable or Transferoviar Călători (TFC) is
discriminatory technical or to introduce an open-access
commercial measures that would cross-border service from
impede or hamper access to and Bucharest to Ruse in Bulgaria
distribution of its content and from March.
= Lithuanian Railways (LTG)
real-time data. The commitments
will remain in force indefinitely subsidiary LTG Link introduced
and implementation will be a direct service between the
Renfe will provide third parties with access to its data by the end of this month. monitored by a Renfe- Latvian capital Riga and
T HE European Commission hindering their ability to appointed trustee reporting to Lithuania’s capital city Vilnius
(EC) has accepted compete. the EC for a period of 10 years. on December 27, operating one
proposals by Spanish national Third-party platforms need “From now on, independent round trip per day.
operator Renfe to address access to Renfe’s full content to
concerns that it might have tailor their offers to passenger
ticketing platforms will have
access to all the information
Estonia
needs and to compete Rail Baltica Estonia has
abused its dominant position necessary to innovate and
effectively, according to the awarded Trev-2 Grupp and
in the domestic ticketing compete effectively with
EC. Refusal to provide this AllSpark a €34.2m contract to
market. Renfe’s online distribution
information would be a build the first 4.8km section of
The EC launched an channels,” says Ms Margrethe
potential breach of European the new line in Estonia,
investigation in April 2023, Vestager, EC executive vice-
Union (EU) competition rules. running from the new Tallinn
expressing its preliminary president in charge of
Following consultation by Ülemiste station to Soodevahes.
concerns that Renfe’s apparent competition policy. “This is
the EC with third-party Construction is expected to start
refusal to provide rival crucial for more affordable rail
ticketing providers, Renfe has this spring, with completion
platforms with comprehensive services and promoting
now committed to provide all scheduled for mid-2027.
information and real-time data environmentally-friendly
on its services might be current and future content and means of transport.”
IRJ February 2024 5
News | headlines
Seven consortia interested in Kuala Lumpur - Singapore high-speed

M YHSR, the Malaysian
state-owned company
leading the development of the
transfer model under a public-
private partnership (PPP). No
details of the participants have
requested more time. Over 700
companies attended a project
briefing in July.
The project to build the
350km/h high-speed line
between Kuala Lumpur and
Kuala Lumpur - Singapore been provided by MyHSR, but “The findings from the RFI Singapore, which aims to offer
high-speed line, has confirmed local media reports suggest evaluation will be presented to a 1h 30min journey time, is
that seven local and that no Japanese companies are the Ministry of Transport and expected to cost Ringgits 100bn
international consortia involved, reportedly due to the cabinet for deliberation,” ($US 21bn).
comprising 31 firms concerns that the project says MyHSR chairman, Mr A similar project was
representing “the full represents too great a risk Haji Fauzi Bin Abdul Rahman. abandoned by the Malaysian
spectrum” of the project have without financial support from “If the response is positive, government in January 2021
submitted proposals after a the Malaysian government. we will move on to the second due to cost concerns. The
Request for Information (RFI) The original November phase with the Request for subsequent administration
was issued in July 2023. deadline for submissions was Proposals (RFP) stage to obtain decided to revive the project, but
The proposals are based on a pushed back to January 15 after detailed proposals from the with an emphasis on private
design-finance-build-operate more than 60% of participants selected consortia.” rather than state financing.
University of Birmingham Spanish HS competition drives

develops new points design passenger numbers up by a third
A research team led by the
University of Birmingham
place. This is combined with a
stub switch layout.
S PAIN’s National Markets
and Competition
Commission (CNMC) has
competed here since December
2022.
Ridership increased by 66%
in Britain is developing a new The Repoint project is led by
published data showing that on the Madrid - Alicante
design for railway points or Professor Roger Dixon,
traffic on high-speed routes in corridor to reach 1 million
switches that promises to professor of control systems
Spain that are open to passengers. Competition
improve the reliability of engineering at the Birmingham
competition increased by a third arrived on this route in Q3
actuation mechanisms and Centre for Railway Research
to reach over 8.4 million 2023 after Ouigo launched in
reduce delays. and Education (BRCCE). With
passengers in the third quarter May, followed by Iryo in June.
Trials of the new Repoint support from the European
of 2023, with some routes On the more established
actuation design at a test track Union’s Shift2Rail programme
showing growth of more than Madrid - Barcelona and Madrid
have successfully demonstrated under the In2Track2 project,
90%. - Seville routes, passenger
its compatibility and the team developed a full
All three Spanish high-speed numbers fell in the third quarter,
functionality with conventional digital twin or dynamic
operators significantly expanded largely reflecting established
switch rail arrangements. The simulation model which
their activities in 2023, with trends where more passengers
research team is now seeking showed that the Repoint
more services due to be use high-speed services during
partners and funding to design design meets and exceeds
introduced later this year. the second quarter. Nevertheless,
and fully test the full system requirements for speed and
Incumbent Renfe, which the decreases of 10% on
including the actuators and performance.
operates AVE and low-cost Madrid - Barcelona and 8% on
interfaces with signalling One simulation scenario was
Avlo services, is now competing Madrid - Seville were both
equipment. based on a power failure
with Ilsa’s Iryo service, and lower than in previous years.
While conventional switches disabling four of the six motors
with French National Railways’ Renfe is the dominant
have a pair of tapering switch that drive the actuators. It
(SNCF) low-cost Ouigo trains. operator on all routes, with a
rails that are moved showed that with Repoint, a
The strongest year-on-year market share of 50-74%. Iryo
horizontally by the actuators, single actuator is capable of
growth of 96% or 1.4 million gained a market share of 7% on
Repoint features a lift and lifting and moving the switch
passengers was recorded on routes to Andalusia, with 32%
move mechanism, which rails. This redundancy avoids
the Madrid - Valencia route. on Madrid - Seville and 26%
includes a passive lock for the single point of failure
All three operators have on Madrid - Málaga/Granada.
when the switch rails are in found in traditional switches.
Image: University of Birmingham
West Nairobi gets new commuter line
T HE president of Kenya, Dr William Ruto, officially launched
construction of a new 12.5km metre-gauge commuter line
in Nairobi on December 15.
The Shillings 1.2bn ($US 7.76m) line will run from Riruta on
the existing network via Karen and Embulbul to Ngong on the
western outskirts of the city.
The new line is expected to carry 10,000 passengers a day,
helping to ease road congestion, and will be built by China
Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) Kenya. In the future the
line could be extended eastwards to serve Kiserian and Ongata
Rongai.
However, only days after the launch of construction, a
dispute broke out over the ownership of land required for the
project, with local residents demanding that work be stopped
Schematic of the new switch mechanism showing rail elements and actuators. pending further consultation.
6 IRJ February 2024

In brief
California HS France
Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED? Kevin.B

SNCF Network has reopened
train shortlist the 85km Saint Varent -
Parthenay - Niort freight line,
announced closed in 2015 due to its poor
condition. The line will mostly
T HE California High-Speed
Rail Authority (CHSRA)
has shortlisted Alstom and
be used by the Millet Rail service
from the Carrières Roy quarry
at Saint Varent to Bordeaux.
Siemens Mobility to supply An upgrade costing €17m
and maintain for 30 years six included partial renewal of
350km/h trains. 33km of the line, simplification
CHSRA says the shortlisting of track layouts and resignalling.
is “an important step” toward
the release of the Request for Germany
Proposals (RFP) and procurement German Rail (DB) has received
of the new trains. CHSRA approval to build the first section
issued a Request for Qualifications of the planned 90km double-
(RFQ) in August 2023 and track electrified line for freight
Strasbourg will be one of the first French cities to develop a Serm network. expects to issue the RFP “in the between Offenburg and
coming months,” followed by
France approves regional RER projects the contract award later this year.
Buggingen near Mülheim, part
of the project to increase
T HE French National
Assembly approved plans
to develop Metropolitan
are already at various stages of
development and more are
expected.
The contract will include
design, manufacture, integration,
testing and commissioning of
capacity between Karlsruhe
and Basle in Switzerland. Work
is due to start on the initial 11.4km
Regional Express Service Société de Grand Paris, the the trains. The chosen supplier section between Riegel and
(Serm) networks in provincial public body developing the will also be responsible for March in 2025 and is expected
cities on December 19. Grand Paris Express metro supplying and maintaining a to take six years to complete.
In November 2022, the network, will be renamed driving simulator for the new
French president, Mr Emanuel Société des Grands Projets and fleet and must comply with Hungary
Macron, relaunched the idea of will assist the French regions Buy America local Hungarian State Railways
developing Serm networks in with the development of their manufacturing requirements. (MÁV) is to implement a major
10 major cities. The idea Serm plans. The preferred bidder will reform of its fares structure on
gained momentum in February Three days earlier, French supply two prototype trains in March 1, including free travel
2023 when the prime minister, National Railways (SNCF) 2028 for static and dynamic for passengers aged under 14
Ms Élisabeth Borne, confirmed issued a call for tenders for up testing as well as trial operations. and over 65, as well as half-
the concept following a report to 150 1.5kV dc/25kV ac EMUs CHSRA then expects to receive price fares for those between
from the Infrastructure to be delivered over the next an additional four trains by the 14 and 25. Two new passes
Orientation Council and the 10 years for Serm networks. end of 2030 for revenue operations will provide unlimited travel
presentation of a rail The tender includes options such on the Merced - Bakersfield within a specific county or the
development plan with €100bn as: taking power at 15kV 16.7Hz section of the California high- whole of Hungary, priced at
of funding up to 2040. ac for operation into Switzerland; speed network. Forints 999 ($US 2.87) and
Serm projects will be aimed a maximum speed of 200km/h; The new trains and the Forints 4999 respectively.
at improving urban rail high-density seating; a battery related maintenance contract
networks to offer a high level pack to power heating or air- will be funded in part by the International
of service with one ticket conditioning during failures of $US 3.1bn federal grant An 11-member task force from
covering different modes of the overhead supply; and received by CHRSA in China Civil Engineering
transport. Around 15 projects readiness for ATO. December 2023. Construction Corporation
(CCECC) is conducting a
Mark Simmons is IRJ’s new Deputy Editor business and technical

inspection of the Tanzania-
I NTERNATIONAL Railway global business operations to Zambia Railway between Dar

Journal (IRJ) is delighted to IRJ,” says editor-in-chief, Kevin es Salaam and Kapiri-Mposhi.
announce the appointment of Smith. “He speaks fluent This will inform the preparation
Mark Simmons as the German and is already proving of revitalisation proposal that
publication’s new deputy editor. a great asset to the team. I am will be submitted to the
Simmons joins IRJ following sure our readers will enjoy his governments of Tanzania and
a long journalism career, contributions to both our web Zambia, potentially involving
primarily for business-to- and print coverage in the a Chinese operator.
business publications covering months and years ahead.”
commercial real estate and Simmons succeeds David Italy
urban regeneration, including Burroughs who left IRJ in The first section of the Terzo
transport. November to pursue a career Valico project to build a 53km
He also edited British railway in corporate communications. high-speed/high-capacity (HS/
enthusiast publication Rail “It was fantastic to see David HC) line between Genoa and
Express between 2021 and 2022. grow as a journalist during his Milan has entered service. The
“Mark brings a wealth of five-and-a-half years with IRJ,” 8.5km section is at the northern
journalism experience and an Smith says. “We all wish him end of the line between Rivalta
excellent understanding of the best for the future.” Scrivia and Tortona where
IRJ February 2024 7

News | headlines
First Porto - Lisbon HS construction tender launched FS privatisation

T HE Portuguese
government has launched
the tender for construction of
two contracts. The Porto - Oiã
(Aveiro) section is expected to
cost €1.978bn, with €480m
High-speed trains will
switch to the conventional
mainline while subsequent
mooted by Italian
prime minister
the initial 70km Porto
Campanhã - Oiã section of the
Porto - Lisbon high-speed
contributed by the European
Union’s (EU) Connecting
Europe Facility (CEF). The
phases from Soure to Leiria
and Carregado, and from
Carregado into the centre of
I TALY’s prime minister, Ms
Giorgia Meloni, has
confirmed that the government
project. remaining Oiã - Comibra - Lisbon, are completed in 2032 is considering privatising
The Iberian gauge line will Soure section of Phase 1 is and after 2030 respectively. Italian State Railways (FS) as a
be built through a public- anticipated to cost €1.751bn The entire Porto - Lisbon means of raising government
private partnership (PPP) and will receive €249m from project is expected to cost revenue without increasing
model including a 25-year CEF. €5.5bn. taxes.
operating concession. Trains Phase 1 is scheduled to be Tenders have been called in “My idea is to reduce the
will operate at up to 300km/h, completed by 2028. Existing time for the project to secure presence of the state where it
offering a journey time of stations will be upgraded for the CEF funding, after the is not necessary,” Meloni said
1h 15min between Lisbon and high-speed services and offer European Commission (EC) on January 4. “I think there is
Porto, down from 2h 49min improved passenger amenities. warned that this must start in the possibility of having
today. A new station will also be built January in order for the project private individuals take
The first phase is split into at Vila Nova de Gaia. to remain eligible. minority shares in companies
which today are entirely under
Amtrak issues RFP for long-distance TRA becomes public control, and this is the
case with the railways.”
coach fleet replacement Taiwan Railway According to a projection by
Italy’s business newspaper,
Long distance trains such
as The Cardinal will be
Corporation Il Sole 24 Ore, the state could
O
bolstered by the new fleet. PERATION of Taiwan’s raise between €4.7bn and
national railway network €6.7bn by putting 49% of FS
passed from Taiwan Railways and less than 30% of Post Italy
Administration (TRA) to the on the market.
newly-created Taiwan Railway However, Meloni admitted
Corporation (TRC) on January 1. privatising part of FS could
Taiwan’s president, Ms Tsai take a long time to achieve.
Ing-wen, says that the “The timing especially on
transformation of TRA into a railways requires a series of
state-owned corporation fairly long steps; it doesn’t
would improve both depend only on me,” she said.
passenger and worker safety.
Fatal train accidents in 2018 Angola - DRC
and 2021 provided an impetus
for the debt-ridden TRA to MoU signed
undergo comprehensive
structural reform alongside T HE All-American Rail
Group (AARG) and
A
changes to its safety regime. Angola’s Ministry of Transport
MTRAK has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to rolling
According to the president, have signed a Memorandum
stock manufacturers to begin the process of replacing 800
TRC will be better-funded and of Understanding (MoU)
coaches used on 14 overnight long-distance routes.
have more power to upgrade under which the Houston-
The coaches include Superliner I and II double-deck sleeping,
safety management systems based rail and infrastructure
lounge, and dining cars as well as Viewliner I and II single-deck
and improve operational consortium will build a
sleeping, dining and baggage cars, and Amfleet II business class
efficiency. It will phase out $US 4.5bn railway connecting
and catering cars.
ageing rolling stock and improve Angola’s capital Luanda with
The multi-billion-dollar procurement has been made possible
service quality, enjoying greater the Democratic Republic of
through funding from the Biden administration’s Bipartisan
freedom to increase revenue Congo (DRC).
Infrastructure Law and Congress. According to Amtrak CEO,
by developing its own property. According to Angola’s
Mr Stephen Gardner, this will be “the largest passenger train
After TRA’s long-term debt Ministry of Transport, the
order in the United States since the 1940s.”
obligations of $NT 170bn ($US project aims to bolster food
The RFP outlines requirements including private rooms,
5.5bn) are transferred to a new security and agricultural
catering service and enhanced accessibility. Following supplier
fund established by the development in northern
selection, final design, development and production are
Ministry of Transportation and Angola. The new railway will
expected to take place over the next few years. Deliveries are
Communications (MOTC), also enable the export of oil,
due to begin in the early 2030s.
cash flow at TRC is expected wood, and minerals.
Amtrak says the new fleet will enable it to introduce an
to be positive by 2026, with the Mr Mustafa Ocalir, an
updated product that “meets current and future market
corporation moving into profit AARG board director, says the
expectations, improves customer experience, re-imagines
in 2028. consortium is ready to build,
onboard accessibility and mobility, improves operational
TRC chairman, Mr Tu Wei, operate and finance Angolan
efficiency, and bolsters sustainability, resiliency, and ridership.”
warns that fares will have to railway projects, adding that it
The RFP follows a Request for Information (RFI) issued in
rise for the first time in 20 plans to integrate the railway
December 2022. Amtrak says that 10 suppliers responded to the
years. Consultation will begin with logistics platforms and a
RFI in early 2023, helping to shape the RFP.
later this year. port in the agricultural region.
8 IRJ February 2024

Kazakhstan building third link to China
K AZAKHSTAN has
officially begun
construction of its third
is completed in 2027, as well as
relieving congestion at the two
existing border crossings. It is
railway connection with China. part of the 1300km of new
The line will run for 272km railway that the Kazakh
from Ayagoz in eastern government is currently building.
Kazakhstan to Bakhty on the “Over the past five years, the
Chinese border before volume of transit container
continuing to Chuguchak in traffic has increased 3.2 times,”
Tacheng prefecture. says Kazakhstan’s prime
The double-track railway is minister Mr Alikhan Smailov.
expected to boost freight No details of project cost and
capacity between Kazakhstan funding have been disclosed,
and China from 28 to 48 other than that an unnamed
million tonnes a year when it private investor is involved.
Algeria to build 575km iron ore line

C HINA Railway Construction
Corporation (CRCC) has
begun work to build a 575km
reserves of 3.5 billion tonnes.
The new railway would
connect the mine with centres
railway to connect the Gâra of industrial production and
Djebilet iron ore mine in the ports on the national network,
remote Tindouf province of facilitating the development of
western Algeria with the iron ore mining in Algeria,
national rail network at Béchar. which is expected to create
A groundbreaking ceremony 3000 jobs during its first phase.
was held during an official Under its contract with the
visit to Tindouf by Algeria’s Algerian National Railway
president, Mr Abdelmadjid Investment Design and
Tebboune. Implementation Supervision
According to the Algerian Administration, CRCC will
government, Gâra Djebilet is work jointly with state-owned
one of the largest iron ore civil engineering company
mines in the world, with Cosider Travaux Publics.
PERFORMANCE
In brief ON TRACK®
trains will rejoin the existing for 32 more and maintenance
network to reach Milan. A over five years.
Webuild-led group is delivering
the work for Italian Rail Spain Innovative System Solutions
Network (RFI). Adif has completed electrification for Future-Proof Networks
of the Plasencia - Badajoz section
Jordan of the Madrid - Lisbon main
Jordan-Hedjaz Railway (JHR) line. The €90m project has
is considering a project to build involved electrification at 25kV
a new line from Zarqa City, ac of the 195km broad-gauge
northeast of the capital Amman, line connecting Plasencia, voestalpine Railway Systems is the global leader for system
to Queen Alia International Monfragüe, Cáceres, Badajoz solutions in the field of railway infrastructure, offering
Airport, 30km south of Amman. and the Portuguese border, as outstanding products, logistics and services for rails, turnouts,
JHR estimates the new railway well as the branch to Mérida. signaling and monitoring applications. A fully integrated
would carry between 40,000
material chain and value-adding industry setups beyond steel
and 50,000 passengers each day.
Ukraine enable voestalpine to understand the interdependencies of all
Poland The Global Ukraine Rail Task the track components in order to optimize the performance
PKP Intercity has awarded Force (GURTF) has raised and life cycle cost of the system. With smart digital solutions
Newag a Zlotys 2.3bn ($US €130,000 to purchase food parcels voestalpine provides the basis for modern track management
575.7m) contract to supply 63 for distribution to railway
concepts to guarantee “Performance on Track®”.
Bo-Bo electric locomotives able workers and their families in
to take current at 3kV dc, 15kV Ukraine. Donors included
and 25kV ac, with a maximum private passenger and freight
speed of 200km/h. Described operators in Britain, railway
voestalpine Railway Systems
by PKP as its largest-ever order companies in the United States, www.voestalpine.com/railway-systems
for multi-system locomotives, Norway’s infrastructure manager
the contract includes options Bane Nor and SJ, Sweden.
IRJ February 2024 9
RS Inserat 4c_88x254mm_3mm_Bleed_2022.indd 1 22.12.2022 09:21:06

News | headlines
EC Weights and Measures Directive amendment could reverse modal shift

R AIL industry groups have
warned that the
amendments proposed by the
Keepers (UIP), and the
International Union for Road-
Rail Combined Transport
ERFA, will have a negative
impact on all rail freight, not
only single wagonload traffic.
study, the associations have
made four key recommendations.
These suggest retaining the
European Commission (EC) to (UIRR) have presented the The study finds that the 40-tonne gross vehicle weight
the directive governing the results of a study which proposed increase in the limit for trucks crossing EU
weights and dimensions of confirms the concerns of the permissible gross weight of borders, allowing additional
commercial road vehicles in rail freight sector. lorries and the authorisation of gross weight only for zero-
the European Union (EU) These concerns relate to the EMS would lead, on average, emission vehicles in specific
could lead to reverse modal expected widespread use of to a reverse modal shift to road circumstances, maintaining
shift of 21% and have European Modular System of up to 21% for all rail standard dimensions to
“disastrous” socio-economic (EMS) lorries, or gigaliners, segments and 16% for maintain compatibility with
and environmental that would result from the intermodal. This could result different transport modes and
consequences. amended directive. The study in up to 10.5 million additional acknowledging increases in
The Community of European says that while the amendments lorry journeys per year, external costs.
Railways and Infrastructure are intended to serve the producing up to 6.6 million “With the current proposed
Companies (CER), the interests of intermodal freight tonnes of CO₂ emissions and amendments, the market
European Rail Freight transport, most of the generating external costs of up growth of more than 50%
Association (ERFA), the measures are impractical, to €2.2bn. An extra €1.15bn per achieved over the last 10 years
International Union of ineffective or unnecessary, and year would also be needed for is endangered,” warns UIC
Railways (UIC), the according to Mr Conor road maintenance. director general, Mr François
International Union of Wagon Feighan, secretary general of Based on the results of the Davenne.
Renfe services
to transfer to
Catalonia
S PAIN’s minister of
transport and sustainable
mobility, Mr Óscar Puente, has
agreed to form a commission
that will consider the transfer
to the regional government of
Rodalies, Renfe’s suburban
and regional operations in
Catalonia.
The new commission brings
Photo: David Gubler
together Spain’s Ministry of
Transport and Sustainable Trafikverket prioritises resignalling and maintenance backlog
S
Mobility and the Catalan WEDEN must concentrate according to Trafikverket, and upgrading these lines in
regional government. Working on upgrading its existing where a major priority is order to increase capacity
groups will consider future network with a special focus installing ERTMS to replace should therefore be the top
funding arrangements and the on introducing ERTMS, a new ATC signalling dating back to priority, rather than building
transfer of train operations. report intended to guide long- the 1950s. Unless this is new lines.
Also under consideration term national transport completed by 2040, over 50% The track access charging
will be the possible transfer of planning from 2026 to 2037 of the network will have to regime should be reformed in
infrastructure to Catalonia, has recommended. close due to a lack of spare order to better reflect peak
namely those lines used The report was commissioned parts to maintain legacy passenger flows, increasing
exclusively by Rodalies that from Trafikverket by the signalling and a shortage of incentives for operators to run
could be separated from the government in June 2023 after staff with the requisite skills longer trains rather than more
rest of the national railway it had cancelled plans to build and experience. frequent but shorter services.
network (RFIG) managed by high-speed lines in Sweden. In a recent audit, the Swedish Additional access charge
Adif. The maintenance backlog on National Audit Office laid the income could also fund
Rodalies currently the existing network now blame for the maintenance development of the network,
comprises suburban services stands at an estimated SKr 91bn backlog with the government, Trafikverket points out.
in Barcelona and Girona, as ($US 9.17bn.) Trafikverket says which it says “has compromised The report will go out to
well as regional routes to that it will not be possible to long-term infrastructure planning consultation before the
Lleida, Portbou, Reus and fully catch up by 2037 even if through its management of government presents its policy
Tarragona. the infrastructure manager is Trafikverket.” proposals to the Swedish
The work of the new granted the full SKr 256bn in Existing lines will have to parliament this autumn.
commission will include funding that it is now requesting. accommodate most of the Trafikverket will then be
setting up a new operating Neither will it be possible to forecast 50% increase in responsible for developing the
company, Rodalies de complete all ongoing and demand for passenger services policy in detail before it is
Catalunya, that will be owned planned investment projects over the period to 2040, adopted by the government in
by both the Spanish and on the national network, Trafikverket says. Maintaining late 2025 or early 2026.
Catalan governments.
9a IRJ February 2024

In brief
Europe
Australia faces
Photo: Marco Stellini

Germany’s Federal Railway
critical labour Authority (EBA) has granted
final approval for electrifying
shortage the 1km line between Görlitz
in Saxony and the Polish border.
T HE railways of Australia
are facing a workforce
crisis at a time when investment
Catenary will be energised at
the Polish voltage of 3kV dc as
none of the other lines to Görlitz
projects are being undertaken are currently electrified at the
at an unprecedented scale, German standard of 15kV ac.
according to a report produced
for the Australasian Railway France
Association (ARA). The Grand Est region has
The Rail Workforce - An signed a new contract for the
Analytical Overview was operation of TER regional
prepared by Britain’s National services from 2024 to 2033
Skills Academy for Rail with French National
(NSAR). It found that Railways’ (SNCF) passenger
Australian rail workforce will business SNCF Voyageurs.
have a 70,000 shortfall by 2024,
mostly in operational and
Frecciarossa to Munich and Ljubljana The contract includes a
tougher performance regime to
project roles, including
engineers, drivers and IT I TALIAN State Railways (FS)
subsidiary Trenitalia has
services, and proposed
measures to address them.
improve service quality.
specialists. In addition, 35% of signed a preliminary The Rome - Munich train Italy
the rail workforce would retire agreement with German Rail will serve Florence, Bologna, Italian State Railways (FS) has
by 2035, with almost a third of (DB) to introduce Frecciarossa Verona, Rovereto, Trento, launched the Cadore Express
drivers currently aged over 55. services from Rome and Milan Bolzano, Brenner, Innsbruck overnight train connecting
“The industry is facing a to Munich with the December and Munich. Trains from Rome with Calalzo near the
retirement cliff, with more 2026 timetable change. Milan will stop in Brescia, ski resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
than a third of the entire rail Trenitalia is also working Verona, Bolzano, Brenner, The service runs at weekends
workforce aged over 50 years, with DB on potential Innsbruck and Munich, until February 25 and is
one in 10 aged over 60 and extensions to other operated by Trenitalia in operated by Italian Tourist
only 4% less than 25 years destinations in Germany, collaboration with DB and Trains (TTI), a new FS
old,” says ARA CEO, Ms including Berlin. Journey times Austrian Federal Railways subsidiary active in the
Caroline Wilkie. will be reduced by up to an (ÖBB). sustainable tourism market.
“We desperately need both hour following the opening of Separately, Trenitalia has
skilled and unskilled workers the 55km Brenner Base Tunnel signed a preliminary Romania
to enter the rail industry now.” between Italy and Austria, agreement with SŽ Passenger Romanian Railways (CFR) has
ARA has several initiatives scheduled for 2032. Transport to introduce a started work to upgrade and
in progress to address this The service is one of the 10 Frecciarossa service between electrify the 37km Aghireş -
shortage. It is working with cross-border pilot projects Milan and Ljubljana. The aim Poieni section of the main line
the National Rail Skills Hub to announced by the European is to operate two services a day from Cluj Napoca to the
improve the mobility of Commission in February 2023 in each direction, running via Hungarian border. The project
workers within the rail under its action plan to boost Venice and Trieste. The will raise the maximum speed
industry. And it is partnering long-distance and cross-border collaboration agreement covers to 160km/h for passenger
with the education sector to passenger trains. The action testing on the Slovenian trains and 120km/h for freight,
develop training solutions that plan identified obstacles network where upgrades are increase the maximum axleload
support careers in rail and the hindering the uptake and currently in progress to reduce to 22.5 tonnes, and includes
transition to new technologies. operation of cross-border journey times. installation of ERTMS Level 2.
New Rail Logistics Europe team to lead French freight restructuring Slovakia
R
Infrastructure manager ŽSR
AIL Logistics Europe (RLE) organisation on January 1 2025. locomotive maintenance
has awarded Združenie pod
has made five senior Mr Jérôme Leborgne, Fret company that will also be
Dubinou a €369m contract to
appointments to lead SNCF’s existing managing formed on January 1 2025. He
upgrade the 14.5km Poprad
restructuring ahead of the director, moves into the role of will become its first chairman.
Tatry - Krompachy section of
disbanding of Fret SNCF on secretary general at RLE. The restructuring of RLE
the 242km Žilina - Košice main
January 1 2025. RLE currently Mr Nicolas Gindt, formerly comes after the European
line.
oversees freight and logistics director of strategy and Commission (EC) began an
companies owned by French innovation at RLE, becomes investigation last year into United States
National Railways (SNCF) that chairman of Captrain. He whether SNCF’s freight The California High-Speed Rail
also include Captrain, Naviland replaces Nicholas Giraud, who operations were in receipt of Authority (CHSRA) has awarded
Cargo, VIIA and Forwardis. becomes director of strategy illegal state aid between 2007 the US subsidiary of Network
Mr Charles Puech D’Alissac, and development at RLE. and 2019. As a result, Fret SNCF, Rail Consulting a $US 73.2m
currently chairman of VIIA Mr Tristan Rouzès, formerly which disputes the EC’s contract to provide systems
and Naviland Cargo, becomes RLE’s performance, findings, will be disbanded and engineering services to CHSRA’s
Fret SNCF managing director. transformation and digital replaced by a freight operator Rail and Operations Delivery
He will become chairman of director, has been appointed as and a locomotive maintenance Branch until May 2029. IRJ
Fret SNCF’s successor shadow head of a new company.
IRJ
IRJ????????
February2015
2024 11 9b
News | transit
New and extended metro lines open across China

T HE end of 2023 was
marked by the opening
of several new metro lines
Line 16 has been extended
by 3.2km from Yushuzhuang
to Wanpingcheng, and now
metro extensions enter service
in Guangzhou. A new 9.8km
section of Line 5 from
on December 27. Line 2 runs
for 20.9km from Xingfu to
Xianfeng, providing
and extensions in cities across runs for a total of 48.9km from Wenchong to Huangpu New interchange with Line 1 at
China, including the 23.3km Beianhe to Wanpingcheng. Port has opened, together with Hepingqiao and Wenfeng and
Line 19 in Wuhan, which The longest metro line to a 19.9km extension of Line 7 also serving Nantong and
entered service on December 30. open in Beijing on December from Higher Education Mega Nantong East railway stations.
Located in the eastern part of 30 was the 24.9km northern Center South to Yanshan. December 27 was also
the city, Line 19 runs from the section of Line 17 from The 10.7km southern section marked by a new addition to
West Square at Wuhan’s main Workers’ Stadium to Future of Line 7 in Nanjing opened the major metro network in
railway station southwards to Science City North. on December 28, running from Shenzhen, an 8km extension of
Xinyuexi Park, providing Line 17 will run for a total of Yingtiandajie to Xishanqiao. Line 8 from Yantian Road to
interchange with Line 11 at 49.7km when the section under The northern 12.6km section Xiaomeisha.
Guanggu 5th Road. the city centre is completed. It from Mufuxilu to Xianxinlu Two extensions to the Hefei
December 30 also saw the will connect Workers’ Stadium had entered service on metro opened on December 26,
opening of three extensions to with Shilihe, the northern December 28 2022, and the two including the 14.5km section of
the Beijing metro network, terminus of the 16.5km southern currently isolated portions of Line 2 from Sanshibu to
including an 800m extension of section to Jiahuihu, which Line 7 now run for a total of Cuozhen. Line 3 has been
Line 11 from Jin’anqiao to opened on December 31 2021. 35.7km serving 27 stations. extended by 9.5km from
Moshikou. In Chongqing, the new Line In Tianjin, December 28 saw Xingfuba to Sheng Ertong
Line 11 now runs underground 18 opened on December 28. the entry into service of the first Yiyuan Xinqu.
for a total of 4.2km from This runs for 29km from an section of the new Line 11, A short 800m extension of
Moshikou to Xinshougang, interchange with Line 9 at running for 13.7km from Line 3 in Harbin also opened
serving four stations and Fuhualu to Tiaodengnan in the Dongjiangdao to Dongliliujinglu. on December 26, running from
providing interchange with south of the city. The second metro line Chinese-Baroque Block to
Line 6 at Jin’anqiao. December 28 also saw two opened in the city of Nantong Beima Road.
Saudi Arabian city builds battery-powered light rail line New Zealand
Alstom will be responsible
abandons light
Photo: Alstom
for comprehensive system

design, integration, installation
and testing and commissioning
rail project
of catenary-free light rail
infrastructure. N EW ZEALAND’s coalition
government has pulled
the plug on a light rail
The manufacturer will also
supply power, signalling, scheme, raising concerns
communications and depot about whether other centrally-
equipment, and will maintain funded rail schemes might
the LRVs for 10 years. Alstom will also be cancelled.
deploy its HealthHub tool to Transport minister, Mr
provide predictive maintenance Simeon Brown, announced the
and fleet management. cancellation of Auckland’s
Systra was appointed as lead planned $NZ 15bn ($US
design consultant for the project 9.24bn) light rail project on
T HE Royal Commission line that will be operated solely by RCU in 2022. The second January 14.
for AlUla (RCU), a city with battery-powered LRVs. phase, a 33km extension to the So far $NZ 228m has been
in Medina province, Saudi The line will have 17 stations international airport, will spent on the planned 24km
Arabia, has agreed a €500m and will be operated with a further strengthen AlUla’s line that would have
contract with Alstom to build fleet of 20 Citadis B battery development as an important connected central Auckland
and equip a 22.4km light rail LRVs manufactured in France. regional transport centre. with Māngere and Auckland
airport. Services running every
Financial close reached for Tel Aviv Green Line five minutes were forecast to
remove 14,500 vehicles from
I SRAEL’s Metropolitan Mass

Transit Systems (NTA)
finally concluded a €2bn
The project is being financed
by the European Investment
Bank (EIB) and two Israeli banks:
long, including a 4km
underground section, and will
connect Holon and Rishon
the roads each year.
But after a new government
came to power in 2023 it
public-private partnership Bank Hapoalim and Mizrahi LeZion in the south to central issued a stop work notice and
(PPP) deal to design, finance, Tefachot Bank. The financing Tel Aviv and Herzliya in the has now decided to scrap the
construct and maintain Tel agreement will enable TMT to north. The line will have 62 project altogether. “After six
Aviv’s light rail Green Line on start the second stage of stations, including four years… not a single metre of
December 17. construction, as well as underground. track has been delivered and
NTA originally selected the manufacture 98 LRVs and Initial construction started in congestion has only worsened
TMT consortium of Dan Buses, systems. The operator will be 2019 and it is expected to open in in the city,” Brown says. No
Electra, and Alstom for the selected in a separate tender. 2028. The line is forecast to carry alternative has so far been
project in early 2022. The Green Line will be 39km 70 million passengers a year. proposed.
10 IRJ February 2024

In brief
Alstom wins Lille Asia

January 11 marked the
deal for LRVs completion of the 17.1m cross-
L ILLE’s metropolitan border span of the marine

Authority (MEL) has viaduct between Malaysia and
awarded Alstom a framework Singapore, a key milestone in
contract worth €124m for 30 the Johor Bahru - Singapore
32.4m-long Citadis LRVs for Rapid Transit System (RTS)
lines R and T of the city’s light Link project.
rail network.
The initial order is for 24 Brussels
vehicles, with an option for six The planned conversion of the
more. The latter may be to north-south pre-metro line
accommodate traffic growth or from Nord to Albert to a full
to operate planned extensions metro has been given a boost
to the network for which no by the European Investment
completion date has yet been Bank (EIB), which will lend
set. the Brussels Capital Region
The new LRVs will be €475m over 25 years to finance
introduced in 2026 to replace the project.
the 24 30m vehicles built by
Breda in 1993-94 and later
Lima
Trial operations commenced
New Berlin metro trains on test: Stadler formally handed over refurbished by Bombardier
on Stage 1a of metro Line 2 on
the first of a new generation of metro trains to Berlin public (now Alstom). The LRVs will
December 21. The 5km
transport operator BVG at Olympia Stadium station on January have four double doors on
underground section runs
11. A total of 12 JK series narrow-profile (2.4m-wide) cars will each side and will have a
from Mercado Santa Anita to
be supplied to BVG for testing on lines 1 to 4, before production minimum capacity for 196
Evitamiento and carried 93,000
starts on a total of 140 cars, configured as two and four-car sets. passengers.
passengers during its first
Tender issued for Dubai metro Blue Line week of trial operation, which
will last for 90 days.
D UBAI’s Roads &

Transport Authority
(RTA) has issued a tender
State Construction Engineering
Corporation
• CAF; China Tiesiju Civil
and will serve the existing
Centrepoint and Creek
stations, the respective termini
Los Angeles
The United States Federal
for construction of Dubai Engineering Group; Arab of the Red and Green lines. Transit Administration (FTA)
metro’s 30km Blue Line and Contractors, Egypt, and The Blue Line will have has confirmed a more than
confirmed that six consortia • Hitachi; WeBuild. capacity for 56,000 passengers $US 1bn grant for the
have prequalified to bid for the RTA invited expressions of per hour in both directions, with Inglewood Transit Connector
contract. The consortia are: interest in the project, which is trains operating at intervals of project, a planned 2.6km,
• Hyundai Rotem; China Civil expected to cost Dirhams 18bn around 90s. It will serve an three-station automated
Engineering Construction ($US 4.9bn), in October. The area with a population of more people mover.
Corporation; Nippon, Japan Blue Line will comprise a than one million people, including
• CRRC; Limak Holding, 15.5km underground section notable locations such as Dubai Madrid
Turkey; Mapa Group, Turkey reaching a maximum depth of Creek Harbour, Dubai Festival Madrid Metro has signed loan
• Siemens; Samsung, Korea; 70m, and a 14.5km elevated City, International City, Al agreements with two lenders
Larsen & Toubro, India; Wade section. The line will have 14 Rashidiya, Al Warqa, Mirdif, to substantially cover the €1bn
Adams, UAE stations, including nine Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai cost of 80 new metro trains.
• Alstom; FCC, Spain; China elevated and five underground, Academic City.
Perth
MTR out as Stockholm metro operating contract awarded Test trains have started
operating on the 14.5km
C ONNECTING Stockholm
(CS), a joint venture
between Britain’s Go-Ahead
that includes 100 stations and
six depots.
Several major changes to the
its commuter contract in
March, two years before it was
due to end.
Yanchep extension of the
Joondalup Line.
Group and Singapore- Stockholm metro network are Go-Ahead has a presence in São Paulo
based transport company expected to take place during Scandinavia with its Go-Ahead The state of São Paulo has
ComfortDelGro, has won a the term of the contract, Nordic Rail business and Flexbuss issued an international tender
contract to operate the metro including extending the Blue operations in southern Sweden. seeking established train
(Tunnelbana) network in the Line to Nacka, east of the ComfortDelGro subsidiary manufacturers to supply 44
Swedish capital for 11 years. capital, and the Green Line to SBS Transit currently operates six-car trains to operate on the
The value of the contract has Arenastaden, north of the city. two of Singapore’s metro lines. São Paulo Metro.
not been revealed. Hong Kong-based MTR has ComfortDelGro also runs
CS, 55% of which is owned been operating the Stockholm Auckland One Rail in New Toronto
by Go-Ahead and 45% by metro since 2009 and since Zealand, and with RATP Dev
Metrolinx has selected Aecom
ComfortDelGro, will take over 2016 has also been operating and Alstom is a member of the
to act as delivery partner for
from existing operator MTR in the city’s commuter ORA Consortium awarded a
the 9.2km Eglinton Crosstown
May 2025 and will be responsible (Pendeltåg) network. However, six-year contract to operate
West Extension light rail
for maintaining and operating poor performance resulted in Line 15 South of the Grand
project. IRJ
the three-line 106km network MTR Nordic agreeing to exit Paris Express network.
IRJ February 2024 11

News | financial
NS directly awarded Main Line Network concession Hungary makes

T HE Dutch government
has directly awarded
incumbent Netherlands
The EC believes that the
direct award constitutes a
circumvention of the principle
accessibility, and customer
satisfaction.
Over the 10-year term of the
offer for Strabag’s
Railways (NS) the Main Line of competitive tendering, and HRN concession, NS will pay stake in GySEV
T
Network (HRN) concession that there is no objective the Ministry of Infrastructure a HE Hungarian
for the period from January justification for granting the maximum of €539m, while government is seeking to
1 2025 to December 24 2033. concession over a year before it receiving an annual subsidy of obtain Austrian construction
The contract covers 95% of is due to start on January 1 2025. €5.5m and €7.5m for managing company Strabag’s 6.2% stake
total rail passenger-km in the The direct award has also the national passenger in Győr-Sopron-Ebenfurth
Netherlands. been opposed by other information system, which is Railway (GySEV) as a dispute
The direct award was made passenger operators in the also used by other operators. with fellow shareholder, the
on December 21, shortly before Netherlands. As members of The government will also Austrian government, heads
the deadline of December 24 as the Netherlands Federation of pay €4.5m for additional to court.
set by European Union (EU) Mobility Companies (FMN), regional services between The Hungarian state owns
Regulation 1370/2007 EC that Arriva Nederland, Transdev, Roosendaal and Vlissingen on 65.6% of GySEV, which
now requires all PSO services QBuzz and Keolis have taken working days. Despite these operates cross-border freight
to be put out to competitive legal action in the Dutch courts subsidies, the basic principle of and passenger services in
tender. in a so far unsuccessful attempt the HRN concession is that NS western Hungary and eastern
Despite the European to prevent the direct award, will operate train services and Austria, with the Austrian
Commission (EC) starting and may do so again now that execute the concession at its government holding 28.2%.
infringement proceedings and the concession has been own risk. Strabag purchased its stake 15
issuing a formal letter of notice granted to NS. The concession will be years ago for $US 7m at 2009
stating that the Netherlands is The new HRN concession subject to a mid-term review exchange rates from
at serious risk of breaching EU sets performance targets by the Ministry of Speditions Holding, which
law, the outgoing secretary of including service frequencies, Infrastructure and NS in 2029, was obliged to sell its share in
state at the Ministry of rolling stock allocation and in order to determine to what GySEV as a subsidiary of Rail
Infrastructure, Ms Vivianne requirements to introduce new extent it is helping to meet the Cargo Group, itself a
Heijnen, has gone ahead with trains, the provision of transport policy objectives of subsidiary of Austrian Federal
the direct award. passenger information, the Dutch government. Railways (ÖBB).
Strabag has since offered its
shares to the Austrian state but
no transaction materialised.
The move comes after the
Hungarian state sacked Ms
Hana Dellaman, deputy
general manager of GySEV.
Unilateral move
The Austrian transport
ministry argues that the move
was unilateral and is contrary
to legislation pertaining to
GySEV. It is now taking legal
action against the Hungarian
government in Hungary.
Mr János Lázár, Hungary’s
minister of construction, wants
more influence over the
Photo: Quintus Vosman
company, and according to
unconfirmed Austrian sources,
the Hungarian state made an
€1.2bn financing deal signed for Turkish high-speed line official offer for the GySEV
A N agreement that will see

a total of €1.2bn provided
to finance the construction
agent bank by the Turkish
Ministry of Treasury and Finance.
The loan has been
Islamic Corporation for the
Insurance of Investment and
Export Credit (ICIEC).
shares owned by Strabag.
By increasing its stake by
6.2%, Hungary would own
of a 140km high-speed line guaranteed by UK Export Connecting with the Ankara over two thirds of GySEV,
between Kayseri and Yerköy Finance (UKEF) and other - Sivas high-speed line, which giving it the right to make
in the Central Anatolia region European export credit opened in April 2023, the new decisions at board level
of Turkey was signed at the agencies, which have provided line, which is one of several without the approval of the
British Consulate General in significant reinsurance. Sace of high-speed projects currently Austrian state.
Istanbul on January 5. Italy has reinsured €249m and underway in Turkey, is also = GySEV began operation on
The financing package Kuke of Poland €205m. expected to support economic several regional lines radiating
includes a €1bn loan for which The financing package also growth by increasing capacity from Zalaegerszeg and
MUFG has been appointed as includes a separate €220m for regional passenger and Szombathely in Hungary on
sole mandated lead arranger, commercial loan facility, freight services around the December 10, taking over from
coordinator, structurer and supported in part by the country’s capital region. MÁV-Start.

In brief
Austria ordered two Coradia Stream H
Austrian Federal Railways hydrogen trains from Alstom
(ÖBB) has ordered the first 70 to replace DMUs.
EMUs under a framework
contract for up to 540 trains, North Macedonia
The European Union (EU),
worth more than €5bn and
European Bank for
agreed with Siemens Mobility
Reconstruction and
in August 2023.
Development (EBRD) and the
European Investment Bank
Britain (EIB) have announced a €560m
The European Commission package of financial and
(EC) has approved the technical support for the
acquisition of sole control of project to construct 24km of
German Rail’s (DB) British- track from the Bulgarian
based subsidiary Arriva by border to Kriva Palanka and to
I Squared Capital Advisors, electrify 88km of railway from
Photo: Shutterstock/Tony J Tan
United States. the border to Kumanovo.
Rail businesses feature in BlackRock Germany Poland

British rolling stock leasing Mazowieckie Voivodeship has
Global Investment Partners purchase company Rock Rail and awarded a Zlotys 458.5m
I TALIAN high-speed
operator Italo-NTV, wagon
leasing company VTG and
deal, that is expected to
complete this autumn.
Infrastructure is forecast to
Infracapital, the infrastructure
investment arm of M&G, have
formed a joint venture to
($US 116.6m) contract to Pesa
for 16 two-car EMUs for the
province’s rail operator Koleje
Australian freight operator be one of the fastest-growing invest in rolling stock for the Mazowieckie.
Pacific National are among segments of private markets in German market, starting with
the rail businesses included the years ahead, according to a project to lease 18 four-car Romania
in the purchase by global BlackRock, which says that its EMUs to German Rail (DB) The Railway Reform Authority
investment business BlackRock acquisition of GIP will create a subsidiary DB Regio. (ARF) has confirmed Alstom
of investment fund manager world-leading infrastructure = Alstom has confirmed an as the winner of a tender to
Global Investment Partners private markets investment order to supply DB Regio with supply 16 four-axle 200km/h
(GIP), announced last month. platform. 18 Coradia Max EMUs for use 25kV ac electric locomotives.
BlackRock has agreed to pay The sale of GIP is not on regional express services
$US 3bn in cash, plus around expected to have any between Hamburg and Rostock. Sweden
12 million shares of BlackRock immediate effect on the rail National operator SJ has
common stock, to secure the businesses. Italy secured a SKr 1.75bn ($US 170m)
Calabria Railways (FdC) has loan from the European
Tanzania - Burundi Standard Gauge ordered a further three
hydrogen-powered trains from
Investment Bank (EIB) to fund
the purchase of 25 new
Railway gets funding for second phase Stadler to operate local and 250km/h EMUs to increase
T HE African Development from the new electrified single- regional services on its capacity on its mainline
Bank (AfDB) has approved track railway, which will 950mm-gauge network in services. Alstom is supplying
$US 696m in financing for replace the old metre-gauge southern Italy. the X80 fleet under a contract
the second phase of the new line between Tabora and = Italian State Railways (FS) originally awarded in 2021
Tanzania - Burundi Standard Kigoma on Lake Tanganyika. subsidiary South East Railway and later retendered, delaying
Gauge Railway. The SGR will be designed (FSE) in the Puglia region has the purchase by two years.
AfDB will provide $US for a maximum speed of
98.62m in grants to Burundi 160km/h and will serve the
and $US 597.79m as loans and world’s 10th largest nickel Czechs investigate private investment
guarantees to Tanzania. AfDB
will also continue to raise
deposit near Musongati. Both
the East African Community
potential for new high-speed lines
$US 3.2bn of the estimated
total $US 3.93bn cost of this
(EAC) and the African Union
have identified the new railway T HE Czech Republic’s rail
infrastructure manager
SZ has commissioned
high-speed line that are most
advanced.
The PwC report is expected
phase of the new railway. as one of their top priorities.
The second phase consists of Separately, Tanzania PricewaterhouseCoopers in the second quarter of this
a new 651km section from Railways Corporation (TRC) (PwC) to prepare a feasibility year and in the meantime SZ
Tabora in central Tanzania to has announced plans to build study into the potential for is forming a dedicated PPP
Musongati in Burundi. This another cross-country railway, public-private partnership team, which will include a
will be subdivided into three from the coast to Malawi. This (PPP) financing of the French expert experienced in
lots: the 411km Tabora - 1000km line will serve proposed high-speed line high-speed line construction.
Uvinza - Kigoma and the industries across the region, between Prague and Moravia “If the Czech Republic is to
156km Uvinza - Malagarasi which is rich in iron ore, coal, in the east of the country. have ... the first sections of
sections in Tanzania; and the and graphite. PwC will examine options high-speed lines under
84km Malagarasi - Musongati The railway will cost an for PPPs on two parts of the construction in 2033, we must
section in Burundi. estimated $US 5.6bn, of which route: between Brno and secure more resources to
Burundi, the poorest country TRC has already secured Ostrava, and from Brno to finance construction,” says
in the world by GDP per almost half from private Břeclav. Both were chosen as Czech transport minister,
capita, stands to gain the most investors. they are the sections of the Mr Martin Kupka. IRJ

Asia | China
Full speed ahead for Chinese high-speed rail

With an average of seven high-speed lines due to be completed each year over the next five years and nearly
60 lines under construction, China leads the world in the development of high-speed rail. Mark Simmons looks
at the details.
D
ESPITE slower than expected Puyang, Anyang and Xinxiang in Henan The project has involved increasing
economic growth, with the rise province. The fastest train between station capacity at both Huangshan
in GDP forecast to dip below Jinan West and Zhengzhou East takes North and Jingdezhen North. Up to 32
5% this year, and the long-lasting effects 1h 43min, a saving of 1h 29min. China trains a day are running during the
of Covid-19, China’s programme to Railway (CR) plans to operate 61 trains initial phase of operations, with the
develop a comprehensive nationwide per day on the new line which fastest journey time between Huangshan
network of high-speed lines, connecting interconnects with several existing lines and Nanchang now 1h 45min. The new
all major population centres, with trains such as the Beijing - Shanghai and the line between Hangzhou and Nanchang
designed for ever-higher speeds, Beijing - Kowloon high-speed lines. serves many major tourist destinations,
continues apace, with over 2100 The 288km line between Huangshan connecting the provinces of Zhejiang,
route-km completed on eight projects in and Nanchang also opened in Anhui and Jiangxi.
2023 alone (see map, p15). December, completing the 560km high-
In December the 208km Jinan - speed line between Hangzhou in
Puyang section of the 407km Jinan - Zhejiang province and Nanchang in Tourism
Zhengzhou (Jizheng) high-speed line Jiangxi province. The newly-constructed Another high-speed route that opened
opened to traffic, marking the section serves Huangshan North, Yixian in December, and is also expected to
completion of the Jizheng high-speed East, Qimen South, Fuliang East, stimulate tourism, is the 92km line
project, which started construction in Jingdezhen North, Leping North, between Longyan and Wuping in the
June 2020. The line serves Jinan and Poyang, Yugan, Jinxian North and eastern province of Fujian, designed for
Liaocheng in Shandong province, and Nanchang East. a service speed of 250km/h.
China’s rapid high-speed network expansion in the past 15 years has vastly improved inter-city
connectivity between once-distant population centres. Photo: Shutterstock: Duc Huy Nguyen

This line opened at the same time as
the 162km Shantou - Shanwei high- China
speed line serving the Greater Bay Area 300km/h 250km/h 200km/h up!Rjrjibs
in eastern Guangdong province. up!Kjbnvtj
Open
Journey times from Shantou to Shanwei, Harbin
Being built
Guangzhou and Shenzhen have been Planned Jilin
reduced to 36 minutes, 1h 53min and 1h Changchun
49min respectively. Tongliao up!Ivodivo
Construction of the line presented MONGOLIA
many challenges due to the high
humidity and salt levels of the coastal Shenyang
climate. Structures include a major
Taizicheng
bridge over the Aojiang River and the Zhangjiakou
Huilai Tunnel, while the final 20km Hohhot
Baotou Chengde
section, including a marine tunnel
beneath Shantou Bay, remains under Datong Qinhuangdao
construction. Dandong
Beijing
And in the southern part of Sichuan Daxing Dalian
province, a 261km high-speed line also Yinchuan Airport Tianjin
Yuanping
opened in December linking Chengdu
Zhongwei Yantai Rongcheng
with Zigong and Yibin, cutting the Taiyuan
Chengdu - Zigong journey time from Wuwei Weifang
several hours by road to 51 minutes by Shijiazhuang
rail. The journey time from Chengdu to Jinan Qingdao
Yibin is 1h 13min. Taking the new line Qufu Rizhao
thorough the mountains and deep Lanzhou
valleys of Sichuan required the Zhengzhou Xuzhou
Lianyungang
Baoji
construction of 231 bridges and 29 up!Vsvnrj
Xi’an
tunnels, and its completion is expected Shanggiu Suqian Yancheng
Nanyang Fuyang Huai’on
Nanjing Taicang Nantong
Duijangyan Guangyuan Hefei

Xiangyang Shanghai
Zhenjiangguan Shiyan Huzhou
Mianyang Hangzhou
Wuhan Jinhua
Wanzhou
Chengdu Yichang Ningbo
Jiujiang Zhoushan
Huangshan Shangrao
Lichuan
Neijiang Changde Wenzhou
Chongqing
Nanchang
Qianjiang
Yibin Changsha
Leshan Nanping
Guiyang Huaihua
Fuzhou
Hengyang Sanming
Taipei
Ganzhou Xiamen
up!Lvonjoh
N Wuping Longyan
TAIWAN
Guilin Meizhou
Guangzhou Xintang Zhangzhou
Baise Kaohsiung
Yulin Shenzhen
Shantou
Nanning Shanwei
Zhuhai IRJ
up!Gbodifohhboh Kowloon
A
T the end of 2023, according to China Railway, the country’s rail network
extended over a total of 159,000 km, including 45,000km of high-speed
lines, up considerably from the 31,000km in operation in late 2019.
Approximately 3600km of conventional lines and nearly 2800km of high-speed
lines, spread across 34 projects, were completed during the year.
The rail sector invested a total of Yuan 764.5bn ($US 106.8bn) in fixed assets
during 2023, a year-on-year increase of 7.5%
Rail passenger journeys reached 3.68 billion in 2023, a significant increase on the
1.7 billion reported in 2022, with 3.91 billion tonnes of freight carried, the highest
ever totals recorded. On average 10 million passenger-journeys were made every day.
Despite the Russia-Ukraine conflict, a total of 17,000 container trains ran between
China and Europe in 2023, carrying over 1.9 million TEU. The number of trains
operated grew 6% on those operated in 2022, while container throughput rose by 18%.

Asia | China
New 400km/h high-speed trains built by CRRC could reduce the journey time on the Beijing - Shanghai high-speed line to 2h 30min. Photo: David Gubler
to boost tourism and economic China’s original objective for a high- on the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) and
development, improving connections speed rail network was a four-by-four this is expected to maintain a focus on
with Chengdu, the provincial capital. grid of rail corridors, four running developing the expanding high-speed
The prospects for high-speed rail roughly north-south and four running rail network and developing faster trains.
construction over the next five years are east-west. When that grid was largely in CR says it expects to complete
impressive, with a total of 35 high- place by 2016, attention focused on prototype production and testing of its
speed lines extending over nearly 8600 enlarging it to an eight by eight grid (in CR450 high-speed train this year. It will
route-km expected to open by 2028 (see China the number eight is widely operate in service at up to 400km/h, but
panel, p17). Around 110 new rail perceived as being fortuitous) and if will be tested at around 450km/h, with
projects, including high-speed lines, are construction of new lines continues at a trial run last year reaching 453km/h.
underway in 2024. current levels it is likely that this will be The first production trains are expected
achieved by the end of this decade. to enter passenger service in 2025. The
Busy end of year 2023 China’s 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25) CR450 could bring substantial reductions
aims for high-speed rail lines to connect in journey times. The 1300km between
Selected Chinese high-speed lines
completed August-December 2023,
Line Completed
“
Guiyang - Nanning August
Xintang - Shanwei September
Fuzhou - Zhangzhou September
CR says it expects to complete prototype production and
Nanjing - Taicang September
Chengdu - Zhenjiangguan# November testing of its CR450 high-speed train this year.
Jinan - Zhengzhou December
Daxing Airport - Tianjin* December
Chengdu - Yibin December
Shantou - Shanwei December
Longyan - Wuping* December
95% of all cities with at least 500,000 Beijing and Shanghai, for example,
Hangzhou - Nanchang December
inhabitants by 2025, with a total of could be covered in as little as 2h
Fangchenggang - Dongxing# December
50,000km of high-speed lines 30min, down from 4 hours at present.
Note: all lines have a maximum service speed of operational as part of a total national This year had barely begun when
350km/h, except: * 250km/h and # 200km/h. rail network of 165,000km. State construction started on a high-speed
planners have started preliminary work line from Jinan, west of Qufu, southeast
to Zaozhuang in Shandong province on key cities in the Yangtze River delta. In
January 2. The 268km line includes 10 Shanghai the new line will provide an Chinese high-speed line
stations, two of which are interchanges interchange with four metro lines. completion 2024-2028
with the Beijing - Shanghai high-speed Also due to open this year is a 277km
Route-km Projects
line, which the new route runs parallel line between Hangzhou, Yiwu and
to along parts of its length. The Jinan - due for due to
Wenzhou, serving six new stations and
Year completion complete
Zaozhuang high-speed line, which is two existing ones.
expected to be completed in 2027, is one Other new high-speed lines scheduled 2024 1715 7
of eight north-south regional high- to be completed over the next five years 2025 2098 9
speed trunk routes (together with six include a 400km connection between 2026 938 5
east-west) listed in Shandong province’s Weifang and Suqian, linking the south
Three-dimensional Transport Network central area of Shandong province with 2027 2214 8
Planning Outline 2023-2035 that was the north of Jiangsu province via 10 2028 1721 6
released in November last year. Under intermediate stations. Total
the plan, Shandong province will have Of a similar length is the link between 2024-2028 8686 35
6500km of high-speed lines by 2035, Guangzhou and Zhanjiang, via Foshan, Source: IRJ Pro
including 15 regional lines. Zhaoqing, Yangjiang and Maoming,
that will serve nine new stations, as new stations, with two existing stations
well as three existing ones, and will reconstructed to serve the new route,
New lines aplenty interconnect with a number of high- that will also connect with the Qianzhang
New high-speed lines expected to be speed and conventional main lines. - Changzhou high-speed line.
completed this year include a 163km link Construction started in 2018 on the Economists suggest that China will
between Shanghai, Suzhou in Jiangsu 270km Chongqing - Qianjiang section of significantly increase investment in
province and Huzhou in Zhejiang the 810km Chongqing - Changsha route transport infrastructure this year, pointing
province. Construction started in 2020 that will serve the districts of Yuzhong, to a newly-issued Yuan 1 trillion ($US 139bn)
and includes five new stations, with Nan’an, Banan, Nanchuan, Wulong and treasury bond for the sector. High-speed
existing stations at either end. It will link Pengshui County. The line will serve six projects are likely to benefit from this influx.
Record-breaking tunnel boring machine built for new high-speed line
W
ITH 2024 barely underway, tool changing, TBM tail synchronous completed. This compares with the
the intent to move firmly dual liquid slurry, a double-layer shell, current journey time of 90 minutes and
forward on Chinese high- segment floating monitoring and wall will achieve Zhejiang province’s goal of
speed rail projects was underscored by back grouting, which should ensure a one-hour radius journey time by high-
the presentation on January 16 of the safe, green, efficient and high-quality speed rail for all major centres in the
completed tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunnel construction. province.
that will build the 16.2km Jintang It will also help to accelerate
marine tunnel, a key section of the 77km integration of Zhoushan and Ningbo
Ningbo - Zhoushan line in Zhejiang One hour radius into China’s national Belt and Road
province in eastern China. The Ningbo - Zhoushan line will offer economic development strategy, as well
Not only will the Jintang tunnel be a journey time of 26 minutes when as the Yangtze River Economic Belt. IRJ
China’s first and longest marine tunnel,
with a maximum depth of 76m, the
TBM itself has already entered the
record books as the world’s longest and
widest machine. When fully operational
it will extend to a length of 11km and is
14.6m wide, weighing in at 4350 tonnes,
some 700% heavier than standard TBMs.
The machine, named Dinghaihao, was
built jointly by CRCG’s 11th Bureau and
China Railway Construction Heavy
Industry in Changsa, in south central
China, and will be dismantled and
transported 1000km to the worksite.
The oversize dimensions of the TBM
are necessary to overcome the complex
geology and busy maritime traffic above.
Around 90% of the Ningbo - Zhoushan
high-speed line is either elevated on 36
bridges or underground in 17 tunnels.
The new line is due to open in 2026.
CRCG says its engineers have
employed innovative technical advances
in the new TBM, including advanced
geological forecasting, saturated pressure Dinghaihao will extend to a length of 11km and is described as the world’s largest TBM. Photo: SSAC

Asia | infrastructure
Landslide victory for new software

Engineers from the Green Energy and Environment Research Laboratories at Taiwan’s Industrial Technology
Research Institute* explain the development of a new innovative embankment inspection system that offers
early detection of potential landslides and geological events that could impact railway operation.
R
ECENT changes in precipitation network, which is already challenged by conditions on railways. This technology
patterns due to climate change the country’s mountainous terrain. is an engineering breakthrough and an
have left many railways vulnerable Railways have been built along these effective response to Taiwan’s unique
to the risks posed by unstable winding slopes and traverse the rugged geological and climate challenges.
embankments. Multiple landslides in terrain. This demands highly precise
Austria, Norway, Russia and the United engineering design and continuous
States in 2023 resulted in the closure of monitoring and maintenance to prevent Electrical Resistivity
numerous lines previously unaffected landslides or other incidents caused by Tomography
by such events and highlighted the risks geological instability from impacting Electrical Resistivity Tomography
that railways increasingly face. rail operations. (ERT) is a conventional geophysics
Taiwan’s frequent encounters with Engineers have employed various exploration technology primarily used
earthquakes and heavy rainfall seasons innovative technologies to overcome to infer resistivity distribution beneath
have made railway embankment failures these natural obstacles, which include the Earth’s surface. This method involves
a long-standing concern. earthquakes, ground subsidence and placing a series of electrodes on the
Taiwan is situated on the edge of the landslides. However, geological changes ground and applying electrical current
Pacific Ring of Fire. The island boasts are ongoing, and together with the impact between them. The variations in measured
unique and young geological characteristics, of climate change, altered rainfall potential differences are used to estimate
which are often unstable and susceptible patterns will continue to affect railway the resistivity at different depths and
to earthquakes and other activity, leading operations and maintenance. locations underground. The resulting data
to ground movement and changes in To address these related risks, the can then be used to construct two or
terrain. Industrial Technology Research Institute three-dimensional images of subsurface
These adverse geological conditions (ITRI) developed an early inspection structures, providing detailed information
present severe hurdles to constructing system designed to continuously about subterranean rock, soil and
and maintaining Taiwan’s railway monitor and evaluate slope safety hydrological conditions.
TRA’s infrastructure is highly susceptible to
the elements. The researchers selected various
coastal and mountain locations to trial the
HM-ERT technology. Photo: TRA
18
The Green Energy and Environment (a)
Research Laboratory of ITRI advanced
traditional ERT with the introduction of
High-density Multi-temporal Electrical
Resistance Detection (HM-ERT) technology.
This improvement primarily involves
substantially enhancing the detection
instrument co-developed with National
Central University. Compared with
traditional instruments, HM-ERT is a
multi-channel measurement system that (b)
continuously measures potential
difference and current, storing all
recorded data as time-series information,
ensuring high data transparency and
facilitating further analysis. Additionally,
the instrument can be remotely monitored
and scheduled. HM-ERT saves substantial
field investigation and analysis time in
the long term.
Once the monitoring system has been
set up, data can be continuously collected
without frequent field surveys, significantly Figure 1 The difference between raw data and reconstructed
signals during a train passing (a) and without a train passing (b).
reducing the time and workforce required
for field investigation. Moreover, HM-ERT Time lapse tomography images
is no longer limited to traditional fixed
electrode arrangements. Users can
customise any four-electrode array,
significantly increasing detection
flexibility and data volume.
Continuous detection
HM-ERT provides high-density data
in a single detection and aids problem
analysis. The procedure can be helpful
in differentiating between resistivity
profiles; for example, mudstone and
water-bearing sandstone might exhibit
similar low resistivity characteristics in
single-survey results. Each type of stratum
requires different engineering remediation
strategies. Since groundwater distribution
and flow are dynamic, a single survey
cannot fully capture the complete
behaviour pattern of groundwater.
Resivity change (%) Resivity (ohm-m)
Continuous detection at different time
points and analysing changes in layer
Figure 2: The implementation of HM-ERT.
resistance, however, can more accurately
portray underground geological structures detection period to avoid geological more accurate assessment of the impact
and groundwater distribution. interpretation errors caused by noise in of slope reinforcement or other
Multi-temporal detection provides more the analysis data. Continuous recorded engineering activities on slope stability,
information for understanding geological potential difference data can also undergo ensuring accurate and safe execution of
materials and plays a vital role in data advanced processing to remove noise, these projects. Moreover, in the face of
quality control. For instance, as shown ensuring more reliable data. natural disasters such as earthquakes or
in Figure 1, continuous potential difference By utilising HM-ERT detection, we heavy rainfall, electrical resistance
changes measured with the same electrodes can significantly enhance the precision monitoring can rapidly evaluate the
at different times reveal additional of assessing the stability of railway extent of damage and stability of slopes,
potential noise when a train passes the slopes. This advanced technology can facilitating prompt emergency response
measurement area (Figure 1a). reveal the patterns and distribution of measures. Most importantly, long-term
In contrast, in the absence of train groundwater flow, which is crucial for a data accumulation can establish a
movement (Figure 1b), the signal forms deeper understanding of slope stability. comprehensive underground database
a complete square wave after digital The movement and pressure changes to detect early signs of slope instability,
signal processing (Figure 1b black line). of groundwater can significantly impact such as abnormal rises in groundwater
Thus, continuous multi-temporal slope stability. Understanding these levels or unusual changes in soil
detection can evaluate the optimal hydrological flow patterns allows for a moisture content. These early warnings

region. This provides clear guidance for
subsequent remediation work.
In Wanrong Township, Hualien
county, where a slope is about 150m
Day 1 from the railway, past simulations have
shown that a landslide could
completely cover the railway, with
severe consequences. We applied
HM-ERT to this slope to identify water
flow paths and determine the optimal
placement of drainage pipes. Figure 4
Elevation (m)
Day 2
shows a differential analysis before and
after heavy rainfall. The blue areas
Ωm indicate the range of decreased
resistivity, showing that shallow layer
resistivity decreases due to increased
moisture content in the rock layers.
100
These areas of decreased resistivity
often occur at convergence points in
Day 3 32 topographic depressions, which are the
main infiltration points and potential
10 water accumulation areas. This case
accurately identified these critical
locations and determined the direction
3 of water flow in the landslide area as
well as the appropriate placement for
Day 4 drainage pipe installation, leading to
1
effective drainage works and, thus,
ultimately preventing landslides.
Distance (m) These two cases demonstrate how
Figure 3: Actual survey results from the Miaoli site. HM-ERT can visually pinpoint areas
requiring engineering remediation,
Distance (m) enhance detection speed, resolution,
and analytical capabilities, and provide
a basis for preventative treatment and
Depth (m)
enhanced railway safety.

Through persistent efforts, HM-ERT
has shown increasing potential for
broader applications in Taiwan. It is
expanding its reach beyond the current
nine locations. ITRI is currently
Figure 4: Differential analysis before and after heavy rainfall at the Hualien site. engaging with the Eastern Railway, an
area prone to landslides, and
enable timely preventative measures, in water flow by monitoring various implementing HM-ERT on sections of
effectively reducing the risk of time points and comparing the analysis the Western High-Speed Railway. These
landslides or collapses that could with background values (Figure 2, left). projects aim to enhance safety in critical
jeopardise railway safety. Two case studies highlight how the areas further, and they underscore the
technology works in practice. value of HM-ERT, which is available to
In Tongxiao Township, Miaoli infrastructure managers in other
Rollout in Taiwan county, a railway embankment has long regions worldwide.
HM-ERT has been successfully suffered subsidence issues. After Beyond focusing on early detection
installed at multiple sites in Taiwan, implementing HM-ERT, we obtained a and using collected data for engineering
covering the young geological series of valuable data. Figure 3 shows remediation, ITRI continues to advance
conditions of the western side of the the results of a four-day survey, with HM-ERT by applying additional
island and the steep, landslide-prone rainfall on the second day causing automated equipment and sophisticated
slopes of the east. noticeable changes. A low-resistivity analytical systems to achieve more
Using this technology, we have phenomenon was observed within the precise infrastructure monitoring.
conducted continuous observation and black-framed area, which disappeared Currently, AIoT devices are being
effectively analysed the dynamic on the third day as the weather cleared integrated to understand anomalies of
changes in water flow in the slopes of and the resistivity values returned to surroundings better. These endeavors
these regions. Figure 2, right (p19), their original dry state. This reflect ITRI’s dedication to reducing the
illustrates the analysis process, where a phenomenon matches the trend of risks to safe rail operations posed by
single ERT measurement provides a surface subsidence (black dashed line), unforeseen natural disasters. IRJ
snapshot of the distribution of indicating that this area is a major * The co-authors of this article are: Jia-Wei Liu,
geological materials at a specific time. pathway for water flow and may lead Chih-Hsi Liu, Li-Heng Chen, Ming-Shan Jeng,
We can interpret the dynamic behaviour to soil variability and subsidence in the Po-Heng Lee, and Zhi-Wei Yen.

A revolution in light rail infrastructure?

The Korea Railway Research Institute (KRRI) has created a new elevated structure for light rail systems.
Andy Tebay lifts the lid on the new structure design, which KRRI claims is the first of its type in the world.
A
TTENDEES at a special event for installation in the median of multi- divided by elevated rail structures,
held at Myongji University’s lane roads with minimal impact on the many Korean citizens have called for
Hybrid Structural Testing space available for traffic. new light rail lines to be built
Centre in May 2023 were among the The capabilities of the Sky Guideway underground. However, the increased
first to witness the capabilities of a new were demonstrated during a live test costs that projects of this type would
structure design that could revolutionise held during the event in collaboration entail are prohibitive.
elevated light rail construction. with Busan Transportation, GS
The Korea Railway Research Institute Construction, Dong-A Engineering and
(KRRI) began work on the Sky Guideway other companies. The central span, the Revitalise light rail
in 2018 as a research project in collaboration most vulnerable part of the structure, KRRI says it hopes the introduction of
with the Korean Ministry of Land, was subjected to a test load of to 430 the Sky Guideway will revitalise light
Infrastructure and Transport (Molit). tonnes, with the test successfully verifying rail as a viable urban transport option
Dutch architect ZJA was subsequently safety levels of more than 120%. in Korea. Success at home is also
commissioned by KRRI and its KRRI says that the structure’s upper expected to pave the way for expansion
construction partner GS E&C to design and lower sections are designed to be into Southeast Asia and other
an economically viable, elegant, mass produced in a factory and then international light rail markets.
sustainable and innovative elevated light assembled on site in modules using Indeed, the project was recognised as
rail superstructure, the prototype of which specialist equipment. Digital twin the Gold Winner in the Future Projects -
is now available for public viewing. technology and Lidar-equipped drones Transport category at the World
The design thinking behind the new are used alongside other tools to capture Architectural News Awards in November
structure is readily apparent. The upper real-time information on construction last year, emphasising its potential
section’s aesthetically pleasing canopy, details, which is then checked against attractiveness to cities looking to build
which incorporates a lattice style design the building information model (BIM) new elevated infrastructure.
of organic lines and curves, is intended for accurate construction. It is hoped “As each local government pursues
to mitigate noise from trains, while that this fast but thorough construction light rail projects to alleviate traffic
ensuring safe operations during method will ultimately reduce congestion caused by urban
extreme weather conditions. This offers construction times and associated overcrowding, the development of
a potentially fresh and more desirable disruption to traffic and pedestrians in technologies that can address the issues
look for elevated infrastructure – it is busy city centres. of urban fragmentation, visual impact,
described by the architects as soaring Cities throughout Korea including traffic congestion, noise and accidents
like a waving line, making the structure Seoul, Busan, Daegu and Incheon, have during severe weather conditions is
appear as though it is floating above the launched light rail projects since 2011. crucial,” says KRRI research director,
city. However, the real innovation is Elevated projects have adopted traditional Mr Shin Jeong-yeol.
found in the extended spacing of the bridge structures featuring piers that are “During the remaining research period,
structure’s supporting piers at 200m spaced at 3-40m intervals and incorporate we plan to conclude performance
intervals, creating an increased feeling a heavy superstructure placed on top. verification of the Sky Guideway and make
of space beneath the structure. Due to issues such as noise, increased every effort to implement it across future
The new design is based on the congestion and neighbourhoods being national routes as soon as possible.” IRJ
principles of the I-beam profile. Using a
central beam between the tracks with
flanges cantilevered outwards makes it
possible to offer the extended distances
between the piers, even at heights of
15m. Passenger views from one side of
the train are also not impeded by the
walls of the structure.
The roof has an important structural
function in spreading forces. In addition,
the combined weight of the upper and
lower sections of the Sky Guideway are
20% lighter than existing box girder
bridge designs, and 80% lighter than
concrete floor slab designs. This
reduction in weight allows for an
increased span without the need for cables.
The width of the lower columns has
also been reduced from 2.5m to 1.5m,
limiting the footprint of the elevated
structure and providing the capability Attendees at the launch event in May 2023 were able to view the prototype.

Signalling and telecoms | Europe
Greater standardisation paves the way

for rolling out ERTMS across Europe
The European technical specification for signalling and train control systems has been recast to support greater
cross-border interoperability through the deployment of ERTMS, while making provision for ETCS
enhancements that are now under development. Robert Preston looks at the major changes.
T
HE European Union’s Technical “The process for finding and resolving Baseline 4 Release 1 is intended to
Specification for Interoperability errors mostly remains unchanged, but provide as far as possible an error-free
covering control-command and we have put the focus on analysis and set of specifications for ETCS. It also
signalling subsystems (CCS TSI) has correction,” Hernández says. Formal provides for correcting errors without
been recast, with the previous version analysis must be undertaken by all the need to adopt functionality that a
that came into force in 2016 now repealed. stakeholders. In the case of ETCS and project or business may not require.
“We have produced a brand-new text GSM-R, where functionality is mostly “You can have the error corrections
to replace the previous one,” says Mr trackside-driven, this would start with without being forced to go to the latest
Juan Hernández, project officer at the the infrastructure manager. “What is functionality,” Hernández says.
ERTMS unit of the European Union mandatory is to conduct this analysis “Because as ETCS is developed, we are
Agency for Railways (ERA). “It is a following the steps defined in the TSI,” always adding new functions on top,
framework to manage specification Hernández says. “If it turns out that an we are increasing complexity.”
changes. It is an attempt to have far error may occur that impacts normal In contrast with the previous TSI,
better alignment between products and service, then the TSI also requires this which contained a partial fulfilment
specifications and, at the end of the day, to be fixed, which is common sense but option not to implement all functionality
better interoperability and safety.” until now was voluntary. We now have on the basis of reasoned argument, the
Hernández points out that up to now more structure and mandatory steps to recast CCS TSI has reduced the scope
ERTMS projects or deployments have perform.” for not implementing its provisions in
largely been country-based, with very These changes were discussed full. “If you define a vehicle that only
few cross-border projects. “But if the extensively with the rail sector during has the specific functionality for a
European deployment plan progresses the recast of the CCS TSI, Hernández section of the network, that made sense
as expected, in 10, 15 years’ time we reports, noting that they will require in the past because the technology was
will have a denser and more connected increased effort on the part of suppliers. not mature enough and it was a major
network,” he says. “The basic aim of “We have set it down on paper and it effort to develop the full functionality,”
this TSI recast is to be prepared for will take some time before we see the Hernández says.
those scenarios where we have more actual benefits and the actual feedback “This results in project-specific
real cross-border operations.” from experience.” interoperability. But the objective for
“In the past you could have tailor- interoperability in Europe is to have a
made or customised compatibility of vehicle that can run all over the
your onboard equipment with a specific Mandatory specifications European network.”
network. But now, if your train is The recast CCS TSI also takes a new Nevertheless, Hernández emphasises
running through France, Belgium, the approach by providing only one set of the change introduces a “transition phase”
Netherlands and Germany, you cannot specifications. Appendix A sets out in rather than cancelling this completely.
have your onboard equipment tailor- Table A2 the list of mandatory “The idea is that we need to get products
made for all of them. We have to make specifications for ETCS Baseline 4 Release closer to the specification, and this is not
it Europe-wide.” 1 and for other ERTMS components, only by making products that are
The recast CCS TSI came into force on including GSM-R Baseline 1 Maintenance compliant, but also, as in some cases that
September 28 2023 as part of the TSI Release 1 as the current Railway Mobile were highlighted by the sector, by
revision package completed by ERA last Radio (RMR) system providing track-to- tackling specifications that are too high
year. To support the European ERTMS train communications. Baseline 0 of and are somehow over-specified,” he says.
deployment plan, more robust GSM-R’s future replacement, FRMCS, “We are ready to simplify or remove
management of the CCS TSI is required, appears for the first time in the CCS TSI them, but we need to do it formally, not
says Hernández, and the recast has here, as well as ATO Baseline 1 Release just because something was over-specified
included improving the process for 1. As Hernández explains, this set and the supplier or the project are able
correcting errors. replaces three previous versions: Set 1 to skip it due to partial fulfilment. We need
As Regulation (EU) 2023/1695 containing the specifications for ETCS to make it transparent, so if something
implementing the new CCS TSI states, Baseline 2; Set 2 which was Baseline 3 is not correctly specified, we create a
ERTMS is a complex software-based Maintenance Release 1; and Set 3 for change request, we modify the
system requiring active specification Baseline 3 Release 2. “Each of these specifications and we put it to the right
maintenance, and in its capacity as different sets of specifications had a level.”
ERTMS system authority ERA has now different level of functionality, but also Mr Jo De Bosschere, head of the
specified the procedure for correcting different levels of error correction,” he ERTMS unit at ERA, adds: “If we can
errors in CCS subsystems and the says. “Sets 1 and 2 had known errors arrive at products, especially for
successive versions of ETCS. that were only fixed in Set 3.” onboard, that are implementing all
22
functionalities and are very close to the says that EU member states may decide vehicles should be compliant. But there
specifications, then we should to exclude on-track machines including are steps and an approach to enable this
automatically have better interoperability road-rail vehicles from the obligation to transition. That gives predictability.”
between onboard and trackside.” equip them with ETCS, RMR or ATO in
“
a specific area of use if their operation
does not prevent the decommissioning
Deployment requirements of national legacy Class B train protection The basic aim of this
The stronger deployment requirements systems. Exemptions may also be
included in the recast CCS TSI reflect granted for passenger trains reserved TSI recast is to be
the desire of the European Commission for strictly local use, and shunting prepared for those
(EC) to achieve a more extensive rollout locomotives in service for more than 20
of ERTMS across Europe’s rail network. years that operate exclusively on a part scenarios where we
“They undertook a cost:benefit analysis of the national network where there is
and the conclusion was that the overall no ETCS at present and no deployment have more real cross-
business case for European deployment is planned for the next five years.
has more benefits if we have stronger “For each of the new requirements of border operations.
deployment from the beginning,” the new TSI, there are dates given for
Hernández says. “This additional effort when you need to comply with them, Juan Hernández
at the beginning will pay off at the end.” such as installing ETCS, which is one of
The recast text says that in order to be the main elements,” Hernández says.
placed on the market, “new vehicles “We are allowing some time to adjust to The transition regime for the CCS
shall be equipped and ready for this.” An appendix setting out the onboard subsystem is set out in
operation with ETCS.” Under the timescale for compliance and the Appendix B of the recast TSI. For ETCS
previous CCS TSI, this requirement did transition regime has been created for onboard implementation, the
not apply to mobile infrastructure each TSI, following a common approach requirement to fit all new vehicles
construction and maintenance developed by a transition and migration applies immediately where the design
equipment, shunting locomotives, and working group at ERA. phase has not started, and from January
other new vehicles not intended for “This does not mean that if you are 1 2026 for special vehicles. If design is
operation on high-speed lines. producing vehicles from September 28 already underway, the requirement
Exemptions also applied to rolling stock 2023 you already need to equip them applies from January 1 2028, and from
intended exclusively for national service with ETCS,” Hernández says. “We January 1 2030 for special vehicles. For
outside the corridors defined by the allow some time to do this, usually new vehicles in the production phase,
2012 version of the CCS TSI, and not between three and seven years. The the requirement to fit ETCS applies
operating on lines connecting with the standard transition period is seven from January 1 2030. Existing vehicles
main European ports, marshalling years, which means that seven years should be equipped and ready for
yards, freight terminals and freight after the entry into force of the TSI, all operation with ETCS as the Class A
transport areas. Vehicles operating on
cross-border lines that did not form part
of Trans-European Transport Network
(TEN-T) were also exempt.
Under the heading of national
requirements, the recast CCS TSI now
Photo: Alstom
23
Signalling and telecoms | Europe
rules for the driver, there was almost no
Photo: Siemens
difference between operating in Level 2
and Level 3.
“On the trackside, it simplifies the
engineering rules a great deal and
removes the need for additional
transition between Level 2 and Level 3,”
he says. “It also opens the door to hybrid
operation where you have on the same
track trains that rely on trackside train
detection and other trains that are
equipped with train integrity. This was
also a technical achievement.”
Train integrity without the use of
trackside train detection systems, such
as track circuits or axle-counters, was
only previously possible under the
now-merged Level 3, and was based on
trains reporting their position and train
integrity information to radio block
centres (RBCs).
Hybrid operation allows some
flexibility, “because you can have trains
Siemens is rolling out ERTMS Level 2 Baseline 3 trackside infrastructure across the Norwegian network. that are fitted with train integrity,
which have higher performance because
train protection system if any new Class and monitors whether the train remains
they know where they are, or if trains
B system is installed within the CCS complete from head to tail.
are not equipped with this the trackside
onboard subsystem. As Hernández points out, ATO is not
will still need some train detection
“We have also introduced notification mandatory, but would enable train
assets,” Hernández says.
periods for when an infrastructure performance to be enhanced through
“It’s not as cheap as pure train
manager wants to deploy new automatic operation when both
integrity, but on the other hand you can
functionality such as ATO, and we are infrastructure and vehicles meet the
“
also prepared for FRMCS,” says version 2.2 specification, while retaining
Hernández. “The infrastructure the capability for manual driving.
manager will in principle indicate “All the other enhancements are The rail system needs
through the European register of moved to version 3.0, which means that
infrastructure (RINF) at least five years in order to operate on 3.0 infrastructure, to reduce costs, and
in advance that they intend to deploy the operator is required to have a
new functionality, so that vehicle 3.0-equipped train, they will need to costs can be reduced
owners and operators can be prepared. upgrade or migrate all their fleet to
Shorter periods are allowed, but with this,” he says. “One of the key elements by standardisation,
the agreement of all stakeholders.” of version 3.0 will be FRMCS. As FRMCS
is not yet available, then infrastructure
meaning adherence to
managers cannot yet require it since the the TSI.
New system versions onboard products are not yet available.”
Under Baseline 4, three new system For the trackside, Hernández says a Josef Doppelbauer
versions of ETCS have been introduced special version, 2.3, has been created to
to accommodate the transition to new allow the use of FRMCS and DAC
functionalities, such as ATO up to when available, but without removing o
accommodate all the performance traits
Grade of Automation 2 (GoA2), and backwards-compatibility. “If you deploy
of those trains without train integrity.
ETCS readiness for FRMCS and the version 2.3 trackside, it can be operated
This is a compromise between going to
Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC). Fully by 2.2 or previous versions but also by
the highest level of performance, which
backwards-compatible with previous 3.0 vehicles,” he says. Version 2.3 includes
is trackside without train detection
lower-numbered versions, version 2.2 both GSM-R and FRMCS, allowing for
systems, and requires all trains to be
includes ATO at GoA2 as an option, migration from one to the other, as well
equipped.”
while the new version 3.0 is not as retaining lineside shunting signals.
“For train detection compatibility, we
backwards-compatible as it contains Recasting the CCS TSI has also seen
have agreement with the sector and we
trackside changes that will also require the merging of ETCS Level 3 with Level
have a target system defined,”
onboard modification, such as fitting 2, including complete train integrity
Hernández continues. “This means
FRMCS equipment as GSM-R is specifications. “It’s the first time we
there are no longer open points in the
replaced. Other new functionality in 3.0 have the specifications ready with all
CCS TSI related to train detection and
that is also included is “supervised the elements to operate at what was the
now we are starting our analysis work
manoeuvres,” the ability to perform former Level 3,” says Hernández. “Now
for migration. We know the type of
shunting without lineside shunting you have Level 2 without train integrity
system that we want, so we are asking
signals through deployment of the DAC and Level 2 with train integrity. This is
the sector to provide us with the
system, which provides train integrity, simplified because for the operating
characteristics of non-TSI compliant
systems, the ones that are installed today aim is to have structured information so widespread deployment of ERTMS
but are not part of the target system. it can easily be put together to provide across Europe, the recast CCS TSI should
“We are getting this information from an overview of deployment across help the EU meet its environmental
all infrastructure managers and all Europe,” he says. targets by improving interoperability
member states, and with that As well as providing information on and reducing the cost and operational
information we will create specific the current status of Class A and Class complexity of cross-border operations.
cases. When we have the specific cases B systems, member states are required “The name of the game is the
the EC will define the migration path to set out their technical migration decarbonisation of the transport system
towards the target system.” strategy for ETCS, radio, ATO and and this also means modal shift to rail,”
onboard CCS subsystems, as well as says ERA executive director, Mr Josef
dates for placing into service ETCS and Doppelbauer. “In order to have this
National implementation FRMCS, and when Class B train modal shift, we cannot force people to
Member states are required to protection systems and GSM-R will be use rail; the railway system must
provide an overview of where and decommissioned. “The aim here is that become more attractive. To be
when they expect to deploy ERTMS and the member state also has a role in attractive, the rail system needs to
to place into service a TSI-compliant coordinating between the infrastructure reduce costs, and costs can be reduced
train detection system over the next 20 manager and the operators to see when by standardisation, meaning adherence
years, as well as detailed information on ETCS will be introduced on which lines, to the TSI.
the schedule for cross-border lines and which baseline will be chosen and when “The highest potential for modal shift
key network nodes. This is part of their FRMCS will be introduced,” De in rail is in cross-border transport and
obligation under section 7.4.4 to Bosschere says. The data provided will here the TSI package comes into play
produce by June 15 a national plan for inform an update of the European and here we most dramatically see its
implementing the recast CCS TSI. ERTMS Deployment Plan. impact,” Doppelbauer continues. “In
As De Bosschere points out, this is “We want to have a complete relation to ERTMS, this means we need
not the first time that member states overview of what is and what is not the possibility of operating with a single
have been required to produce a compliant, and then a possible onboard unit on our vehicles. To have
National Implementation Plan (NIP), migration plan for what is not ETCS where we can have full technical
“but it’s the first time that there’s a compliant,” De Bosschere adds. interoperability. If we have reduced
really major focus on it and that a “It’s quite a change and also I think costs, investment in infrastructure and
complete template has been provided,” quite a challenge for the member states the removal of technical and operational
running to 32 pages and contained in to produce.” barriers, we can have a greater modal
Appendix H of the CCS TSI. “You By providing the technical foundations share for rail and a decarbonised
cannot submit whatever you want, the for what is hoped to be a faster and more transport system.” IRJ
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Europe | mega projects
Fehmarn Belt tunnel takes shape

A 7km-long construction site has been developed on the northern side of the Fehmarn Belt to build a
submerged tunnel that will connect Denmark with Germany on the southern side of the straight.
David Burroughs visits the site to learn how work is progressing.
I
N the fields where Mr Anders Wede by train. Motorists will be able to drive taxpayers, the tunnel is user-financed
chased rabbits as a child, the Lolland at up to 110km/h in the tunnel, while with construction funded by means of
Island native is now overseeing the trains will travel considerably faster at state-guaranteed loans that will be
biggest immersed tunnel project in the up to 200km/h. repaid using revenue from tolls and
world, to provide a fixed link between The project is especially important for user charges over 28 years from the
Denmark and Germany, 18km to the Wede, who was born and raised in the opening of the tunnel. As a European
south. area before moving to Copenhagen to priority project, the Fehmarn Belt tunnel
The Fehmarn Belt tunnel will create a study. “It’s quite special to see the area has also been awarded DKr 8.4bn
160km, high-speed low-carbon shortcut changing in such a way,” he says. “I ($US 1.2bn) in support from the
between Scandinavia and Central moved back with my wife, and we have European Commission (EC).
Europe, strengthening trade, lived here for the last seven years. A lot
cooperation, and growth opportunities of my family still lives in the area.”
in Northern Europe. The road and rail The tunnel consists of 79 individual Submersed facility
connection will save time, energy, and elements, each 217m long and weighing On-site work began in 2021,
reduce transport CO₂ emissions, and 73,500 tonnes, and 10 special elements transforming the fields near the Danish
free up capacity on the Danish rail with a basement floor for equipment portal into a 7km submersed tunnel
network, shortening the journey time that will be used to operate and element manufacturing facility, the
between Copenhagen and Hamburg maintain the tunnel. Each standard largest in the world. An 11m-high dyke
from 4h 30min to 2h 30min. element consists of nine segments has been built around the site, replacing
The new fixed link is being built manufactured on a production line the old dyke that previously held the
using the immersed tunnel method, before being joined together. The Baltic Sea back from flooding the
where sections of tunnel are built on finished elements will then be floated hinterland that was removed to allow the
land before being floated out and sunk and towed out to sea where they will be tunnel elements to be towed out to sea.
into place. This method was previously immersed in a 12m-deep trench in the Femern, the company overseeing
used for the 4km Øresund tunnel sea floor. construction, has pledged to use 100%
between Denmark and Sweden that When completed in 2029, the new tunnel renewable energy to both build and
opened in 2000. However, the Fehmarn will be able to withstand earthquakes, operate the Fehmarn Belt tunnel.
Belt tunnel will stretch for 18km extreme weather conditions, and even Dredging of the tunnel trench was
between Rødbyhavn, on the Danish collisions with passing ships. 95% complete as of October last year,
island of Lolland, and Puttgarden, on The new fixed link will not come though precision work to smooth out
the German island of Fehmarn. The cheap, with a total construction budget the trench will continue for another
tunnel will carry a four-lane motorway of €7.4bn. To reduce the burden on
and two electrified rail tracks, taking 10
minutes to travel from Denmark to
Germany by car and just seven minutes
26
year. The 12m-deep trench is up to 42m dotted with wind turbines, which were rebar for the walls and then the roof is
below sea level at its lowest point. After removed ahead of the start of construction. installed. Placing and welding the rebar
the material has been removed, a robotic Manufacturing of the segments that for each segment takes around a week.
arm will place gravel in an S shape along will form the elements begins with the
the bottom of the trench, which the welding of steel rebar components that
elements will then be placed on. will then be assembled in the Basement level
Two consortia, Fehmarn Belt production halls “like a Lego set,” The full frame, which weighs around
Contractors (FBC) and Fehmarn Link creating the frame around which the 430 tonnes, is then pulled further down
Contractors (FLC), are responsible for concrete is then poured. The rebar the production line into the casting pits,
construction of the tunnel. The contract manufacturing hall is 210m long, 65m where large steel frames are placed to
with Dutch consortium FBC came into wide and 19m high. form the mould for the concrete to be
force in November 2019, and includes Steel rebar arrives by ship in coil, poured around. Pouring the concrete
dredging, the construction of the two mostly supplied from Germany and for each segment takes 30 to 36 hours,
harbours and land reclamation for new Spain, before being taken by road to the and this must be carried out without
nature areas. Femern then entered into rebar factory. The full project will use interruption to avoid the creation of
the contract with FLC for the 350,000 tonnes of rebar, with 70% cold joints within the concrete.
construction of the tunnel itself, its handled inside the facility. The 10 special elements include a
portals and access ramps in May 2020, FLC decided to build the facility to basement beneath the tunnel that will
with the contract effective from January reduce its reliance on external house equipment such as pumps and
1 2021. contractors. It has also decided to use electrical equipment, as well as an extra
In May 2022 Femern signed a contract innovative equipment to reduce the lane for maintenance vehicles to park
with Femern Systems Contractors (FSC) amount of material handled manually. without interrupting traffic. As these
to equip the tunnel with electrical and This includes two robotic machines to are being cast outdoors, production can
mechanical systems including manufacture the rebar panels, the first be restricted by the weather. However,
ventilation, lighting, and safety systems. of their kind in the world, which can Wede explains that it was estimated
The contract puts special emphasis on weld a full panel within four minutes. that there would be enough clear days
energy-efficient solutions and Each line will handle 400 tonnes of to manufacture the 10 elements required.
equipment adapted to future green rebar a week. Beside the three halls sit two concrete
technologies. The steel rebar elements are then batching plants, each capable of
Femern signed a contract with Elecnor transferred to the three production halls producing up to 300m3 of concrete an
in December 2022 to build a large that house five production lines to hour. This rate of production is required
transformer station that will supply manufacture the standard tunnel to keep up with the number of
green power to tunnel installations and segments, while a sixth line to produce segments being manufactured at a time.
the railway between Denmark and the 10 special elements is located Producing the bottom slab, for instance,
Germany, as well as on Lolland. outside the third hall as these are too requires 200m3 of concrete per hour.
During the short drive from the large to be produced inside. “When we are up and running at full
Femern office in Rødbyhavn to the Inside the mammoth halls, speed, we will be producing about 20%
construction site, Wede points out two production of the segment starts from to 25% of the full amount of concrete
companies that were moved from the the northern side, furthest away from used in Denmark on-site,” Wede says.
site into newly-built premises. “We have the coast. The floor panels are laid and “This is all handled automatically. All the
built new facilities for them, so they are welded to form the base, before this is materials are being brought in by ship and
keeping work in the area,” he says. then dragged forward on steel sleds into transported by conveyor belts or pipelines
The rest of the area was previously a stiffening frame, around which the into the batching plants to be mixed. We
27
Europe | mega projects
have different mixtures for the different
parts of our segments, for instance it is
a bit stiffer going up through the walls
than on the bottom slab.”
New harbour
Following casting, the now 8100-
tonne segment is moved out of the hall
on six concrete “skidding beams”
covered with an epoxy layer. Hydraulic
arms are placed behind the segment,
pushing it forward 2m at a time before
the “body” of the arm is dragged
behind it, akin to how a caterpillar moves.
Once the nine segments are completed,
they are then assembled to create the
full element weighing 73,000 tonnes.
Each of the five production lines
should produce one element per week.
To allow this rate of production, around Protected by a dyke, the northern tunnel portal takes shape. This area will be flooded when complete.
800-900 staff will be working in the halls
when at full capacity. This includes two the northern tunnel portal and ramp (TPR) manager] is serving a lot of meals two
shifts to install and weld the rebar, and site, which includes the construction of a times per day, so compared with a
either two or three shifts to pour the cut-and-cover tunnel connecting with the normal hotel that’s quite an achievement.”
concrete. first tunnel element, the tunnel portal, The government included the staff
The segment is then sealed and pushed and toll booths for the road. A similar village as a requirement in the construction
into one of three basins that open out facility is under construction in Germany contracts, as previous major projects in
into a newly built harbour carved out near the rail and road connections to Denmark which also relied on large
from the sea bed. Beside it now lies a the tunnel.
“
new plain of reclaimed land made from To allow FLC to build the cut-and-
material excavated from the trench, the cover tunnel below sea level, a dyke has
newest part of Denmark. “In total we are been built around the site by FPC. The project will
enhancing the state of Denmark with Construction of the tunnel is underway,
300ha,” says Femern communications including a section similar to the 10 employ up to 3000
manager, Mr Morten Nielsen. special elements with a basement to house
The connection between the middle equipment. The cut-and-cover tunnel is people, with around
basin and harbour is sealed by a large being cast in three parts, with a membrane
floating gate, before four pump add placed between each section. Once the 2000 workers already
820,000m3 of water into the basin. This tunnel portal is built, the dyke will be
raises the water level by 10m, allowing removed to allow it to be flooded over,
employed at the end
the segment to float and to be towed to before the first element is floated into place. of October 2023.
the front of the basin. The water is then The project will employ up to 3000
pumped out, the gate opened and the people, with around 2000 workers
segment is towed out by tugboat. already employed at the end of October
Flotation pontoons are attached to the side 2023 at construction sites in Denmark numbers of overseas workers did not
of the segment, before 4000m3 of concrete and Germany, and even more at the 700 provide adequate living conditions for staff.
is added for additional weight, removing subcontractors throughout Denmark. As Wede says having most staff living in
the segment’s natural buoyancy. the tunnel workforce is nearly twice the a single location helps to ensure they are
“That makes it a lot easier when we size of the population of the nearby village living in suitable conditions, are being
have to immerse it in the tunnel trench,” of Rødbyhavn, the construction site paid appropriately, and treated fairly
Wede says. includes a temporary village housing by the contractor.
The segment is lowered onto the 1200 staff. Attracting the right people has been a
seabed using steel cables, with a tolerance This is equipped with an on-site challenge, and a large educational
of only 15mm, before additional material hospital, staffed by a doctor and two programme is underway to train and
is placed on top to secure it to the sea floor. nurses. The site also features a cinema, upskill staff.
The first element is due to be immersed games room, fitness centre, hairdresser, It is combined with financial incentives
this summer, and each element will take kitchen, and laundry rooms. Each staff for staff who stay with the project to
four to six days to be assembled, towed member has their own room and prevent experience being lost. Social
out to sea and placed into position. bathroom, due to regulations introduced clauses in all major contracts mean that
As this can only take place during after the Covid-19 pandemic. contractors must create apprenticeships
good weather, an area has been created “Having that many people living in equivalent to at least 500 full-time jobs.
to store up to 12 elements at a time in such a compact area in two to three This will ensure the project has a
order to allow manufacturing to shifts, not waking each other up as they lasting impact on the construction sector
continue during bad weather. are coming back and going to work, is in Denmark, as well as the surrounding
To the west, work is well underway on quite difficult,” Wede says. “[The site region, for generations to come. IRJ
Europe | Ireland
Growing Dublin’s electric commuter network

Irish Rail is embarking on a programme of electrification and route upgrades to enable the Dublin Area Rapid
Transit network to handle up to 62,000 passengers per hour by 2030. Robert Preston reports.
D
URING the first quarter of this Dart+ at IÉ. “These are not just concepts.” A total of 40km of OHLE will be
year, Irish Rail (IÉ) is due to To help deliver its ambitious installed, requiring track to be lowered
begin tendering for the €1.75bn investment programme, IÉ is turning to at 16 locations and six overbridges
Dart+ Programme, a major investment the supply industry beyond Ireland, modified to provide sufficient clearance.
project which aims to triple the Dublin conducting market consultation as it Electrification work will also include
Area Rapid Transit (Dart) network from refines its procurement strategy building 12 traction supply substations.
its current length of 50km to 150km. through a series of roadshows held in Six level crossings will be closed. A new
This will involve electrifying at 1.5kV Dublin, Madrid, Lisbon and London. A EMU depot will be built on a greenfield
dc diesel-operated commuter routes to programme briefing held in London on site west of Maynooth, covering 56ha
the west and southwest of the city, November 13 2023, hosted by the and featuring an eight-road
extending the current Dart route at its Railway Industry Association (RIA), maintenance building as well as 15
northern end from Malahide to Drogheda, attracted over 130 attendees. The stabling tracks. “Its scale and size reflect
and carrying out capacity enhancements interest from potential suppliers in its national importance,” Finan says.
at its southern end between Bray and Britain was such that RIA was obliged The new train fleet that it will
Greystones. Passenger capacity will be to move the event to a larger venue. maintain and infrastructure work to
more than doubled on most lines, and support more frequent services should
for its expanding Dart network IÉ has enable capacity on Dart+ West to be
so far ordered 185 EMU and BEMU cars Four route upgrades increased from six trains and 4500
from Alstom under a framework contract Following the completion of passengers per hour per direction to 12
for up to 750, which it describes as the tendering this year, work is due to start trains and 14000 passengers per hour
largest single investment ever made in a in January 2025 on the first phase of the per direction when the project is
public transport fleet in Ireland. programme, Dart+ West, which is completed in December 2028.
This is “a hugely exciting time for rail expected to cost a total of €1.5bn. Construction is due to start in April
in Ireland,” according to IÉ CEO, Mr Jim As IÉ Dart+ programme manager, Mr 2025 on the second phase of the project,
Meade. The national railway is expecting Michael Finan, explained to the briefing Dart+ South West, which will involve
total passenger traffic to reach 50.5 in London, Dart+ West will involve 20km of electrification, including the
million passenger-journeys this year, electrifying the line from Dublin 16km from Dublin Heuston station to
beating the previous record of 50.1 million Connolly station to Maynooth, the Hazelhatch & Celbridge, and the line
set in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic, branch from Clonsilla to M3 Parkway, from Islandbridge Junction that runs
and then rise to 53 million in 2025. and the section from Glasnevin to a under Phoenix Park to Glasnevin
To meet rising demand and help achieve new station at Spencer Dock that will Junction on the Dart+ West line. Six new
its climate change targets, the Irish replace IÉ’s Docklands station. Spencer substations will be required, as well as
government has allocated €35bn to Dock will have four tracks and two widening a 4km section of the Dublin -
transport from the €165bn to be invested island platforms, and will provide Cork main line to four tracks and
under the National Development Plan interchange with Dublin’s Luas light rebuilding five road overbridges. Slab
for 2021-2030. “For every euro spent on rail network. An interchange between track will be installed in Phoenix Park
the roads, two euros are spent on public Dart+ West and the future MetroLink Tunnel and a new station is proposed at
transport,” says Mr Gary O’Halloran, north-south automated metro is Heuston West on the line to Glasnevin.
commercial and planning manager for planned at Glasnevin. When completed in July 2029 at an
The project will include extending the existing Greystones -

Malahide Dart line to Drogheda. Photo: Shutterstock/Pierre-Olivier
29
Europe | Ireland
single track running along the coast
Dublin through four tunnels will be partially
up!Obwbo Dart+ Network
Estuary
up!Esphifeb doubled, including a 500m section
Electrified lines
Lines to be electrified between Rathdown and Greystones.
Proposed extensions Swords Malahide This will require new retaining
IE main lines
Existing lines
structures as well as upgrades to OHLE,
Luas LRT signalling and telecommunications
M3 Parkway Existing lines
Planned line
Airport systems, and substations and switchgear.
MetroLink metro
Clongriffen
Upon completion, capacity will be
Planned line increased from two to three Dart trains
Howth Junction &
Charlestown Donaghmede Howth per hour per direction, and from 2400 to
Maynooth Castleknock City University 3600 passengers per hour per direction.
Clonsilla
Dart+ Coastal South also includes the
Broombridge 6 Drumcondra construction of turnback facilities at
Leixlip Confey
4 5 Spencer Dock Bray and Greystones, and the closure of
Heuston West 1
3 The Point Dublin Stations seven level crossings in total between
1 Heuston
Kishogue 2 Pearse
2 St Stephen’s Green
Dublin Connolly and Greystones. IÉ
Charlemont 3 Tara Street says that the construction of
Red Cow
4 O’Connell Street
5 Connolly
replacement pedestrian and cycle
Hazelhatch & Celbridge
f 6 Glasnevin infrastructure at all locations, including
!Mjo
Sfe Dun Laoghaire a road, cycle and pedestrian underpass
Hs
at Merrion Gates, will involve major

ff
N
o!
up!Dpsl Tallaght
Mjo
civil and structural engineering work in

f
Saggart Sandyford
0
km 5 an urban environment as well as utility
Bride’s Glen diversion on a major scale.
up!Hsfztupoft
IRJ Shankill
estimated cost of €1bn, Dart+ South hour peak between Malahide and Procurement strategy
West will increase capacity to 23 trains Drogheda from 11 to 24 trains and the “This is a pretty complex programme
and 20,000 passengers per hour per number of passengers from 12,500 to of work,” says Mr Tom Carey, an
direction, up from 12 trains and 5000 26,600. The new turnback facilities and advisory consultant from Ernst &
passengers now. other enhancements will enable Young working on the Dart+
The project’s third phase, Dart+ capacity between Dublin Connolly and Programme, who highlights the large
Coastal North, will extend Dart services Howth Junction to be increased from 29 amount of work that will need to be
from Malahide to Drogheda, and to 36 trains over the three-hour peak, undertaken on an operational railway.
involves electrification of 37km of the and total passenger capacity from 34,100 “We need to develop a collaborative
to 41,000. Work is due to start in March partnering ethos for the delivery of this
2026 for completion in December 2029. project.”
“
The fourth and final phase of the IÉ’s emerging preferred packaging
Dart+ Programme is Dart+ Coastal strategy would see three framework
South, which comprises an upgrade of contracts awarded for work across the
We need to develop the line between Dublin Connolly and Dart+ Programme, and two separate
Greystones, where new housing contracts for elements of Dart+ West.
a collaborative development is driving increased The programme-wide signalling,
partnering ethos for demand. Separately from the Dart+ telecommunications and electrification
Programme, contractor John Cradock framework contract has an approximate
the delivery of this has started main construction work on a value of €750m, excluding risk,
new station at Woodbrook, between contingency and VAT, and comprises
project. Tom Carey Bray and Shankill, which is expected to packages for the West (€300m), South
open in summer 2025. Funded by West (€150m) and Coastal North (€300m)
Ireland’s National Transport Authority, projects. IÉ is looking to appoint a
the station will be at the centre of a new contractor for the framework plus a reserve.
residential area with up to 2300 homes. This framework will interface with
Dublin - Belfast main line and the Dart+ Coastal South is currently at a two separate, national signalling
construction of eight new substations. A less advanced stage of development contracts, including one to supply
new platform and station concourse than the three other projects within the computer-based interlocking (CBI) to
will be built at Drogheda, where the programme, and IÉ expects to apply for replace solid-state interlockings (SSI)
existing DMU depot will be electrified. a Railway Order granting powers to that IÉ expects to award in the first or
At Howth Junction & Donaghmede undertake work in November 2025. The second quarter of this year. The second
station, the layout will be modified to project aims to increase capacity interface will be with Indra, which in
enable the Howth branch to be operated between Dublin Connolly and Bray 2020 was awarded a €32m contract to
with a shuttle service. New turnback from six to up to 12 trains per hour per supply IÉ with a traffic management
facilities will be provided at Malahide direction, raising the total number of system (TMS) and the new National
and Clongriffin. passengers that can be carried from Train Control Centre (NTCC) at Dublin
Costing €600m, Dart+ Coastal North 7200 to 14,400 per hour per direction. Heuston, also including maintenance
will increase capacity over the three- Between Bray and Greystones, the over 15 years.
The second programme-wide framework contractor plus a reserve to undertake = a management contract.
contract covers civil and structural work divided into three packages: West Dart+ procurement lead, Mr Gavin
work with a total value of €600m. (€20m), South West (€120m) and Coastal English, says that tendering would be
North (€10m). conducted under a two-stage process,
“
On Dart+ West, a separate contract with bidders first invited to prequalify
worth €150m will be tendered to design and then shortlisted to proceed to the
and build the new rolling stock invitation to tender (ITT) stage. All
maintenance depot at Maynooth. IÉ has contracts will be awarded to the most
Value for money does already begun the process of appointing economically advantageous tender.
not mean the cheapest a depot design consultant. Similarly, a “Value for money is a pillar of the IÉ
€100m design and build contract will be procurement strategy,” English explains.
price. We need to get awarded for the new station at Spencer “Value for money does not mean the
Dock. In addition, a Dart+ Programme cheapest price. We need to get the right
the right team at the client delivery partner will also be team at the right price.” He adds that
appointed. “IÉ will need a significant sustainability is also a key feature of the
right price. Gavin English amount of support on the client side,” Dart+ Programme and will inform the
Carey says. criteria for both shortlisting bidders and
For all disciplines, IÉ has selected as awarding contracts.
its preferred contract model NEC4 2017, Concluding the briefing in London,
which it says is an internationally- Dart+ programme management office
IÉ is looking to appoint three recognised, progressive and and systems lead, Mr Hilton Sanders,
contractors here to undertake work on a collaborative form of contract. For pointed out that the significant
design and build basis and under more engineering and construction contracts, programme of works that IÉ is
traditional arrangements. Within this NEC4 2017 has six pricing options, preparing to undertake is backed by all
framework, civil and structural work which enable the client to select the national and regional strategic plans
will be divided into four packages, most appropriate to provide them with with both political support and
covering West (€165m), South West the best certainty over project cost and financial commitment. Healthy bidding
(€230m), Coastal North (€75m) and value for money. These options are: for the contracts that IÉ is preparing to
Coastal South (€135m). Other discrete = priced contract with activity schedule tender would help ensure that public
packages of work may also be awarded. = priced contract with bill of quantities money is well spent. “Value for money
With an estimated total value of €150m, = target contract with activity schedule is important to us,” he says. “We
the final framework covers permanent = target contract with bill of quantities believe we can achieve this through
way. IÉ is again looking to appoint a = a cost-reimbursable contract; and strong competition.” IRJ
Presenting the 13th
Heavy Haul Rail

13-14 March 2024 | Crown Perth, WA
Future readiness for Heavy Haul Rail
Image: Rio Tinto

www.informa.com.au/hhrail
HHrail24
Rendezvous
February 2024 www.informa.com.au/event/ 30-May 1—Melbourne, Australia www.itf-oecd.org/itf-2024-
28-Mar 1—Dubai, UAE conference/transport-logistics/ NEW: RISSB Rail Safety summit-greening-transport-
MENA Transport Congress heavy-haul-rail/ Conference keeping-focus-times-crisis
8 UITP, Brussels, Belgium. 8 Informa, Sydney, Australia.
www.menatransport.org/website 26-27—Newport, Wales www.informa.com.au/event/ 29-30—Bangkok, Thailand
/3387/home NEW: RIA Innovation Conference conference/transport-logistics/ Asia Pacific Rail Conference &
8 RIA, London, Britain. rissb-rail-safety-conference/ Exhibition
March2024 https://riagb.org.uk/RIA/ 8 Terrapinn, Singapore.
5-6—London, Britain Events/2024/RIC_2024/RIA_ May 2024 www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/
NEW: Transport Ticketing Global Innovation_Conference_2024.aspx 14-16—Karlsruhe, Germany asia-pacific-rail
Conference IT-Trans Exhibition & Conference
8 Clarion, London, Britain. April 2024 8 UITP, Brussels, Belgium. June 2024
https://bit.ly/472uI1O 2-5—Brussels, Belgium www.it-trans.org/en 2-5—Cleveland, OH, USA
NEW: Connecting Europe Days NEW: APTA Rail Conference
6-7—Utrecht, Netherlands 8 European Commission, 15-16—Cologne, Germany 8 APTA, Washington, DC, USA.
RailTech Europe ‘24 Belgium, Brussels. www.apta.com/2024-meetings-
The Rise of IoT & Big Data in Rail
8 ProMedia, Rotterdam, https://transport.ec.europa.eu/ and-conferences/
connectingeuropedays_en
8 Rotaia Media, Ashford,
Netherlands. Britain.
www.railtech-europe.com 5-7—Shanghai, China
15-18—Dublin, Ireland www.iotandbigdatainrail.com
NEW: Rail+Metro China
7—Glasgow, Scotland NEW: TRA 2024 10th Conference 8 Shanghai Intex, Shanghai,
8 European Commission, 15-17—Jakarta, Indonesia China.
NEW: Rail Scotland Conference
Belgium, Brussels. Transport & Logistics Indonesia www.railmetrochina.com/expo/en
8 Peloton, Manchester, Britain.
https://peloton-events.co.uk/ https://traconference.eu/ 8 GEM, Jakarta, Indonesia.
rail-scotland-conference-2024/ https://logistics-indonesia.net/ 25-26—Johannesburg, South
23-25—Valenciennes, France Africa
12—Chicago, IL, USA NEW: ERTMS 2024 Conference 16-17—Berlin, Germany Africa Rail
NEW: Next-Generation Freight 8 ERA, Valenciennes, France. NEW: Railway Supplier Summit 8 Terrapinn, Dubai, UAE.
Rail Conference www.era.europa.eu/content/ 8 Berlin Institute Supply Chain www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/
8 Simmons-Boardman, Omaha, ertms-2024-conference Management, Berlin, Germany. africa-rail
USA. https://railwaysuppliersummit.
www.railwayage.com/ngfr24/ 30-May 1—Abu Dhabi, UAE com/ 25-26—Vienna, Austria
Middle East Rail NEW: World Passenger Festival
13-14—Perth, Australia 8 Terrapinn, Dubai, UAE. 22-24—Leipzig, Germany 8 Terrapinn, London, Britain.
NEW: Heavy Haul Rail Conference www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ NEW: ITF 2024 Summit www.terrapinn.com/WPF2024/
8 Informa, Sydney, Australia. middle-east-rail 8 ITF, Paris, France. IRJ
25-26 June 2024 | Messe Wien, Vienna, Austria
Innovation. Experience. Digital.

For the world's transport operators and their partners.
Book Your Ticket At

www.terrapinn.com/WPF2024/IRJ
10% Discount Code: IRJ10

Contacts | editorial Fresh faces
46 Killigrew Street, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 3PP, UK
Ms Linda Boot took up the position of CEO at
Tel +44 1326 313945 Rotterdam public transport operator RET on February
1. She previously worked at Amsterdam public
Editor-in-Chief Kevin Smith MA [email protected] transport operator GVB and succeeds interim CEO Mr
Consulting Editor/Associate Publisher
David Briginshaw CMILT [email protected] Joop Bakker, in post since November 1 2023 following
Associate Editor Robert Preston [email protected] the departure of Mr Maurice Unck after six years at
Deputy Editor Mark Simmons [email protected] GVB.
Business Development Manager Ann Gamble [email protected]
Production Manager Sue Morant [email protected] Under the Renfe28 restructuring programme that
intends to better prepare the Spanish national operator
for increasing competition, Mr Óscar Gómez Barbero
Regional editors has been appointed as director general of business and
Australia Tony Duboudin [email protected] operations. He heads a new directorate responsible for
Chile Ian Thomson Newman [email protected] passenger and freight operations, rolling stock
France David Haydock [email protected] maintenance, safety and cyber security, and was formerly
Germany Keith Fender [email protected]
Italy Marco Chiandoni Tel +39 347 4413235 [email protected] director general of Renfe’s logistics subsidiary LogiRail.
Japan Yoshihiko Sato Tel +81 3 5721 6616 [email protected]
New Zealand Richard Worrall [email protected]
USA/Canada William C Vantuono Tel +1 212 620 7240 Mr Thierry Guimbaud has been appointed as
[email protected] president of French rail regulator ART. Formerly
director general of inland waterways authority VNF,
Correspondents he succeeds Mr Philippe Richert who served as interim
Asia Rashid Ali Israel Jeremaya Goldberg
president since August 2022 following the departure
Austria Erwin Reidinger Korea Andy Tebay of Mr Bernard Roman.
Brazil Renata Passos Netherlands Quintus Vosman
Denmark Denis Bowers Pakistan Naeem Qureshi Alstom has appointed Ms Dalya Al Muthanna as its
Eastern Europe Roma Nazarov Poland Mykola Zasiadko
new managing director and CEO in the Gulf, heading
Hungary Ferenc Joo Spain Miguel Bustos
India Srinand Jha Ukraine Alexander Kava activities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar,
Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. She was formerly
president at GE in the UAE and global chief of
Executive offices strategy and operations for GE International Markets.
Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corp
1809 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, NE 68102, USA
Tel +1 212-620-7200
Trio of senior appointments in Australia
The Australian government has made three appointments at chief
President & Chairman A J McGinnis executive level in the rail sector.
Publisher, Rail Group Jonathan Chalon
Circulation Jo Ann Binz [email protected]
Mr Nick Miller joins Inland Rail, the company
overseeing the construction of a new freight route
Contacts | advertising between Brisbane and Melbourne. Miller joins after
five years as CEO of Australian construction materials
UK, France, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, French-speaking Switzerland, Scandinavia, manufacturing company, Adbri. Mr Robert Rust
Finland, Benelux, The Balkans, Kazakhstan returns to the role of Inland Rail board chair after
Michael Boyle, Dorfstrasse 70, 6393 St Ulrich, Austria serving as interim CEO and executive chair since October.
Tel +43 676 708 9872 and +49 163 830 8088 [email protected]
Mr Wayne Johnson has been confirmed as the new
South America, Middle East, Australasia, Asia excluding China and Japan
North America - CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, MA, MD, ME, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA,
chief executive and managing director of national
RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WV and Eastern Canada infrastructure manager Australian Rail Track
Jerome Marullo, Business Development Manager Corporation (ARTC) after serving in an acting capacity
Tel +1 732 887 5562 [email protected] since August 2023. He was previously group executive
Austria, Germany, German-speaking Switzerland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, responsible for the commercial and operational
Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia. performance of ARTC’s Hunter Valley network.
Simone and Simon Fahr,
Fahr Verlags + Presse Büro eK
Breitenbergstrasse 17, Füssen 87629, Germany Mr Timothy Parker has been appointed as the
Tel +49 8362 5074996 [email protected] inaugural chief executive of the High Speed Rail
Italy & Italian-speaking Switzerland Authority (HSRA). Parker has been head of Sydney
Dr Fabio Potestà, Metro since 2018 and has worked on major
Mediapoint & Communications srl, Corte Lambruschini, infrastructure projects in Hong Kong and Britain.
Corso Buenos Aires 8, Vo Piano, Int 7, 16129 Genova, Italy Parker replaces acting chief executive, Mr Andrew
Tel +39 010 570 4948 Fax +39 010 553 0088 [email protected]
Hyles, who was appointed following the start of
Japan operations at HRSA on June 13 2023.
Katsuhiro Ishii, Ace Media Service Inc
12-6, 4-chome, Nishiiko Adachi-ku, Tokyo 121-0824, Japan
Tel +81 3 5691 3335 Fax +81 3 5691 3336 [email protected]
Advertisers Index
China and AL, KY
Jonathan Chalon, Publisher
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Heather Disabato (Chicago) Tel +1 312 683 5026 hdisabato@sbpub-
Chicago.com
PowerRail 25
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Terrapinn (World Passenger Festival) 32
Ann Gamble +44 1326 567953 [email protected] Voestalpine Railway Systems 9
The last word | Europe
EU elections and rail:

connections, competition and climate neutrality
Philippe Citroën, director general of the European Rail Industry Association (Unife), outlines the industry’s
pitch for increased political support ahead of the European elections this June.
M ANY across Europe are

now in campaign mode
as election season for the
other forms of transport can
be more efficient in their
appropriate settings.
European Parliament and For example, by investing in
“
European Commission (EC) a more reliable and attractive
begins. It’s not just the rail sector passenger rail network,
and community that Unife will drivers in hundreds of
spend this time advocating for; European cities will benefit We must avoid
we also believe it is vital that from reduced road traffic and
Europe’s electorate receives congestion. This is the same moving the
the transport solutions it needs for the freight network, where
and deserves. investment in improved rail regulatory and
The next four months will infrastructure will result in
be a tough political contest, greater efficiencies and will
technical goalposts
which is essential in any reduce costs for all modes. too quickly.
thriving democracy. Even if Crucially, these investments
we live in an era where loud have the potential to close the
voices threaten to overwhelm ever-growing divide between
debates, we must not lose sight urban and regional Europe.
of the necessity of developing Policymakers know this is a
and delivering a multi-modal source of some of the political
transport system for Europe, discontent seen on the
which can help to meet the continent in recent times. But
broader goal of climate neutrality. investment in rail can help to by both European rail companies solutions that will benefit
Many who use Europe’s rail ease these tensions by both and through EC programmes Europe. Gradual, predictable
networks - both national and creating jobs and improving will help to deliver greater reform is important to breed
international - want an the quality of life by boosting interoperability to the European confidence and encourage
experience worth their time links between “forgotten” network as deadlines for investment in rail from the
and money. With many rail regions and booming cities. completing the TEN-T Core private sector.
passengers connecting to rail Infrastructure investment is network edge closer. They can Unife and other industry
services using their cars, other one vital component of also help to deliver a smarter, advocates have consistently
public transport modes, or offering these improved more integrated rail and argued for rail’s rightful place
even by bicycle, establishing connections. Building high- broader transport network. in European policy frameworks
consistent and reliable services speed railways, metros and Yet to achieve these objectives, over the last five years. A great
is the best way to further light rail lines, or investing in two things must be assured. deal of work has gone into
promote and increase rail use. new and renovating existing The first is the delivery of an these efforts. The rail industry
Europe’s ambitious climate bridges, tunnels and freight increased EU budget for has in turn responded to
objectives, enshrined in policy hubs, is essential for the sustainable transport projects, Europe’s call to look to the
targets to achieve climate continent’s transport system to and prioritising rail in the next future by prioritising gender
neutrality by 2050 and the modal progress. However, there must Multiannual Financial equality in the workplace
shift objectives of the EC’s also be an equal focus on Framework. Without this across the rail supply sector,
Sustainable and Smart Mobility embracing digitalisation. funding, delivery of key while also developing
Strategy, mean growing infrastructure and last-mile strategies to source the talent
passenger and rail freight use solutions for transport networks to help achieve rail’s ambitious
is central to the goals of the Digitalisation is unlikely, meaning the EC’s goals, notably through the
Commission. To achieve these In practice, this means policy goals will remain Staffer programme, which will
targets, rail network capacity capturing data points to build tantalisingly out of reach. conclude later this year.
and traffic in and between smarter networks to offer The second is regulatory But we are entering a new
cities, for both passenger and straightforward transitions stability and predictability, phase. One that must prioritise
freight transport, will need to between modes. It also includes which will enable European investment to deliver better
be scaled up. focusing on speeding up the rail businesses to remain connections and ensure a
Delivering a more balanced rollout of ERTMS across the competitive. We must avoid competitive environment for
transport network, while also European network and moving the regulatory and business. By offering a situation
focusing on improving the developing a dedicated plan to technical goalposts too quickly, primed for the greater take-up
connections between different migrate from GSM-R to FRMCS, preventing companies and of rail, the industry can play a
modes, will benefit all users. the next generation of railway businesses from responding significant role in meeting the
Unife is pushing for rail to telecommunications. Together accordingly and hindering continent’s major climate
take more of the burden so these technologies developed efforts to develop mobility pledges. IRJ

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THE BIGGEST EUROPEAN EXHIBITION & CONFERENCE SPECIFICALLY
DEDICATED TO THE CONCRETE AND MASONRY INDUSTRIES
Fiera certificata
An exhibition audited by 5th Edition 18-20 April 2024
126/2022
GICX22R
Piacenza - Italy
Giornate italiane del CalCestruzzo

e deGli inerti da Costruzione e demolizione
AMONG THE CONFIRMED EXHIBITORS AT GIC-ITALIAN CONCRETE DAYS 2024
BIANCHI PRECAST GROUP
EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR SURFACE PREPARATION
by
GAMBAROTTA R
S.R.L. G.M.B.H.
SINCE 1919 GSCHWENDT

Advanced Conveyor Technology
Supporting Associations at GIC-ITALIAN CONCRETE DAYS 2024 International Patronages

Associazione Nazionale Produttori
Travi Reticolari Miste European Water Jetting Institute
CONFINDUSTRIA
PIACENZA
For info and stand bookings: www.gic-expo.it

Associazione Porti Italiani (ASSOPORTI) · Via dell’Arco De’ Ginnasi, 6 · 00186 Roma
C.F. 80213650585 · phone +39 06 6876193 · fax +39 06 6876550 · www.assoporti.it · [email protected]
ph. +39 010 5704948 - [email protected]

February 2024

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IRJ

February 2024 | Volume 64 Issue 2

Landslide detection in Taiwan = Full pelt at the Fehmarn Belt

Post 46 Killigrew Street News

Advertising sales office

Print magazine subscriptions hotline

International Railway Journal (Print ISSN 2161-7376,

COPYRIGHT © Simmons-Boardman Publishing

not be reproduced without permission. For reprint

IRJ February 2024 3

Rail freight ill-equipped

to seize the moment

T HE Red Sea shipping crisis

Mexican passenger projects make progress Australia

preventing Renfe from using

Seven consortia interested in Kuala Lumpur - Singapore high-speed

University of Birmingham Spanish HS competition drives

6 IRJ February 2024

Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED? Kevin.B

Mark Simmons is IRJ’s new Deputy Editor business and technical

I NTERNATIONAL Railway global business operations to Zambia Railway between Dar

IRJ February 2024 7

First Porto - Lisbon HS construction tender launched FS privatisation

8 IRJ February 2024

Algeria to build 575km iron ore line

IRJ February 2024 9

RS Inserat 4c_88x254mm_3mm_Bleed_2022.indd 1 22.12.2022 09:21:06

EC Weights and Measures Directive amendment could reverse modal shift

9a IRJ February 2024

Photo: Marco Stellini

New and extended metro lines open across China

for comprehensive system

I SRAEL’s Metropolitan Mass

10 IRJ February 2024

Alstom wins Lille Asia

L ILLE’s metropolitan border span of the marine

D UBAI’s Roads &

IRJ February 2024 11

NS directly awarded Main Line Network concession Hungary makes

A N agreement that will see

12 IRJ February 2024

Rail businesses feature in BlackRock Germany Poland

IRJ February 2024 13

Full speed ahead for Chinese high-speed rail

14 IRJ February 2024

Duijangyan Guangyuan Hefei

IRJ February 2024 15

Record-breaking tunnel boring machine built for new high-speed line

IRJ February 2024 17

Landslide victory for new software

IRJ February 2024 19

enhanced railway safety.

20 IRJ February 2024

A revolution in light rail infrastructure?

IRJ February 2024 21

Greater standardisation paves the way

To meet the demands of the

8” LDU Display 12” LDU Display www. PowerRail.Com

Fehmarn Belt tunnel takes shape

Growing Dublin’s electric commuter network