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http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/diesel/international/press5.html Fri, 09 May 2008 16:33:09 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/diesel/international/press5.html IFT Signs Marketing and Distribution Agreement with Major European Chemical and Fuel Additives Distribution Company International Fuel Technology announced that it signed a marketing and distribution agreement with Caldic UK, a UK based chemical and fuel additives company. Caldic UK is a division of Rotterdam (Netherlands) based Caldic, a major European chemical and fuel additives distribution company with 25 sales offices in eight countries and annual revenues of approximately US$750 million. Caldic UK has purchased DiesoLIFTTM 10 and introduced the product to their clients, including major bus and supermarket companies. DiesoLIFTTM 10 has clearly demonstrated the ability to increase fuel economy and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions," said Roger Collis, Caldic UK's Managing Director. "In addition, independent laboratory testing has shown that IFT's DiesoLIFTTM BD-3 is a top performing fuel additive technology for addressing oxidation stability and deposit control in bio-diesel fuel blends. Both products are currently in use with some of our largest commercial accounts." Gary Kirk, IFT's Director of Sales and Marketing said: "The continued success of our DiesoLIFTTM product line has generated a lot of interest from major chemical and fuel additive distribution companies. The Caldic UK agreement is another significant step forward for our primary commercial strategy of partnering with large, well-known industry distribution companies with established marketing channels and end user clients." http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/diesel/international/press4.html Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:03:27 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/diesel/international/press4.html Sustainable Proven Financial Benefits of using DiesoLIFT DiesoLIFT™ is a performance enhancer recommended at a 1:600 dosage in diesel fuels (0.17% in volumes) in order to improve diesel fuel properties. The benefits gained from the treatment of rail diesel fuel with DiesoLIFT can be summarized as follows: Fuel Economy Proven economy of 3% minimum Potential economy in service from 7% to 10% on (as demonstrated in numerous rail trials) Engine tests carried out at the world's most renowned technical centers (MI Technology - Motive Power - SWRI - etc) Significant Reduction of Pollutant Emissions The treatment of diesel fuels with DiesoLIFT has a direct impact on the reduction of noxious emissions such as HC (Hydrocarbons), CO (carbon monoxide), particulates and exhaust smokes Greenhouse gases such as CO2 (carbon dioxide) and NOx (Nitrogen oxides) are also indirectly reduced after treatment of diesel fuels with DiesoLIFT due to the resulting reduction of fuel consumption Lubricity Improvement and Friction Reduction Tests carried out at oil industry certified independent laboratories have clearly demonstrated a significant lubricity improvement up to 50% in diesel fuels after treatment with DiesoLIFT Engine Reliability and Durability No engine damage or mechanical failure has ever been linked to the use of DiesoLIFT Diesel fuel characteristics remain within standard specifications after treatment with DiesoLIFT To comfort potential users, IFT has contracted a worldwide insurance policy for up to seven million dollars coverage against any risk of mechanical damages or failures proven to be directly linked to the use of DiesoLIFT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/weighing/schenck/press14.html Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:07:20 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/weighing/schenck/press14.html Schenck Process Group Honoured with the Oliver Wyman Best Growth Award for Mechanical Engineering Companies Schenck Process is the best example of the successes a good strategy process can deliver. In recognition of the successful definition and ongoing realisation of its growth strategy, the Schenck Process Group are delighted to announce that management consults Oliver Wyman and the Produktion business journal have conferred their 2007 Strategy Award for Mechanical Engineering Companies in the category of 'Best Growth Strategy' on the Schenck Process Group. Citing ability to achieve targeted financial results, in presenting the award Oliver Wyman acknowledges Schenck Process' transition from a component supplier to a leading provider of complete solutions. "The focus lies on the production of key components and on solutions with a clear differentiation and high customer benefit," says Thomas Kautzsch, Partner at Oliver Wyman in Munich. Additionally, selective acquisitions as well as the exemplary growth of its service business further convinced the awarding jury. The defined growth strategy, which Schenck Process has pursued since its 2005 MBO from Duuml;rr (owners of Carl Schenck AG) has greatly contributed to the award winning development of the company. Operating across the globe via a network of 25 legal entities, in order to achieve a focussed approach across various industries, the company has structured its business into five core International Business Segments (IBS) namely IBS Heavy, IBS Light, IBS Mining, IBS Power and IBS Transport Automation, each focusing on different user markets e.g. cement, steel, food, pharmaceuticals, coal, base metals, power and transport automation processes for road, rail and port. Serving all of these industries and many more via a customer-orientated business model, Schenck Process develops, manufactures and markets a full range of solutions, products and turnkey systems on the basis of combining process engineering expertise, reliable components and field-proven technology. Special praise was also given to the exemplary expansion of Schenck Process' services with respect to process optimisation for customers and carefully planned inorganic growth. Specific acquisitions e.g. the Stock, Redler and Fairfield companies and the 'in-motion-scale' business of Pfister Waagen Bilanciai, have increased the operating result at Schenck Process by 340% since 2003 and resulted in a 120% increase in the workforce; in Fiscal Year 2007, Schenck Process employed approximately 2,000 staff worldwide. Stewart D Murdoch, Schenck Process' Director of Business Development & Marketing comments, "we strongly believe in having a customer-orientated business model and we place this at the centre of all of our activities. Building on this model, the objective of our strategy is to have a balanced and profitable growth based on clearly defined organic and inorganic actions with the overarching objectives being the leverage of our global footprint to maximise our pre and after sales support and further expansion of our market position internationally." With more than 2,900 professionals in over 40 cities around the globe, Oliver Wyman is one of the leading management consulting firms and is part of the Marsh & McLennan Companies. The "Strategy Award for Mechanical Engineering Companies" was started in 2005 with the aim of encouraging development of strategic goals in the industry and publicly recognising their implementation. More than 100 German, Austrian and Swiss mechanical engineering companies participated in the contest that was conducted in co-operation with the business journal Produktion and under the patronage of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/computer/men-mikro/press18.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:54:21 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/computer/men-mikro/press18.html ESMexpress, System-On-Module Standard for Harsh Environments With the ESMexpress standard MEN Mikro Elektronik bridges a gap in the market for system-on-modules for harsh environmental conditions and safety-critical requirements in industrial embedded applications. Unlike the COM Express standard which is administered by the PICMG, ESMexpress is currently prepared to be standardized according to ANSI by the VITA. The official designation is ANSI-VITA 59, RSE Rugged System-On-Module Express. FIELDS OF APPLICATION System-On-Modules (SOM) or Computer-On-Modules (COM) are complete computers on a plug-on module. By configuring the I/O on an individual carrier board the functionality can be tailored to the application, thus saving costs and time-to-market. The ESMexpress standard has been developed for applications requiring highly robust electronics which ensure safe and reliable operation even in harsh environmental conditions. This applies in particular to railway and avionics applications, partially to industrial automation and medical engineering as well as mobile applications in general. TECHNICAL ASPECTS Therefore, during the development of ESMexpress, the main focus was on the fanless cooling concept that is prepared for a power dissipation of up to 35 Watts and support of both conduction and convection cooling. To achieve this, the populated PCB is mounted into a frame and completely enclosed in an aluminum housing. The high pressure caused by the screw joints between the housing and the PCB supports the thermal connection of the components. If the power dissipation of the respective ESMexpress module necessitates additional cooling measures, the housing is either connected to an external heat dissipation system (conduction) or combined with a heat sink for heat dissipation (convection). At the same time the housing ensures optimum EMC protection for the electronic parts. Another important point is the resistance against shock and vibration. For this, the module is fixed onto the carrier board using eight screws, a connector is used which is specified for MIL and railway applications and supports differential signals with up to 8 GHz. The mechanically robust connector has a stacking height of 5 mm with a minimum tolerance of +/-0,3 mm, is equipped with fixedly assigned contacts for power supply and is specified for an operating temperature of -55°C to +125°C. The electrical signals are distributed on two 120-pin connectors and are only defined for the modern serial buses. For PCI Express there are four single lane ports (4x1) and one port which can be configured as 1x16, 1x8, 2x4 oder 2x1. In addition there are three one-Gigabit Ethernet (also as 10-Gigabit), eight USB, three SATA, SDVO, LVDS, HD Audio, several utility signals and the single 12V power supply. The pin assignment is fixed without allowing options in order to guarantee the interchangability of the ESMexpress modules. Regarding the processor architecture ESMexpress is completely open, as long as the maximum power dissipation of 35W is not exceeded. Of course, all Intel platforms can be used, like the new UMPC family starting with the Intel Atom or the Intel Core architecture with the mobile chipsets, e.g. Core 2 Duo with 965GME. Just as well suited are PowerPC-CPUs, e.g. the MPC8548 from the PowerQUICC-III family by Freescale. COMMERCIAL ASPECTS In order to achieve an attractive price for the ESMexpress modules, mechanical components like the frame or the heat sink have been standardized as much as possible and will be available on the market as standard products. Independent of the functionality of the module and the field of application, the module can also be used without a housing. Cost savings regarding the electronic parts can be achieved via the fully-automated production of the 100% SMD modules. Depending on the module function one of the two 120-pin connectors can be omitted. In addition, the occasionally required connection of additional individual I/O via IP cores in an FPGA has also been moved to the carrier board to save costs. Being an ANSI standard, ESMexpress offers even more advantages, e.g. cost reduction because of shorter development times or easy exchangeability of discontinued components in critical applications with a required long-time availability of 15 years and more. Finally, ESMexpress is compatible with COM Express, regardless of the different concept. Via an adapter board which complies with the COM.0 Basic Form Factor Type 2 and adapts the mechanics and the pinout, ESMexpress modules can be used on COM Express carrier boards. Vice versa it is possible to prepare carrier boards for both COM Express and ESMexpress modules. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/computer/men-mikro/press19.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:39:58 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/computer/men-mikro/press19.html ESMexpress Module XM1 with Intel Atom System-On-Module Standard for Extreme Environmental Conditions MEN Mikro Elektronik presents the first ESMexpress modules, which comply with the new, proposed ANSI-VITA 59 standard (in preparation). The XM1 is the first Intel-based member of this System-on-module family for harsh environments and safety-critical applications in the embedded market. With the new Intel Atom and high-performance graphics, the XM1 is ideally suited for visualization applications for the railway, avionics, medical engineering and industrial automation markets. XM1 - THE PERFECT VISUALIZATION PLATFORM FOR INTEL ATOM Two variants of the recently presented Intel Atom - Z530 with 1.6 GHz or Z510 with 1.1 GHz - form the heart of the XM1, the first Intel-based ESMexpress module. Thanks to the 45nm technology the processor from Intel's new UMPC family perfectly complements the advantages of the XM1. Low power dissipation, extended temperature range, space-saving design and seven years minimum availability combined with a favorable price/performance ratio open up new application possibilities which until now could not be realized with Intel products of the Pentium M class. The XM1 is equipped with a soldered DDR2 SDRAM with up to 1 GB memory space and supports other memory types like USB Flash on the carrier board. All interfaces provided by the Intel System Controller Hub are used by the XM1 and can be led to different carrier boards. These are PCI Express, Gigabit Ethernet with Wake-On-LAN-functionality, eight USBs with host and client support, SATA, LVDS, SDVO and HD audio. Legacy I/O interfaces like COM and PATA can be used alternatively on a standard carrier board. A real-time clock and a board management controller with watchdog complete the functionality of the ESMexpress module. For testing of all functions of the XM1 and for developing the application the XC1 universal carrier board in ATX format can be used. The XM1 can also be plugged onto COM Express carrier boards (basic form factor type 2) via the adapter board AE12. ROBUST MECHANICS FOR HARSH ENVIRONMENTS Having a total power dissipation of seven Watts maximum, the XM1 is specified for an operating temperature of -40°C to +85°C with conduction or convection cooling. Like all ESMexpress modules it is installed in a closed housing which also guarantees 100% EMC protection. To ensure shock and vibration resistance MIL- and railway-compliant connectors are used and all components are soldered. In addition the board is coated against humidity and dust. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/security/secom/press2.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:48:47 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/security/secom/press2.html Secom Trains CCTV Cameras to Guard Unstaffed Stations Electronic security solutions from Secom plc are part of a £250,000 project to improve facilities and safety at unstaffed railway stations on a key Midland route. Digital CCTV installations and associated improvements have deterred acts of vandalism - helping to boost public confidence in rail travel and increasing passenger numbers by 20%. Working with the North Staffordshire Community Rail Partnership (NSCRP) and the train operating company, Secom installed digital CCTV recording systems at Longport and Longton stations on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent. Both stations are served by a regular service on the strategic Crewe-Stoke-Derby line. The Secom solution includes pole mounted camera arrays at Longton, and cameras fixed to the buildings at Longport. Less obtrusive anti-vandal dome cameras are fitted to the Grade II listed station building on Longport's southbound platform. Both systems have 30-day recording equipment, and provision for offsite monitoring if required. Secom National Accounts Executive Ian Barthorpe says train companies have a major challenge to ensure that station facilities and waiting passengers are properly protected at all times. "The NSCRP project provides much more than a deterrent to vandalism and assault - our CCTV installations help to create a safe environment at these stations. This in turn stimulates rail travel and ultimately encourages regional economic growth," he says. Faye Lambert, NSCRP Project Officer, says seven of the 11 stations on the Crewe-Stoke-Derby line are either unstaffed or have limited ticket office hours. "We wanted to make them more welcoming, to encourage people to use the line," she says. "Feedback from national and local passenger surveys was that the priorities should be safer stations, better waiting facilities and improved information for passengers. "North Staffordshire Regeneration Zone funding has enabled us to install CCTV at Longton and Longport, as well as erecting vandal-proof waiting shelters, and installing improved platform lighting, noticeboards and a customer information system. We worked closely with Secom, which was a preferred supplier to Central Trains - the train operator when we started the project. The franchise has since been taken over by East Midland Trains, a Stagecoach company." Faye Lambert says the stations look much better with the modernised facilities. "Since the improvements were installed, passenger numbers have risen by about 20% and we have had no significant incidents of crime or vandalism at either station. As a result of this success we are planning a similar project at Blythe Bridge, which is also unstaffed." The NSCRP links local authorities, businesses and voluntary groups with the aim of promoting and improving the Crewe-Stoke-Derby line for local people and visitors. The line links tourist attractions, business centres and airports, and has connections to mainline services between London, Birmingham and the North. Secom plc installs innovative tailored security solutions for commercial, public sector and domestic customers throughout the UK. Its ongoing quality service includes 24-hour monitoring of intruder and fire alarms, and video surveillance systems. Secom plc is the UK arm of a major global electronic security group, established in the 1960s. The group operates in 12 countries and its 38,000 employees serve more than a million customers. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/security/secom/press1.html Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:43:04 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/security/secom/press1.html Secom Wins Contract for Gateway Police Facilities Police stations serving major new international gateways into London are to be protected with advanced security systems from Secom. The leading electronic security solutions provider has been awarded a Metropolitan Police Authority contract to supply and install integrated systems for police facilities at Terminal 5 Heathrow and the new Channel Tunnel stations at St Pancras and Stratford. Announcing the contract award, Secom plc Managing Director Minoru Takezawa said: "We are proud to be working with the Metropolitan Police to secure their facilities at these three sites, which are of great strategic importance in the UK's expanding transport infrastructure providing significant new national and international routes into London." He said installation of electronic surveillance and protection equipment would start at all three sites immediately - against tight deadlines, with St Pancras due to see its first Eurostar services in November this year and Terminal 5 set to open next March. "Events of the past few years have shown the need for tight security in public areas, especially airports and railway stations," said Minoru Takezawa. "We welcome this opportunity to assist the police in ensuring public safety. This is in line with our stated corporate goal of building a safer society." In addition to the cross channel traffic, the new rail link will provide high speed commuter services for North Kent via Stratford International and St Pancras. Both stations are already important hubs on the London transport network. Secom plc installs innovative tailored security solutions for commercial, public sector and domestic customers throughout the UK. Its ongoing quality service includes 24-hour monitoring of intruder and fire alarms, and video surveillance systems. Secom plc is the UK arm of a major global electronic security group, established in the 1960s. The group operates in 11 countries and its 38,000 employees serve more than a million customers. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/brakes/knorr_bremse/press5.html Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:55:42 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/brakes/knorr_bremse/press5.html Knorr-Bremske and Alstrom Conclude Framework Agreement The French rail vehicle manufacturer Alstom Transport has concluded an extensive long term framework agreement with Knorr-Bremse for the development and supply of braking systems. The leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail vehicles world-wide can, as a preferred supplier, in the future tender for all Alstom's major projects world-wide. Knorr-Bremse is the very first supplier with which Alstom has concluded a so-called LP150 agreement. Both companies declared that the goal of their partnership was to significantly increase Knorr-Bremse's supply volume to Alstom across the whole range of rail vehicle platforms. Heinz Hermann Thiele, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Knorr-Bremse AG, describes the agreement as an important step offering the company new opportunities in both the French and the international railway equipment markets. Dr Dieter Wilhelm, Member of the Executive Board of Knorr-Bremse responsible for rail vehicle systems, sees the framework agreement as proof of the performance capability of Knorr-Bremse's systems. "We have prevailed over our competitors above all thanks to our strong performance in terms of innovation and quality." In the last financial year, Knorr-Bremse spent approx. &uro;160 million - almost five percent of turnover - on research and development. Alstom Transport is one of the world's leading suppliers of complete railroad technologies and services. The company develops and manufactures vehicles, signal technology, infrastructure and services, which it can offer as turnkey solutions. With representatives in more than 60 countries and 26,000 employees, Alstom Transport posted sales of &uro;5.3 billion in the financial year 2006/2007. The Knorr-Bremse Group is the world's leading manufacturer of braking systems for rail and commercial vehicles. For more than 100 years now the company has pioneered the development, production and marketing of state-of-the-art braking systems. Other lines of business include automatic door systems, rail vehicle air conditioning systems and torsional vibration dampers for internal combustion engines. In 2007 the Group posted sales of &uro;3.25 billion and employed a workforce of 14,000. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/yard/vector-lifting/press1.html Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:49:17 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/yard/vector-lifting/press1.html Perth Engineering Firm Completes Major Taiwan Rail Project Vector Lifting, in partnership with Taiwanese companies, China Steel Machinery Company and Teco Industries, has recently completed its largest and most ambitious project since inception in 1974. Over the past three years, the West Australian-based railway engineering company has supplied a number of items of maintenance equipment for the Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation. This equipment ranged from simple bogie stands to a state-of-the-art underfloor lifting system and included a bogie drop table; bogie load test system; disassembly hoist; mobile jacks; bogie and wheel set turntables, and wheel set and axle rotating devices. Well known in Australia for similar engineering projects, this has been the first international, and by far the most challenging railway project undertaken by the company. Martin Tognala, Vector Lifting's Sales Engineer said this has been a significant venture for the company that had required the establishment of an additional specialist design and administration office dedicated to this one project, in addition to the project management office set up in Taiwan. Taiwan's high speed railway has been one of the largest construction projects of the late 20th Century. With an original cost estimate of some US$13 billion, the electrified high-speed line connects the major cities of Taipei in the North and Kaohsiung in the South, a distance of 345 kilometres. The new rail line cuts the journey-time from four hours to just ninety minutes. Around 300 kilometres of the track is built on viaducts or in tunnels. Taiwan has a high incidence of earthquakes and all elements of the supplied equipment were designed to withstand a significant earthquake. The underfloor lifting system (ULS) is located in the main maintenance depot at Yen Chao and is the centre-piece of the equipment supplied by Vector Lifting. It is capable of lifting a complete twelve-car, 300 metre long electric multiple unit (EMU) train set weighing over 700 tonnes. The cantilevered lifting system provides enough lift to enable bogies to pass under the raised railcar bodies along the full length of the track. This operation is carried out on the single ULS track without the need of intermediate turntables or an adjacent track. Up to twenty-four bogey sets can be replaced simultaneously. Besides being able to lift a complete EMU train set, the ULS can be configured to lift a combination of individual railcars as well as groups of railcars. For example, operators can lift six individual railcars or four individual railcars and a group of three. A number of different combination lifts are available. When lifting the whole train set, the ULS is controlled from a central main control console. In addition, twelve local control consoles are available for use when lifting different combinations of railcars. The actual ULS comprises twenty-four individual hoisting systems each with two lifting screw spindles. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) ensures the accurate synchronisation of all forty eight spindles in order to maintain an even lift. The PLC programming is made even more complex because of the various combinations of lifts that can be selected. In order to maintain a safer working environment, the hoists are all concealed below ground when the system is not in use. "Projects of this nature and complexity don't get awarded to WA firms that often," commented Martin Tognala. "Our reputation globally as specialist railway lifting engineering experts has certainly been enhanced with the completion and successful commissioning of this Taiwan high speed rail job. It has attracted world interest and acclaim for its innovative features," he added. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/weighing/schenck/press13.html Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:11:22 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/weighing/schenck/press13.html Schenck Process Opens New TestCenter Which feeder is best for which bulk material? In order to provide customers with accurate answers to this question, Schenck Process are now offering tests at their new, modern TestCenter in Darmstadt that are based on real life situations. The specialist in measuring and process technologies invited its customers to the centre's official opening on 27 February. More than 100 people attended the event to learn more about what the new centre has to offer. Just like at a trade fair, the event enabled them to view several highlights under one roof. More test rigs and an improved level of automation mean that the TestCenter can now run even more accurate tests, all very closely based on actual processing circumstances. JUST LIKE REAL LIFE Tests in the four test labs can be run in parallel without impacting negatively on one another. Three of the test labs feature different equipment for filling the feeders with bulk bags or pneumatic feeding and complete cycle feeding. The fourth lab can be heated in a way that simulates different ambient conditions and can even simulate the environments of hot climates. All this means that the test processes undertaken are very simple to run. For example, the centre includes: Separate dust separation Separate preparation for tests in the PowderArea The test bulk material used being stored locally Liquid cleaning of dirty feeders and equipment in the FeederWash with dirty water collection pan body and eye wash units that satisfy the latest safety standards Customers can also benefit from the test tower where bulk material can be supplied directly from the street. This features three different bulk material test areas: A material circuit with pneumatic cycle feeding for dust or carbon dust with MULTICOR® S40 A granulate test area with MULTISTREAM® A MULTIDOS® test area NO NEED TO GET YOUR HANDS DIRTY The new spatial concept satisfies very stringent cleanliness and safety standards. Work in the old test centre was often rather dusty but now the tests can be followed from screens in the separate, dust-free control room. The highly functional way in which the centre is split into a test, control and meeting area also allows meetings to be held alongside the tests or for specialist meetings to be held right next door - and those nice shiny suits can stay that way. Portable PCs with wireless connections can be used throughout the TestCenter. Food and drink can of course also be arranged. During the opening event, interested parties were able to follow various tests in person. These included for example feeding PP granulate using the MechaTron® and processing Finntalc with the ProFlex® C. As well as the ProFlex®, guests could take a look at the PureFeed®, MULTIDOS® L and MULTIGRAV® EasyClean. The visitors explored all the different parts of the TestCenter and many took the opportunity to also tour the final assembly area. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/engineering/pfleiderer2/press21.html Tue, 15 Apr 2008 15:38:39 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/engineering/pfleiderer2/press21.html Management Change at RAIL.ONE Ralf Sobottka (48) has become the new Chief Financial Officer at RAIL.ONE Group. Before his move to the internationally successful manufacturer of concrete sleepers and railtrack systems, Sobottka was employed at the DyStar Group, where he took over as CFO in 2005. Earlier, he held management positions in finance at the Henkel and Cognis Group. Tilo Brandis, CEO at RAIL.One said: "We are pleased to have been able to bring Ralf Sobottka on board: a man with extensive experience and competence in all matters of finance and the capital market." In this context, Gerhard Binner, until now CFO at RAIL.ONE, is leaving the company at his own request for personal reasons, after having introduced his successor to the position. Richard Ziegler, Executive Vice President and COO at RAIL.ONE, emphasized: "Over the past eight years, Mr Binner has extremely successfully contributed to the company, which he has supported on its course of international growth. We would like to take this opportunity to express to him our appreciation for his long years of highly faithful service to the company." http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/infrastructure/strukton/press14.html Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:22:00 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/infrastructure/strukton/press14.html Strukton Railinfra Starts Rolling Stock Division Starting April 1st 2008 Strukton Railinfra concentrated its rolling stock related activities in a new division called Strukton Rolling Stock. This step marks Strukton's ambitions in this market. The new organisation is a solid basis for Strukton to execute its growth scenario and the related activities can be easier recognised by customers. Strukton started its rolling stock activities in 1999 by offering cabling and installation services. In 2005 the product pallet was expanded with electrical propulsion systems, auxiliary converters and train control and management systems. Therefore Strukton is now capable to design and supply the complete electrical system on trolleybuses, trams, metro's, trains or locomotives. Strukton Rolling Stock is active on an international scale with: the engineering and production of propulsion systems, auxiliary power supplies, train control and management systems and fleet management systems the installation of passenger information and entertainment systems system integration, production of relay and control panels on-site installation of train cabling installation of safety systems (ETCS/ERTMS, ATB, Indusi, etc.) commissioning and after sales activities maintenance on complete vehicles in co-operation with (inter)national partners The products have been designed using technology that contributes to energy saving and environmental benefits. Being an integrated part of the Strukton Railinfra family opens the possibility to further integrate and optimise train and track born systems, for instance: the total energy chain from power station to train safety and signalling systems http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/track/portaco/press2.html Mon, 14 Apr 2008 18:10:34 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/track/portaco/press2.html PortaCo's Profile Grinder PortaCo, one of the largest manufacturers of portable hydraulic power units, tools and vehicles in the US, is pleased to present its new GP-10-29-0 profile grinder. Standard features include: Convenient handle with trigger that automatically stops tool operation when released Trigger safety lock to avoid unplanned operation Quick, easy, latch for carriage positioning Smooth-operating, durable, stone height adjustment wheel Lifting handles are balanced for ease of transport Shaft lock for ease in stone removal Durable steel frame construction High-efficiency, pressure-loaded, hydraulic motor provides maximum power while reducing heat and minimizing energy waste Over-speed valve protects motor and stone from excessive RPM HTMA flat-faced couplers All encompassing spark guard for optimum protection All rotating wheels fitted with permanently lubricated ball bearings Designed to accommodate rail end frog kit The profile grinder is built specifically to operate in the rigorous conditions the railroad industry demands. In the United States, PortaCo provides sales support and service to keep our valued customers up and running. We are CE approved on most of our power unit lines and are an active member of the Hydraulic Tool Manufacturers Association. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/track/portaco/press1.html Thu, 10 Apr 2008 12:14:49 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/track/portaco/press1.html PortaCo Introduces the Gas Powered Flangeway Cleaner PortaCo, one of the largest manufacturers of portable hydraulic power units, tools and vehicles in the US has introduced the new Model CF-00-F3-0 gas powered flangeway cleaner. Standard features: Great on compacted dirt and snow Faster and more efficient cleaning crossing flanges Ergonomically designed Adjustable cleaning depth Debris flap for safe operation Light weight self contained unit for ease of operation Contact PortaCo, Inc. with any questions or concerns Specifications Length: 52.5in / 133.4cm Width: 22.0in / 55.9cm Height: 37.0in / 94.0cm Weight: 70lbs / 31.8kg Please review this product on our website and view a sample video of the product in use. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/operation/ikusi/press13.html Wed, 09 Apr 2008 18:15:27 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/operation/ikusi/press13.html The Vitoria Tram (Spain) has the Mark of IKUSI The contracts are signed and the projects are underway: IKUSI has become a company of reference in the growing market for trams. At first, it was the Metro of Tenerife, and now it is Vitoria´s turn. The project is already well underway and, according to the plan, it will be in operation for Christmas this year. IKUSI has been awarded three separate contracts for the Vitoria Tram program in fixed infrastructure and on board systems. These are communication systems, ticketing systems, and on board operation equipment. The final customers are EuskoTren and Euskal Trenbide Sarea, the companies behind the Vitoria Tram program. The list of the systems that IKUSI will provide is long. Among the fixed infrastructure works, there is the installation of the optical fiber network, the Ethernet gigabit network, an earth-to-train digital radio communication system, an information system at tram stops, and the command center equipment. But most importantly for IKUSI, is the fare management system, since it is the first contract of this nature and size that the company has won, beating out large specialist companies in the field. In addition, this contract requires the compatibility of the new system with the present data processing centre of EuskoTren -an important requirement that reflects on the good reputation for integration of products and systems that IKUSI has in the market. Regarding on board systems, IKUSI will provide the operation terminal, the wireless communications equipment, with Wi Fi and GPRS technology, as well as the personnel identification modules for the drivers, with RFID technology. With this project for the Vitoria (Spain) tram, IKUSI confirms its leading position in a sector with ample growth expectations, since every day the list of cities that are looking for more effective and sustainable public transport, such as this one, grows. The Vitoria tram will be operated by EuskoTran. Infrastructure construction, directed by Euskal Trenbide Sarea, began in September, 2006. When the two lines are finished, even the farthest neighborhoods will be connected to the city centre in only 12 minutes. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/bogies/rsd Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/bogies/rsd RSD Since its inception in 1940, RSD, a division of DCD-DORBYL, has established itself as a leading supplier of locomotives, railway wagons and related goods to the national railways, mining and industrial users throughout the local and international markets. RSD has the technical expertise, experience and facilities to design and manufacture a broad range of products to meet their individual customers' needs. For the rail industry, RSD designs, manufactures, refurbishes and services a complete range of rolling stock including locomotives, coach bodies, wagons and bogies. RSD has designed and manufactured more than 130,000 wagons, 1,000 surface locomotives and 4,000 underground locomotives. BOGIES FOR ALL TYPES OF ROLLING STOCK RSD have supplied nearly all the locomotive and passenger cars as well as the majority of freight bogies for the South African Railways and also for various other African and overseas customers over 50 years. The following are special features of our designs: They are user-centered, designed for specific operational conditions The bogies are designed for safety and reliability We are flexible and a design will fit the user's requirements with relative short development and delivery times Our designs are robust and ensure optimum availability and mission reliability Our bogies offer a minimum life cycle cost, they are supplied with one-piece cast steel frames for a virtually indefinite service life TWO-AXLE AND THREE-AXLE LOCOMOTIVE BOGIES For locomotives three-axle and two-axle bogies have been designed, both off-flange (self-steering) and on-flange curving (conventional) for both general freight and heavy haul applications. The bogies offer zero inter-axle mass-transfer. For passenger vehicles we designed and supplied mainline and suburban coach bogies as well as high-speed bogies. They are designed for comfort but provide the maximum operational safety. On the freight side we supply the Scheffel CROSS-ANCHOR self-steering bogie. This bogie is in a class of its own in reduction of wheel and rail forces and wear. ROLLING STOCK TECHNOLOGY We constantly strive to be at the forefront of rolling stock technology, and can draw on vast depths of experience, expertise and resources in this field. RSD has long been a leader in the development and supply of rolling stock in South Africa and export markets. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/signal/transcore Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/signal/transcore TransCore With installations in more than 24 countries, TransCore is the leader in Automatic Equipment Identification (AEI) for the rail industry. We set the standards by which all AEI is measured. On all five continents, TransCore has installed more than 6.9 million tags and 21,000 readers throughout the rail and intermodal industry. WIRELESS RADIO FREQUENCY IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS In 1991 the North American rail industry adopted a mandatory standard based on TransCore's Amtech wireless Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. All railcars in interchange service in North America are required to be equipped with our radio frequency tags, allowing railroads to manage cars and locomotives nationwide. TransCore's tags are also encoded per the ATA standard for trucking applications. RAIL AND INTERMODAL EQUIPMENT TRACKING AND MONITORING TransCore's products electronically identify and monitor rail and intermodal equipment. This allows rail, port, marine and trucking companies to track and monitor equipment effectively, resulting in increased equipment utilization and reduced re-handles, dwell time and overhead. TRANSPORTATION TAG AND READER SYSTEM Our transportation tag and reader system provides an easy and inexpensive way to improve productivity and reduce costs. Transportation tags are mounted on railcars, locomotives, trailers, chassis, containers, and truck cabs with readers installed at strategic points, such as railroad interchange points and yards, gates, fuel tracks lanes, and maintenance facilities. As tagged equipment passes a reader, the tag identifies the equipment and the reader relays the time, date, or other programmed information to a host computer. Intermodal and trucking companies also use TransCore readers and tags to track chassis, containers and other equipment as soon as it enters the terminal gates: for example, the serial number, time and date of transaction is sent to the host computer the moment the tagged equipment passes a reader. Our system also helps ensure timeliness and accuracy and improve scheduling. Hands-free and wireless, these systems improve equipment and inventory accuracy, eliminate paperwork and increase employee productivity by automating equipment tracking procedures at the terminal. RFID RAIL TAGS RFID tags are attached to locomotives and wagons and encoded with equipment-specific information. Readers are placed at strategic junction points along each line, and as tagged equipment passes a reader, asset data stored in the tag is recorded in real time. The data is then transmitted to your host computer, automating and simplifying system management functions while providing perpetual inventory control. RAILCAR RFID RAIL TAGS TransCore's RFID rail tags (available in 902MHz to 928MHz, and 2,450MHz, bands) are designed for years of continued, reliable use in the harshest operating environments. RFID tags affixed to railcars are subjected to every imaginable harsh environmental exposure (heat, cold, snow, ice, dirt, rain, oil and ‐ in certain cases ‐ temperatures over 350°F), yet they are required to be installed once and operate indefinitely with 99%+ reliability. Our new tag technology features high-speed reading and writing capability, greatly enhanced data rate, memory capacity, and on-the-fly programming with security. TransCore provides two general classes of readers depending on application requirements ‐ single and multi-protocol, and fixed mount or portable (i.e. handheld). Performance and selection of an individual TransCore reader is wholly dependent on the application environment in which the reader is to be deployed. TransCore also manufactures and distributes a variety of antennas to support rail and intermodal applications, and a satellite GPS (GlobalWave®) system which complements the RFID solution. FULL-DISTRIBUTION CHAIN-MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS We provide logistics management and integrated supply-chain tracking systems to customers on five continents. From rail to truck, we offer full-distribution chain-management solutions. RELIABLE AEI SOLUTIONS TransCore offers reliable AEI solutions for automating electronic data capture and transmission. TransCore's Global Absolute Positioning System (GAPS) transponders and interrogators are also used by trainborne systems to identify a train's absolute position. This reference location information is used by other train control and information systems such as Computer Based Train Control (CBTC), Automatic Train Protection (ATP), Automatic Train Location (ATL), and Automatic Train Separation (ATS) systems, door control systems, and audio and visual annunciation systems. http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/electrification/lamifil Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/contractors/electrification/lamifil Lamifil From urban transport systems up to high-speed networks, Lamifil supplies the right catenary wires ranging from pure copper and copper silver up to copper cadmium and copper magnesium. The powerful combination of innovative technology, abundant experience and advanced know-how makes Lamifil the preferred partner for your business. CONTACT, MESSENGER, DROPPER AND FEEDER-CABLE OVERHEAD WIRES For more than 50 years Lamifil has been manufacturing a comprehensive range of overhead wires for railway electrification. As one of the leading manufacturers in this field, we have proven to be a reliable supplier of: Contact wires Messenger wires Feeder cables Dropper wires Lamifil can supply the above in copper, copper silver (CuAg), copper cadmium (CuCd) and copper magnesium (CuMg). Lamifil also manufacture a wide range of aluminium and aluminium alloy conductors for both railway electrification and overhead lines for transmission and distribution of electricity. More specific information regarding the products above can be found below. CONTACT WIRE Lamifil manufactures trolley wire or contact wire in accordance with both internationally recognised standards and customer specifications. Features include: Sections ranging from 65mm² up to 150mm² and above Round, flat, oval profiles Available in copper, copper silver, copper magnesium and copper cadmium Specifications: EN, NFC, DIN, UIC, BS and ASTM Depending on the type of lines (heavy traffic, normal operation, high-speed lines, etc) different sections or different alloys will be used. MESSENGER, FEEDER AND DROPPER WIRE Lamifil produces bare overhead electrification conductors in copper and copper alloys in accordance with internationally recognised standards as well as customer specific requirements or specifications. Features include: Sections ranging from 10mm² up to 1,400mm² Messenger wires, feeder wires, dropper wires and flexible strands Available in copper, copper silver, copper magnesium and copper cadmium Specifications: EN, NFC, DIN, BS and ASTM Furthermore Lamifil manufactures a complete range of aluminium and aluminium alloy conductors to connect the catenary wires to the power supply grid. This makes Lamifil your 'one-stop shop' for a full range of bare conductors used in railway electrification. WIRE ROD AND DRAWN WIRE For overseas markets Lamifil can offer not only the finished products, but also the wire rod or drawn wire used to produce the conductors for overhead electrification. Wire rod in copper-magnesium (CuMg) or copper-cadmium (CuCd) is available in a wide range of diameters. Wire rod in aluminium alloys is available in several diameters. CUSTOMERS Lamifil supply a broad range of catenary wires to customers around the globe. Among Lamifil's key accounts are leading international railway contractors as well as many railway infrastructure operators active in the following fields: Tramways / LRT Conventional rail infrastructure High-speed rail (above 300km/h) Lamifil have a long history. For nearly 80 years we have been processing aluminium and copper at the heart of Europe. Lamifil was previously known by the name Lamitref and is based near the harbour of Antwerp in Belgium. Over many decades, the company has built up an excellent reputation as supplier of railway electrification products. Today, we export our products to five continents. http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/zurichtrams/ Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/zurichtrams/ Zurich Tramway Developments Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and capital of the federal state (canton) of the same name. The canton's 1,728km² house around one-sixth of the national population, and many from neighbouring cantons add to an expanding level of commuting within and into the area. Added demand is generated by the country's principal airport in Zurich's northern community of Kloten. A large feature of the city centre, the main station, Zurich HB, is a hub for national and international services. Not extreme by Swiss standards, the city site at the western end of the Zurchersee Lake nevertheless poses engineering challenges including intensive settlement, substantial hills and the confluence of the Limmat and Sihl rivers. "Zurich's exceptional public transport arrangements remain under development and are the product of an evolving long-term project." THE PROJECT Zurich's exceptional public transport arrangements, an aspiration for cities worldwide, remain under development and are the product of an evolving long-term project. The use of referenda is widespread throughout Switzerland, thus it was that on two occasions, schemes for creating a metro-like tram-in-tunnel 'tiefbahn' (as per Dortmund and Köln in Germany) were rejected, although the electorate made it clear that it was specifically the sub-surface aspect that being rejected, and not the application of funds for improving public transport and protecting the environment. Some guiding principals are that surface routes, including the extant tramway with origins in 1882, would continue to be expanded and improved; that public transport modes would get roadway priority; that new building developments had to relate to public transport provision and that pedestrian access to public transport stops is as easy and agreeable as possible. Related to making the use of bus, tram or train even more appealing, tight controls are in place concerning road vehicle access, speeds and parking spaces. Allied to the physical transport provisions are the administrative arrangements, with publicly owned city transport operator Verkehrsbetriebe Zurich (VBZ) being one of many undertakings within Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV), the cantonal body that integrates all services and provides the multi-mode ticketing system. Even in relatively remote parts of the canton, frequency levels are high and scheduled on a 'clockface' basis to facilitate easy transfers within and between modes. Zurich canton's internal rail services, some extending to neighbouring cantons and into Germany, are mainly provided by national body SBB-CFF-FFS. With services designated 'S' according to the S-Bahn system introduced in 1990, there are many interchange points with the tram and forthcoming light rail extensions. INFRASTRUCTURE The metre-gauge tramways and new light rail projects are all built with turning loops, leading to the use of the single ended trams with doors on one side only. With a high level of track sharing by tram routes in the central area, much of the system runs along roads and includes reserved alignments. Consistent with the policy of easy access, the system is almost entirely surface running and features substantial stations at major interchanges like Central, Bahnhof Quai/HB, Bellevue and Bahnhof Enge. The approximately 2km tunnel between Milchbuck and Schwamendingerplatz created for the cancelled metro project was adopted for tram use by the mid-1980s and features three sub-surface stations on routes 7 and 9. ROLLING STOCK Zurich is in the midst of replacing part of the earlier tram fleet with the Pininfarina-styled low-floor, five-section Cobra model, a product initially aimed at gaining orders from that city and also from Basel, another large Swiss network (which eventually ordered the Siemens Combino). "The system is almost entirely surface running and features substantial stations at major interchanges." Not without difficulties with the design itself and with the original production consortium, an order for 68 Cobras from lead contractor Bombardier in association with Alstom was placed in June 2004. Subsequent orders up to 2008, including some for the Glattalbahn project, should see 88 in service around Zurich by 2010. Perhaps one of the last custom-built tram designs, in original ownership the Cobra seems destined to become peculiar to the Zurich area. Disposals of the Mirage class dating from 1966 include resale to Ukraine, as did the now-withdrawn Karpfen class. Destined for service at least to 2015 are the several versions of the numerically dominant 'Tram 2000' type introduced from 1976, some having been fitted with low-floor centre cars. Reintroduced in 2003, Zurich's cargo tram service is deployed as part of the city's refuse disposal system. SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS VBZ's integrated services involves trams, buses, trolley buses and funiculars, these being covered by a common system under the claim of 'one ticket for everything', albeit with many permutations of ticket types to suit customer needs. Trams are operated according to line of sight principals, with priority over road traffic at junctions. In practice, the most significant hold ups for trams at intersections in Zurich tend to be the transit of other trams. The traditional roof boards displaying route information are being supplanted by electronic displays on the Cobra fleet and with retro-fitting due on older vehicles. There are prominent service displays at the stops accommodating several routes, and VBZ has a programme of fitting real-time displays through the network. THE FUTURE Two light rail schemes are in hand that will connect with Zurich's tram network. The Glattalbahn, part operational by 2006, has a significant opening to the airport scheduled for 2008. Postponed through a change of venues for the Euro 2008 football tournament, the Tram Zurich-West project is projected to cost SF299m, drawing upon city, canton and federal budgets. "Two light rail schemes are in hand that will connect with Zurich's tram network." The approximately 3km of new route with seven new stops will connect the existing Escher-Wyss-Platz interchange with an initial western terminus at Bahnhof Altstetten for connections with the S-Bahn. The project includes street reworking to help facilitate changes in commercial and residential land use. Construction could start during autumn 2008 for a December 2011 target completion, with the likelihood of a short spur to the S-Bahn station Bhf. Hardbrücke added later. Some existing services will be restructured and redesignated as new infrastructure is added to the network. The Zurich-West scheme is represented as being the first stage of Liniennetzentwicklung 2025, a transport plan for further expansion deemed appropriate to handling 3% population increase and 11% jobs increase in the area over 20 years. http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/stuttgartlightrail/ Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/stuttgartlightrail/ Stuttgart Light Rail Developments Capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart and its surrounding towns occupy a hilly area of south-west Germany. As well as its 'motor city' identity as home to Daimler (Mercedes) and Porsche, Stuttgart is an important hub of regional and long-distance train services. It is also the location of an unusual light rail network that has now, but for a museum service, supplanted an earlier tram system. THE PROJECT "Stuttgart is an important hub of regional and long-distance train services." The enduring prosperity of the Stuttgart area encouraged a process of urban sprawl that as early as the 1950s had prompted studies to separate road traffic from the existing metre-gauge tramway. As was to be later adopted in Köln and Düsseldorf, this was achieved by placing urban rail in new tunnels, mainly in the city centre, with construction beginning during 1962. Although a comprehensive network, the metre-gauge tramway had then neither the reach nor, even if extended, the capability of handling foreseen demand. In 1976 local government decided to create a 1,435mm light rail system (Stadtbahn: unconnected with the S-Bahn format of which DB now operates six routes around Stuttgart) which would eventually replace the trams, thereby leading to a gradual takeover of the network by light rail. This led to an era of traditional tram and modern light rail systems in joint operation that lasted until December 2007. Along with bus routes as an integral part of operator Stuttgarter Strassenbahnen AG's (SSB) services, the Standseilbahn funicular and the metre-gauge Line 10 Zahnradbahn ('Zacke') rack railway were not directly involved in the transition. INFRASTRUCTURE To maintain free running, the light rail system mainly uses dedicated alignments free of interruption by road traffic. By 2002, of the system then just under 120km long, around three quarters had its own alignment, with high kerbs being used for separation where tracks accompany roads. But for the presence of 'U' signage at street level in central Stuttgart, it is possible to be unaware of the city having a major light rail system, as its 24km of tunnels are largely in that zone. In keeping with the prevailing high quality on the network, in most cases Stuttgart has pursued a policy of stops being in the open air, several being in cuttings created for this purpose, as at the Pragsattel interchange which has the rare distinction of being overlooked by a vineyard. Although the two different vehicle types shared alignments on dual-gauged track and a common overhead power supply of 750V dc, level access to the new light rail vehicles called for ramp or lift-connected high-level platforms a metre above the rail, as opposed to near-ground level access to the outgoing high floor tram fleet. A legacy of this era is the continued presence of the two levels at some stops, notably at Hauptbahnhof Arnulf-Klett-Platz, also of the three-rail tracks, some being left to allow museum trams to run. "In most cases Stuttgart has pursued a policy of stops being in the open air." Reconstruction of the U15 line for light rail, reopened in 2008, included an extra rail for use by the heritage vehicles on this scenic route up to Stuttgart's broadcasting tower. At the Ruhbank Fernsehturm stop a turning circle has been installed for the trams which are being relocated to the new SSB museum, due to open at Bad Canstatt in summer 2008. As well as some paved and grassed finishes, most lines are of traditional flat-bottomed rail, laid on wooden sleepers placed on ballast, believed by SSB to be more economical and easier to maintain than grooved rail in concrete. There are three maintenance depots and, to counter the threat of vandalism, other facilities offering secure storage of stock. ROLLING STOCK From several prototypes made by MAN at Nürnberg from 1982, the DT8 (Doppeltriebwagen, eight-axle) series was developed specifically for the SSB Stadtbahn which features many steeply graded sections. They were produced by Düwag and Adtranz and their successors, with deliveries beginning in 1985. To account for places where a high platform could not be installed, earlier units had retractable steps fitted. As the standard gauge system grew, more orders have created a fleet of 164 DT8 units. Three braking systems are fitted, electro-dynamic, pneumatic and magnetic. The DT8.10 series introduced gangway connection between the two cars in the unit. The type reached 140km/h during testing, although in everyday use a system restriction of 80km/h (50mph) applies. SSB feel that the high-floor fleet, developed in format before the widespread advent of the low-floor tram, gave ease of maintenance and the passengers more interior space, a consistent floor height and better isolation from equipment noise. SIGNALLING/COMMUNICATIONS With the system having dedicated colour light signals and being designed to minimise conflict with other transport modes, there are relatively few points at which the light-rail priority traffic signals are required. Real-time information is provided at stops and on vehicles, the latter including 'string of pearls' light displays showing progress along the route. As well as on display screens, digitised speech announces the stops, with volume adjusting to take account of ambient noise levels in the vehicle. SSB introduced a programme of installing Wi-Fi hotspots around the system. "The city appears set for radical reworking of its rail-based public transport under the 'Stuttgart 21' project." THE FUTURE Designed for a long working life and according to Stuttgart's particular needs, DT8 vehicles will remain in service for several decades, although expansion may require further orders. Closed with the tram network, the northern section of U15 from Zuffenhausen to Stammheim is to be rebuilt for a Stadtbahn service, and extensions of other lines are planned, each featuring a mix of tunnel and surface running. The city appears set for radical reworking of its rail-based public transport under the now approved but still contested 'Stuttgart 21' project. Incorporating the removal of surface heavy rail and its reorientation beneath the Hauptbahnhof, these and other works lasting several years will force the restructuring of the light rail network at several points. http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/porto-light-rail/ Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/porto-light-rail/ Porto Light Rail With international fame resting upon association with Port wine and a spectacular setting including a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Porto (also Oporto) is Portugal's second-largest city and principal centre for the north of the country. The central districts were losing population, although overall the municipalities making up the metropolitan area were growing, a redistribution that increased traffic problems on roads largely unsuited to such demands. "Revenue services began on a Line A section in January 2003." The first substantial projection of light rail to solve urban congestion came in 1989. With shareholders including the metropolitan and local authorities, the national rail body CP and the Portuguese state, Metro do Porto SA was incorporated in 1993. THE PROJECT In November 1997 a turnkey contract was awarded to the specially formed consortium Normetro, an international grouping that would include Bombardier, Transdev, Soares da Costa, Somague, Impregilo, Balfour Beatty Rail and Semaly. The first workings began in March 1998. Following testing from 2001 and a period of free operation, revenue services began on a Line A section in January 2003, with one million passenger journeys recorded by that March. With the estimated cost on opening at about €1.3bn, finance drew upon funds of national and local government, also the European Community. In 2006 the first phase of the Porto Metro project was completed, including important openings to Francisco de Sá Carneiro international airport and to the system's current northern limit, the resort and commuter city of Póvoa de Varzim. Porto's traditional surface-running tramway, whose role was in part supplanted by the Metro, was closed down. However, operator Sociedade dos Transportes Colectivos do Porto (STCP) recognised the mode's appeal to the city's tourist trade and has instituted three services using historic trams. Also including a tram-for-hire business, in 2006 the STCP 'eléctricos' provided around 80,000 journeys. INFRASTRUCTURE The Metro uses 1,435mm gauge and 750V dc overhead electrification throughout. Segregated light rail tracks predominate, although there is some street running and at-grade road crossings, especially at the northern end of Line A and Line D south of the Douro. The majority of the Metro, notably to the north, reused alignments of a now-removed narrow gauge system that spread from the previous Trinidade station. This was on a site re-deployed for the Metro's large interchange station for all routes, with Line D passing in tunnel beneath the others. Of the system's 78 stations, 15 are below ground. Parking sites are adjacent many stops in more rural locations. The city centre presence of the Metro is low-key, with discreet station entrances and all tracks below ground. Ease of access was designed into the system overall, with widespread lifts and ramps, level access to vehicles and few obstacles to movement. Constructed with two tunnel-boring machines (TBM), the system's longest tunnel is around 4,000m, taking Line D southwards from near the University Asprela campus beneath the city centre. "The city centre presence of the Metro is low-key, with discreet station entrances and all tracks below ground." Emergence from the tunnel south of São Bento is onto the 400m upper deck of the Ponte Luiz I, high above the River Douro, given over to use by trams and pedestrians. Substantial modification of this bridge, opened in 1886, was needed for rail use, including complete replacement of the previous road deck. To replace road traffic capacity lost to Metro use, the new Ponte do Infante was constructed up-stream. Eventually to accommodate lines A, B, C and E, the 2,300m double-track tunnel between the heavy rail interchange at Campanhã and Trindade was constructed using a TBM between July 2000 and October 2002. Not used by revenue services, the 274m 'Tunnel J' was built to connect the two axes of the system ‐ Line D joined the system commercially in September 2005 ‐ near Trinidade. This allowed transfer of stock and gives access to the system's single depot at Custóias. ROLLING STOCK The fleet up to 2008 consisted entirely of 72 bi-directional Adtranz/Bombardier 100% low-floor Eurotrams. Similar to those in service in Milan and Strasbourg, with design inputs from the UK, Portugal and Italy, the seven-section vehicles were assembled in Amadora, Portugal. A subsequent €115m order will see delivery of 30 Bombardier three-section Flexity Swifts between 2008 and 2009. Supplementing the fleet, the 70% low-floor, 100km/h (62mph) units are expected to be used on longer runs such as Line B to Póvoa de Varzim (which features a limited stop express service) or a future Line C extension to Trofa. SIGNALLING AND COMMUNICATIONS Porto Metro is signalled by conventional light rail methods with Bombardier installing a CITYFLO 250 traffic management system monitored from a control centre. Including tunnels and underground stations, the network provides passengers with coverage by mobile telephone networks. Display boards for routes and departure times are provided on platforms, with onboard electronic displays supplemented by Portuguese and English announcements. The contact-free Andante system with rechargeable cards used throughout the Metro for many ticketing permutations extends to use on STCP and CP services in the metropolitan area, also the Metro-operated Guindais Funicular between the north bank of the Douro to near São Bento station. "In the longer term, Metro do Porto envisages extra free-standing lines,albeit with interchanges." THE FUTURE In early 2008 construction was taking place on a southwards extension of Line D from João de Deus, part of an intention to give greater Metro coverage south of the Douro in Vila Nova de Gaia. From October 2007 supplier interest was sought in respect of the €95m contract for a 6.5km ten-station section of the Line A extension, from the present Estádio do Dragão terminus to Gondomar in the east. Another anticipated project is the 10km Line C extension to Trofa, further using former narrow gauge alignments. In the longer term, Metro do Porto envisages extra free-standing lines, albeit with interchanges with the rest of the system.