German police suspects sabotage after freight train derailed: metal object on the track
Germany is suspecting sabotage after a freight train derailed in Essen earlier this week. Thankfully, only the locomotive and not the wagons derailed, which were carrying hazardous material. But there is still reason for concern: the police suspects a deliberate act since a metal object was attached on the tracks, and German media have reported possible […]
No trains at Oslo central station this weekend as BaneNOR upgrades critical electrical systems
Oslo Central Station will fall silent this weekend as complete rail traffic halts from Saturday morning to early Sunday. The closure, rare for Norway’s busiest station, is needed to carry out critical electrical upgrades aimed at boosting long-term reliability of signalling and other systems. Oslo Central Station will see no train services from 05:00 on […]
Night train startup Nox welcomes ‘fintech veteran’ Artur Hasselbach as 3rd co-founder and CFO
Nox Mobility, the Berlin-based startup aiming to reinvent night trains with fully private rooms at flight-ticket prices, has appointed Artur Hasselbach as CFO and co-founder. The ‘fintech veteran’ and mobility investor brings over a decade of experience in scaling startups, saying the opportunity was “too big to watch from the sideline”. Nox Mobility describes Hasselbach’s […]
Vanguard HydroShunter selected for UK demo programme
The UK’s first hydrogen-powered railway shunter, Vanguard’s HydroShunter, has been selected as one of five projects in the government-backed Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII) Demonstration Programme. The zero-emission locomotive, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell and battery system, is to showcase the potential for zero-emission operations for challenging duty cycles in rail freight. The HydroShunter is one […]
Copenhagen to fully automate S-train network as Siemens and Stadler land 200+ train order
Danish state operator DSB has awarded a Siemens Mobility–Stadler consortium a contract worth about €3.08bn (DKK 23bn) to supply at least 226 new driverless electric S-train sets for Copenhagen. A massive shakeup for the Danish capital, the deal is designed to move the entire S-train network to full automation by around 2040, with the first […]
Czech Railways launches tenders for up to 120 battery-electric trains
Czech Railways (České dráhy) has launched two public tenders to procure up to 120 battery-electric multiple units (BEMUs) for regional passenger services, as it looks to scale up battery traction across electrified and non-electrified lines. Czechia’s state-owned operator Czech Railways (České dráhy, ČD) has confirmed it is seeking suppliers for two dual-source EMU types – […]
Vossloh buys up Nordic Tamping Service to ‘complete’ Scandinavian portfolio
Vossloh has completed the acquisition of Nordic Tamping Service AB (NTS), a Swedish specialist in ballast tamping, as it continues to build out its track maintenance and lifecycle services footprint in Scandinavia. The deal was finalised on 9 January and sees NTS integrated into Vossloh’s Lifecycle Solutions business unit. NTS is based in Borlänge and […]
At least 32 dead after crane collapses onto passenger train in Thailand
At least 32 people have been killed and more than 60 injured after a construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train in north-eastern Thailand, in one of the deadliest rail-related accidents in the country in recent years. The incident occurred at around 09:00 local time in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, when […]
Knorr-Bremse scales up rail signalling ambitions with duagon takeover
Europe’s signalling upgrade cycle continues. German rail systems supplier Knorr-Bremse has completed its acquisition of Swiss electronics specialist duagon Group, a move the company says “significantly expands its expertise in signalling technology”, positioning it as “one of the leading suppliers in an attractive market segment.” In a bid to further boost its signalling expertise as […]
UK government vows to revive Northern Powerhouse Rail — but don’t hold your breath
The UK Government has “pledged” to develop a series of new railway infrastructure projects across the North of England, bringing new life to Northern Powerhouse Rail. However, there is no funding, no definite timetable and no definite plans on the table. Also, it won’t be HS2. They say the proposals will address long-standing economic issues in […]