ProRail believes there is a real chance that the rail operator will be fined for underperformance on the high-speed line (HSL). In the first three months of this year, nearly 40 per cent of the journeys on this high-speed train network were late, the organization announced with the publication of its annual report. “It’s quite realistic that we’ll get fined because we have firm agreements about this,” says financial chief Mirjam van Velthuizen-Lormans. “That would then be 2 million to 3 million euros.” ProRail is responsible for managing the rail infrastructure and must meet certain punctualit ..read more

The engineering faculty at Edinburgh University is one of the leading sources of graduate talent in the UK. Earlier this week, the school hosted a seminar specifically addressing future recruitment into the rail industry. However, the target audience was not quite ready to start their doctorate studies. In fact, the audience for the interactive welcome was at a rather early part of their academic journey. For the purposes of Primary Engineer, a five-year-old organisation with engineering recruitment at its heart, primary school is exactly where the journey starts. Britain has a shortfall of ta ..read more

Aiming to enhance rail safety and punctuality, Infrabel, the Belgian railway network manager, has announced an 80 million euro investment. The contract was signed on Monday between Infrabel and Alstom CEOs. Under the terms of the agreement, Alstom will supply approximately 10,000 state-of-the-art train detection devices over the next decade.  These devices, known as “Track Circuits” (TCs) or “JADE 3,” are pivotal in ensuring the secure and efficient management of rail traffic. Developed in Charleroi, Belgium, the JADE 3 represents the latest advancement in train detection technology, cruc ..read more

The Venice Simplon Orient Express from travel organization Belmond is back in the country these days. Currently, the legendary train is in Amsterdam, from where it departs for Italy on Thursday at 11:30. The beautiful historical train arrived in the capital on Tuesday. The Venice Simplon Orient Express is a restored, classic train that operated in the 1920s and 1930s. Naturally, a journey on a train like this was only available to the wealthy back then, although train travel in that era was arguably more graceful and elegant than it is today. The train is composed of carefully restored carriag ..read more

It’s among the shortest subway systems in the world. It’s also among the most famous in the world. It may be the leader in both respects. The uniquely compact Glasgow Subway is the subject of a multi-million-pound upgrade, to bring the Victorian system into the twenty-first century. A host of improvements to the infrastructure will see the system revamped for just the third time in its 128-year history. A brand new fleet of Stadler-built trains is being introduced to the Glasgow Subway. The trains are the most visible aspect of the extensive 288 million pound (337 million euro) upgrade program ..read more

NS finds itself compelled to change the train timetable on the high-speed line (HSL) in June, as reported by the carrier. On this route, several temporary speed restrictions (TSBs) have been imposed due to cracking in bridges and viaducts. As a result, trains regularly experience delays of several minutes. Rail infrastructure manager ProRail does not anticipate a solution to these issues in the short term. “To make the timetable more reliable, the speed restrictions and associated travel times will be incorporated into the timetable,” says spokesperson Arno Leblanc. Additionally, trains will b ..read more

Denmark’s iconic ‘S-Bahn’ commuter trains celebrate 90 years of service today, and are “ in good shape to take on 90 more,” says DSB. DSB helps Danes celebrate with free travel on the S-trains all day on Saturday, April 6, with an open house event at the S-train workshop in Høje Taastrup. The S-train is “one of the world’s best urban railways, which on a typical day carries 350,000 customers to work, school, leisure activities – and to parties,” in the words of Flemming Jensen, CEO of DSB. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a 90-year-old in better shape than the S-train. The railway is a vital lif ..read more

Trenitalia, the primary company within the FS Group’s Passenger Division, is actively pursuing measures to enhance the sustainability of transportation. Pietro Diamantini, Director of the Trenitalia High-Speed business, talks about the projects the Group and its business units are planning for the next few years. A recent survey conducted by SWG on behalf of Trenitalia indicates that 80 per cent of Italians consider trains to be the most environmentally friendly mode of transport. This sentiment is supported by statistical data, with 45 million individuals opting for Frecciarossa trains over a ..read more

voestalpine Railway Systems demonstrated at RailTech Europe ’24 that they are ready for the future. Together with the industry, they are working on a new sustainable and digital rail infrastructure. Sander Brinkhuis highlights the challenges ahead and how these challenges can be addressed using some examples. The rail infrastructure market faces significant challenges in the coming decades. An increase in both passenger and freight transport is expected, substantial maintenance and renovation tasks await, and the implementation of ERTMS is necessary. Additionally, all work must be carried out ..read more

VR FleetCare, a provider of maintenance solutions for rail vehicles, has announced a significant contract win with Danish train operator Nordjyske Jernbaner A/S. The agreement, covering the maintenance of bogies and pneumatic components for Alstom Coradia LINT series trains, is set to span from 2024 to 2029. The maintenance activities will be conducted at VR FleetCare’s specialised Component Services locations in Helsinki and Pieksämäki, focusing on bogie restoration and pneumatic components. The agreement includes the maintenance of 14 train sets between 2024 and 2026, with an additional 5 tr ..read more