March 4, 201114 yr MARCH 1, 2011, 3:13 P.M. ET Brazil Expects Up To 3 Bidders On $21B 'Bullet' Train Project By Luciana Magalhaes and Paulo Winterstein Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Brazil expects as many as three groups to bid in April to build and run Brazil's high-speed train project, which is estimated to cost around $21 billion. Brazilian construction firms could lead two of the competing groups, according to the director of the country's ground transportation agency, or ANTT. One of the groups includes large Brazilian construction companies, such as Odebrecht, Andrade Gutierrez and Queiroz Galvao, said ANTT's Bernardo Figueiredo in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires. The other Brazilian-led group would include companies that are part of the Sao Paulo Association of Public Works Entrepreneurs, or Apeop. The third consortium led by South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd. (009540.SE) is the only one that is a confirmed participant at this point. READ MORE AT: http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20110301-713860.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 9, 201114 yr The need for speed Doubts about the business case are unlikely to derail high-speed trains Mar 3rd 2011 | from the print edition BRITAIN’S railways were built by the Victorians, and it shows. Large parts of the network remain un-electrified, for instance, more than 100 years after electrification was invented. But it will one day have a futuristic side, at least if the government gets its way. On February 28th it revealed more details about its plans for “High Speed Two” (HS2), a 225mph, £32 billion super-quick railway line from London to Manchester and Leeds by way of Birmingham (see map). Assuming the project goes ahead, construction should begin in 2017, with the first trains running in 2026. A smorgasbord of benefits will reputedly follow. Journey times between London and other cities will fall; a capacity shortfall on one of the main north-south rail routes will be avoided. The link will even speed the geographical “rebalancing” of the economy that the coalition has pledged to engineer, which will see activity less concentrated in the South East. Not everyone is impressed. People whose houses face demolition complain about stingy compensation. Aesthetes worry that the line will deface some rather pretty parts of the country, particularly the Chiltern Hills, officially designated an “area of outstanding natural beauty”. READ MORE AT: http://www.economist.com/node/18284049?story_id=18284049&fsrc=rss "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
March 16, 201114 yr The closest thing we have to a comprehensive report on the full Chinese HSR system and China’s ambitions for this technology—the good, the bad and the ugly. Given the worldwide scale of HSR proliferation, it’s hard to imagine North America sitting this one out. High speed rail: China's new silk road? By Roger Irvine - 9 March 2011 Roger Irvine is writing a PhD on China's future at the University of Adelaide. He spent most of 2010 conducting research at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Few things demonstrate better that something very big is happening in China than its rapidly emerging high-speed rail network. In 2009, wanting to get a little off the beaten track and explore the prosperous cities of southeast China, I conceived the idea of hopping city to city from Hangzhou to Guangzhou – about 2000km. Buying the latest maps, I noticed few train lines along the indented coastline, but I could see the expressways would facilitate a series of bus trips. All went according to plan, but a few hours out of Hangzhou I was surprised to see from the bus a huge new construction project for a high-speed railway. The elevated track cut almost straight as an arrow through mountains and across coastal estuaries. Six months later, I learned that more than half of this line, which will soon extend from Shanghai to Shenzhen (near Hong Kong), is operational. Read more at: http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2011/03/09/High-speed-rail-Chinas-new-silk-road.aspx
March 31, 201114 yr Construction suspended on Stuttgart 21 Wednesday, March 30, 2011 GERMAN RAIL (DB) has ordered the suspension of construction on the Stuttgart 21 project pending the appointment of a new government in the state of Baden-Württemberg. Tendering for further contracts on the controversial project to replace the city's terminus main station with a new underground through station has also been curtailed. After 57 years in power, the Christian Democratic Union suffered a heavy defeat in Sunday's state elections at the hands of the Greens and Social Democrats (SPD). The leader of the SPD in Baden-Württemberg Dr Nils Schmid welcomed DB's decision to suspend construction and said his party "wants to let the citizens decide on [the fate of] the project." READ MORE AT: http://www.railjournal.com/newsflash/construction-suspended-on-stuttgart-21-1164.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
April 19, 201114 yr Japan Bullet Train to Reopen Fully Hisane Masaki | Apr 19, 2011 2:49PM GMT The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story Think about this.... barely a month after a massive earthquake and tsunami.... Japan's HSR system is about to return to full operations. Japan Disaster| Infrastructure| Logistics + Economy| Asia High speed rail from Tokyo to resume full service after tsunami The East Japan Railway plans to fully resume services on the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train line by April 30. Some sections of the 443-mile bullet train line remain closed in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the northeastern part of the country March 11. The full resumption of services on the line marks significant progress in efforts to restore the nation’s transport infrastructure, including 90 percent of the conventional main railway lines and 100 percent of roads, airports and ports. Read more at: http://www.joc.com/logistics-economy/japan-bullet-train-reopen-fully
April 20, 201114 yr Deutsche Bahn to pay its first-ever dividend German rail operator Deutsche Bahn will pay its owner - the federal government - 500 million euros in its first dividend since it was founded as a private joint stock company in 1994. The company posted a profit of 1.06 billion euros in 2010. Dividend payments are expected to continue in future years, rising to 525 million euros from 2012 to 2014, and then to 700 million in 2015. "We're trying to obtain the highest possible level of investment," German Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer said. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14971427,00.html
April 21, 201114 yr What are the oil-rich Arab countries doing with their oil wealth? Building rail systems. And what is Ohio doing as the IMF declares the world has "entered a period of oil scarcity"? Transferring our wealth to the Arab oil exporting countries building railways! Bizarre… $100 billion investment seen in GCC railway projects By Bonnie James The total projected investment in rail projects in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries over the next 15 years is in excess of $100bn, including Qatar’s $35bn, the World Cup Construction Conference was told yesterday. “These include passenger and freight rail networks, metro, Light Rail Transit (LRT) and tram,” Hyder Consulting’s regional rail director (Mena) Geoff Leffek said at the event hosted by Construction Week magazine. Qatar’s railway plans include the Doha Metro with 98 stations and 355km of track in four lines, rail networks to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, the Lusail light rail and the Education City people mover system. READ MORE AT: http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=429747&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 10, 201114 yr From today’s Baltimore Sun: High speed rail: America is left at the station Our view: China's massive investment in high-speed rail threatens to leave the U.S. economy behind 5:17 p.m. EDT, June 9, 2011 Tax dollars have built this nation's transportation infrastructure, from roads and bridges to airports and subway systems. Rent a car or truck for the day and you may think you're paying for your transportation, but that's only the vehicle — most of the thoroughfares you will travel were built and maintained by various taxes and fees. Yet in the case of high-speed rail, conservative critics seem to think that government has no role in building, operating or promoting it. Never mind that modern, European-style rail systems offer the best chance to provide a safe, reliable, energy-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to air travel between major cities, particularly here on the East Coast. Later this month, it will be made clear just how far the U.S. has fallen behind other countries in high-speed rail development when China opens its 819-mile rail line between Beijing and Shanghai, a $34 billion project. The bullet trains will carry up to 80 million passengers a year at speeds of about 186 mph. READ MORE AT: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-china-rail-20110609,0,3250416.story "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 10, 201114 yr That's a great article and I don't deny we're getting crushed by China in this field, but what the article doesn't point out is how much more difficult such an undertaking is in the US. How many different land owners would have to be bought out to complete an 800 mile run? China is the only major land holder there, so they don't spend years in court trying to take lands through eminent domain like we do here. What are their construction costs compared to ours? What are their operating costs compared to ours? Again, I'm not arguing against such a project in the US, but a better article would be one that focuses on how difficult it would be to accomplish such a project in the US.
June 10, 201114 yr See the Interstate highway system. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 10, 201114 yr Not long enough that laws governing the acquisition of property have changed substantially in the meantime. The governing law for property acquisition for federally funded construction projects (highways, airports, buildings, monuments, etc) is the National Environmental Policy Act. It was passed in the 1960s. We've built a lot of highways since then..... Miles Opened Cumulative % of 1995 During Miles Miles Year Opened Opened Pre-1956 2,180.5 2,180.5 5.1% 1956 538.8 2,719.3 6.4% 1957 2,232.7 4,952.0 11.6% 1958 1,794.9 6,746.9 15.8% 1959 1,895.4 8,642.3 20.2% 1960 1,797.6 10,439.9 24.4% 1961 1,856.5 12,296.4 28.7% 1962 2,039.4 14,335.8 33.5% 1963 2,219.6 16,555.4 38.7% 1964 2,463.4 19,018.8 44.4% 1965 2,166.0 21,184.8 49.5% 1966 2,290.8 23,475.6 54.9% 1967 2,166.3 25,641.9 59.9% 1968 1,962.3 27,604.2 64.5% 1969 2,033.5 29,637.7 69.3% 1970 1,905.7 31,543.4 73.7% 1971 1,444.3 32,987.7 77.1% 1972 1,405.6 34,393.3 80.4% 1973 1,067.2 35,460.5 82.9% 1974 812.1 36,272.6 84.8% 1975 1,119.5 37,392.1 87.4% 1976 790.3 38,182.4 89.2% 1977 724.5 38,906.9 90.9% 1978 505.4 39,412.2 92.1% 1979 365.2 39,777.4 92.9% 1980 475.2 40,252.6 94.1% 1981 381.6 40,634.2 95.0% 1982 235.4 40,869.6 95.5% 1983 114.2 40,983.8 95.8% 1984 345.6 41,329.3 96.6% 1985 159.1 41,488.4 96.9% 1986 173.0 41,661.3 97.4% 1987 197.6 41,858.9 97.8% 1988 145.2 42,004.1 98.2% 1989 432.2 42,436.3 99.2% 1990 95.6 42,531.9 99.4% 1991 64.5 42,596.4 99.5% 1992 95.3 42,691.7 99.8% 1993 49.7 42,741.4 99.9% 1994 7.6 42,749.0 99.9% 1995 15.1 42,764.1 99.9% http://www.publicpurpose.com/hwy-intmiles.htm "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 10, 201114 yr OK, what's your point? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 10, 201114 yr That's a great article and I don't deny we're getting crushed by China in this field, but what the article doesn't point out is how much more difficult such an undertaking is in the US. China is the only major land holder there, so they don't spend years in court trying to take lands through eminent domain like we do here. What are their construction costs compared to ours? What are their operating costs compared to ours? Again, I'm not arguing against such a project in the US, but a better article would be one that focuses on how difficult it would be to accomplish such a project in the US.
June 10, 201114 yr And I guess you didn't like my answer: that we know how to build big things. The proof is all around us. We've only lost the will. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 13, 201114 yr It's less widely reported than the existence and capabilities of the rail lines themselves, but China may have overextended themselves a bit in building that high speed rail network of theirs, too: http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2011/02/18/will-massive-debt-derail-chinas-high-speed-trains/ The debt issue is starting to get mentioned hand in hand with the unveiling of new HSR projects in China now: http://www.forexyard.com/en/news/China-unveils-landmark-rail-line-shrugs-off-financing-worries-2011-06-13T092318Z Even pro-rail, left-leaning site Grist acknowledges that there's such a thing as overreach, and China may have committed it: http://www.grist.org/list/2011-04-29-china-may-have-bankrupted-itself-building-high-speed-rail
June 13, 201114 yr Debt isn't a bad thing as long as there is a return on the investment. These are countries with much longer histories than ours, so they think much longer term than we do. So years of short-term debt is something they're willing to shoulder for decades of economic payback. To me, the bigger problem is the pushing of the technology possibly beyond its limit, the corruption, and the corners that were cut in construction of the Jinghu HSR between Beijing and Shanghai. In almost 50 years since the first true dedicated high-speed rail line was built (Japan's Shinkansen), there has never been a passenger fatality. That could change with the Jinghu line! That said, an 818-mile HSR line breaks the rules of what an HSR route is supposed to be = ie: less than 500 miles. It caused me to consider that Chicago-New York City is at least as valuable an HSR corridor as Beijing-Shanghai. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 20, 201113 yr French sign huge high-speed PPP concession Friday, June 17, 2011 THE presidents of French Rail Network (RFF) and Vinci, Mr Hubert du Mesnil and Mr Xavier Huillard, have signed a 50-year Euros 7.8bn concession to fund, design, build, operate and maintain a new 302km high-speed line from Tours to Bordeaux. The deal is described as the biggest PPP contract in Europe. A total of Euros 7.8bn has been raised to fund construction, which will cost Euros 6.2bn, and other aspects of the project. The public sector comprising the French government, local authorities, and the European Union, will provide Euros 3bn of funding, and RFF will fund another Euros 1bn. The concessionaire is Lisea which is led by Vinci with a 33.4% holding. The other shareholders are Caisee des Dépôts/CDC Infrastructure (25.4%), Sojas (22%), and AXA Private Equity (19.2%). Lisea is funding the remaining Euros 3.8bn as follows: Euros 772m from commercial banks and the European Investment Bank (EIB), Euros 1.06bn in bank debt guaranteed by the state, Euros 612m in non-guaranteed bank debt, Euros 757m in savings funds managed by Caisee des Dépôts and backed by RFF, Euros 400m of state-guaranteed credit from the EIB and a further Euros 200m of non-guaranteed EIB credit. READ MORE AT: http://www.railjournal.com/newsflash/french-sign-huge-high-speed-ppp-concession-1236.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
June 23, 201113 yr June 22, 2011 High-Speed Rail Poised to Alter China By KEITH BRADSHER CHANGSHA, China — Even as China prepares to open bullet train service from Beijing to Shanghai by July 1, this nation’s steadily expanding high-speed rail network is being pilloried on a scale rare among Chinese citizens and news media. Complaints include the system’s high costs and pricey fares, the quality of construction and the allegation of self-dealing by a rail minister who was fired earlier this year on corruption grounds. But often overlooked, amid all the controversy, are the very real economic benefits that the world’s most advanced fast rail system is bringing to China — and the competitive challenges it poses for the United States and Europe. Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/23/business/global/23rail.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha25
June 24, 201113 yr In international HSR news, it's largely a day to feel left out. Australia is getting high-speed rail. Analysts say Australia's East Coast compares favorably in terms of density and distance with parts of France that enjoy HSR, but speed is critical if the line is to be competitive with air travel. http://www.theage.com.au/national/the-need-for-speed-in-rail-link-20110623-1ghr4.html Ukraine is getting high-speed rail. The English in this story is not great, but the thrust of the matter is that new high-speed train cars have been delivered from Hyundai on a route largely built with support by Russia. http://www.nrcu.gov.ua/index.php?id=148&listid=147126 Iraq is getting high-speed rail. The proposed route would link Baghdad and Basra. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jGjEGms9fKZM8r68tbVyd2k9YecA?docId=CNG.7529f04e4c90d375e355a15d0a9e1ff2.9b1 Britain is getting high-speed rail. The government thinks it will close the wealth gap between north and south. http://www.bearsdenherald.co.uk/news/rail_link_may_close_wealth_divide_1_1695340 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
July 3, 201113 yr Amazing pictures of China's new 818-mile Jinghu high-speed line linking Chicago and New York, er, Beijing and Shanghai..... http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=80530516&postcount=2562 A sampling.... So far, the U.S. has invested $7 billion in high speed rail. China has invested $309 billion for multiple routes, the Jinghu being only the latest route. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 23, 201113 yr I'm not holding my breath on this one happening. Russia still dreaming of Bering Strait rail tunnel The Russians are again talking about a railroad tunnel beneath the Bering Strait connecting the European rail system to North America's via Alaska. Wild guesses put the price tag at about $100 billion -- not including a rail link through Alaska -- up 50 percent since Russia last pushed the idea in 2007. Russia is already expanding its trans-Siberian rail network, the U.K.'s Daily Mail points out, so why not drill a few dozen extra miles beneath the strait?
September 29, 201113 yr FYI: 8.2 billion euros is $11.2 billion US. In other words, the EU has money for HSR but not for bailing out Greece. Apparently they see HSR as a more sound investment! France and Italy agree funding split for Lyon – Turin project September 28, 2011 THE transport ministers of France and Italy - Mr Thierry Mariani and Mr Altero Matteoli - have agreed to change the contribution each country will make to the first phase of the project to build a high-speed line between Lyon and Turin which involves building a 57km base tunnel at an estimated cost of Euros 8.2bn. Although more construction will take place in Italy than in France, the two ministers have agreed to reduce Italy's contribution from 63% to 57.9% and to increase the French contribution from 37% to 42.1%. The two ministers will now write a joint letter to Mr Siim Kallas, the European Union's transport commissioner, requesting the release of Euros 642m as the EU's contribution to the first phase of the project. The agreement enables final design of the base tunnel to start. READ MORE AT: http://www.railjournal.com/newsflash/france-and-italy-agree-funding-split-for-lyon-turin-project-1334.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 19, 201113 yr 11,000 km?!?! That's 6,875 miles!! DB STARTS RUNNING GERMANY-CHINA SCHEDULED TRAIN Published on Thursday, 29 September 2011 16:49 Deutsche Bahn subsidiary DB Schenker Rail Automotive -specialized in automotive rail freight transport- is overseeing auto part transports from Leipzig to Shenyang in northeastern China on behalf of BMW. A train loaded with 40 containers departed from the Leipzig-Wahren transshipment terminal this morning. The train will take three weeks to complete the nearly 11,000-kilometer journey, the longest rail trip of a freight train in the world. This is already the fourth container train to transport parts and components to BMW’s Shenyang plant in the Liaoning province, where they will be used in the assembly of BMW vehicles. Beginning in late November, trains will depart from Leipzig once a day. With a transit time of 23 days, the direct trains are more than twice as fast as maritime transport followed by transport to the Chinese hinterland. This is a major incentive for the Eurasian Land Bridge. READ MORE AT: http://www.railwayobserver.com/index.php/freight/asia/734-db-starts-running-germany-to-china-scheduled-intermodal-train "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 22, 201113 yr 4000 miles of track and a 65 mile long tunnel could connect the US to Russia under the Bering Strait. Video and music! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-15387714 Very blue sky I don't like the idea. The warm Arctic Ocean is allowing the opening of the Northwest Passage. Barge and ship traffic can replace this.
November 9, 201113 yr High-Speed Rail, Despite Stumbles, Is Booming by Pete Danko, November 8th, 2011 High-speed rail (HSR) isn’t without its problem – as train wrecks in China and financial wrecks in California have shown. But overall, many more fast trains are making a beeline into service around the globe, according to new research from the Worldwatch Institute for Vital Signs Online. The study found that the number of countries with high-speed rail service was likely to double in the next few years. “The rise in HSR has been very rapid,” Worldwatch Senior Researcher Michael Renner, who headed up the study, said in a statement. “In just three years, between January 2008 and January 2011, the operational fleet grew from 1,737 high-speed trainsets worldwide to 2,517. Two-thirds of this fleet is found in just five countries: France, China, Japan, Germany, and Spain. By 2014, the global fleet is expected to total more than 3,700 units.” Renner attributed high-speed rail’s growing popularity to “its reliability and ability to cover vast geographic distances in a short time,” to a desire to connect isolated regions, and to the growing feeling that traveling by airplanes in an era of hyper-security concern really sucks. Beyond the big five, Renner said, significant expansion of high-speed rail was expected in the coming years in Turkey, Italy, Portugal and the United States. READ MORE AT: http://www.earthtechling.com/2011/11/high-speed-rail-despite-stumbles-is-booming/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 29, 201113 yr Despite all the protests and the anger of the opposition -- like the Cincinnati streetcar -- the public in Germany votes to move ahead.... Stuttgart 21 survives crucial referendum Monday, November 28, 2011 AFTER many months of uncertainty, the people of the German state of Baden-Württemberg yesterday voted in favour of continuing the controversial Stuttgart 21 project, which involves replacing the city's terminus main station with an underground through station and building new connections to the south and west of the city. In the referendum, 58.8% voted against withdrawing the state's Euros 930m contribution, a move that allows the project to poceed. In Stuttgart itself, where opposition has been most intense, 52.9% voted against the withdrawal of funding. Project managers today held a special meeting with the German Rail (DB) Executive Board to advise them of the next steps for the project. DB has yet to give its public reaction to the outcome of the referendum. READ MORE AT: http://www.railjournal.com/newsflash/stuttgart-21-survives-crucial-referendum-1405.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 30, 201113 yr Yes, that's right. Uzbekistan! But not in Ohio....... Uzbekistan Railways completes infrastructure for high-speed trains Published on Sunday, 27 November 2011 Written by TCA TASHKENT, November 27 (TCA) -- Uzbekiston Temir Yullari (Uzbekistan Railways) State Joint Stock Railway Company has completed construction of the infrastructure for high-speed trains in the Tashkent-Samarkand railway section in the central part of the country. The construction is worth approximately $120 million, according to the company. Two new electrified lines – a double track Yangiyer-Dashtabad railway line and a single-track Dashtabad-Jizak railway line, worth $95 million – have been built. New sections with a total length of 127.3 kilometers were built bypassing the Khavast hub (Jizak region) together with the existing Jizak-Yangiyer railway line. READ MORE AT: http://www.timesca.net/index.php/m-news-by-category/79-economy-a-finances/882-uzbekistan-railways-completes-infrastructure-for-high-speed-trains "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 19, 201113 yr USA: "high-speed rail is so scary!!! Run, run! Hide, hide!" Rest of civilized world: "WTF??" Russia: Sapsan High-Speed Train Carries Five Millionth Passenger ITAR-TASS The five millionth passenger of Russia's first high-speed train Sapsan on Saturday received the certificate confirming that status. It was one of the passengers going from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Created: December 18, 2011 The five millionth passenger of Russia's first high-speed train Sapsan on Saturday received the certificate confirming that status. It was one of the passengers going from Moscow to St. Petersburg. A ceremony to present the certificate was led by the head of the Russian Railways' high-speed train department, Dmitry Pegov. He told reporters that Sapsan trains daily make seven trips between Moscow and St. Petersburg. They also travel between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. First special terminals, where tickets to Sapsan as well as Allegro trains, traveling between St. Petersburg and Helsinki, can be bought have already been installed in Moscow's Leningradsky Railway Station. They can service passengers in Russian, English and Finnish. Next year, such terminals will be also installed in St. Petersburg's Finlandsky and Moskovsky railway stations, in Moscow's Kursky Railway Station and the Moskovsky Railway Station in Nizhny Novgorod, Pegov said. READ MORE AT: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10564109/russia-sapsan-high-speed-train-carries-five-millionth-passenger UK: Million More Using High-Speed Trains THE MONDAY MESSENGER Created: December 19, 2011 The number of passengers using high-speed trains in Kent has increased by one million in the past 12 months. Figures released by Southeastern two years after the service to and from London St Pancras International was launched show 8.2 million trips were made in the last year. The number of passengers using high-speed trains rather than mainline services has also risen. The opening of Margate's Turner Contemporary and the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury are both believed to have brought more people to Kent by train. READ MORE AT: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10564110/uk-million-more-using-high-speed-trains In 2009, I took a c2c train out from Central London to this pedestrian bridge at Rainham Jct. to video high-speed Javelin and Eurostar trains. This is not my video but the same scenes I saw (same weather too!), including four Eurostars per hour and 12 Javelins per hour, not including c2c regional trains and EWS freight trains on the parallel conventional tracks.... "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 27, 201113 yr Not surprisingly....none of these are in North America. The world's 7 fastest rail trips By Sascha Segan, Frommers.com Sick of flying? It's well known in transportation circles that for distances of around 250 miles -- that's the distance from Dallas to Houston, or New York to Boston -- high-speed trains are the best option. From city center to city center, they're faster, more reliable and more environmentally friendly than either flying or driving. That's why European and Asian countries are frantically laying high-speed tracks to connect their population centers. Read more at: http://itineraries.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/15/9473106-the-worlds-7-fastest-rail-trips
December 27, 201113 yr News from the other side of the lakes, including rail travel from Toronto to Ottawa in just under four hours. The distance from Ottawa to Toronto is 279 miles. That's the same distance from Detroit to Chicago or St. Louis to Chicago, and the Federal Rail Administration is bragging that Chicago-St. Louis will be North America's showcase diesel-powered passenger rail service. Sorry, but Canada beat us to it first..... 12/21/2011 VIA Rail Canada introduces new schedule for Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto service In response to customer demand, VIA Rail Canada Inc. plans to introduce new schedules in the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto triangle starting Jan. 24. The changes are anticipated to attract 100,000 new passengers per year and increase revenue by several million dollars annually, VIA Rail officials said in a prepared statement. Riders on new Ottawa-Toronto express trains will make a nonstop trip in 3 hours, 57 minutes. The new trains will operate daily except Saturday. Riders traveling from Montreal to Toronto will be offered two new trains, bringing the total number of weekday departures to Toronto to 10. READ MORE AT: http://www.progressiverailroading.com/passenger_rail/news/VIA-Rail-Canada-introduces-new-schedule-for-MontrealOttawaToronto-service--29266 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 29, 201113 yr China Unveils 310 MPH High-Speed Test Train Tiffany Kaiser - December 26, 2011 9:51 AM Despite experiencing a number of issues earlier this year, China launched a new super-rapid test train this past weekend. The new high-speed train can travel as fast as 500 km/h (about 310 mph), and was made by a subsidiary China's largest train provider CSR Corp Ltd. It launched over the weekend and was created to resemble an ancient Chinese sword. "[it] will provide useful reference for current high-speed railway operations," said Shen Zhiyun, a train expert. Read more: http://www.dailytech.com/China+Unveils+310+MPH+HighSpeed+Test+Train+/article23596.htm
January 10, 201213 yr UK decides to go ahead with HS2 with the first segment between London and the UK's second-largest city, Birmingham.... 10 January 2012 Last updated at 10:27 ET HS2 go-ahead sees mixed reaction The government has approved plans for a new high-speed rail link between London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester known as HS2. Ministers say the scheme will have massive economic benefits, although the plans have proven controversial and have spawned a number of protest groups. So what exactly does it involve? What is HS2? The initial plan is for a new railway line between London and the West Midlands, carrying 400m-long (1,300ft) trains at speeds of up to 250mph - faster than any current operating speed in Europe. They would travel up to 14 times per hour in each direction. This would be followed by a Y-shaped extension taking services from Birmingham to Manchester and Leeds. The government said there would be intermediate stations in the East Midlands and South Yorkshire. A consultation begins on the second phase in 2014. READ MORE AT: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16473296 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 17, 201213 yr Your oil dollars at work, using the riches from the energy source of the past and present to build for an oil-constrained future. If only America had such long-range thinking, which I think our youth as a nation as well as our desire to seek consensus rather create consensus by example prevents..... Saudi Arabia Signs $8.2B Rail Deal with Spanish Group REUTERS KIPPREPORT Created: January 16, 2012 Saudi Arabia signed a contract worth 30.8 billion riyals ($8.2 billion) on Saturday with a Spanish consortium to build a high-speed railway connecting Islam's holiest cities, Mecca and Medina, with the port city of Jeddah. Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Alassaf and Transportation Minister Jobarah al-Suraisry signed the agreement with Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo and Public Works Minister Ana Pastor. Al-Shoula consortium, which comprises Spanish companies including ADIF, RENFE and Talgo, won the project last year after a long bidding process in which it competed with a French-led group. The contract is for the second phase of the project involving track laying, electrification, operations and maintenance. READ MORE AT: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10614364/saudi-arabia-signs-82b-rail-deal-with-spanish-group "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 6, 201212 yr Russia to build high-speed rail for 2018 FIFA World Cup SOURCE: XINHUA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE CREATED: AUGUST 6, 2012 Russia will build high-speed rail lines by 2018 for the FIFA World Cup, the state-owned Russian Railways (RZD) said on Sunday. According to Gorky Railway, a subsidiary of the RZD, the rail lines will connect the central Russian cities of Kazan and Nizhny Novgorod, which are contesting to host the World Cup. "A new railway station opened in Kazan, which was designed already with taking into account the high-speed trains," chief of the Gorky Railway Anatoly Lesun told reporters in Nizhny Novgorod. READ MORE AT: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10755715/russia-russia-to-build-high-speed-rail-for-2018-fifa-world-cup?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS120731002&o_eid=2883F7359167D8W "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
August 31, 201212 yr Swedish high speed lines to go ahead 29 August 2012 SWEDEN: The government announced on August 29 that the 150 km Ostlänken high speed line is to be constructed as part of a SKr55bn railway investment package intended to create jobs and economic growth. Given parliamentary approval the construction of the double-track line between Järna and Linköping could begin in 2017 for completion no later than 2028. The SKr30bn project would see journey times between Stokcholm and Norrköping reduced by 20 min and Stockholm - Linköping by 30 min. Infrastructure manager Trafikverket is to start detailed planning for the railway imminently. The current plan builds on the Swedish high speed railway strategy unveiled in 2008, which outlined a phased construction of a Y-shaped high speed network linking Stockholm with Göteborg and Malmö. Ostlänken will be the first stage of this proposed network. READ MORE AT: http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/projects-infrastructure/single-view/view/swedish-high-speed-lines-to-go-ahead.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
October 1, 201212 yr The maddening thing is that while the rest of the world advances into succeeding generations of high-speed rail, the United States is so far behind. We're making progress, to be sure, but it is as slow and (unnecessarily) agonizing as if we were blazing a new trail through a forest....when a trail has already been cleared just a few feet away. The 9 Best High Speed Train Rides In The World There are few better ways to travel than by train. Nothing beats the romanticism of viewing the slow country meander past, perhaps with a good book on your lap or the tall tales of the other passengers to listen to. Unfortunately, train travel is hardly what it used to be — in the United States, anyway. Travel by plane is now quicker, more convenient and often cheaper. America’s highways have replaced the romanticism of the cross-country train ride with the freedom of the “roadtrip.” Meanwhile, train travel has lost a lot of its former luxurious grandeur. Coach cabins are crammed, the dining cars seem to have misplaced their chefs for microwaves, and travel is slow and full of delays. In many parts of the world, though, trains have experienced a revival over the last several decades: they’re reasonably priced, comfortable, convenient … and fast. So fast, in fact, that they often rival air travel in expedience and travel time. The technological development of bullet trains has made traveling by train sensible again. And even though the countryside whizzes by at a dizzying pace, it still offers a more intimate travel experience than air travel ever did. Read more at: http://revmodo.com/2012/09/26/9-best-high-speed-rail-rides-in-the-world/
October 4, 201212 yr China to Get More High-Speed Railways SOURCE: AFP - RELAXNEWS (ENGLISH INTERNATIONAL VERSION) CREATED: OCTOBER 4, 2012 China is to build more high-speed railways, reported the Xinhua news agency Tuesday. The five-year transportation blueprint will see the country build more high-speed railways, including four east-west lines and four north-south lines by 2015. This will increase the country’s high-speed rail track mileage from its current 6,894 km to 18,000 km upon completion. READ MORE AT: http://www.masstransitmag.com/news/10798435/china-to-get-more-high-speed-railways?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS120928002 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 6, 201212 yr Contrary to popular belief, Japan is not a small nation. It is only a little smaller than California. Yet it comes as a surprise that Japan has numerous overnight trains, though not as many as it once had. As recently as the 1990s, Japan had more than 20 overnight trains with sleepers, ornate dining and lounge cars equipped with pianos, and even some coaches for budget travelers. But low-fare airlines and cheap overnight buses have put a dent in this market. Today there are still six overnight trains in Japan, whereas California has one (the LA-Seattle Coast Starlight) whose overnight section is between the northern part of California and Oregon. Here is what Japan has today in overnight trains.... http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2356.html "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 26, 201212 yr '310mph 'floating' trains unveiled in Japan' The first of a new generation of high-speed, magnetic levitation trains has been unveiled in Japan, designed to operate at speeds of more than 310mph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/9702521/310mph-floating-trains-unveiled-in-Japan.html
November 26, 201212 yr They unveiled them again? "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
December 14, 201212 yr dig the title Longest High-Speed Railway to Compete With A380s in China Travelers in China will soon have the choice of traveling on the world’s longest high-speed train line or flying on an Airbus SAS A380 superjumbo when going from Beijing to Guangzhou. A 2,298-kilometer (1,428 mile) line linking the nation’s capital and the southern city will open Dec. 26, according to a statement by the Ministry of Railways today, whisking passengers between the two in as few as eight hours. The trains will initially run at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour. The new line adds to competition for China Southern Airlines Co. (1055) A380s flying between the cities, an about three hour flight. The carrier has already lost money on domestic A380 services in the first half, according to Citigroup Inc. The planes have been used on the route for about a year as the airline has so far failed to fly them on overseas services from Beijing. The bullet-train ... services have lured passengers from flights that often suffer delays in China because of airspace restrictions and poor weather. ....more... http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12-14/longest-high-speed-railway-to-compete-with-a380s-in-china.html
July 16, 201311 yr Mexico sets $100 billion rail, ports, roads plan By MARK STEVENSON, Associated Press | July 15, 2013 | Updated: July 15, 2013 4:54pm MEXICO CITY (AP) — The Mexican government announced plans Monday to invest about $100 billion in rail, road, telecom and port projects over the next five years, including Mexico's first high-speed rail links. Among the projects are the modernization or building of four airports, seven seaports and about 3,350 miles (5,410 kilometers) of highways. The government will strengthen fiber optic networks and expand broadband internet access, and speed up freight train service. "Mexico can be the great logistics platform for Latin America," Transportation Secretary Gerardo Ruiz Esparza said. "We have to create significant savings in the time and cost of transporting goods." But in announcing the plan, President Enrique Pena Nieto emphasized the goal of reviving passenger trains in Mexico. READ MORE AT: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Mexico-sets-100-billion-rail-ports-roads-plan-4666508.php "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
September 14, 201311 yr A different world for us in the USA. But in much of the civilized world, this is a common scene in any major city...... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khJnt4n7JYM#t=139 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
November 25, 201311 yr Hey train nerds. Yes this means you! Check out this webcam that just shows trains running across Europe 24/7. And you are welcome. http://www.justin.tv/skyfire_trains_tv#/w/7608836912
November 25, 201311 yr Hey train nerds. Yes this means you! Check out this webcam that just shows trains running across Europe 24/7. And you are welcome. http://www.justin.tv/skyfire_trains_tv#/w/7608836912 Cool, but most train nerds have found many more videos than that. For example, if you go to youtube and search "trains, europe" you will get MANY results.... nearly 300,000! If you search "trains, japan" you get about 350,000. And if you search "trains, america" you will get more than 750,000! "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 17, 201411 yr Not a single American train anywhere on the list. And Congress just passed a federal transportation budget with $0 for high-speed rail, so our poor standing in the world isn't going to change anytime soon (BTW China just OK'd doubling its HSR system for $100+ billion!). Maybe America has given up out of shame.... Top 10 Fastest Trains In The World Two Chinese trains top the list, with the fastest one reaching speeds of 431 km/h. By Aarti Nagraj 15 hours ago SLIDESHOW is at: http://gulfbusiness.com/2014/01/top-10-fastest-trains-world/#.UtiHJ9JDt8F "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
January 17, 201411 yr courtesy ads on the trains - japan style: http://gothamist.com/2014/01/16/photos_japanese_subway_etiquette_po.php
February 7, 201411 yr The future for America post-2015 (due to FRA rule relaxing rail fleet interoperability standards)? BeyondDC @beyonddc 33m New Sheffield UK rail line will run on intercity tracks in suburbs then as streetcar downtown. http://www.wired.com/autopia/2014/02/tram-train/ "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
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