The railway around the world

Modernizing transports in Barcelona

In the last month of last year, the transport administration (ATM) in Barcelona (Spain) signed a contract for the construction of a 16.8 km railway for light metro traffic. The consortium made of the Group TramMet along with FCC Construcction that includes CGEA Transport and Alstom will project, build and maintain the railway network for light vehicles that will link Barcelona to the BaixLlobregat in the year 2003.
At the end of November 2000 the extension of the TMB metro - the 5th line was also expanded from Horta de Vall d’Herbon. This 2.5 km extension will provide by its two way stations the junction with the 3rd line.
Works will begin in the second semester of this year and the commissioning is predicted to take place until the end of 2003. ATM also approved the introduction of integrated ticketing for all kinds of public transportation starting with January 1st 2001.

The first lighten underground rail in Jerusalem

In Jerusalem, the Ministry of Transportation and City Hall are performing all the necessary steps in order to begin the works on the first rail for the lighten underground. The total costs aggregate estimated for the respective works last November, is approximately of 75 millions of dollars.
The category of these preliminary works, includes apart from the deviation of certain public services, also the dismantling of buildings on 14 km long, representing the initial route from Pisgat Zeév la Mount Herzl. According to the project designed by Moriya Company, the construction for such rail must be completed by the end of 2005, with an approximated cost of 400 million dollars, of which 25% belong of the public sector.

Latest Technology

• Alstom Transport commissioned for the first time the prototype called First Electrical Locomotive, on December 1, 2000 in Belfort. Designed for working on 15 kV AC and 1.5 or 3 kV DC, this locomotive should impose on the European railway freight market.
Another prototype of the well-known company underway of finalization is the AGV train of high-speed designed for circulating on route Madrid - Barcelona. The frame that uses the system traction with a distribution of IGTB type, is going to be put on tests for 320 km/h between Lille and Calais, during the month of March, this year.
• The trams exploitation company of Hong Kong presented the prototype of the New Millenium Tram 168, which has already been commissioned. This kind of tram is totally new, as compared to the rest of the park that has just improved trams, completed with recycled components.
Nevertheless, this trams is built in a classic kind of way, having the body made of metal, whereas the traction is realized in chopper continuous current. The new Millennium Tram 168 has not been yet equipped with air conditioning system, but it is about to be installed in the near future.

Poland is restructuring the railway administration, too

Year 2000 is considered to be extremely difficult for those 22.113 rail kilometres all over Poland.
Polish Railway Administration decided that, starting with January 1, 2001, is should begin the restructuring program for the Polski Koleje Panstwowe (PKP), which is going to become PKP SA. Due to this program, a new organization structure is pursued by the management, the railway administration being divided on different categories: infrastructure, public transportation, freight transportation, telecommunications, real estates, etc.
This restructuring process will be completed in stages, starting with January. 2001, according to a very rigorous plan that includes to finally create 9 (nine) companies. During the month of June, the regional public and freight transportation will form together a new entity called PLK SA. On June 30, 2001, PKP SA will become a holding company, fact that will permit for privatizing all its subsidiary activities. Another program for reducing the railway personnel number has also been established; due to this program, the number of employees will reach by 2003, of 60000.
They hope that according to such restructuring process to create powerful companies, which should appeal to the investors, preparing the path for modernization of transit corridors.

Reporting, Silvia Mitulescu