Railway News from All Over the World

Intelligent Transport Systems
Free movement of the persons and goods on the territory of Europe, which has been more and more increased in the last years, has emphasized a series of shortcomings at the transport systems: the congestion and the road accidents, the delays in the airports, the problems of security and the lack of development in the maritime sector. All these have slowed down the development rhythm of the European economy, but create problems to the environment.
That's why, the European Commission has decided to encouraged the development of certain intelligent transport and services systems, called shortly STI, which include the modes of transport and fight against these shortcomings through an efficient and safe management on the entire Trans-European network.
STI offers effective solutions to a great number of difficulties occurred in the transport activity and have already been implemented on certain sections of the trans-European transport network (Trans-European Road Network - TERN). Therefore, the emergency telephone services offer fast information, as well as the possibility to remove the obstructions in the traffic in the shortest time. Traffic information are, more recently, sent through radio to all the drivers; to these there are still added the weather forecast and the monitoring services of the infrastructure, the data being stocked in management centers of the traffic and control.
The advantages of STI are various, these systems being also enforced in the most different sectors of all the transport activities.

Romanian - Bulgarian Bilateral Relationships
During March 20-21, 2003, Misters Miron Mitrea, the Romanian minister of Transports, and Palamen Petrov, the minister of Transports from Bulgaria, have attended, at Sophia, at the VIIIth session of economical and technical-scientific collaboration of the Joint Romanian-Bulgarian Intergovernmental Commission. On this occasion, the two ministers, fulfilling the positions of presidents of the respective commission, have discussed with regard to the current stage of the bilateral relationships in the field they coordinate and with respect to the possibilities for extension. Concomitantly, the two delegations have analyzed the stage of meeting the provisions of the protocol of the VIIth session of the joint Romanian - Bulgarian intergovernmental commission for economical and technical-scientific collaboration, developed at Bucharest.
Within the working groups there have been analyzed the current and future projects regarding the Romanian - Bulgarian collaboration in various fields: trade, industry, small and middle companies, tourism, transport, communications, regional development, public works, infrastructure, work and social protection, agriculture, education, science, environment and energy. The negotiations between the two commissions had as final goal the signing of the protocol of this new session of Romanian - Bulgarian intergovernmental collaboration.
"We have decided that we should find out practical ways for the development of the commercial and economical bilateral relationships. I consider that Romania, as well as Bulgaria, should encourage the direct contacts between the economical operators. There is indicated to attend these promotional actions and the economical missions organized by our countries. A special role is also assigned to the Chambers of Commerce from Romania and Bulgaria, which should intensify their collaboration. In order to provide a more stable evolution of the bilateral exchanges we should focus our attention especially on the industry and energy. There is necessary to work together in order to obtain funds for our common projects from the Stability Pact and from the European Commission. Taking into consideration the re-launching of the small border traffic and to intensify the cooperation between the free zones from the border areas, within the border crossing cooperation", the minister Miron Mitrea has declared.

High-Speed Trains in Canada
On the occasion of the presentation of the new policy in the transport field from Canada, concluded as a document called Straight Ahead, the minister of transports from this country, David Collenette, has announced that there is possible that, in around five-six years, a railway high-speed line will be put into operation in the center of Canada. The document presenting the new policy on the following 10 years establishes the development framework of the transport system in close collaboration with the economical, social and environment strategy. It also includes a review of all the problems that could occur on long term, from the ones regarding the air transport and the competition on the railways, at the infrastructure needs, the effects on the environment and safety and security aspects.
Straight Ahead offers a vision in which the policy and the principles according to which Canada is governed are transposed in marketing notions, strategic investments in the transport infrastructure and the initiatives of creating new healthy communities.

More Freight Trains between Italy and England
There seems that the current year the problems occurred in the freight traffic along the EuroTunnel due to the illegal emigration have disappeared. Gradually, things have come to normal again. One of the consequences of this fact is the one that the operator Interconatiner - Interfrigo (ICF), operating on the entire pan-European network, has succeeded to increase the number of trains operating between England and Italy to ten per week. In the first month of the year 2003, in comparison to the similar period of the last year, ICF has known an increase of the demand of freight transport between the two countries. This has led to a prompt answer of the operator, which has increased the frequency of the transports from Manchester and Daventry to Milan Smistamento to five routes go/back per week, starting with March 31 the current year.
This fact is very encouraging, this way demonstrating that, after a 2002 year full of unpleasant events the railway transport under the English Channel gradually comes to normal.

New Loans for MLPTL
The minister of Public Works, Transports and Housing, Mr. Miron Mitrea has signed on March 19, the current year, in the Maps Hall of CFR Palace, three loan agreements between MLPTL and the international banking institutions, all of them having the guarantee of the Ministry of Public Finance.
The first agreement has been concluded in order to finance the project meant for the construction of houses for rent offered to the young people and has a value of 100 million USD. Deutsche Bank AG London grants the loan, and the beneficiary is ANL. The representative of Deutsche Bank AG London, Mr. Dalinc Aliburnu, the managing director, has officially signed the agreement.
The second loan, in a value of 60 million USD, is granted by Credit Suisse First Boston and is meant to finance the Program for the rehabilitation of the railway stations from the district residence towns, the beneficiary being CFR SA. On behalf of Credit Suisse First Boston have attended the ceremony of signing the documents Mrs. Katerina Zychova, vice-president, and Mr. Michael Eggleton, managing director.
The third loan agreement, also granted by Credit Suisse First Boston, is in a value of 40 million USD and has been concluded for the financing of the reconstruction of the sport hall, beneficiary being the National Company of Investments.
The minister Mitrea has declared at the end of the meeting with the press, that he is very satisfy for the signing of these agreements: "I underline that this is for the first time when Romania, through MLPTL, concludes commercial loan agreements with a 10 years maturity. This fact shows that the banks trust us, and this fact has a special significance."

OBB Launches a Modern Intermodal Terminal
There is already known that the use of new technologies and new logistic concepts increases the efficiency and the attractiveness of a product. Therefore, relatively recent, in cooperation with various partners and helped by the Austrian Federation and of the European Union, the railway freight transport operator of the Austrian Railways (OBB), Rail Cargo Austria, has made an important step foreword on the increase of the efficiency line and of the attractiveness of the intermodal transport in Vienna. Called the innovated intermodal terminal (IUT) this is still in operational testing stage in the railway station from the north side of the Austrian capital, Wiener Nordwestbahnhof, one of the logistic centers of OBB of the Vienna region.
A greater efficiency on a small surface represents the key-advantage of this type of terminal - the area necessary to develop the activities specific is up to 40% smaller. The modernization works of it have been achieved through a co-working of certain famous companies in the field, as ABC Consulting, Intermodal Corridor Network (ICN), Kunz, Palfinger or Porr.

The Second Railway Package
During March 27-28, under the presidency of Greece, the Council of Transport Ministers of the European Union have reunited, one of the most important subject on the agenda being the second package of railway regulations presented by the European Commission on January 2002. This second package has been launched for the completion of the judicial reform of the European railway sector.
The meeting from the end of March will offer the occasion for debating five components of the package:
· proposals for the completion of the development directive for a common approach of the railway safety;
· the change of the texts of the directives on the interoperability of the high-speed and conventional trains;
· the proposal to establish the council of management of the European Railway Agency;
· the proposals for the operation of changes in the directives with regard to the opening and the extension of the unique railway freight market;
· the entrance in the Organization for International Carriage by Rail (OTIF).

Platform Modernization
On March 10, CFR SA has put once again into operation the platform from the second line of Gara de Nord from Bucharest. Closed for the last summer in order to be performed modernization works, the platform has been lifted up to 76 cm. Still in rehabilitation stage are also the lines three and four. The works for lifting the level of the platforms from the main railway stations are included in vast program of CFR for lifting them according to the eurostatio standards.
Eurostation is defined as a railway station located in an area where there is no obstacle and where the equipment is easy to access. This concept adopted by the International Railway Union refers to all the stations, which meet the standards specified by it, with respect to the provision of the accessibility, of certain services and safe equipment, and easy to access.
"CFR SA has started off a vast program for the modernization of the railway stations. Bringing the railway stations from the district residence towns at the level of eurostations will allow to answer, on one hand, the EU exigencies, and on the other hand, the needs of the passengers", Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc, the general director of CFR SA was appreciating. " The new facilities introduced in the railway stations will allow to the passengers to travel in civilized conditions, no matter the age or physical deficiencies, of sight, of hearing, or psychological that they have", he has also continued.
In the achievement of this program CFR SA collaborates with the locale authorities for the definition of the entire assembly, including the parking spaces, the pavements, access alleys etc.

Occidental Railway Station at Drobeta-Turnu Severin
On March 15, within the official visit at Drobeta-Turnu Severin, the general director of CFR SA, Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc has presented to the minister of Transports, Mr. Miron Mitrea, the project for the new railway station from the locality. "We have here a new railway station. The exiting one, according to my opinion, is a poor construction. We have adopted a modern solution, meeting all the requirements. The side related to the railway activity will be located at the ground floor, and at the first and second floors will operate commercial headquarters", the minister Mitrea has declared.
Based on a feasibility study performed by ISPCF, the projects aim at modernizing the current railway station at the level of eurostation, in order to offer a better mobility to the passengers, modern commercial spaces. The value of the project is up to almost 7.5 million Euro, the works lasting for around two years.
"The railway station from Drobeta-Turnu Severin has an increased importance for the passengers and freight transport, being situated on the southern branch of the trans-European Corridor IV. The big number of trains transit this railway station represents for us new decisive arguments in order to pay an appropriate attention to this project. Therefore there is aimed at fluidizing the passengers traffic in the area, the provision of certain services at European level to the persons transiting the area and to the inhabitants from the neighborhood, and also the fluidization of the road traffic from the perimeter of the railway station", Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc , the general director, has specified.
Taking advantage of this visit, the minister Miron Mitrea, together with Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc, have analyzed the stage of tightening works of Bahna tunnel, situated on the Main Section 100, in the neighborhood of Drobeta-Turnu Severin town. At this work, which execution contract has been gained by the Bucharest Trading SRL, there is utilized a modern technology of tightening, based on polyurethane resins and hydraulic cement. "The technology used by Bucharest Trading SRL company allows us to maintain the railway traffic in optimal conditions, given the short time of execution. We estimate that the traffic will be resumed at half May. The immediate results of these modern technologies motivate us to use them for other projects, too", Mr. Mihai Necolaiciuc, the general director, has appreciated.

A New Age of Railway Transport in Europe
Starting with March 15, 2003, an international competition has been opened, Trans-European Railway Freight Transport Network (TERFN). Consequently, starting with this date, each licensed European company has access on the network. TERFN means 50,000 kilometers of the 150, 000 of the entire existing railway network on the European continent.
So there has been created only one market for the international freight transport. TERFN network reunites the most operated European routes from the Freight transport. Through its opening, all railway operators, bigger or smaller, have the freedom to find out new methods of operation on their traditional routes or on others, therefore entering in competition and gaining good money out of it.
The encouragement of the competition is one of the milestones of a unique market. All the member states of the European Union have the obligation that, since March 15, to implement the set of directives which order this activity. The EU Commission has already announced that will act promptly against the countries, which have not transposed the European directives in their internal legislation up to the deadline.
Through this operation there is hoped for a re-launching at continental scale of the freight railway transport, which in the last years has covered only 8% of the overall of the goods transported, in comparison with 40% as the United States of America has recorded.

Silvia Mirea
Oana Branzan