CAF - VLT

Source: http://www.railway-technology.com/

mage: The Midland Metro platform extension will help in accommodating new fleet of bigger trams from CAF scheduled to arrive in autumn 2013. Photo: courtesy of Centro.

Centro, the West Midland transport authority in the UK, has reopened the Midland Metro after a two-week closure to carry out work on a £128m project to extend and modernise the tram system.

Work under the project includes the extension of all platforms by 100mm on the Metro line between Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill to accommodate a fleet of larger trams that are planned to be introduced.

Centro previously ordered a fleet of larger trams at a cost of £40m, which are scheduled to arrive in autumn 2013.

Spanish tram manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocariles (CAF) won a contract from Centro in February 2012 to build and supply 25 Urbos 3 trams.

According to Centro, the extension of the platforms will enable both the old and new trams to operate along the route.

Centro Metro programme director Paul Griffiths said the extension will increase capacity for passengers in the region.

"This is a major step forward for this project and paves the way for the arrival of the new, bigger trams which passengers will start seeing on tracks next year," Griffiths said.

"Work under the project includes the extension of all platforms by 100mm on the Metro line between Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill."

The new fleet of trams is expected to allow Centro to increase the system's frequency to ten trams an hour throughout the day.

Starting from 2014, the new trams will start operations on the existing route from Snow Hill to Wolverhampton, while the new route from Birmingham Snow Hill to Birmingham New Street station will be operational in 2015.

CAF started manufacturing the 25 new Urbos 3 trams in October 2012, which will replace the existing fleet of 16 Ansaldo Trasporti trams to meet an expected rise in passenger demand following the opening of the 1.3km extension.

Production of the trams is being carried out at CAF's Zaragoza plant in Spain; the trams will be 33m long, compared to the 24m trams currently operating on the line.

Each Urbos 3 air-conditioned tram will have five sections that together can accommodate around 200 passengers, compared to the 156-passenger capacity of the current trams.

Invensys Rail

Image: Invensys Rail will renew signalling, control system, power and cabling at Watford Junction station. Photo: courtesy of Sunil060902.

Invensys Rail has secured two new signalling contracts in Reading and Watford, UK, as part of Network Rail's signalling framework agreements.

The contracts will include the re-signalling of Watford Junction station, as well as the re-locking and immunisation of old signalling equipment, interlockings and control systems around Reading station.

The £33.5m Watford Junction contract includes renewing signalling, control system, power and cabling and supporting the track remodelling programme.

Work under the contract involves overhauling 143 signalling equivalent units (SEUs), as well as other non-SEU work, which is expected to start in December 2014.

The company will also supply its Westlock computer-based interlocking and Westcad control centre display technology.

Under the $19.4m Reading contract, the company will cover 117 SEUs, while the re-locking is expected to start in July 2014.

Invensys will be the principal contractor for both the contracts and will be responsible for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the projects.

"The £33.5m Watford Junction contract includes renewing signalling, control system, power and cabling and supporting the track remodelling programme."

The company's UK-based framework subcontractors will supply telecoms, civil structures, permanent way and electrification, as well as power work as needed on each project.

Invensys Rail vice president of commercial William Wilson said that the two contracts are the first to be won by the company under the Network Rail signalling framework agreements.

"We are now looking forward to working closely with our colleagues at Network Rail and our contractor partners to deliver high-quality projects safely and efficiently," Wilson said.

In 2012, Network Rail signed a framework agreement with Signalling Solutions, Invensys Rail, Infrasig and Ansaldo for the development and design of a European-standard signalling system to be deployed throughout the rail network in the UK.

Bombardier - Canadá

Source: http://www.railway-technology.com/

Image: Bombardier will deliver a fleet of 20 BiLevel commuter rail cars from spring 2013 for the SunRail commuter rail project. Photo: courtesy of SunRail.

Canadian rail manufacturer Bombardier has won a $195m contract from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in the US to provide operations and maintenance services for theSunRail commuter project in Orlando, Florida.

Under the ten-year service deal, Bombardier will be responsible for operations, dispatching, fleet and track maintenance, customer service, station platform and facility maintenance, as well as material supply.

Work under the deal is expected to commence in the coming months, while operations and maintenance responsibilities would begin in spring 2014, when the first phase of SunRail will start running from DeBary to Sand Lake Road, south of Orlando.

"Bombardier will be responsible for operations, dispatching, fleet and track maintenance, customer service, station platform and facility maintenance, as well as material supply."

Bombardier will start delivering a fleet of 20 BiLevel commuter rail carsfor the project in spring 2013.

The new trains are part of a $41m order secured by Bombardier from FDOT in July 2011, which also included an option to order up to 46 additional vehicles.

The new BiLevel rail cars provide 70% more capacity than single-level coaches, and generate between 15% and 30% overall savings in operational costs.

Construction of the SunRail commuter rail line started in January 2012 and the 50km first phase will have 12 stations, while the 48km second phase will serve five additional stations, north to DeLand and south to Poinciana.

SunRail will be Florida's second commuter rail system after Miami's Tri-Rail; the entire project is expected to be completed by 2016.

Metrominas

Fonte: 

Nova Rede de Metrô

A nova rede de metrô contará com a expansão da linha atual (linha 1) no sentido oeste até o bairro Novo Eldorado, em Contagem, além da implantação de duas novas linhas que se conectarão à linha 1.

A linha 2 será construída a partir da linha 1 entre as estações Calafate e Gameleira e irá em direção à região do Barreiro. Para o entroncamento das duas linhas será construída a estação Nova Suíça.

A linha 3 será construída a partir da linha 1, estação Lagoinha, e irá em direção à Savassi, passando pela praça 7 de Setembro.

AMPLIAÇÕES

O metrô terá sua capacidade ampliada e atingirá novas regiões. 

Metrô de Belo Horizonte

Fonte: 

O governador Antônio Anastasia (PSDB) assinou nesta terça-feira contrato com a Caixa Econômica Federal no valor de R$ 52,8 milhões para a contratação de estudos e projetos de engenharia para viabilizar as obras do metrô de BH. Os recursos para a obra, que faz parte do PAC Mobilidade Grandes Cidades do governo federal, serão usados nos projetos de engenharia para a ampliação das três linhas do transporte com trens. A assinatura do contrato ocorreu com a presença do ministro das Cidades, Aguinaldo Ribeiro; do presidente da Caixa, Jorge Hereda; do secretário de Obras Públicas, Carlos Melles e o presidente da Metrominas, Fabrício Sampaio.

O projeto que prevê a expansão do metrô está avaliado em R$ 3,1 bilhões e foi anunciado pela presidente Dilma, juntamente com o governador Antônio Anastasia e o prefeito Marcio Lacerda (PSB), na sede da Prefeitura de Belo Horizonte (PBH) em abril do ano passado. Sendo destinados para as obras R$ 1 bilhão do Orçamento Geral da União, R$ 878 milhões financiados junto ao BNDES e R$ 1,2 bilhão repassados pelo governo estadual e prefeitura, valor contratado por meio da modalidade parceria publico privada (PPP).

Conforme o presidente da Metrominas, a previsão é que no início do ano que vem as obras devem ser iniciadas. Segundo o secretário de Transportes e Obras Públicas, Carlos Melles, dentro de alguns meses os projetos devem estar prontos. “Nós já demos as ordens para a contratação dos projetos. Agora chegaram os recursos. Dentro de alguns meses nós teremos os projetos prontos”, disse.

Os recursos serão empenhados para a melhoria e reforma da Linha 1 (Vilarinho/Eldorado) – acréscimo de 1,7 quilômetro no sentido Contagem – construção da Linha 2, que ligará a região do Barreiro à estação do Calafate – extensão de 10,5 quilômetros e seis estações – e construção da Linha 3, que ligará a Savassi à estação da Lagoinha – extensão de 4,5 quilômetros e cinco estações. Assim que estiverem concluídas, o volume de passageiros transportados será elevado de 200 mil por dia, para 900 mil. Com 12 novas estações a extensão dos trilhos chegará a 44 km.