UIC issues two FRMCS specifications
The International Union of Railways (UIC) has released two important specifications related to the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), the successor of GSM-R. They are about the requirements for the on-board equipment and its...Read more
CRRC gets green light to purchase Vossloh Locomotives
Chinese rolling stock giant CRRC has received a green light for purchasing Vossloh Locomotives, the rolling stock unit of Vossloh Group. The deal approval was issued by German competition regulator Federal Cartel Office. With the...Read more
Bail out on British trams
There was no light relief for light rail, as metro systems across the UK suffer precipitous lockdown downturns in patronage. However, a belated support package may safeguard services in a number of UK cities in...Read more
Possible measures to support European railway sector
There are possibilities to support the railway sector with state aid. EU regulation allows this under the current exceptional circumstances. Railway lobby organisations have been shouting from the roof to get across this message and...Read more
Firefighting train helps to stop wildfires in Ukraine
Ukraine is trying to stop wildfires in the Zhytomyr Region. To this end, the local authorities have mobilised around 1,000 firemen, three An-32P specialised aircraft, one helicopter and one firefighting train. (more…)Read more
How railways support medical heroes
The medical staff is on the frontline of tackling the coronavirus pandemic. In these exceptional times, the railway companies are also doing their part to support medics in their difficult mission. Therefore, some operators carry...Read more
Norwegian Railways dismisses 1,100 staff due to lockdown
Norwegian railway operator Vy has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Due to the imposed restrictions, the company lose over 80 per cent of its passengers. As a result, Vy is dismissing more than 1,100...Read more
Night trains halted in Finland
Finnish railway operator VR Group has suspended all the night trains in the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. The decision will be in effect until at least 24 May. In addition, the railway company...Read more
Railways remind passengers about social distancing
Railway undertakings and infrastructure managers across Europe raise awareness of coronavirus. Among other things, they are calling the passengers to keep the distance between each other. To this end, the railway companies install the special...Read more
Key measures for future opportunity to travel around Europe by rail
In order to keep the operations going after the coronavirus pandemic, the rail sector in Europe needs support from the authorities. Therefore, several railway associations have called the European Commission and the Member States to...Read more
UK government prolongs two rail franchises
Despite the rumours on the possible cancellation of the franchising system for railways, the UK government does otherwise. It has awarded two operating companies with the new contracts by prolonging the existing franchises. This extraordinary...Read more
British open-access operators in jeopardy because of coronavirus
In a month after introducing the entire Paragon brand new train fleet, the UK’s open-access operator Hull Trains has been forced to temporarily cancel all its connections. This momentous decision was taken by the company...Read more
Transformation of ProRail: what does it mean?
“Since ProRail is functioning so well, why would you want to alter it?”. And so began a talk by Deputy Secretary-General Jan Hendrik Dronkers from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management on the transformation...Read more