July 2006 in rail transport

Events

July 1

:* flagicon|China - China's President Hu Jintao presides over a ribbon cutting ceremony in Golmud to officially open the Qingzang railway for service. The first train over the newly constructed line carried about 900 passengers to Lhasa. With the highest point on the new line at 5,072 m (16,640 ft) above sea level, the Qingzang railway is now the highest operating railway in the world. [cite web| url=http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/afx/2006/07/02/afx2854412.html| title=China opens railway to Tibet, the world's highest| author=AFX News Limited (reprinted by Forbes)| year=2006-07-02| accessdate=2006-07-02| ] [cite web| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/5133220.stm?ls| title=Hu opens world's highest railway| author=BBC News| year=2006-07-01| accessdate=2006-07-02| ]

July 2 - July 8

;July 2:* flagicon|France - SNCF's president Louis Gallois leaves the French railway company for EADS. He's been replaced by Anne-Marie Idrac, former president of the RATP. Louis Gallois had been SNCF's president for 10 years, and SNCF's employees applauded him as he was leaving. ;July 3:* flagicon|Spain - An accident on Valencia Metro kills at least 41 and injures 40. The driver seems to have driven too fast, causing the breaking of a wheel and the derailment of the train. This accident occurred in the very center of Valencia, Spain, as the city was ready for pope Benedict XVI's arrival July 8.;July 5:* flagicon|Russia - Russian railway company Ruscon takes delivery of the first rolling stock, 54 flatcars, to be wholly owned by the railway itself. The cars were built by Dneprowagonmash JSC in the Ukraine and join 54 other cars owned by the state and leased to Ruscon. Ruscon intends to dispatch the cars for service between Moscow and Novorossiysk. The delivery makes Ruscon the first fully independent railway operator in Russia. [cite web| url=http://www.railway-market.pl/news06/0607_052.htm| title=Railway in Russia: Ruscon Received First Flatcars To Railway Fleet| author=Railway Market| year=2006-07-18| accessdate=2006-07-19| ]

July 9 - July 15

; July 9:* flagicon|UK - Officials with National Rail announce that the forthcoming timetable effective May 20 2007 through December 8 2007 will be the last comprehensive nationwide timetable that will be available in printed format. Subsequent timetable information will be available at National Rail's website and via telephone inquiry to one of the company's call centers. [cite news| url=http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article1168234.ece| title=Exit, the book that always ran on time| publisher=The Independent| date=2006-06-09| accessdate=2007-05-16| author=Carrell, Severin| ] [cite book| author=National Rail| url=http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browse%20documents/TimetablesMay07/Commercial%20Information.pdf| format=PDF| title=National Rail Timetable| date=2007-05-20| accessdate=2007-05-16| ] ; July 10:* flagicon|Ireland - Ireland's Minister for Transport Martin Cullen officially launches Iarnród Éireann's new intercity fleet on the railroad's Dublin-Cork route. The new equipment, built by Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles in Spain, is part of a plan to implement hourly departures in both directions between the two cities in December 2006. [cite web| url=http://railwaypeople.com/rail-news-articles/iarnr-d-ireann-launches-new-intercity-train-fleet-1098.html| title=Iarnród Éireann Launches New InterCity Train Fleet| year=2006-07-12| accessdate=2006-07-17| author=RailStaff| ] ; July 11:* flagicon|India - A series of bombs explode aboard commuter trains on the Mumbai Suburban Railway in India. An additional bomb was also found, but defused, at the Borivali station. The blasts claimed at least 200 lives, and caused hundreds of injuries. The bombs were exploded during the evening rush hour on trains plying on the western line of the suburban train network, which form the backbone of Mumbai's transportation network.:* flagicon|United States - A derailment and subsequent fire on the Blue Line of the Chicago 'L' system closes the line just after 5:00 PM Central time. The last car of an eight-car train bound for O'Hare International Airport derailed soon after leaving the Clark/Lake station; the train's motorman stopped the train upon receiving a warning signal in the cab, then he shut down the train's power and evacuated the train's passengers. It is suspected that sparks from a short circuit caused by the derailed train across the third rail ignited something beneath the train to start the fire. More than 150 people were treated at local hospitals for minor injuries and smoke inhalation, and two people were admitted in critical condition. Initial investigations do not suspect any sabotage but so far attribute the incident as an accident. [cite web| author=Tribune staff writers| url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0607120313jul12,1,4359800.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed| title=Smoke, fire fill subway| journal=Chicago Tribune| year=2006-07-12| accessdate=2006-07-12| ] [cite web| author=CNN| url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/07/11/chicago.transit/| title=Chicago subway train derails| year=2006-07-12| accessdate=2006-07-12| ] :* flagicon|China - Daqin Railway becomes the first Chinese railway company to be listed on a domestic Chinese stock exchange when the railway's application was approved by the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The railway will be listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and hopes to raise 14.27 billion RMB, which would make the railway the second largest IPO on that exchange. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen Railway is the only other Chinese railway company listed on an exchange; that railway is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. [cite web| url=http://www.chinaknowledge.com/news/news-detail.aspx?id=3655| title=Daqin Railway first rail company listed on Mainland| author=China Knowledge| year=2006-07-13| accessdate=2006-07-13| ] ;July 13:* flagicon|United States - Boise Cascade announces its intention to sell its subsidiary Minnesota, Dakota and Western Railway to Watco Companies. The sale, which is expected to be finalized in August for an undisclosed amount, includes the United States portion of the International Bridge connecting International Falls, Minnesota, and Fort Frances, Ontario. The Canadian portion of the bridge will remain owned by Abitibi-Consolidated in Fort Frances. [cite web| url=http://www.fftimes.com/index.php/1/2006-07-13/26171| title=Boise signs agreement to sell railway| year=2006-07-13| accessdate=2006-07-14| author=Fort Frances Times staff writers| ] :* flagicon|Hungary - The Hungarian competition regulatory agency Gazdasági Versenyhivatal (GVH) imposes a 1 billion HUF (€3.6 million) fine against MÁV for monopolistic practices and abuse of its controlling position in the rail transportation industry in Hungary. GVH found in investigation that MÁV charged unreasonable rates for freight haulage, hindered access to private industrial tracks and took part in long term exclusive haulage contracts that created a barrier to entry by smaller shippers. [cite web| url=http://www.railway-market.pl/news06/0607_043.htm| title=Railway in Hungary: MAV Fined HUF 1bn| author=Railway Market| year=2006-07-13| accessdate=2006-07-14| ] ;July 14:* flagicon|United States - The New Mexico Rail Runner Express begins service in the Albuquerque metro area. The Rail Runner becomes the fastest start-up time for a commuter train system in the U.S. in decades, going from concept to implementation in barely three years.;July 15:* flagicon|Namibia - Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba presides over a ceremony at the newly completed train station in Ondangwa, officially opening the new Northern Railway extension. A minor panic and stampede began during the ceremony as rumors spread among the public attending the event that a locomotive was bearing down on the attendees standing on the tracks, but order was quickly restored with only minor injuries to a few attendees as the rumors were proven false. The ceremony celebrated the completion of km to mi|246.5 of new track between Ondangwa and Tsumeb. The next phase of the extension includes km to mi|55 of new track from Ondangwa to Oshikango and the border with Angola. [cite web| url=http://www.namibian.com.na/2006/July/national/0635100A99.html| title=Railway milestone hailed| author=Shivute, Oswald| year=2006-07-17| accessdate=2006-07-17| ] [cite web| url=http://www.namibian.com.na/2006/July/national/06350FAFAA.html| title=Stampede at railway inauguration| author=Weidlich, Brigitte| year=2006-07-17| accessdate=2006-07-17| ]

July 16 - July 22

;July 22:* flagicon|India - Delhi Metro officials announce that they are working on initiating express service between the New Delhi Railway Station and Indira Gandhi International Airport on schedules that would enable travel times of 20 minutes between the two locations. Trains on the proposed route would travel at a minimum of 70 km/h (43 mph). Delhi Metro hopes to initiate the service in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games to be held in that city. Metro officials are confident that the service can be opened on time due to finishing the first phase of the system's construction about 2½ years ahead of schedule; the railway is already in talks to acquire the necessary rolling stock. [cite news| url=http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1043112| title=New Delhi railway station to airport in 20 minutes!| date=2006-07-22| accessdate=2006-07-26| publisher=Daily News & Analysis| ]

July 23 - July 29

;July 23:* flagicon|China - Guangzhou Enterprises Mergers & Acquisitions Services announces an upcoming auction of the Luoding Railway in China's Guangdong Province. The auction could make the railway the first in China to be wholly owned by private interests. While railway connections between Guangdong and neighboring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have been planned, the connections have yet to be built. Luoding Railway ended 2005 with debts of 793.66 million RMB (99.2 million USD), a debt that is attributed to the railway's lack of connections to other Chinese railway lines. The successful buyer is expected to not only acquire the entire debt but to also complete a rail connection between Chunluo and Cenxi. [cite news| url=http://english.people.com.cn/200607/24/eng20060724_285990.html| title=China plans to auction one unprofitable state-owned railway| date=2006-07-24| accessdate=2006-07-26| publisher=People's Daily Online| ] [cite news| url=http://english.sina.com/business/1/2006/0723/84116.html| title=China plans to auction one unprofitable state-owned railway| date=2006-07-23| accessdate=2006-07-26| publisher=Sina English (Xinhua)| ] [cite news| url=http://www.shanghaidaily.com/art/2006/07/24/287000/Railway_may_go_private.htm| title=Railway may go private| date=2006-07-24| accessdate=2006-07-26| publisher=Shanghai Daily| ] ;July 25:* flagicon|New Zealand - Toll NZ announces that it will discontinue operation of the "Overlander" passenger train between Auckland and Wellington, New Zealand, as of September 30 2006. Passenger trains have operated over this route beginning in February 1909. Toll Rail worked with New Zealand government officials to try to find a way to keep the service operating, but in the end, the ridership numbers could not support continued operation. [cite news| url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3743682a7693,00.html| title=It's the end of the line for The Overlander| date=2006-07-26| accessdate=2006-07-26| publisher=Stuff.co.nz| ] [cite news| url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/411749/796046| title=End of the line for Overlander service| date=2006-07-26| accessdate=2006-07-26| publisher=TVNZ.co.nz| ]

July 30 - July 31

;July 31:* flagicon|United States - Trinity Industries announces that it has entered a definitive agreement to sell its European Rail business to International Railway Systems, a Romanian company, in a deal that is expected to close by August 14. The financial details were not announced, but is expected to be disclosed with Trinity's third quarter statements due on September 30. The sale enables Trinity to more closely concentrate on its current North American railroad car manufacturing business. [cite web| url=http://www.trin.net/invsrela/press/Trinity%20Industries%20Announces%20Definitive%20Agreement%20Sell%20European%20Rail%20Business%2007-31-06.pdf| title=Trinity Industries, Inc. Signs Definitive Agreement to Sell European Rail Business| date=2006-07-31| author=Perry, James E., Vice President and Treasurer, Trinity Industries| accessdate=2006-08-04| format=PDF| ]

References