GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY

Community consultation begins for West Metro

Minister for Transport David Campbell said community consultation would now get underway for the West Metro project, which is stage two of the Sydney Metro network. Mr Campbell said a Project Application for the West Metro, along with a Preliminary Environmental Assessment, had been lodged with the Department of Planning. "We will now start talking to the community, councils, businesses and other stakeholders about station locations, construction sites and the detailed corridor," Mr Campbell said.

Winton-Longreach rail line will stay

Transport Minister Rachel Nolan has reassured the Winton and Longreach communities about the Queensland Government's investment in the Winton to Longreach rail line. "There is absolutely no proposal being considered by the department for the closure of the Winton to Longreach section of the Central-Western Rail system," Ms Nolan said. The Winton to Longreach line is funded under the current Transport Service Contract (Rail Infrastructure), in place until 2013. "Significant funding has been allocated within the Queensland Rail Maintenance Plan for this track section until 2013, to pay for signalling, telecommunications, track work, structures and facilities." Ms Nolan said other works in the area included a planned rail balloon loop at the Winton Livestock Facility to improve the movement of livestock in the region.

TransLink's Tracker 2008-2009 Q4

TransLink's Tracker provides a performance snapshot of the TransLink network following the fourth quarter of the 2008/9 financial year. This report covers: patronage, service on-time running and cancellations, customer enquiries, fare evasion, go card, customer satisfaction and train passenger load.

Twenty six railway stations to be constructed

The Transport Ministry has succeeded in finding sponsors for its flagship project under "Uthuru Mithuru" with 26 sponsors from the Government and the private sector pledging their support to construct 26 railway stations on the Northern railway line from Omanthai to Kankasanthurai. The project would cost around Rs.400 million.

Federal Railroad Administration awards $1 million rail safety grant to Operation Lifesaver

Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo announced a US$1,015,000 grant for Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), providing the non-profit organisation support to continue its wide-ranging public education outreach efforts to raise awareness about the potential hazards at grade crossings and the dangers of illegal trespassing on railroad property.

INDUSTRY

Upgrade works underway on Hunter Valley coal lines

Australian Rail Track Corporation's (ARTC) upgrading of the Hunter Valley Coal rail network continues with a major track possession to undertake work on close to a hundred separate sites. The 48 hour possession commenced 11 August and will extend into 13 August to accommodate some of the capital enhancement works. The total scope of work includes 92 individual projects to be undertaken at various locations during this possession period. As a key link in the coal logistics chain, ARTC coordinates its major maintenance possessions to align with maintenance carrying on at the Newcastle ports so that there is no overall capacity loss on the network.

Galileo applications for rail transportation to be tested by Siemens

In the future, trains are to be equipped with systems that work with positioning information that is provided by satellite. This will be made possible by "Galileo", the European satellite navigation system, which is to be simulated from 2010 onwards at the rolling stock Test and Validation Center operated by Siemens Mobility in Wegberg-Wildenrath, Germany. A test area for satellite-based navigation for rail systems is already being set up there which will enable tests to be carried out under real conditions before the Galileo system actually goes into operation. With testing slated to begin in 2010, Galileo is due to enter operation in 2013.

AAR reports rail freight traffic down in July

The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported 1,319,387 carloads of freight in July 2009, down 17.5 percent (280,659 carloads) compared with July 2008. "July was an interesting month," said AAR Senior Vice President John T. Gray. "While the automotive performance was an improvement over recent levels, we should remember that it was supported by a billion dollars of federal assistance. When this assistance ends, it remains to be seen whether the combination of production, inventory and sales levels will continue to boost railcar loadings."

ACCIDENTS

Muni streetcar hits pedestrian

One of San Francisco's historic streetcars hit a pedestrian at Market and Ninth streets on August 11, the second time in as many weeks that an accident on the line has disrupted service. The incident comes as city leaders and Muni officials are trying to assure riders that the transit system is safe. Muni spokesman Judson True said an initial investigation indicated a woman had stepped off the boarding platform and into the path of a slow-moving, outbound streetcar. The woman was taken to San Francisco General Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

One killed, 64 injured in train collision

A speeding Kerta Api (KA) 221 Pakuan Express electric train heading to Jakarta from Bogor rear-ended a stalled KA 549 economy-class train in Bubulak Kampung, Tanah Sareal, Bogor, killing one person and injuring 64 others on August 4. A joint team of rescuers from the Bogor Fire Department and police spent four hours recovering the body of assistant driver Akbar Felani and driver Ojas from the mangled train car. Sugeng, spokesman for the Bogor branch of state railway operator PT Kereta Api KA, said the accident occurred at 10.30am at the 52km mark. KA secretary Makmur Syaheran said the operator would investigate whether the train had been parked due to engine problems, and whether the train driver fully understood the steps that needed to be undertaken in such a case.

No spill from train derailment near Kettle Falls

Workers are removing several thousand gallons of diesel fuel from two railroad engines that derailed with a boxcar near Kettle Falls where a landslide undermined the track. A state Ecology Department spokeswoman, Joy Redfield-Wilder, says the engines ended up about 300 feet from Lake Roosevelt, but there was no significant spill. The Stevens County sheriff's office says two Kettle Falls International Railways employees suffered minor injuries as the engines fell down an embankment.

Eleven injured as local skips signal, hits another in Mahim

Eleven people were injured when an Andheri-bound train rammed into a stationary Borivli-bound slow local at platform no 1 at Mahim station on August 9. The accident apparently occurred as the Andheri-bound train failed to stop at a signal before Mahim, but Western Railway (WR) said it would conduct an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the incident. Mumbai Central Government Railway Police (GRP) senior inspector Bharatkumar Rane said the driver of the Andheri-bound local jumped a signal near Mahim and collided with the Borivli train. Chugh concurred that the Andheri train had proceeded without getting the signal to do so. A high-level inquiry has been ordered to ascertain whether the failure was technical or manual, said WR public relations officer Nitin David.

Five dead, one injured after mining train derails in central China

Five mining workers died and one was injured on August 9 after a train carrying coal from the tunnel to the ground derailed in central China's Hubei Province, local authorities said. The accident occurred at the private Shiba colliery with 200 workers and an annual production of 90,000 tonnes in Wangying Township, Lichuan City, local work safety administration said. Local police and work safety officials are investigating the cause of the accident.

Man charged with hacking into CTA radio system

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a 20-year-old man who repeatedly broke into Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) radio channels and tried to pass himself off as a rail official, authorities said. Marcel Carter of Chicago is charged with knowingly interfering with a dispatcher or driver of a mass transportation vehicle. His transmissions began in June 2008, and in June and July of this year he allegedly made 300 unauthorised transmissions, according to a criminal complaint. Carter allegedly gave false directions to trains, sometimes imitating workers at the CTA control center.

Metro track repairman struck, killed in Virginia

Area transportation officials say they are suspending some track maintenance after a repairman was struck and killed by a piece of equipment while he was replacing cross-ties. Officials say 63-year-old Michael Nash was hit by a ballast regulator along a line in Virginia. Nash was one of 10 to 15 people on a crew and worked for Metro for 25 years. Officials say they will delay some tie-replacement work, conduct increased inspections at work sites and review work rules and procedures.