High Speed and Fast Rail

[Arnz]

Similarly enough you could probably do the same thing for a elevated track up the Bruce Highway towards the Sunshine Coast and beyond (branching off the NCL from Bald Hills)

[Golliwog]

...without getting rid of complete suburbs and massive earthworks just to get a straight track for HSR through the suburbs a tunnel is the best, cheapest and safest option in the long run.

Not necessarily true.  How would the cost of a tunnel compare to an elevated track.  Clem 7 cost $3.6 Billion for 6km of double tunnel.  The Airtrain was 12km for around $100 Million at the time (albeit single track) and why couldn't you run the HSR above or beside the Pacific Motorway for some part of the distance?

Noise mitigation may be an issue?

[O_128]

...without getting rid of complete suburbs and massive earthworks just to get a straight track for HSR through the suburbs a tunnel is the best, cheapest and safest option in the long run.

Not necessarily true.  How would the cost of a tunnel compare to an elevated track.  Clem 7 cost $3.6 Billion for 6km of double tunnel.  The Airtrain was 12km for around $100 Million at the time (albeit single track) and why couldn't you run the HSR above or beside the Pacific Motorway for some part of the distance?

Noise mitigation may be an issue?

Mmmm because the motorway is silent already, use the median of the M1 to put supports in and have it elevated, much cheaper than tunnelling. IIRC elevated is 1.5 times more than level while tunnelling is double.

[Golliwog]

Perhaps, but the motorway is at ground level, and in places has noise barriers. An elevated structure would raise the noise source higher, which would get it over most if not all of the barriers and it would reach much further than the motorway noise. You could try raising the barriers, but then you get into visual ammenity.

Not saying its impossible, but you'd have to look into it and sort out how to solve the noise issue. There may be something you can change up on the viaduct to reduce the noise up at the source.

[HappyTrainGuy]

I couldn't say but noise, terrain, property resumptions, wanker drivers, preventing ferrals from climbing/throwing things, construction disruptions, spread out across multiple councils/residential areas would be some of the the main reasons I'd guess. I could easily see some property developers and residents kicking up a stink because something that doesn't benefit them suddenly pops up.

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> Ceremony launches Tanger – Casablanca high speed project

Project cost of approximately 20 billion Moroccan Dirhams is approximately 2.5 billion Australian dollars.

29 September 2011

MOROCCO: A foundation stone was laid in Tanger on September 29 to mark the start of construction of a high speed line to Casablanca.

The ceremony was attended by King Mohammed VI and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, reflecting the close relationship between the two countries which has underpinned the project to date. Also present were the French and Moroccan transport ministers, Thierry Mariani and Karim Ghellab, Mohammed Rabie Khlie, Director-General of Moroccan state railway ONCF, SNCF President Guillaume Pépy, and UIC Director General Jean-Pierre Loubinoux.

Under the plans, a 200 km high speed line is to be built from Tanger to Kénitra, from where trains would use the upgraded existing line via Rabat to Casablanca. Services are expected to begin by the end of 2015, when journey times between the two cities should be reduced from 5 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min. A future second phase is planned to extend the line from Kénitra to Casablanca.

ONCF has ordered a fleet of 14 double deck Alstom Duplex trains equipped to operate at up to 320 km/h on the 25 kV AC high speed line and at up to 220 km/h on the existing 3 kV DC network.

Project costs are expected to comprise 10bn dirhams for infrastructure, 5·6bn dirhams for railway equipment and 4·4bn dirhams for rolling stock. The Moroccan government is providing 4·8bn dirhams in funding alongside 1·9bn dirhams from French and European sources, while 12·3bn dirhams has been raised in loans, including a 740m dirhams contribution from the Kuwait Fund for Arab & Economic Development.

[O_128]

O come on, Now morocco is getting HSR, How soon until australia is a third world country.

[colinw]

Large parts of it already are, at least infrastructure wise.

Morocco has a long history of mainline electrification, a legacy of French colonialism. There were significant stretches of 3KV DC electrification in use by the 1930s.

[ozbob]

BBC News --> Could the US crack high-speed rail?

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> Madrid - Barcelona at 310 km/h with ETCS Level 2

18 October 2011

SPAIN: The journey times of four high speed services between Madrid and Barcelona are to be cut to 2 h 30 min from October 24, following the commissioning of ETCS Level 2 signalling between Madrid and Lleida.

Commissioning between Lleida and Barcelona is scheduled for December, when more services will be cleared to run at up to 310 km/h where the infrastructure allows this.

From October 24 the 07.00 departure from Madrid Atocha will arrive at Barcelona Sants at 09.30, 13 min earlier than at present. The 06.30 service from Barcelona will arrive in Madrid at 09.00. Evening depatures comprise a 17.00 service from Madrid arriving in Barcelona at 19.30, and a 17.30 Barcelona - Madrid service arriving at 20.00.

According to the Ministry of Development, at 1 491 km Spain has more routes equipped with ETCS than any other country in Europe.

[ozbob]

Sydney Morning Herald --> At warp speed on a rail odyssey

[colinw]

How bizarre this headline would have seemed just 25 years ago.

Railway Gazette International -> PPP model to fund Moscow – St Petersburg high speed line

20 October 2011

RUSSIA: The Russian government has confirmed its support for a public-private partnership backed by Russian Railways to construct a 658 km high speed line between Moscow and St Petersburg.

Speaking in London on October 20, Denis Muratov, Chief Executive of RZD's high speed rail agency Skorostnye Magistrali, insisted that 'the time to build the line has arrived'. He stressed that the concessionaire would be expected to deliver the line for use by the end of 2017, to enable public services to begin well before the FIFA World Cup football tournament commences the following summer.

Current plans envisage a 1 520 mm gauge line designed for speeds of up to 400 km/h, with high speed trains sharing existing alignments to reach city centres at both ends of the route. This would reduce the journey time to 2 h 30 min from the current 3 h 45 min best. Ridership at launch is estimated at 7 million passenger-journeys annually, growing to 10·5 million by 2030.

The total cost of the project is put at 696·2bn roubles. A tender to select a private-sector Infrastructure Provider is expected to be issued in December, with signature in 2013. Consortia from China, South Korea, France and Germany have already registered their interest. Under the terms of the PPP, the government will provide around half of the capital cost during the 2015-18 construction phase (around 313bn roubles), and make availability payments worth 58bn roubles per annum to 2050, provided that contracted infrastructure performance criteria are met.

Whilst train operation and revenue risk will be the responsibility of RZD, the Infrastructure Partner will be responsible for maintenance of the line for 30 years. The concessionaire will also have the right to decide the number and location of any intermediate stations.

Muratov confirmed that the government expected to recoup much of the capital outlay through external economic benefits, which are estimated to be worth 2 240bn roubles over the 2018-50 period.

The November issue of Railway Gazette International will include a more detailed analysis of the proposed Moscow - St Petersburg high speed line.

[somebody]

Very interesting that they are sticking with their 1520mm gauge unlike Spain which went against its Iberian gauge.

[colinw]

Spain always saw its high speed network as linking and inter-operating with the adjacent French system, so standard gauge made a good deal of sense.  Spain has always had some break of gauge internally (a lot of metre gauge in the north and even around Madrid until the 1970s, also some standard gauge under 1500V DC around Barcelona - the FGC lines).

Russia on the other hand seems to be thinking entirely in terms of domestic routes, and with such a vast length of 1520mm gauge appears to be interested in avoiding internal break of gauge. They are even converting their Japanese legacy 3'6" system on Sakhalin island to 1520mm.

[frereOP]

Very interesting that they are sticking with their 1520mm gauge unlike Spain which went against its Iberian gauge.

Seems the Ruskies don't want to integrate their HSR into the rest of Europe.  Weird.

[O_128]

Spain always saw its high speed network as linking and inter-operating with the adjacent French system, so standard gauge made a good deal of sense.  Spain has always had some break of gauge internally (a lot of metre gauge in the north and even around Madrid until the 1970s, also some standard gauge under 1500V DC around Barcelona - the FGC lines).

Russia on the other hand seems to be thinking entirely in terms of domestic routes, and with such a vast length of 1520mm gauge appears to be interested in avoiding internal break of gauge. They are even converting their Japanese legacy 3'6" system on Sakhalin island to 1520mm.

Makes sense, Why would russia bother building at standard when if HSR is to connect to the european system then russia would have to pay to run it through eastern europe.

[colinw]

Its payback time for Spain's big investment in high speed rail, expect to see a lot more Spanish high speed & signalling technology rolling out world wide.

Railway Gazette International -> Spanish consortium wins Haramain High Speed Rail contract

26 October 2011

SAUDI ARABIA: The AlShoula Consortium of two Saudi and 12 Spanish companies was declared the winner of a €6·74bn contract to supply railway systems and rolling stock for the Haramain High Speed Rail project on October 26.

The contract covers track, 25 kV 50 Hz electrification, signalling and telecoms for the 444 km double-track line, along with 35 Talgo 350 trainsets suitable for 320 km/h operation based on RENFE's Talgo/Bombardier Class 102 and 112.

The three-year construction period will be followed by operation and maintenance for 12 years. There is an option for a further 23 trainsets.

Dimetronic's €298m share of the supply contract includes Futur 3000 and Futur 2500 ETCS Level 2 signalling and train control, LED lineside signals, train detection systems and onboard equipment. It values its share of maintenance at €185m.

Construction of the high speed line linking Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah and King Abdul Aziz International Airport has been divided into phases by Saudi Railways Organization. In July the AlShoula Consortium was widely rumoured to have won Phase 2, beating the rival French group including SNCF and Alstom. However, SRO stated at the time that no deal had been reached.

Final negotiations have now been completed, allowing the winner to be officially announced.

AlShoula Consortium

AlShoula
Al Rosan
ADIF
Cobra
Consultrans
Copasa
Dimetronic
Imathia
Inabensa
Indra
Ineco
OHL
RENFE
Talgo

[O_128]

At this rate ethiopia will get HSR before we do.

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> Californian high speed plans revised

02 November 2011

USA: The California High Speed Rail Authority launched a revised 'draft business plan' for its proposed 832 km Phase I of a 400 km/h network connecting San Francisco with Anaheim and Los Angeles.

In announcing what it described as a 'foundation for an economically-viable high speed rail system', CHSRA has increased its projection for the total capital cost from an initial $43bn to $98·5bn, with completion of Phase I put back from 2020 to 2033.

The authority has also revised the funding model to allow for the construction phase to be funded entirely from public-sector sources. However, it expects private funding to be generated from property and other related development around stations, and no operating subsidy is envisaged.

In 2008 Californian voters approved an initial tranche of funding that allowed the state to issue up to $10bn in bonds, of which $501m has already been sold and a further $2·6bn committed, whilst the federal government has already contributed $3·6bn. This package is expected to allow construction to begin next year on an initial 208 km segment in the Central Valley from 'just north of Bakersfield to just south of Merced'.

Subsequent phases would see the line extended progressively north and south as finance becomes available; electrification of the Caltrain corridor into San Francisco would allow high speed services to use existing tracks to give a 'one seat ride' before a dedicated line is built into the city.

Defending the budget increase, CHSRA pointed to a forecast investment of $170bn in road and airport infrastructure 'by mid-century' to meet expected population growth. Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo told a conference in New York on November 1 that the revised programme 'didn't sugar-coat anything', and that the project 'is substantially more cost-effective' than non-rail alternatives.

A period of public consultation follows publication of the business plan prior to its submission to the State Legislature in January 2012.

[ozbob]

From the WEBZ91.5  click here!

Congress poised to stop high speed rail funding

Congress poised to stop high speed rail funding
Joan Lowy, The Associated Press | Nov. 17, 2011

Congress is on the verge of killing funding for President Barack Obama's signature high-speed rail program, but it may have some life in it still.

Republican lawmakers are claiming credit for killing the program. But billions of dollars still in the pipeline will ensure work will continue on some projects. And it's still possible money from another transportation grant program can be steered to high-speed trains.

Obama had requested $8 billion in fiscal 2012 for the program, and $53 billion over six years. House and Senate negotiators agreed to a measure this week that eliminates any funding specifically for high-speed trains. Final passage of the bill, which funds day-to-day operations at the Transportation Department and several other agencies in fiscal 2012, is expected Thursday in the House and Friday in the Senate.

Republicans have made it clear since taking control of the House last year that they intended to eliminate the program, which they say is too costly.

The bill marks "an end to the president's misguided high-speed rail program, but it is not the end of American high-speed rail," said Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee's railroad subcommittee.

Shuster and the Transportation Committee's chairman, Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., say the future of high-speed rail in the U.S. is in the Northeast rail corridor that connects Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, rather than the national network of trains envisioned by Obama.

"We are being given a chance to refocus and reform the high-speed rail program," Shuster said.

But Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., an Obama ally and high-speed rail supporter, said he is confident some money will be found to keep Obama's train program going through the Transportation Department's TIGER program, which makes grants to projects that achieve critical national objectives.

The 2012 spending bill includes $500 million for the TIGER (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) program. High-speed trains would have to compete with highway, transit, port and freight rail projects for money.

Since Obama took office in 2009, his administration has steered $10.1 billion to high-speed rail projects around the country, including funds to enhance the Chicago-to-Detroit corridor. Some of the money is only now being used because of the time it takes to start up a major grant program and because the program suffered setbacks when several GOP governors canceled projects in their states that had been awarded funds.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Wednesday that he expects more than $1 billion in high-speed rail construction-related activity across the country next year.

The biggest project is in California, where the state is proposing Europe-style bullet trains traveling up to 220 mph between San Francisco and Anaheim. Planners hope to start construction of the first phase, from Fresno to Bakersfield, next year and complete it by 2017.

The project has been awarded $3.9 billion in federal aid so far. California voters also authorized $9 billion in bonds for high-speed trains in 2008. But at that time the project was forecast to cost $45 billion and be completed by 2020.

A new estimate and schedule released this month pegged the cost at just under $100 billion and pushed completion to 2034. One reason for the cost increase is that it takes into account inflation over that period. But the price tag has strengthened the position of the project's opponents.

"What's frustrating about Congress passing no new funding this year is that it adds uncertainty to federal funding," said Petra Todorovich, director of America 2050, an urban planning and infrastructure advocacy group. "That isn't helpful to projects like California that rely on a certain amount of federal funding."

The first phase of the California project is already funded.

"Some time in the next few years they will need Congress to vote for more money for rail, but it doesn't kill the project that Congress zeroed out funding this year," Todorovich said.

Mort Downey, the No. 2 Transportation Department official under President Bill Clinton and a former Obama campaign adviser, said Obama's high-speed rail plans depend on the California project.

"If California continues to go forward, we're still on life support," Downey said.

Anthony Perl, chairman of the Transportation Research Board's rail group, said that even if Obama's program collapses, it's "still highly likely" a national high-speed rail network will be built in coming decades, partly because the price of oil is expected to continue to increase.

"There is nothing that uses less oil moving people than trains," Perl said. "Cheap oil equals more cars and planes; expensive oil equals trains."

California transportation officials estimate that if high-speed train service doesn't go forward, the state will need to spend $171 billion to construct more than 2,300 miles of freeways, four more airport runways and 115 additional airline gates to accommodate the travel demands of the state's population of 54 million people by 2050.

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> click here

EIB signs €130m LGV Est loan agreement

08 December 2011

FRANCE: The European Investment Bank signed the first €40m instalment of a €130m long-term loan for the construction of the second phase of LGV Est-Européenne on December 5. The agreement will cover the Alsace region's contribution to the €2·1bn project.

EIB said the loan was drawn up on 'the best available market terms', and will enable the region to secure its sources of financing up to 2013 'in a European environment marked by a scarcity of long-term funding'.

The 106 km Baudrecourt - Vendenheim second phase of LGV Est is scheduled to open in 2016, and along with upgrading of the connecting conventional lines will cut Paris - Strasbourg journey times by 30 min to 1 h 50 min.

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> click here

Polish high speed rail project cancelled

08 December 2011

POLAND: Cancellation of the plan to build a Y-shaped high speed line was announced by Slawomir Nowak, Minister of Transport, Construction & Maritime Economy, on December 7.

The EU is Poland's main source of funding for rail projects, but the country had been told it could only count support of around 30bn zloty in 2014-20. This left the ministry with a choice between one megaproject or upgrading existing lines, which are a deteriorated state and lag behind western European standards. As a result, Nowak decided to freeze all work on the high speed project until 2030.

The Y-shaped line from Warszawa through Lódz to Poznan and Wroclaw would have been 450 to 470 km long and suitable for 350 km/h operation. The cost was initially estimated at 20bn zloty, but had risen to 28bn zloty with unofficial estimates reaching 35bn zloty.

Despite cancellation of the dedicated high speed line, Poland may start regular 200 km/h passenger operation on the Central Trunk Line between Warszawa and Katowice in 2013, with speeds increasing to 220 km/h when the first Alstom Pendolinos are delivered in 2014. In the longer term conversion of the 3 kV DC electrification to 25 kV 50 Hz AC is planned, allowing Pendolinos to reach 250 km/h.

[colinw]

Slate.com -> High-speed rail is dead in America. Should we mourn it?

If you live in Los Angeles, Orlando, Cincinnati, Chicago, Milwaukee, Raleigh, or any number of other U.S. cities, chances are you've read a news story that started something like this: "Imagine stepping on a train in [your city] and stepping off in [another major city] just two-and-a-half hours later. This dream could become a reality in the next [unrealistic number] years, thanks to plans for a national network of high-speed rail lines."

Well, you can stop imagining it now. High-speed rail isn't happening in America. Not anytime soon. Probably not ever. The questions now are (1) what killed it, and (2) should we mourn its passing?

...

[Jonno]

The US celebrated a 2.9% drop in road deaths today.  Only 10,929 people died and HSR is not seen as needed?

[Stillwater]

Now where is Stage 2 of the HST study for the Melbourne-Brisbane corridor?

[colinw]

Railway Gazette International -> CAF tests prototype Oaris high speed train

13 December 2011
CAF Oaris high speed train on test in Spain.

SPAIN: A four-car prototype of CAF's Oaris high speed train is undergoing trials on the Madrid - Sevilla route, where testing will include operation at up to 352 km/h. Numbered No 105 001 by RENFE, at the manufacturer's suggestion the prototype was delivered in place of the last of an order for Class 120 trainsets.

It arrived at the RENFE workshops at Villaseca de La Sagra in September, and following static trials made its first runs on the branch from the Madrid - Sevilla route to Toledo. The trainset is currently operating on 1 435 mm gauge bogies, although Oaris might also be equipped with CAF's Brava gauge-changing system.

Oaris has been designed for set lengths of four, six or eight cars, each vehicle riding on a motor and a trailer bogie. The maximum rating of an eight-car set would be 10 660 kW, with a passenger capacity in excess of 500 passengers depending on train format.

[frereOP]

Ferrari have entered the high speed rail game with an announcement by Frerrari boss Luca di Montezemolo of the first private consortium to operate HSR.  The new trains (built by Alstrom) are sleek, low nosed red trains called Italio and have a small cinema on board as well as Wi-Fi and other will operate at 360kph between seven Italian cities:- Bologna, Florence, Milan, Naples, Rome, Salerno and Turin.



CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

[Jonno]

Ferrari have entered the high speed rail game with an announcement by Frerrari boss Luca di Montezemolo of the first private consortium to operate HSR.  The new trains (built by Alstrom) are sleek, low nosed red trains called Italio and have a small cinema on board as well as Wi-Fi and other will operate at 360kph between seven Italian cities:- Bologna, Florence, Milan, Naples, Rome, Salerno and Turin.



CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Ok HSR just entered the really really really cool zone!

[HappyTrainGuy]

Please tell me it sounds like this when it passes by echoing in the countryside

[frereOP]

Please tell me it sounds like this when it passes by echoing in the countryside

OMG, I hope so.  I understand it pulls 5G's going around corners and goes from 0 to 350kph and back to 0 in 7 seconds.  Apart from that its just an ordinary Ferrari.

[O_128]

Cant wait, Im going to Italy end of next year so Ill be going out of my way to get on one of these if they are in operation...Not that there are any issues with trenitalia.

[Stillwater]

Here are some more pictures: http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/italy-unveils-new-ferrari-highspeed-trains-20111214-1ouj1.html
Please, can some of my tax money be spent on one of those. 

[ozbob]

[frereOP]

Interesting video.  TGV technology adopts a "Roller Coaster" approach whereas Shinkansen use a "keep it as straight as possible" with as few grade changes as possible on a dedicated elevated track.  This video show the roller coaster approach really nicely.

[Jonno]

Looks like fun

[ozbob]

From Farm Weekly click here!

Fast-train study begins

Fast-train study begins
ANDREW WEST, THE AGE

19 Dec, 2011 05:39 AM

THE Australasian Railway Association has begun a study of the economic benefits of high-speed rail for regional Australia.

It follows the federal government's announcement it would proceed with the second phase of its investigation into the viability of a fast train between Brisbane and Melbourne.

Association chief executive Brian Nye said his study would look at the potential gains for centres such as Goulburn, Wagga Wagga, Albury-Wodonga and the Gold Coast-Tweed Heads area and hoped the study would be complete by March, soon after Federal Parliament resumes for a year in which major infrastructure projects are slated for debate.

The first phase of the government's study found a line between Brisbane and Melbourne, via Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and other major regional hubs would cost between $61 billion and $108 billion for more than 1600 kilometres of double track.

[verbatim9]

Not sure if anyone one has posted this video yet. It was tweeted by ausrail http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeymWMTRY08&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[ozbob]

http://1x57.com/2012/01/01/most-popular-video-of-2011-from-japan-making-faces-at-the-new-high-speed-train/

or

http://bit.ly/xphls3

Jan 1, 2012
Most popular video of 2011 from Japan – Making faces at the new high-speed train

I love this video from Japan, one of the most popular of 2011. It shows the first ride of a new high-speed rail train. All of these people make faces, dance, moon, and wear special costumes as it goes by.

[ozbob]

BBC News --> HS2: High-speed rail link 'being seriously considered'

[Jonno]

BBC News --> HS2: High-speed rail link 'being seriously considered'

Just goes to show how far behind the eight ball we are in longer distance rail services.