Light Rail news from around Europe
HK order low-floor trams from Transtech
Rail.co April 1 2011
http://www.rail.co/2011/04/01/hkl-orders-low-floor-trams-from-transtech/
Helsinki City Transport (HKL) and the Finnish Rail rolling stock manufacturer Transtech signed an agreement to purchase 40 new trams on 24 March.
The contract comprises of 40 trams and a possible further 90, if the tram extensions of Helsinki go to plan. The value of the contract for the first 40 trams ai??i??113 million.
TranstechAi??specialises in building railway vehicles for extreme climatic conditions, such as those encountered in Finland. HKLai??i??s Board of Directors voted Transtech as their new supplier last December due to the ai???affordability and qualityai??i?? of the rail cars.
Following the signing of the contract, a life size model of the new tram was being planned to ensure the design and engineering of the model would be suitable.
HKL want the ai???future usability of the wagon to be the best possible fit and the appearance of the vehicle needs to fit in with the existing tram fleet. ai???
The new trams are full length, low-floor, 27.3 m long and equipped with 73 fixed seats. The trailer also has space for four wheelchairs or pushchairs.
The acquisition of the first two cars will be seen in Helsinki in 2013 for trial purposes, with the rest of the fleet beginning production in 2014 and entering service in Helskini in 2015.
Surplus Edinburgh trams set to run in London
RAILNEWS.co.uk
http://www.railnews.co.uk/news/metro/2011/03/24-surplus-edinburgh-trams-set-to.html
TEN trams which have been acquired by the City of Edinburgh may run in south London instead, because the project to develop a tram system in the Scottish capital has fallen so far behind schedule.
The council-owned tram development company TIE confirmed today that it has been shortlisted by Transport for London as one of three potential suppliers of additional trams for the lines which link Wimbledon with Croydon and other local destinations.
Paris Tramway Line T6
Railway Technology.com
http://www.railway-technology.com/projects/paris-line-t6/
The T6 is a new tramline that is being constructed in the suburbs of Paris in the General Council regions of Hauts-de-Seine and Yvelines. It will be owned by the General Councils of Hauts-de-Seine and Yvelines and the operator RAi??gie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP).
It will provide improved transportation facilities between the two suburban Councils while integrating with Underground Line 13, RAi??seau Express RAi??gional (RER) Line C and lines of Transilien, the French National Railway Company.
Preconstruction works commenced in 2007 and construction works started in 2010. The project is scheduled for completion in 2015.
RATP currently operates four tramlines (T1, T2, T3 and T4) in Paris, while four more lines (T5, T6, T7 and T8) are planned to be opened by 2014.
Line routes
The 14km-long route will be between Chatillion and Viroflay, and will pass through the municipalities of Clamart, Fontenay-aux-Roses, Meudon and Velizy-Villacoublay.
In the past three months Fang has reported Light Rail & Tramway news from around Europe & the World.
From Birmingham to Berne, Detroit to Dublin, Minneapolis to Melaka and Nottingham to New Orleans
Angers, Bordeaux, Blackpool, Copenhagen, Grenoble, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Lyon, Manchester, Mulhouse, Milan, Reims, Sydney, Tours, Tel Aviv, Washington & Valenciennes.
from Canada – nothing, only bad newsAi??emanating fromAi??Toronto & Vancouver.
