The Quebeq public pension fund Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec (CDPQ) is turning the challenge of not finding suitable investment opportunities into an opportunity. While many long term investors seek sustainable, attainable and low risk long term income, they usually approach financial intermediaries such as banks. Some investors go directly and invest in … Continue reading Pension fund becomes rail network operator
One ticketing system vs. multiple approaches
I just read a quite interesting interview of Ulrich Gygi, still President of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) where he explains the development in the ticketing system in Switzerland. He is dissatisfied with the progress as well as the fact that smaller rail operators, such as the Südostbahn (SOB) and the Bern Lötschberg Simplon Bahn … Continue reading One ticketing system vs. multiple approaches
Nigeria on the brink of a new railway era
These days if was announced that the opening of the new Abudja-Kaduna railway line will shift into June. At the same time, Muhammadu Buhari has assigned 60bn Naira, or 260 million EUR, in the 2016 budget for the great costal railway. As an outsider, it does not seem to be fully clear what monies are … Continue reading Nigeria on the brink of a new railway era
Rail-Link from Keflavik airport (KEF) to Reykjavik city – maybe not such a good idea
I read yesterday that a group of investors is pursuing a railway project in Iceland to link the airport to the capital in light of the expected significant expansion of tourism in the next years. Two years ago, I had a chance to visit the country, explore the pristine nature and I am eager to … Continue reading Rail-Link from Keflavik airport (KEF) to Reykjavik city – maybe not such a good idea
Multi Level Maintenance and Stabling for Railways
Having stayed for quite some time in Singapore, I am familiar with the problems they are facing when further developing their city-state. Spacial areas for all types of usages are very limited: The city-state seeks to grow significantly its population while creating a sustainable quality of living with dense areas, but also sufficient space for … Continue reading Multi Level Maintenance and Stabling for Railways
New Operator for Senegal-Mali Line
Westafrica is finally poised for some rail investments. Not only are lines in Nigeria close to completion, but also projects such as the Moroccan high-speed links in operation. At the same time projects for light rails and metros emerge in the metropolitan regions. One big topic however remained fairly untouched: Operations and Maintenance. There are … Continue reading New Operator for Senegal-Mali Line
The emergence of hidden IT processes in Railways faces many challenges
In the automotive industrie, general manufacturing and the robotics and automation companies, we always talk about the 4th industrial revoultion. As I am sitting currently again in a train running between the capital and the largest city, it came to my mind to philosophize a bit about the potential of the 4th industrial revolution where … Continue reading The emergence of hidden IT processes in Railways faces many challenges
Chinese SDA1 vs. British Class 66
I thought it would be interesting to make a few comparisons on Twitter until the next Innotrans. Let us start with a more simple one, the CSR SDA1 vs. the EMD Class 66: Name/Type SDA 1 EMD Class 66 Description The SDA 1 are the first Chinese diesel locomotives with AC traction motors. The locomotive … Continue reading Chinese SDA1 vs. British Class 66
Future of Diesel Traction
Today, Electro-Motive Diesel, the Progress Rail/Caterpillar Company, delivered its last EMD Class 66 diesel locomotive for Europe. This gives me the opportunity to quickly reflect on the future potential of diesel locomotives: The locomotive, also known as EMD JT42CWRM, was first built in 1998 and introduced to the UK as a major workhorse for heavy … Continue reading Future of Diesel Traction
Converting the Gotthard Mountain to Swiss Cheese – lets go back to start
On February 28th 2016, Switzerland experiences something which is quite special when looking a transport project. The people can vote on the construction of a new road tunnel through the Gotthard Mountain, one of the more important North-South connections through the Alps. There has been a lot said about the benefits and disadvantages of the … Continue reading Converting the Gotthard Mountain to Swiss Cheese – lets go back to start
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