Currently Browsing: Overseas
And We Think We Have Problems…
Posted by Jon C in OverseasMar 11th, 2010 | 2 CommentsSometimes, it’s good to know we are not alone in having train issues.
In the UK, 2m passengers who use the Jubilee, Northern and Piccadilly lines face years of delays after a major row broke out today over the amount that will be spent on the Tube network.Major upgrades to the three lines are under threat after the official in charge of funding ruled on the budget for the next seven years. The company was ordered to cut spending by £1.3 billion, putting at risk plans for new, faster and cleaner trains, improved signalling and refurbishing stations. Story here (hat tip Andrew)
Tender documents...
London To Beijing By Rail In 2 Days!
Posted by Jon C in OverseasMar 10th, 2010 | 11 CommentsIt sounds like fantasy but it’s a nice dream, if it never actually happens. And you never know.
China has come up with a plan to run its 320kph high speed trains connecting all over the world, meaning you would board in London today and be in Beijing in two days.
Faster than a plane trip.
Here’s the good part.
China is talking of paying to build the rail line through Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia.
In return. it gets a way to get its goods around the world and transport raw materials.The main line would link London with Beijing via Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, Kiev, St Petersburg, Moscow,...
Sydney Slashes Rail Plan, More Roading Money
Posted by Jon C in OverseasFeb 22nd, 2010 | 8 CommentsNew South Wales new Premier. Kristina Keneally.has dumped her predecessor’s big public transport plans and in her 10 year plan allocated three times as much money to roads as trains, saying this is about re-allocating spending to where it is needed.
She has axed the $5b plans for stage one of the CBD Metro rail (planning has already cost $200m and properties have been bought) and her plan features yet another Sydney road tunnel – a new $4.5 billion, five kilometre road tunnel from the west to the city.
Rail is far from ignored – but road gets the big attention and the decision...
Belgium Trains Collide Head- On: Over 20 Dead – Video
Posted by Jon C in Accidents, OverseasFeb 16th, 2010 | No CommentsTwo commuter trains have collided head on in Belgium, killing at least 20, with the death toll still rising.
One train ran a red light – highlighting again the dangers of this happening – as it did here the other day with a Masterton train.
A sign of how bad the impact was – 2 carriages were driven into overhead power lines.
Rail officials told media that the rail track was equipped with automatic braking equipment, but the slower train was not, allowing the driver to pass a red signal on to a single track carrying the faster inter-city train.
The accident happened at at Buizingen,...
Man Just Misses Train Running Him Over – Video
Posted by Jon C in Accidents, OverseasFeb 11th, 2010 | No CommentsIt was a scary scene at a traffic crossing near Buenos Aires, Argentina when a man was almost struck by a train. He managed to get a stalled van out of the way but had to quickly jump back behind the tracks when the train came zooming by.
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myki’s Integrated Ticketing Disaster Continues
Posted by Jon C in Overseas, TicketingJan 31st, 2010 | No Comments
The introduction of the massively budget overblown integrated ticketing card for Victoria continues its incredible tale of disaster.
The project has cost $1.35 billion and, at last report, is $350m over budget.
The latest bombshell for the so-called myki card is the revelation that the government paid $1.2m just to change the screens of the myki validators from black and white to colour.
The change on almost 500 trams and 2,500 buses and coaches meant that some validators had to be ‘remanufactured’ which Opposition shadow minister for public transport, Terry Mulder, says is really code for...
Obama Can, How About Us? America Gets $8b High Speed Rail
Posted by Jon C in OverseasJan 29th, 2010 | 4 Comments
As we struggle through this week of much pain on Auckland’s struggling but developing rail network, one has to ponder: if only we could join the rest of the world.
Now its’s America getting high-speed rail, thanks to an US$8 billion investment just announced by President Obama.
This will go towards developing a high speed rail service in 13 travel corridors covering 31 states across the country.
US environmentalist Rob McCulloch, said that, overall, once built out, a national high-speed network would cut oil use by 125 million barrels a day.
The president said the move had three goals:
to...
Vote for Car Free Geneva
Posted by Jon C in OverseasJan 23rd, 2010 | 3 CommentsAn amazing initiative in Switzerland this week.
The Geneva City Council voted to approve a Green Party initiative to close 200 roads in the city centre to motor vehicles.
The decision was a 2 to 1 vote.
But it’s not yet a done deal.
There’s an audio interview with the Greens here:
(Hattip Jon R)
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Melbourne Trains Cancelled Because Of Heat (Video)
Posted by Jon C in OverseasJan 12th, 2010 | No CommentsIn Europe, trains have been cancelled because of the snow conditions.
It’s the opposite in Australia.
Over 100 Melbourne trains were cancelled yesterday as temperatures climbed beyond 40.
Police also issued a warning for city workers to avoid the transport rush and leave work early or wait until temperatures have peaked.
Last year at this time, there was a commuter outcry when the air conditioning failed on over 100 trains. The system was then operated by Connex.
Metro Trains, which has taken over, says it’s been working on improving the air-conditioning units on the old trains, which...
At Least It’s Not Snowing! Videos
Posted by Jon C in OverseasJan 10th, 2010 | 2 CommentsFor all our train woes, at least Aucklanders don’t have train disruptions caused by snow – unless climate change gets worse!
Eurostar passengers have had limited services this weekend ebcause of Europe’s icy snowy chill – and more complaints about a lack of communication from the company to waiting passengers.
Train services around the UK and Europe are also affected – 14,000 train trips in the UK so far reported cancelled..
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Sudden Public Transport Crisis A Warning For Us
Posted by Jon C in OverseasJan 8th, 2010 | 3 Comments
A sudden unexpected public transport crisis in the US – and it’s a warning for us of what can happen with a system that relies heavily on government funding and that funding changes.
Throughout the US, funding from various state and local governments, a key part of budgets for transit systems, is being massively cut.
So officials are slashing public transport services and raising fares, even though many of those who use public transport may well themselves be stretched for cash because of the economy.
This will result in people throughout the country finding their train or bus route...
China Launches World’s Fastest Train – Video
Posted by Jon C in OverseasJan 5th, 2010 | No CommentsThe world’s fastest express train link has started service in China, cutting a 9 hour trip to just three hours.
Travelling an average speed of 380k, the train is running from Wuhan in the centre of the country to Guangzhou in the south.
It cost $15b, so how many shall we ask our transport minister for?
Chinese reports say that on one of its first trips, a smoker lighting up in the toilet, despite the “no smoking” signs, triggered a two hour delay when alarms went off and the train had to stop.
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How Auckland’s Integrated Ticketing Should Be In A Few Years! (Videos)
Posted by Jon C in Overseas, TicketingJan 3rd, 2010 | No CommentsReader James has just spent a week in Hong Kong and during his time there, bought an Octopus Card. It shows how great integrated smartcard ticketing will be for us once we get it in a few years.
Here’s his report and he shares the videos he took at a station:
The first video is using the ticket card at the Admiralty MTR Station in Hong Kong – and it shows how fast it is to process the cards through the turnstiles.
Notice that the woman at the end of the clip is fumbling but only because she can’t find her card, which is a single journey ticket.
This video shows us that same busy...
Eurostar Nightmare: Not Everyone’s Buying The Official Excuse (Video)
Posted by Jon C in OverseasDec 21st, 2009 | 1 CommentThe Eurostar services between France and England remain suspected for the third day as controversy flares about the company’s explanation for how five trains broke down inside the tunnel, leaving over a thousand passengers scared, hungry, cold and locked inside the train underground for up to 15 hours.
The French transport minister, calling the incident abnormal, says he can’t understand how the vital transport link could fail just because there was snow outside and can’t accept that bad weather alone immobilised the trains’ electrical system.
He is initiating an inquiry...
Santa Cancels Sydney’s $180m Rail Xmas Present
Posted by Jon C in OverseasDec 21st, 2009 | 1 CommentA long awaited $180m transport blueprint for Sydney was to have been announced the other day by NSW premier Nathan Rees.
It would have overhauled Sydney’s rail links over the next 25 years, including:
A big boost to Paramatta as a transport and employment hub
A new metro line from Olympic Park to Hurstville
A western Metro from Westmead to the city
A metro to the south-eastern suburbs of Randwick, Kensington, the UNSW, Kingsford and Maroubra
A freight link to the Hills District in the north-west
Completion of the missing rail link between Parramatta and Epping
Of special interest to those of...
Eurostar Nightmare: Thousands Stuck In Tunnel For Up To 15 Hours (Video)
Posted by Jon C in OverseasDec 20th, 2009 | No CommentsScared, hungry, struggling without lighting and heating, herded around like cattle…
That’s what two thousand Eurostar train passengers are telling media tonight as they return home after being stuck on trains in the undersea Channel tunnel for hours.
Four trains on the Eurostar line joining London and Paris broke down after entering the tunnel on the French coast Friday night.
The three hour journey turned into a nightmare that lasted up to 15 hours.
Eurostar has now cancelled services, blaming the cold weather hitting Europe this weekend.
Eurostar’s explanation is that the electrical...
Wow! Transport Tunnel To Link Sth Korea, Japan & China
Posted by Jon C in OverseasDec 8th, 2009 | 5 Comments
This is amazing – governments this week are getting serious about an undersea transport tunnel between South Korea and Japan and possibly between Korea and China .
South Korea has announced it will move it up a big notch and now conduct an economic and technical feasibility study on building tunnels with both countries. Japan’s government and companies have also started serious work on this, including test drilling.
Map accompanying one of the proposals
There have been a number of route proposals put forward but the most favoured appears to one connecting a southern point in South...
Changing Of the Guard in Melbourne Today
Posted by Jon C in OverseasNov 30th, 2009 | 1 Comment
We complain a lot about the state of the trains but , compared to, say, four years ago, things are much better and you can feel we are over the worst hump.
Tourist attraction in Melbourne- faster than the trains?
So it’s fascinating to watch other cities trying to start the difficult process of cleaning up a rail infrastructure which has been neglected for decades.
The reality is, that things don’t get better overnight and it may take many more years to get things right.
Melbourne’s system is so broken, the operators got dumped in order to bring in some fresh blood and try to...
Melbourne’s Myki Now “Overcooked Christmas Turkey”
Posted by Jon C in General, Overseas, TicketingNov 30th, 2009 | No Comments
Melbourne’s woeful attempt at integrated ticketing -detailed earlier – continues to run into problems.
Final official testing has shown it takes 4 or 5 seconds for the “Myki” card to be recognised by a reader.
This especially means trams will face longer stops as it will take people – who have to use the card getting off as well as on - a while to get through, rather than just hopping off the tram as happens now and letting the tram take off again.
The state’s opposition transport spokesman, Terry Mulder, is having a field day. He’s calling for the...
Moscow Train Derails- Could Be “Terrorist Bomb” (Video)
Posted by Jon C in General, OverseasNov 28th, 2009 | No CommentsEarly reports say at least 25 people died in a Russian train derailment this morning. The train was traveling from Moscow to St. Petersburg. Authorities say it could have been a terrorist act as it appears to have been caused by a blast.
Here is a report from Russian TV:
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UK Rail Staff Can’t Afford The Train
Posted by Jon C in OverseasNov 12th, 2009 | No CommentsFunny story on the BBC about UK”s Network Rail holding a staff conference in Coventry but the firm says it costs too much for them to go by rail.
Instead the 200 staff will cover the 116m journey from Reading by coach.
The saving: $54,000.
If open return tickets were bought for all the staff it could cost up to $60,000 – $3025 each. But coach travel, at $26 a head, will cost just $5739.
There was an international report recently that said that UK rail fares were among the highest relatively in the world. You would hope this would be a wake up for the company but in fact the company gloated...
What Thales Can Bring Us (If We Have The Money!) -Videos
Posted by Jon C in Overseas, TicketingNov 2nd, 2009 | 2 Comments
Dubai Metro's Thales cards known as NOl
Dubai’s flash new Metro rail system gives us a glimpse of what Thales could bring us if we could afford it. The system is compatible with Dubai’s other public transportation modes, creating an integrated transport network.
And , as you’ll see from the video below, it sure ain’t Snapper.
Thales equipped all stations along the route with access gates, ticket vending machines, station computers and a central controlling system.
There are four types of cards including a gold card. the company explains how it works:
So let’s...
How Rail Can Compete With Domestic Airlines
Posted by Jon C in Overseas, WaikatoOct 29th, 2009 | 2 Comments
Hamilton's Go buses: But where are the trains?
As the Waikato rail plan disappears into a disturbing cone of silence, a Sydney group this morning put forward an argument for Sydney that is just as relevant for why we need an attractive Waikato to Auckland service.
While motorway enthusiasts insist an improved Waikato expressway is the only way people want to travel between the two cities, the Sydney group is arguing that the time is coming when, with bigger populations, motorists will be looking for an alternative.
In Sydney’s case, the group says some simple policy changes would be sufficient...
Deadly Cairo Train Crash (Video)
Posted by Jon C in OverseasOct 25th, 2009 | No CommentsAt least 25 people have been killed and at least 50 injured after two passenger trains collided in the Giza district of the Egyptian capital Cairo. A passenger train drove full speed into the back of a stationary train.
It’s another country with a bad train safety record:
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Videos: Runaway Bus Misses Pedestrian: & Indian Train Smash Kills 21
Posted by Jon C in OverseasOct 21st, 2009 | No CommentsFrom overseas today:
CCTV has captured a bus, on which the brakes had failed, crashing though the streets of Perm, Russia, just missing a pedestrian but damaging 19 cars on the way. Four people were hurt, none seriously.
In Northern India near the Taj Mahal today, another bad train smash. So far, 21 people known to have died and 17 injured, many trapped for hours.
Commentators say the infrastructure has not kept up with increased passenger numbers and poor maintenance is common on the tracks of one of the world’s biggest and busiest train networks.
An early report from CNN:
Embedded video...
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I began this as a diary about catching an Auckland train & to create an online record of rail & motorway development. Now it's called AKT as it covers news & views from rail to motorways, the Auckland harbour crossing debate & cycle trails.
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