Stadler shows Metra’s battery FLIRT with up to 2 MW charging and 79 mph
Metra's battery-electric FLIRT went on show at APTA EXPO in Chicago on October 5, with Stadler listing charging of up to 2 MW and a top speed of 79 mph.
Passenger Rail News
Alstom to build up to 83 Hanoi metro trains, Vingroup to assemble 117 more
Up to 83 Hanoi metro trains will come from Alstom’s Valenciennes site in France under a 6 October agreement with Vingroup, which will assemble another 117 in Vietnam.
Grand Central’s Newcastle–Brighton bid, opposed by Network Rail, lines up four Class 180s
Grand Central has agreed to take four Class 180 trains on lease if its proposed Newcastle–Brighton service is approved, a route Network Rail has told the regulator it cannot support.
Helsinki approves €48m West Harbour light rail, full service around 2034
Helsinki City Council has approved the €48 million West Harbour light rail project, upgrading existing track so line 12 can continue from Hakaniemi to Jätkäsaari, with full service around 2034.
Recaro Rail to supply 40,000+ seats for FlixTrain’s current and 2028 trains
Recaro Rail says it will deliver more than 40,000 Vela seats for FlixTrain through 2028, for existing coaches under refit and new trains the operator plans to introduce that year.
EBRD weighs up to €30m for Montenegro sleeping cars after EMU loan
Montenegro's passenger rail operator may get an EBRD loan for up to ten sleeping cars, worth up to €30 million and matching the ceiling of its 2024 electric train loan.
Sydney’s Southwest Metro completes over 80% of its required test kilometres
Southwest Metro testing had covered about 24,750 of 30,000 required kilometres and more than 6,150 of 9,000 hours by 21 September, with opening scheduled for the second half of 2026.
Borealis tops 500,000 riders, over a third above Amtrak’s 2015 forecast pace
Amtrak Borealis ridership has passed 500,000 since the St. Paul–Chicago service began in May 2024, a pace more than a third above the 155,500 annual riders Amtrak forecast in 2015.
MTA estimates at least $1 billion in tariffs on imported train and bus parts
Federal tariffs on MTA rolling stock will add at least $1 billion to a $23 billion program to buy new subway cars, commuter railcars and buses, the agency estimates.
Gauteng plans 32 Gautrain trains instead of 24 under 15-year concession
Alstom will build eight new trains under the next 15-year Gautrain concession, in which Gauteng plans to grow the fleet from 24 to 32 four-car units.
Budget officer sees Alto high-speed rail at C$75bn–C$113bn, with overruns likelier
Canada’s Parliamentary Budget Officer puts the Alto high-speed rail cost at $75 billion to $113 billion, a range whose upper end exceeds the government’s $60 billion to $90 billion estimate.
Chalfont & Latimer trespass hits Chiltern and Metropolitan line trains
Trespass at Chalfont & Latimer on Saturday 3 October disrupted Chiltern Railways trains between Amersham and London Marylebone and halted Metropolitan line services north of Rickmansworth.
