Kyiv Metro rejoins UITP and asks for European help
An appeal for assistance from Western European operators was made by the head of the Kyiv Metro, Viktor Braginskyi, at UITP’s IT-Trans conference in Karlsruhe on 10 May.
read more
Škoda Ekova awarded M31 life extension contract
Västtrafik has awarded Škoda subsidiary a contract to overhaul its fleet of 80 Type M31 trams in a five-year programme worth EUR80m.
read more
HART approves plan to shorten Honolulu light metro
Shortened light metro line will now end at Civic Center, removing two stations and more than a mile from the original project.
read more
FTA to undertake detailed MBTA safety review
US federal authorities to review safety practices on the T after recent incidents, including the death of a passenger on the Red line in April.
read more
Berlin Senate presents Spandau – Tegel tramway plans
First route options revealed for a tram connection to the former airport site, currently being redeveloped for residential, commercial and educational use from 2027.
read more
Light rail recommended for Portland – Vancouver link
Studies for expanding high-capacity transit across the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington have identified a mixed-use bridge including a light rail link.
read more
Surveys start for Granada southern extension
Surveys begin for the southern extension of the tramway in Granada as the Junta de Andalucía orders another eight CAF trams.
read more
Montréal and Québec take over REM de l’Est metro
Pension fund CDPQ withdraws involvement from the planned CAD10bn light metro in eastern Montréal. A revised project will now be taken forward by the City of Montréal and the province.
read more
Lease deal agreed for 54 Sankt Peterburg ‘retro’ cars
Gorelektrotrans has signed a lease agreement with Sberbank Leasing, a division of Russia’s largest bank, for 54 ‘retro-style’ two- and three-section tramcars. Deliveries are to begin in 2023.
read more
Elizabeth line opening confirmed for 24 May
Cross-London passenger services on the Elizabeth line will finally begin on 24 May, Transport for London (TfL) has announced. Full services expected in 2023.
read more
Always ahead of the game
Patrick Lamb, Managing Director of Severn Lamb, describes the process of creating bespoke vehicles for some of the more unusual light rail projects.
read more
Coming of the Tempe Streetcar
With an innovative new urban streetcar due to open on 20 May and expansion of its existing LRT system underway, Vic Simons revisits Arizona.
read more
A life without wires
Mott MacDonald’s Chris Tindall assesses the positives and negatives of a range of technologies promoted as an alternative to traditional LRT electrification.
read more
Tram-train learning
Simon Coulthard and Alex Dodds of Network Rail’s Light Rail Team describe the creation of the innovative online data resource which presents a ‘warts and all’ overview of the UK’s tram-train pilot.
read more
The Southampton Tram Project: Over 40 years in the making
Until 2020, this Southampton group was working largely away from public gaze, painstakingly restoring local trams with minimal funding and manpower. Martin Petch relates progress.
read more
Where the UK went wrong
Tony Young examines the many and complex reasons why the UK doesn’t have more second-generation tramways when so many were promised.
read more
Addressing the climate crisis
The issues surrounding sustainable transport infrastructure design have never been as important as cities face increasing instances of extreme weather events. TAUT looks at the some of the resilience measures being implemented for new light rail systems around the world.
read more
Forchbahn: Fit for the future
An ambitious programme to renovate the Swiss Forchbahn to increase capacity and make it fully-accessible will soon be underway. Andrew Thompson explores the plans in detail.
read more
Is ‘free’ transit really free?
Morgan Lyons explores the debates around fare-free travel as they grow in popularity – and urgency.
read more
Next-generation traction batteries
As urban rail systems increasingly move away from fixed electrification infrastructure, Saft’s Pierre Prenleloup discusses the latest developments in onboard traction battery technology.
read more
UK Very Light Rail Conference
Attendees to this one-day event in June will hear from the teams involved in delivering the Coventry Urban VLR project and Revolution VLR.
read more
Light rail: The key to sustainable mobility
The European Light Rail Congress brings together many senior and key professionals from across Europe for two days of debate covering innovation and new technologies with light rail being a key driver to sustainable mobility.
read moreLight rail events for 2022
Mainspring’s 2022 events diary: Details about the European Light Rail Congress, 16th Annual UK Light Rail Conference, and Global Light Rail Awards.
read more
Mainspring LRT Excellence Day: From theory to practice
Sharing innovation, new technologies and best practice between engineers and the supply chain in Wolverhampton.
read moreRail Live 2021
Rail Live is a unique event bringing the full railway industry together to explore technology, innovation and strategy for the entire rail supply chain.
read moreEvents for 2022
Dates for your diaries for 2022’s events
read more
Sharing experience in Zaragoza
Geoff Butler rounds up the highlights from this year’s European Light Rail Congress in north-eastern Spain, a further return for face-to-face events for a mobility sector disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
read more
Celebrating success…. virtually
Global pandemic didn’t stop the sector recognising excellence and innovation.
read moreCOVID forces InnoTrans cancellation
The 2020 running of the world’s largest rail exhibition – held in Berlin biennially since 1996 – has been cancelled.
read more
Rail Live!
Rail Live! is now firmly positioned as one of the world’s most exciting rail events. This event brings top tier leaders of the rail industry together to discuss topics critical to future developments in the premium conference, alongside an action-packed exhibition which attracts the full rail supply chain.
read more