1/2003

On a few pages the current production activities of Stadler Rail are introduced. The overview of all now realized orders is described not only by words, but also by number of photos not only from the Bussnang facilities.

First of all in Germany, Siemens Dispolok’s unites in typical yellow-and-silver painting scheme are daily business today. Having a locomotive at your disposal opens up a huge range of possibilities for the modern railway operator. And that is the philosophy behind Dispolok - the short-term availability of traction on the basis of an operating lease which comes complete with a full servicing package and an all-inclusive contract. All aspects and advantages, which are covered and ensured by this philosophy, are thoroughly described on pages of the Railvolution 1/03 issue.

The close of 2002 saw an increase in the number of railway administrations using Bombardier-built freight locomotives of the model known as 185 and its variants; the latest newcomer was the Swiss freight operator BLS Cargo, which allocated its new locomotives to Class 485.

On New Year's Eve 2002, in Shanghai, the world's first commercial Transrapid maglev train made its inaugural run, opening a new chapter in the history of railways. On board were the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, and the Chinese Prime Minister, Zhu Rongji. They experienced train travel at 430 km/h, which is the planned top operating speed for scheduled services on the 30 km line linking Shanghai city centre and Pudong International Airport...

Between November 2002 and March 2003, during a 'Tour de France' encompassing stations in 42 towns and cities, three vehicles fitted with refurbished passenger accommodation have been on display to the general public, who have been invited to vote on which design they prefer. Three renowned interior designers have independently created what they each consider to be the 'ideal' interior for TGV carriages.

A vehicle testing station for climatic tests has been in operation on the premises of the former Arsenal since June 1961, so the end of its technical service life finally required the facility to be completely rebuilt in a new location. The Province of Vienna and the Federal Government readily advanced considerable funds in order to retain the technical know-how and expertise gained over decades – after all, Vienna boasts the only climatic wind tunnel for rail vehicles worldwide. In early March 2001 the foundation stone for the new climatic wind tunnel (CWT) was laid on the so-called Pauker premises in Vienna's 21st District and at the end of 2002 the facility was completed.

Metrowagonmash, traditional Russian producer of metro cars from Mytischchi, decided to enter the field of railway vehicles. In exchange for part of the Russian state debts, its DMUs are currently being delivered to Hungary and the same plan was introduced in Czech republic too. The fomer order is already investigated because of suspicion of corruption and the latter seems to be rejected, fortunately for ČD. More about this controversy trainsets can be found on the pages of R 1/03.