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Issue 3 2011 / 31 May 2011 /
2011 will be an exciting year for Norwegian railways. The past year was unfortunately marred by widespread service disruption and much criticism from passengers, the media and politicians. Our goal at Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian National Rail Administration, is that 2011 should be the turning point where we begin to see results from all the improvement initiatives under way.
If 2011 is to be a turning point, delays must be reduced and punctuality improved. We need to increase customer satisfaction and to perform better in public opinion surveys. (more…)
Issue 3 2010 / 31 May 2010 /
The past winter was unusually tough and challenging for Norwegian railways. Almost three months of continuous cold weather took their toll on ageing and well-worn infrastructure, resulting in record low punctuality and a large number of train cancellations. Never before have we experienced such poor punctuality over such a prolonged period. Rail users rightly voiced their displeasure. The media were merciless in their criticism, and intense political debate ensued.
On top of winter’s many disruptions, the run-up to Easter brought more trouble. On 24 March 2010, 16 wagons broke loose from a retarder at the Alnabru freight terminal and rolled at high speed down to Oslo harbour, where a number of them smashed into two buildings. Three people were killed in this tragic accident. On 29 March 2010, the GSM-R communications network suffered a major breakdown, halting almost all trains countrywide for three hours. Then, on 1 April 2010, a local service was derailed by worn track at Oslo central station. (more…)
Issue 3 2010 / 31 May 2010 /
High-speed railways, major infrastructure projects, development and investment plans and market liberalisation were just some of the important topics highlighted and assessed during European Railway Review’s recent conference – Scandinavian Rail Development 2010.
Held in the stunning city of Stockholm, Sweden, at the Operakällaren, European Railway Review welcomed over 120 delegates and speakers to share and discuss knowledge of the Scandinavian railway marketplace – a region with many plans for investment and development to build and improve on its current rail infrastructure. (more…)
Rail industry news / 23 March 2010 /
Alcatel-Lucent has announced that it has been selected by Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian National Rail Administration, to deploy an advanced high-speed network based on IP/MPLS technology to handle all business communications for the railway. Alcatel-Lucent’s solution will transform Jernbaneverket communications infrastructure into a next-generation network, enabling more reliable and secure services throughout its nation system. (more…)
Rail industry news / 12 March 2010 /
NOMAD Digital has signed a £1.5m contract with Swiss train manufacturer STADLER to equip 50 new FLIRT trains with its high speed broadband communications system for Norway’s national passenger rail company NSB. This is the first time that Nomad’s technology has been an integral part of a new build and represents a landmark for the world’s leading provider of train broadband solutions. (more…)
Issue 3 2009, Past issues / 15 May 2009 /
In its proposed national transport plan for the period 2010-2019, the Norwegian government has identified construction of a new double-track line between Oslo central station and Ski as a priority. The planned 24km line has been named Follobanen (the Follo line) and up to 19km of it may be in a continuous tunnel. The earliest start date for construction is 2013, and the price is currently estimated at NOK 11.6 billion.
To emphasise the importance of the new line, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg travelled by suburban train from Oslo to Ski on 13 April 2009 to announce that the project would be a priority in the transport plan to be unveiled later that day. Mr Stoltenberg was accompanied by Kristin Halvorsen, Minister of Finance, and Liv Signe Navarsete, Minister of Transport and Communications. These three politicians lead the three parties that currently form Norway’s coalition government.
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Issue 2 2009, Past issues / 26 March 2009 /
ERESS (European Railway Energy Settlement System) reduces railway energy consumption by up to 15%, strengthening both the environmental profile and competitiveness of the railways. In this article, you can learn more about the system that could become a common European standard.
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Issue 1 2009, Past issues / 23 January 2009 /
The Norwegian Railway Inspectorate (Statens jernbanetilsyn) was established in 1996 to safeguard public interest with respect to safety and to enforce the railway law and regulations. In Norway, safety is the responsibility of the individual railway companies.
Until 1996, the state-owned railway (NSB) comprised infrastructure management, development and maintenance as well as railway operations. The company was also responsible for the regulations, both development and enforcement. For all practical purposes the NSB was the only passenger train and freight train operator on the national network until then.
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Issue 4 2008, Past issues / 1 August 2008 /
On 16 and 17 June 2008, Nordic Rail Infrastructure, a conference organised by European Railway Review, took place at the Marriot Hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The aim of the conference was to bring speakers and delegates together to enjoy informative presentations concerning major projects and developments within the Nordic region. The conference was chaired by two important industry peers; on the first day Morten Søndergaard, Programme Director of Banedanmark and on the second day Kim Andersen, Assistant Director of Technical Operations and Maintenance of Banedanmark. (more…)
Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 28 May 2008 /
Studies commissioned by Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian National Rail Administration, show potential for developing a high-speed network designed for Norwegian conditions.
Norway was an early builder of railways. The first line, the 54km route from Oslo to Eidsvoll, opened back in 1854 – quite some time ago! As in other countries, the rail network was expanded to its present extent (over 4,000km) for two main reasons: to accommodate an existing need to transport raw materials to the coast, and to provide the population with a radically improved long-distance transport service.
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Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 28 May 2008 /
Freight traffic on Norwegian railways is enjoying strong growth. All the operators on the network are reporting increased demand – signalling the need to run additional and longer freight trains. A few sections are already operating beyond their capacity. Jernbaneverket, the Norwegian National Rail Administration, is responding to this trend and proposing measures to double freight traffic over the next decade.
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Issue 3 2008, Past issues / 28 May 2008 /
There is no doubt that trains are the future of transport – and for NSB, the future starts now, as the groundwork is being laid to make the train the number one means of transport in Norway. Emil Eike, together with Stein Nilsen and Torod Gjermundsen, explain to readers of European Railway Review, how NSB is planning its largest ever order for new trains, and how it has also launched a comprehensive project to upgrade existing rolling stock.
From a European rail perspective, NSB is a relatively small-scale actor, serving primarily the Norwegian market. In 2007, the train operating company carried a total of 50.4 million passengers, representing an increase of 5.1% over the previous year.
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