December 2008 in rail transport

This article lists events related to rail transport that occurred in December 2008.

Events

December 10

• – Officials in the Scottish government release details of their 20-year plan for transportation infrastructure improvements. Projects planned include new stations in Glasgow, a new systemwide ticketing scheme and electrification of the entire rail system in Scotland. Reactions to the plan have been mixed with some bemoaning the amount of roadway improvements, others saying that the plans were outdated, while others still welcoming all planned improvements.^[1][2]

December 11

• – Zhou Yongkang, a Politburo Standing Committee member of the Communist Party of China, presides over groundbreaking ceremonies in Nanning for construction work that will rebuild the Xianggui Railway. The line connects Hunan Province to the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The project is considered a key part of China's long-term railway reconstruction plans and it is hoped to spur industrial growth and reduce poverty along the line. The groundbreaking ceremony was scheduled to coincide with the 50th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.^[3]

December 14

• – Railway workers in areas along the Danube River in Hungary go on strike at midnight local time. At 6:00 PM local time, the railway labour union extended the strike to affect all rail services nationwide. The union is protesting a lack of profit sharing from recently privatized cargo operations and demands payment of 250,000 forints ($1,330) for every railway worker as compensation. MÁV, the national railway of Hungary, alleges that such a payment plan would be impractical.^[4]

December 15

• – On the first working day of the new timetable for Network Rail's West Coast Main Line, a fuse blows on a track circuit in northwest London which closed two of the four tracks in the area. The problem was soon rectified, resulting in delays of only 15 minutes on train travel through the area. The £13 billion reconstruction project took ten years to complete and was expected to increase the total number of trains using the line by 1,000 per week. The work and the new timetable mean a reduction in travel time between London and Glasgow from five hours and 20 minutes to just four hours and 30 minutes northbound while the southbound journey is now just over four hours.^[5][6][7]
• – Italy's national railway operator FS introduces the new FrecciaRossa (Red Arrow) high-speed rail service between Rome and Milan. The new service reduces travel time along the 300-mile (480 km) route by an hour down to three hours and 30 minutes. The service reaches a maximum speed of 186 mph (299 km/h) and is provided up to 18 times per day. Ticket prices are set to be competitive with both air and road travel and FS hopes the new service will help the railway acquire higher ridership and customer loyalty before the launch of NTV, a new private rail operator in Italy, in 2011.^[8]

December 18

• – Construction work of the Ning'an Railway begins in China. The 258 km (160 mi) long railway will connect Nanjing and Anqing, with a design speed of above 200 km/h (120 mph), and is expected to be completed in 4½ years. 11 stations will be constructed along the line.^[9]

December 23

• – A new stop named "Padula" is opened on the Elektriraudtee's western route in Alliku.^[10]

December 21

• – China Railways introduces sleeper bullet high-speed trains. The new CRH2E trains run between Beijing and Shanghai at night. The train has 16 cars, the first and last cars are seat and the other 14 cars are sleepers. The capacity of the new train is 630 passengers. The lower berth sleeper costs ¥730 between Beijing and Shanghai.^[11]

December 24

• – Construction work of the Shitai Passenger Railway completes in China. The 198 km (123 mi) long railway connects Shijiazhuang and Taiyuan, with a design speed of 250 km/h (160 mph). The construction work was begun on June 11, 2005. The trial run is expected to begin on December 28. The line cut the travel time from Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan from 5 hours to under 1 hour.^[12]
• – The United States Surface Transportation Board issues its approval of Canadian National Railway's proposal to purchase a majority of the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway in the greater Chicago area. The decision was made after 22 public meetings in the Chicago area spanning an 8-month period. The STB's approval includes conditions to address level crossing safety and noise pollution issues raised by communities along the line.^[13][14][15]

December 27

• – Construction work of the Ninghang Passenger Railway begins in China. The 249 km (155 mi) long railway will connect Nanjing South and Hangzhou East, with a design speed of 350 km/h (220 mph), and is expected to be completed in 2011. This railway is estimated to cost 31.38 billion yuan.^[16]

December 30

• – Construction is completed on the 350-kilometre (220 mi) Hefei-Wuhan railway in China. This line, which forms the first section of China's new east-west high-speed railway, cost 16.8 billion yuan and is expected to shorten passenger travel time along the line from 8½ hours to 2 hours, using trains that can reach speeds up to 200 km/h (120 mph).^[17]

December 31

• – India's Southern Railway is awarded more than Rs 3,000 crore to fund capacity expansions. The railway plans to use the money to double track about 1,110 kilometres (690 mi) of currently single track line, including 26.83 km (16.67 mi) between Tiruvallur and Arakkonam and 11.95 km (7.43 mi) between Korukkupet and Ennore. The railway also plans to use the money to continue existing electrification projects.^[18]
• – Mile Janakievski, Minister of Transport and Communications for Macedonia, announces plans to modernize the country's railroad system. In addition to some new freight and passenger rolling stock, €3 million are allocated toward modernization projects for Makedonski Železnici while another €10 million will pay for the completion of the railway's Corridor VIII project.^[19]

References