BACK ISSUE
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Significant issues, machinery, history
Formula for Success. New locomotives by Siemens. This is a story about the new ER20CF locomotives, their development, testing and the beginning of their employment on Lithuanian Railways.
Railway Tunnel in Kaunas. This a story about the oldest Baltic railways tunnel, its history and the modernization project.
Foreigners are interested in the railways of the Baltic States. A story for railway enthusiasts about travelling across the Baltic States.
The history of the use of D series diesel trains. Launch and utilization of the trains in the Baltic region is explored in detail for the first time.
Attention test. Illustrated story about a passenger train accident in the main station of Tallinn in 2008.
Metro in Vilnius: to be or not to be ? The article provides discussions and primary tests of the prospects of building a metro system in Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania.
The narrow gauge railway – tourist attraction. The Manager of the Siaurasis Geležinkelis overviews the railway’s prospects, history and operation.
LDZ Railway Museum. A story about the history, activities and exhibits of the museum in Riga.
Saturday morning turned to a nightmare. An illustrated story about one of the largest railway accidents in Latvia within the last 20 years.
Mini World. This is a story about Latvian company that makes railway models.
Retro panorama. Locomotives of the Royal Prussian Railways in Lithuania and Latvia.
Centre spread. The 90th anniversary of Latvian Railways.
Please note this magazine is in Lithuanian and Russian
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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Significant issues, machinery, history
New line from North Russia. Story about the construction of a new station in Estonia.
Rail Baltica project. The problems and challenges met in the construction of the new international railway line in Lithuania.
Main railroad to the sea. Illustrated story about present day operation and future plans of the railways of the Kaliningrad region.
How wishes come true: the 21st century locomotives are here. The new ČME-3M diesel locos, their design peculiarities and beginning of operation in Lithuania.
Echo of the railroad accident at Meškuičiai Station. An illustrated story about an accident that took place in northern Lithuania thirty-six years ago.
The largest bridge in Lithuania. This is a story about one of the tallest railway bridges in the Baltic States, the history of its construction, and its design peculiarities.
First diesel engines in the Baltic States. A history of the first Hungarian=built diesel locos of the VME1 series, the reason for their appearance, and operational aspects. Also includes a detailed list of locomotives showing years of operation and depot allocations.
The largest narrow gauge museum in the Baltic States An illustrated story about the unique Lavassaare Museum Railway in Estonia, its history, activities and exhibits.
Retrospection. Historic photos of Lithuanian railways; a picture of Radviliškis railway terminal and part of the town; opening of the new Kužiai-Kretinga line.
Centre spread. The 90th anniversary of Latvian Railways.
Please note this magazine is in Lithuanian and Russian
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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Significant issues, machinery, history
The new ER20 CF locomotives that received a review in issue 1 are in the news again, with an article describing the technicalities of equipping a freight locomotive for passenger use. The ER20 CF is basically an enlarged Co-Co version of Siemens’ EuroRunner locomotive adapted to run on Russian gauge 5ft/1520mm.
Modernisation developments throughout the Baltic States are covered, including the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, isolated between Poland and Lithuania. For those not familiar with the history of the Baltics, before WW2, Kaliningrad was part of Prussia.
One problem resulting from the breakup of the Soviet Union is that it is no longer possible to travel by train from Tallinn in Estonia to Riga in Latvia and on to Vilnius in Lithuania. The lines are there; but not the trains. The article investigates the difficulties and the possibilities of restoring a service on this route, something greatly missed by locals and tourists alike.
Development and modernization project at Klaipėda railway junction.
Tu4 narrow gauge loco modernized and sent to Finland.
30 years in the market. UAB Gargždai Railways celebrates 30 years of operation.
More on the reconstruction and reopening of Kaunas railway tunnel.
Four-axle railcars on the Lithuanian narrow gauge. Charcoal gas powered railcars made in Kaunas in 1931-33. Plans, photos and history.
Death train no 513. A little known accident at Žasliai railway station in 1975.
Whistle of steam brings back youthful memories. A report on the first steam locomotive to run for 47 years on the Panevėžys to Rubikiai line in September 2009.
85 years of electrified railways in Estonia. History and pictures.
In English, Russian and Lithuanian
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SUMMARY OF CONTENTS BRM4
Significant issues, machinery, history
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS
Significant issues, machinery, history
Estonian public company “Elektriraudtee AS” announced that on 15 February 2010 the final stage of the international call for tenders for the procurement of electric and diesel trains took place. In the summer of 2009, Kaliningrad Railways (KR) started implementing a unique project of infrastructure repair: the railway tunnel running 156 meters underneath the central square of Kaliningrad was reconstructed.
The AB Lietuvos Elektrinė Company (Lithuanian Power Station) has completed an engineering project during which the most advanced and modern technological measurement, video, information and data processing solutions were adopted.
In February 2010, a meeting of the Mayors of Tallinn and Helsinki took place. They discussed one potential project: the construction of a railway tunnel between the two cities under the Gulf of Finland. The tunnel should become a part of the “Rail Baltica” railway line (Warsaw – Kaunas – Riga – Tallinn).
With the rapid modernization of the main corridors and lines of the Lithuanian railways, and the resulting increase in capacity, it is planned to transfer the train traffic management system to one main centre. It is believed it will be the most sophisticated train traffic management centre in the Baltic States.
Lithuanian railwaymen are the first among the Eastern European countries with 1520 mm gauge lines to have started using double-decker trains. Former and present managers of Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways) had come up with the idea of renewing electric trains in 2002-2003.
On 16 February 1976 at 8:41 am, an accident occurred to the express passenger train “Baltika” No. 37 in Jugla station. Over 40 people perished. The train was on the Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) to Riga route.
After the German army occupied the Baltic States territories in 1915, almost all the 1524 mm gauge rails in Lithuania and Kurzeme (Latvia) were reconstructed to 1435 mm gauge.
In English, Russian and Lithuanian
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- Baltic Railways Magazine No:5
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS BRM5
Significant issues, machinery, history
Rail Baltica project. A report of progress of the project to link Warsaw with Tallinn, construction of which started in May 2010.
Transport corridor crossroads in Vilnius. Planning has started for the huge new public logistics centre in Vilnius.
Estonia. With new trains expected in 2013, platforms are being reconstructed, as will be the overhead power lines to allow trains to operate at up to 120 kph.
Latvia. Second track and computerised signalling system to be installed between Skriveri and Krustpils to provide much needed extra capacity.
Kaliningrad. Details of the project to implement new locomotive maintenance procedures. Operating statistics show that Kaliningrad Railways have increased the amount of freight handled, and achieved performance efficiencies.
PESA railcars. The history, technical details, and future development of these successful Polish-built railcars which were introduced in 2008.
The maintenance of Plasser & Theurer track machines is described; and, improvements to the Robel track profiling machine are noted.
Communications. The new hi-tech GSM-R telecommunications system in Lithuania is described in detail, together with details of the new public train information systems in Estonia.
First electrified centralised switch and signalling system in the Baltic States. This article describes and illustrates the electrified control system installed at Riga in 1925.
Security just for you. K Grupp Turvateenused provides security for Estonian Railways.
Kaliningrad; unknown pages of history. Reminiscences of a former Head of Kaliningrad Railways. Loco repair and gauge conversion after WW2, a visit from Nikita Kruschev, and a surprising insight into preparations for the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968.
In English and Lithuanian
- Baltic Railways Magazine No:6
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS BRM6
Significant issues, machinery, history
Kaliningrad Railways (KR) has issued technical arrangements for the construction of a new railway branch line from Neman railway station to the Baltic nuclear power station which is being built near the state border between Russia and Lithuania.
In 2011, the АО Latvijas dzelzceļš company will announce international tenders for the implementation of two infrastructure projects in the country’s capital.
The Estonian railway company Edelaraudtee AS, whilst undertaking national passenger transportation, is also looking for new ways of attracting customers.
In October 2010, the 53rd two-day session of the Railway Transport Council (RTC) took place in Vilnius.
In the middle of November 2010, the Latvian company LDZ Ritošā sastāva serviss, which is the main enterprise of the Locomotive Repair Centre (LRC) in Daugavpils, celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Local transport – who should pay? Thus the question: who will pay for maintenance of local railway lines which are in fact necessary for local people and local business, remains unanswered. Moreover, municipalities, local communities, businessmen and politicians tend to avoid answering this important question.
In March 2010 Stadler as the winner of a public procurement procedure received an order from the Belarusian railway for development and delivery of 10 electrical multiple units in 2 technical variants. The first two trains shall already be delivered in January and February of 2011.
Vectron – Siemens’ new generation of locomotives for rail transportation throughout Europe.Artichle about this locomotive. And more another interesting news…
In English and Lithuanian
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS BRM7
Significant issues, machinery, history
Cover story. The 140th anniversary of the opening of Radviliškis Station. History, photos of the buildings and marshalling yards, a location map, plus a list and photo of station Heads from 1954.
New trains. FLIRT trains to Byelorussia, and Škoda double deckers to Ukraine, plus modernised DR1As for Latvia.
Freight developments. Lietuvos Geležinkeliai and DR Schenker sign a letter of intent to develop freight services throughout Eastern Europe including the Rail Baltica corridor.
An ER20CF crosses the Lithuanian and Latvian border to assess the suitability of the Radviliškis to Jelgave route for freight.
Semi-trailers by rail, and a new container train from Finland to Austria via the Baltic States.
“The Viking” provides prospects to extend freight from Scandinavia to Turkey, Russia and near eastern countries.
EM140 track measuring car. Technical information, photos and scale drawings of this high speed/high performance machine that brings state of the art techniques to the measurement of track.
History. Construction of the Darbėnai to Šventoji railway line.
Riga subway project. Report on proposals from 1980 to 1983 to build a subway/underground railway in Riga.
Train crash in Estonia. Days before Christmas 2010, an EVR electric passenger train was driven into the path of an approaching freight train. Full report, pictures and maps.
In English and Lithuanian
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- Baltic Railways Magazine Nr.8
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS BRM8
Significant issues, machinery, history
Cover story Following on from the article in BRM7, more information is provided about the track measuring facilities of the new Plasser & Theurer EM140 track recording machine.
Modern traction. Still on the theme of modernisation, the up grading of a Latvian CME3 locomotive receives extensive coverage,
Passenger travel developments. News on new routes from Riga to Tallinn and Minsk; and the new passenger trains entering service inside Lithuania; plus analysing passenger service requirements in Estonia. Also contains a report on the planned renewal of the tramway system in Tallinn.
The new Head of Kaliningrad Railways gives his assessment of the current status of the railway under his control, and what needs to be done to improve performance.
Railways in the Baltic States. A history by Toms Altbergs, the well-known historian and curator of the Latvian Railway Museum in Riga, of the organisation of the railways in the Baltic States throughout the Soviet era. A mine of information about a very complex subject.
The Jonava to Ukmergė narrow gauge railway. Well illustrated history of the 600 mm gauge field railway built by the Germans during WW1 which continued via changes of gauge up to the end of WW2. Includes details of surveyed extensions to Anykščiai, Utena and Moletai.
A report of the Rail Wonders of Estonia Railtour in summer 2011 is given by one of the PTG Tours organisers. An interesting report on the trips made, and the locomotives and rolling stock used; together with some salient points concerning tourism for the railway authorities to ponder.
Siemens Rail Innovation Centre of Competence. A report on the innovative project by Siemens to provide facilities for the development of new concepts and technologies for its international rail vehicle servicing business. The first of its Rail Innovation Centres is in the UK.
In English and Lithuanian