2003 in rail transport - Definition and Overview

This article will list events related to rail transport that occurred in 2003.

Events

January events

• January - The electrification of the Trans-Siberian Railway, a project begun in 1929, is completed.
• January 21 - The first segment of the high-speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link is completed.
• January 27 - A head-on collision between an Italian and a French train in the Tende line's Biogna tunnel leaves two dead and four seriously injured.

February events

• February 18 - An arsonist causes the Daegu subway fire when he sets fire to a train stopped at the Joongang-ro (or Jungang-ro) station of the Daegu Metropolitan Subway in Daegu, South Korea.

March events

• March 21 - Official launch of M>Train's new Siemens Mo-Mo trains in Melbourne, Australia.

April events

• April 3 - First revenue run of M>Train's new Siemens Mo-Mo train.
• April 11 - M>Train withdraws fleet of Siemens Mo-Mo trains due to braking and traction issues.

July events

• July - David Laney is promoted to Chairman of the Board of Directors for Amtrak.
• July 30 - Eurostar train number 3313/14 establishes a new speed record in England at 334.7 km/h (208 mph) on the new Channel Tunnel Rail Link.

August events

• August 10 - M>Train (Melbourne, Australia) returns fleet of Siemens trains to service.

September events

• September 1 - The Stinnes Group takes over operations of Deutsche Bahn in Germany.

October events

• October 1 - M>Train (Melbourne, Australia) withdraws its fleet of Siemens trains for the second time.
• October 7 - RENFE opens the Madrid-Lerida section of the railroad's new Madrid-Barcelona line in Spain.
• October 27 - Fleet of Siemens trains returned to M>Train (Melbourne, Australia) service, some minus livery.

November events

• November 4 - A new intermodal service is inaugurated between Aiton, France, and Orbassano (near Turin), Italy, to transport complete trucks (both the tractor and trailer) and their loads; the trains include coach seating for the truck drivers as well.
• November 28 - SNCF (France) celebrates the one-billionth passenger on its TGV.

December events

• December - The KCR West Rail in Hong Kong starts services.

Deaths

References

• Many of the events listed here were translated from 2003 dans les chemins de fer (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/2003_dans_les_chemins_de_fer), the equivalent French-language Wikipedia article.