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☆ Britain is building the most expensive railway in the world. Many people now think it’s pointless
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-18 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Population density and topography obviously have a significant effect on construction costs. “There was also a lack of discussion over the chosen route, which could have followed existing highway corridors.”Rapidly rising construction costs have plagued major projects across the world in recent years. Signs placed on a fence by environmental activists protest against tree-felling operations for the HS2 rail link at Jones Hill Wood in Wendover, England, in April 2021. However, their efforts were in vain and only succeeded in significantly driving up construction costs. ‘Mutilated and pointless’Plans have been dropped for a proposed HS2 railway station at Meadowhall in Sheffield.

Persons: hoardings, Henry Nicholls, it’s, Christian Wolmar, ”, Ricardo Ferreras, “, ” Ferreras, Wolmar, Chris Gorman, Wood, Mark Kerrison, Joe Giddens, Mike Kemp, Rishi Sunak, Anna Gowthorpe Organizations: CNN, Speed, Britain, WHOOSH, Station, London Times, ” Railway, CNN Travel, —, Chiltern, New Economics Foundation, London Euston, Birmingham Airport, Crewe, Conservative, Labour, Birmingham, Sunak, Leeds, High Speed Rail, Hitachi, Alstom, Siemens, Euston, Treasury, Audit Office Locations: United States, Bordeaux, France, China, Japan, London, English, Birmingham, Jakarta, Bandung, London's, AFP, Britain, Ukraine, Europe, Spain, Great, England, Jones, Wendover, Buckinghamshire, Colne, Cross , Hertfordshire, Manchester, Leeds, Scotland, Wales, Euston, Crewe, Meadowhall, Sheffield, Midlands, Nottingham, Liverpool

☆ How Japan’s Shinkansen bullet trains changed the world of rail travel
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

This was the dawn of Japan’s “bullet train” era, widely regarded as the defining symbol of the country’s astonishing recovery from the trauma of World War II. A map of Japan's high-speed rail lines. Japan’s high-speed rail revolutionFast train: Japan's distinctive Shinkansen "bullet trains" have been plying the country's high-speed railways since 1964. Toru Yamanaka/AFP/Getty Image TGV: France's answer to the Bullet Train, the Train à Grand Vitesse, began operating between Paris and Lyon in 1981. Mehdi Fedouach/AFP/Getty Images China's rail expansion: China has now eclipsed the rest of the world when it comes to high-speed rail.

Persons: Yoshikazu Tsuno, Jiji Press, Toru Yamanaka, Mehdi Fedouach, Wang He, ”, Christopher P, Hood Organizations: CNN, Olympic Games, Hitachi, Toshiba, Mount, Getty, Mount Fuji, Tokyo, Lions, Hulton, Keystone, Jiji, West Japan Railway, Ltd, Fuji, Vitesse, Lyon, JR EAST, Eurostar, JR EAST Japan, “ Locations: Tokyo, Osaka, Japan, Shin, Kobe, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagano, AFP, North America, Europe, Korea, Russia, Honshu, Kyushu, Hokkaido, Sanrio, Paris, China, France, Spain, Belgium, South Korea, United Kingdom, Morocco, France’s, Bordeaux, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Taiwan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, London, Brussels, Amsterdam, India, Thailand, Wuhan, Western Europe, Nagoya, British

☆ Europe was on the brink of a night train revolution. Here’s what actually happened
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-09 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Prior to the company’s demise, it had looked like Europe was poised for something of a night train revolution. Despite this demand, the hurdles for startups like Midnight Train trying to enter the market to meet it remain virtually insurmountable. Formidable obstaclesEuropean Sleeper is one of the few new night train operators to begin services, but the company has struggled to find rolling stock. “Politicians must be clear: the night train market will be effectively closed for a very long time,” he says. With the honorable exception of Nightjet, which plans to expand rapidly over the next five years, European night train services have yet to match the hype.

Persons: Adrien Aumont, Eva Plevier, Alex Halada, –, ÖBB, Nick Brooks, ”, “, Bart Biesemans, ” Brooks, Mark Smith, Robert Nemeti Organizations: CNN, Trains, Midnight Trains, Regiojet, Compagnie Internationale des, Orient Express, Getty, Austrian Federal Railways, Reuters, Barcelona, European Union, Swiss Federal Railways, Deutsche Bahn, Italian State Railways, Formidable, EU Locations: Europe, Stockholm, Denmark, Germany, Czech, Czechia, Slovakia, Ukraine, Prague, Croatia’s, Brussels, Amsterdam, Berlin, –, France, Barcelona, AFP, Spanish, Paris, Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Madrid, Porto, Edinburgh, Anadolu, Vienna, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Sicily, Messina, Europe’s

☆ U.S. job market still 'really strong,' analyst says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailU.S. job market still 'really strong,' analyst saysBen Jones, director of macro research at Invesco, discusses the latest U.S. jobs report and the economic outlook.

Persons: Ben Jones

☆ Ukraine’s railways are still running after two years of war. Here’s how
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Ukraine’s rail network, known as Ukrzaliznytsia or UZ for short, has always been a source of pride and practicality in the eastern European nation, even before the war. ‘Constant threat’Ukraine's rail network, known as Ukrzaliznytsia or UZ for short, has always been a source of pride and practicality in the eastern European nation. UZ says a further $9 billlon is likely required to repair and modernize the existing UZ network, which at 19,700 kilometers is one of the world’s longest. “Our responsibility is to be a stable partner.”Indeed, despite the war, UZ says it has repaired and renewed 289 kilometers of track in 2023, rebuilt 15 bridges, built 528 new freight cars and repaired around 9,000 others. Britain’s Network Rail and Swiss Federal Railways are providing engineering support to help rebuild damaged infrastructure, while the Global Ukraine Rail Task Force (GURTF) was established in 2022 to raise funds to support Ukrainian rail workers and their families.

Persons: UZ, – UZ, ”, Jeff J Mitchell, Yarema Dul, “, ” UZ, it’s, Ukraine’s, Olena Zelenska, Dul, Transport Network Mykola Panov, Oleksandr Pertsovskyi, Yevhen Liaschenko, ” Liaschenko, GURTF, Andy Bagnall Organizations: CNN, UNICEF, Russia, UZ’s, Transformation Department, Transport Network Mykola, CNN Travel, “, ” Railway, Publishing, Transport Network, Britain’s, Rail, Swiss Federal Railways, Global Ukraine Rail Task Force, Rail Partners Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Kyiv, Lviv, Warsaw, Vienna, Panama7, Odesa, Kharkiv, Russian, Poland, Germany, Soviet Union, Budapest, Prague, Berlin, Hungary

☆ Dream of the Desert: Saudi Arabia is launching its own luxury train
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

State-owned railway company Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) recently struck a 200 million Saudi riyals ($53.33 million) deal with Italian hospitality company Arsenale Group to launch the first luxury train in the Middle Eastern kingdom. The destination has made a number of high-profile tourism investments in recent years – a $500 billion model city in the desert of northwest Saudi Arabia among them. Now Saudi Arabia is getting on board with the slow travel movement in a big way by moving into the luxury train market. Arsenale S.P.A./Saudi Arabia RailwaysSaudi Arabia’s decision to enter the luxury train market comes as demand for high-speed trains and luxury “rail cruises” continues to increase around the world. Infrastructure investmentA rendering of Dream of the Desert, which will be the first luxury train in the Middle Eastern kingdom.

Persons: Paolo Barletta, ” Barletta, S.P.A, Joe Biden, Dolce, ”, Luigi Corradi, King, Khalid al, Falih, Arsenale S.P.A, Bashar bin Khaled Al Malik, Al Malik, CNN’s Lilit Marcus, Ben Jones Organizations: CNN, State, Saudi Arabia Railways, Saudi, Arsenale Group, SAR, Saudi Arabia Railways Saudi, Reuters, “ Orient, Accor, Ferrovie dello Stato, Speed Railway, King Abdulaziz International, Saudi Arabia’s Investment, Projects, Saudi Railway Company, Orient Express, Orient Locations: Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Arabia’s, Riyadh, Qurayyat, Jordan, Hail, Italy, France, Italy’s, Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Venice, London, Kyushu

☆ The most exciting new trains coming in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-04 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

CNN —Around the world, travelers are flocking back to trains, and demand is increasing across the board for high-speed trains, luxury “land cruises” and long-distance day and night trains. Here are some of the best new trains you’ll be able to take in 2024. Laurie Dieffembacq/Belga/AFP/Getty ImagesLinks between two of Europe’s most visited capitals have traditionally been pretty poor, with no direct trains since the 1990s. Ian Clarke/Alamy Stock PhotoFour continents, 13 countries, and seven luxury trains across 80 days – the ultimate experience for rail travel connoisseurs is due to depart in late 2024. BelmondOne of the world’s greatest luxury train journeys is returning to the rails in 2024 after a four-year gap.

Persons: Laurie Dieffembacq, Dimorestudio, Vita ”, Riva Aquarama, itineraries, Jeroen Berends, Gabriel Bouys, it’s, Jesus Hellin, That’s, Trenitalia, Luigi Ferraris, France –, Railbookers, Ian Clarke, we’ve, ”, Frank Marini, Alex Halada, There’s Organizations: CNN, Orient, Getty, ÖBB, Austrian Federal Railways, SNCF, Eurostar, National, Europa Press, French, Renfe, FS, Rocky Mountaineer, Royal, Orient Express, Oriental, ”, Oriental Express, Austrian Railways, Swiss Locations: Swiss, Venice, Paris, Berlin, AFP, Strasbourg, Frankfurt, Italy, Rome, Matera, Palermo, Sicily, Messina, Europe’s, Istanbul, Split, Brussels, Prague, Europe, Dutch, Dresden, Belgian, Roman, Naples, Madrid, Spain, France, Spanish, Barcelona, Lyon, Marseille, Canada, Central Europe, India, South Africa, Eastern, Vancouver, Malaysia, Singapore, Malaysia’s, Kuala Lumpur, Langkawi, Penang, Bangkok, Vienna, Innsbruck, Hamburg, Switzerland, Germany, Zürich, Gornergrat Bahn, Zermatt, Gornergrat, Riffelalp

☆ The night train revolution has been hailed as an alternative to airplanes. Here’s how that’s going
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Wherever they run, night trains are complicated, labor intensive and expensive to operate – one of the major reasons they went into decline in the first place. The $770 million contract could eventually see up to 370 new overnight carriages introduced to update Italy’s entire overnight train fleet. “Politicians must be clear: the night train market will be effectively closed for a very long time,” he says. So, what does all this mean for the much-vaunted night train revolution? With the honorable exception of government-subsidized Nightjet, which plans to expand rapidly over the next five years, European night train services have yet to match the hype.

Persons: Love, James Brown, David Bowie, Ray Charles, –, they’ve, Charisius, Agatha Christie, James Bond, Mark Smith, ”, “, ÖBB, “ Superliner, Kuleshova, Smith, it’s, Alex Halada, Nick Brooks Organizations: CNN, Orient Express, Austrian Federal Railways, Swiss Federal Railways, Deutsche Bahn, Italian State Railways, Amtrak, California Zephyr, European, Bloomberg, Getty, Regiojet, Compagnie Internationale des, VIA Rail, European Union, Frankfurt, Eurostar, EU Rail, EU Locations: Europe, Russia, Scandinavia, Vienna, Hamburg, Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, France, Sweden, Milan, Sicily, Messina, Europe’s, United States, Berlin, Stockholm, Denmark, Czech, Prague, Croatia’s, London, Dresden, Copenhagen, Barcelona, Spain, Venice, Florence, Rome, Madrid, Porto, Portugal, Edinburgh, Zurich, AFP, EU

☆ Nickelback reclaims the narrative at documentary TIFF premiere
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Jenna Zucker | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Their response lies in their new documentary "Love to Hate: Nickelback." The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Friday, a fitting homecoming for the Canadian band. Starring band members Chad Kroeger, Michael Kroeger, Ryan Peake and Daniel Adair, the film takes both haters and fans on a journey through the group's "rollercoaster career." "We thought this was a chance for us to hold the narrative," said Ryan Peake, Nickelback's guitarist and backing vocalist. Frontman Chad Kroeger no longer rocks his iconic long hair, but his blonde frosted tips brought a hint of nostalgia from the band's original look.

Persons: Chad Kroeger, Michael Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Daniel Adair, Carlos Osorio, Nickelback, We've, Leigh Brooks, Brooks, Ben Jones, Kroeger, Jenna Zucker, Sandra Maler Organizations: Toronto, Film, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Toronto , Ontario, Canada

☆ Weird and wonderful trains that break the rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-08 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Here’s a selection of unusual railways that break the rules in order to reach the places other trains can’t roll. The single rails carrying the trains are supported by a series of 486 steel portals weighing almost 20,000 tonnes in total. It is the oldest continuously operating pier railway in the world. Six miles of the route are along a rural railway line, with the rest in bus mode. Katoomba Scenic Railway, AustraliaNot far from the wonderful city of Sydney is a railway experience unlike anything else in the world.

☆ The US still waits for its high-speed rail revolution
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

So why doesn’t the United States have a high-speed rail network like those? Many Americans have no concept of high-speed rail and fail to see its value. William C. Vantuono, editor-in-chief of Railway Age“Many Americans have no concept of high-speed rail and fail to see its value. Corridors for the greatest potentialBrightline West and CHSR offer templates for the future expansion of high-speed rail in North America. “Where those conditions apply in Europe and Asia, high-speed rail reduces air’s share of the market from 100% to near zero.

☆ Fed likely to hike interest rates despite bank stock turmoil: analyst
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailFed likely to hike interest rates despite bank stock turmoil as inflation pressures remain: analystBen Jones, director of macro research at Invesco, discusses expectations for the Federal Reserve's next interest rate policy changes following a tumultuous ride for bank stocks that prompted concerns about the stability of the financial system.

☆ Stocks buoyed by cheery data after BOJ damp squib
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Data showed British inflation dropped to a three-month low of 10.5% in December, the latest sign that global inflationary pressures are abating. Also helped by a string of positive earnings updates, Europe's STOXX 600 index (.STOXX) rose 0.4% to its highest level since April 2022. Earlier in the day MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside of Japan (.MIAPJ0000PUS) rose 0.24%, and S&P 500 futures gained 0.26%. The dollar at one point rose as much as 2.7% against the Japanese yen, but was last 0.78% higher at 129.11. Data on Tuesday showed China's economic growth had slumped in 2022 to 3.0% - the weakest rate in nearly half a century.

☆ Six N.F.L. Players Show Football’s Grind on Their Feet and Hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Ken Belson | Joe Drape | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +19 min

Players Show Football’s Grind on Their Feet and HandsOver the course of the long and brutal N.F.L. season, players’ feet and hands take a beating on nearly every snap. But in practice a few days later, he was running drills and landed awkwardly, spraining an ankle and stretching the tendons in his right foot. The next week Jones caught six passes for 109 yards and three touchdowns as the Jaguars shocked the Dallas Cowboys, 40-34. “The therapist spends a lot of time on my hands and feet,” he said.

☆ Fund manager says a 'turning point' for Big Tech is near. Here's what he's watching
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Next week could turn out to be crucial for tech investors looking to re-enter the stock market, according to an investment director at Swiss fund manager GAM. Julian Howard, multi-asset investment director at GAM, said the week beginning Dec. 12 would be a "super week for a potential turning point" in tech stocks. Meanwhile, the annualized inflation rate appears to be on a downward trajectory after it fell to 7.7% in October from 8.2% in September. He described Big Tech as "the epicenter of interest rate uncertainty because it has those sorts of long-run revenue streams which are most sensitive." He said the real economy has yet to feel the "scale and speed" of the interest rate hikes this year.

☆ Analyst discusses the outlook for stocks in 2023
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'Quite bold' to suggest there's not going to be some bad news in 2023 for earnings in U.S.: AnalystBen Jones, director of macro research at Invesco, says Europe, however, has "a lot more bad news priced in there."

People walk through the City of London financial district during rush hour in London, Britain, October 3, 2022. Asia's main markets had struggled overnight but Europe's STOXX 600 (.STOXX) made a 0.5% early gain as both the pound and UK government bonds rallied in London. Invesco's director of macro research Ben Jones said the UK's volatility would remain a key focus for global markets. In currency markets, the dollar remains king as investors price in U.S. rates peaking around 5%. The rise of the dollar and global bond yields have been a drag for gold, which was stuck at $1,648 an ounce .

☆ How one GM auto plant's UAW union workforce is learning to make EVs
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( Bob Woods | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The Orion plant, in operation since 1983, was beginning to transition from making a variety of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs. "We started slowly introducing the Bolt on the assembly line," he said, a process that can take up to a year while working out the bugs. There's specialized training required for all the assembly workers on how to deal with those potentially dangerous connections in a safe manner, he said. In essence, "it takes more of an electrician than it does a mechanic" to assemble an EV, Brown said.. The recently upgraded center houses manufacturing laboratory facilities that simulate steps along the assembly line, including robotics and sheet metal fabrication.

☆ The world's fastest trains -- from China to France
▼ + stars: | 2021-12-10 | by ( Ben Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Chogo/Xinhua/Getty ImagesAs well as boasting the longest network of high-speed lines in the world, China now has the fastest scheduled trains on the planet. A statement of intent by China’s booming railway technology industry, the Fuxing trains have been developed from previous generations of high-speed trains, which were based on technology imported from Europe and Japan. The design also forms the basis of the Siemens “Velaro” family of high-speed trains, which has been sold to Spain, Russia, Turkey, China and to Eurostar for its second generation international trains. Europe’s first dedicated high-speed network is still its best known and most successful, reaching out well beyond France’s borders. Frecciarossa services operate across Italy’s T-shaped high-speed network, linking Turin, Milan and Venice in the north with Bologna, Florence, Rome and Naples.

Persons: Germany's, Philipp von Ditfurth, Thomas Coex, Europe’s, Kiyoshi Ota, Al Boraq, Morocco's Al Boraq, ‘ Al, Boraq, Oriol, Iryo, Frecciarossa, Ed Jones, Alessandro Rota, sandstorms don’t, HHR Organizations: CNN, Japan’s, Vitesse, Getty, Germany's Inter, City Express, Express, Siemens, Eurostar, Bloomberg, JR, Japan Railways, Tohoku, TGV Euroduplex, Alstom, Flickr, Images Spain, Alta Velocidad, Ouigo Espana, Italian State Railways, Alitalia, Arrows, Spanish National Railways, Railway, Haramain, Speed Railway Locations: Scandinavia, Europe, Asia, France, China, Spain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, England, Africa, Morocco, Egypt, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Russia, United States, Shanghai, Shanghai’s Pudong, Hangzhou, Chogo, Xinhua, Japan, Beijing, Hong Kong, Harbin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Turkey, AFP, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Nantes, Strasbourg, Lille, London, Switzerland, Tokyo, Shin, Aomori, Hokkaido, Honshu, Tsugaru Strait, Tangier, Casablanca, Kenitra, Rabat, Oriol Paris, Madrid, Seville, Malaga, Valencia, Galicia, Barcelona, Alta Velocidad Espana, Korea, South, Seoul, Busan, Gwangju, Mokpo, Pyeongchang, Turin, Milan, Venice, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Saudi, Bandar Aldandani, Mecca, Medina

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