Dakar’s TER suburban service kickstarted a rail revival in Sénégal, but further progress hinges on the direction of transport policy chosen following the presidential election in March. Murray Hughes reports.

ITALY: Arenaways is to use Fairtiq’s mobile pay-as-you-go ticketing system on the Cuneo – Savigliano and Ceva – Ormea routes which it is to operate from January 2025 under a 10-year PSO contract awarded by the Piemonte region.

BRAZIL: As part of an expansion of its range, rolling stock supplier Marcopolo Rail has increased the production capacity at its Caxias do Sul plant with the addition of a 2 600 m² hall, the manufacturer announced on June 5.

UK: Independent testing has been undertaken to measure the reduction in emissions which can obtained by fitting a diesel shunting locomotive with Advanced Hydrogen Technologies Group’s Engine Carbon Clean & Capture technology.

SWITZERLAND: BLS has returned to service the first of its RABe535 Lötschberger electric multiple-units to undergo mid-life refurbishment at its Bönigen works.

HUNGARY: Alstom and the University of Miskolc are to co-operate to bring practical training and theoretical knowledge closer together, support talent development and undertake R&D to support the production of steel structures in Hungary.

SWITZERLAND: More than 300 guests from the rail industry, politics, business and tourism attended opening celebrations held at both ends of Rhätische Bahn’s replacement Albula tunnel on June 8, ahead of the start of regular services on June 12.

SWITZERLAND: More than 300 guests from the rail industry, politics, business and tourism attended opening celebrations held at both ends of Rhätishe Bahn’s replacement Albula tunnel on June 8, ahead of the start of regular services on June 12.

UK: A Class 60 diesel locomotive is to be converted to a modern form of steam power as a potential alternative to electrification for zero-emission heavy freight operations.

South Africa’s Railway Safety Regulator is tasked with overseeing safe and secure rail services on a network ravaged by vandalism and asset theft over recent years. RSR is also implementing the government’s plan to open up the Transnet network to new entrants. Acting CEO Mmuso Selaledi explains the scale of ...

KENYA: Consultancy Systra has undertaken a study into the potential use of battery-powered trains on commuter services between Nairobi and Thika, around 40 km to the northeast.

CANADA: The government of Ontario has awarded contracts for infrastructure works to enable the reinstatement of Ontario Northland’s Northlander passenger service between Toronto Union station and a new Timmins-Porcupine station.

SOUTH KOREA: Minister of Land, Infrastructure & Transport Park Sang-woo has engaged with businesses to explore options to use private financing as well as government funding for the second phase of the Great Train Express programme in the Seoul region.

Australia’s High Speed Rail Authority has been tasked with drawing up proposals for a new line between Sydney and Newcastle, as the first step in developing a 1 750 km route linking urban and regional centres along the East Coast corridor.

CHINA: The South Ring Section of the Guangzhou – Foshan circular railway opened on May 26, running from Panyu (Guangzhou Nan) to Foshan Xi.

News from the world rail freight market.

SECURITY: Sensonic has added CCTV functionality to its optic fibre based Distributed Acoustic Sensing security system, enabling railways to visually identify trespassers after detecting and locating them in real-time.

USA: The Federal Railroad Administration has produced three reports into the safety and performance of trains more than 7 500 ft (2 286 m) in length.

BRAZIL: Mining group Vale has signed a 10-year master service agreement with Wabtec Corp for maintenance of the Evolution series diesel-electric locomotives used on the 1 600 mm gauge Estrada de Ferro Carajás. Worth R$1∙8bn, the agreement will ‘optimise the maintenance services for Vale’s fleet, increasing availability, reliability and the ...

USA: Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is in preliminary discussions with Norfolk Southern for the purchase of the route used by Manassas Line commuter services, and to introduce passenger services to the New River Valley in the southeast of the state.