AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways has awarded Siemens Mobility a firm order to supply a further 30 Mireo electric multiple-units for use on commuter and regional services from 2029.

USA: Sierra Northern Railway has acquired the assets of diesel-battery hybrid and genset locomotive supplier RailPower, which it will use to develop hydrogen locomotives for short line and industrial applications.

SPAIN: A Basque consortium has submitted an offer to acquire a 29·8% stake in Talgo, and the Polish state investment fund which owns Pesa Bydgoszcz is to submit a separate proposal to acquire 100% of the Spanish rolling stock manufacturer. Indian group Jupiter Wagons is also reported to be interested ...

CZECH REPUBLIC: ABB is to supply Škoda Group with its newly introduced Pro Series traction batteries for installation in a fleet of battery-electric multiple-units being produced for Czech national operator České Dráhy.

UK: King Charles III has awarded DB Cargo UK a new warrant for the operation and maintenance of the royal train.

MEXICO: President Claudia Sheinbaum has set out plans to extend Mexico’s 1 477 km Tren Maya network to Belize and Guatemala, adding approximately 300 km of new lines.

AFGHANISTAN: Acting Minister of Public Works Mohammad Issa Sani has signed five contracts for domestic companies to produce detailed designs for a 737·5 km railway from Herat to Kandahar.

UK: Direct Rail Services and PD Ports have launched a trial rail freight service between Teesport and Manchester Trafford Park using ultra-low IDA wagons which can transport 9 ft 6 in high cube containers across the Pennines without requiring gauge enhancement works.

OMAN: UAE to Oman railway project promoter Hafeet Rail has awarded contracts for the construction of two freight facilities and the supply of wagons. It has also reached an agreement for the transport of aggregates on the future line.

News from the world rail freight market.

UAE: The first intake has completed what Dubai metro and tram operator Keolis MHI says is the region’s first graduate training programme of its kind for the rail sector.