ASIA: The Baku – Tbilisi – Kars railway has re-opened for freight traffic following a year-long maintenance and rebuilding programme on the Georgian section of the line.

UK: A Liverpool – Manchester Railway Board has been launched by the two cities’ metro mayors and other stakeholders to lead the development of proposals for a high speed line between the conurbations.

UK: ‘Britain should never have to buy a diesel passenger train again’, said Sambit Banerjee, Joint CEO of Siemens Mobility UK & Ireland, when the company set out a case for ordering battery-electric trainsets which would use electrification where available and battery power on non-electrified tracks.

INDIA: Track machine supplier Plasser India and the Ministry of Railways-funded Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya University in Vadodara have signed a memorandum of understanding.

With limited progress being made on the planned new line between Praha and Dresden, Czech infrastructure manager Správa Železnic is taking forward an initial section of high speed line in the east as part of plans to develop a 400 route-km high-performance backbone. SŽ’s Deputy Director for High Speed Lines ...

JAPAN: The increasing use of high speed passenger trains to carry light freight was highlighted by a fair at Tokyo station on May 17 where products now being transported to the capital by Shinkansen were available for purchase.

FRANCE: Start-up Midnight Trains has abandoned its ambitious plan to develop a network of premium overnight trains offering hotel-standard accommodation on European routes of up to 1 500 km from Paris, after being unable to raise the necessary funding.

ITALY: Funding for the purchase of hydrogen and hydrogen-electric regional trainsets has been announced by the Ministry of Infrastructure & Transport.

UK: ‘Open access operators like these will play a role in the future of our railways under Labour’, Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said when she officially opened Hull Trains’ Learning & Development Academy.

BRAZIL: São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas and State Deputy Dirceu Dalben signed the long-awaited contract with the Brazilian-Chinese C2 Mobilidade sobre Trilhos Consortium for the Trem Intercidades Eixo Norte in Campinas on June 3.

SOUTH AFRICA: The Multimodal Inland Port Association has been formed to act as a unified voice advocating for freight modal shift from road to rail.

DR CONGO: Alstom has signed a memorandum of understanding to co-operate with Africa Finance Corp in the development of the 300 km MetroKin urban rail project in fast-growing Kinshasa.

CHILE: A US$3·2bn railway investment plan for the Biobío region, centred on Greater Concepción, was presented on May 17 by Minister of Transport & Telecommunications Juan Carlos Muñoz, Minister General Secretary of Government Camila Vallejo, and President of state railways group EFE, Eric Martin.

EUROPE: The sale of Deutsche Bahn’s non-German public transport business Arriva to I Squared Capital has been completed, the companies announced on June 3.

UK: Avanti West Coast announced Evero as the brand name for the 200 km/h inter-city trainsets being supplied by Hitachi Rail when its first Class 805 electro-diesel sets entered service with the June 2 timetable change.

CHINA: CRRC has rolled out the first suburban electric multiple-unit for the Chongqing Urban Rail Express Bishan – Tongliang Line, which is under construction for opening next year.

Momentum in the global high speed rail market is tilting towards emerging economies as the established networks in China, Europe and Japan reach maturity. Our Consultant Editor Murray Hughes reflects on the latest technical and developmental trends in the sector.

News from the world rail freight market.

EGYPT: Alstom has completed a programme to resignal the 240 km line running up the Nile south of Cairo from Beni Suef to Asyut.

Art-Nr.       Bezeichnung                                                                                                PIKO Gartenbahn #37513       G-Diesellok BR 218 DB AG VI                                                  #37672       G-Personenwagen IC 1. Kl. DB AG VI                                      #37676       G-Steuerwagen IC 2. Kl. DB AG VI                                           #37841       G-Messwagen                        PIKO H0 Expert #24616       Selbstentladewagen ÖBB V                                                      #24620       Selbstentladewagen Fccs DSB  V                                             #27709       Cont.-Tragwagen VEB PIKO DR IV 2x20"                                #51160       Diesel-/E-Lok BR 249 DB AG VI + DSS PluX22                       #51162       Diesel-/E-Lok/Sound BR 249 DB AG VI + PluX22 Dec.           #51163       ~Diesel-/E-Lok/Sound BR 249 DB AG VI + PluX22 Dec.         #51460       E-Triebzug EN 57 KM VI + DSS PluX22                                   #51461       E-Triebzug/Sound EN 57 KM VI + PluX22 Dec.                        #51977       E-Lok BR 181.2 DB Luxembourg IV + DSS PluX22                 #51978       E-Lok/Sound BR 181.2 DB Luxembourg IV + PluX22 Dec.      #51979       ~E-Lok/Sound BR 181.2 DB Luxembourg IV + PluX22 Dec.    #52333       Diesellok Am 847 Sersa V + DSS PluX22                                #52334       Diesellok/Sound Am 847 Sersa V + PluX22 Dec.                     #52335       ~Diesellok/Sound Am 847 Sersa V + PluX22 Dec.                   #52970       Diesellok BR 365 RailAdventure VI + DSS PluX22                  #52971       Diesellok/Sound BR 365 RailAdventure VI + PluX22 Dec.       #52972       ~Diesellok/Sound BR 365 RailAdventure VI + PluX22 Dec.     #54688       Kesselwagen SNCB  III m. Bhs.                                                #57868       ~E-Lok BR 189 Schwarz DB AG VI + PluX22 Dec.                  #58286       2er Set 4-achs. ged. Güterwagen 401Ka PKP  IV                     #58287       2er Set Off. Güterwagen Eaos FS V, mit Kohleladung              #58288       2er Set Schiebeplanenwagen FS VI                                          #58438       Silowagen Uacns Dyckerhoff VI                                                #58493       Hochbordwagen Eanos SNCB  V                                              #58564       Personenwagen Y-wg. 1./2. Kl. Najbrt ČD V                             #58565       Personenwagen Y-wg. 1. Kl. Najbrt ČD V                                 #59077       ~Diesellok G1700 Schweerbau VI + PluX22 Dec.                    #59166       ~Diesellok G 1206 Alpha Trains  VI + 8pol. Dec.                      #59675       Personenwagen Apmz 121 TEE Merkur 1. Kl. DB IV               #59676       Personenwagen Apmz 121 TEE Merkur 1. Kl. DB IV, andere #                 #59677       Personenwagen Avmz 111 TEE Merkur 1. Kl. DB IV                #59678       Personenwagen ARmz 211 TEE Merkur 1. Kl. DB IV               #59761       Diesellok BR 131 PIKO Jubiläum + DSS PluX22                     #96698       Panzertransportwagen CH-LBA V                                             #97180       Personenwagen 112A PKP  V                                                   #97181       Personenwagen 111A PKP  V                                                   #97182       Personenwagen 111A PKP  V                                                   #97183       Speisewagen 113A PKP  V                                                       #97184       Liegewagen 110A PKP  V                                                         #97404       E-Lok Rh 242 ČD Cargo VI + DSS PluX22                               #97405       E-Lok/Sound Rh 242 ČD Cargo VI + PluX22 Dec.                    #97406       ~E-Lok/Sound Rh 242 ČD Cargo VI + PluX22 Dec.                                      PIKO H0 Classic nostalgie #24513       Rungenwagen ex "Ulm" PKP  V                                                #28300       3er Set Selbstentladewagen Fad6770 BKK DR IV                   #53284       Schürzeneilzugwagen Balm 2. Kl. ČSD III                                PIKO Digital #56630       PSD XP Sound BR 62 PluX22 & Lautsprecher                         #56631       PSD XP Sound Vectron Dual PluX22 & Lautsprecher                                   PIKO TT #47310       TT-Diesellok V23 Soda V + DSS PluX16                                  #47330       TT-Diesellok BR 131 PIKO Jubiläum + DSS PluX16                #47680       TT-2tlg. Set Oberbaumesszug DR IV                                        #47776       TT-Ged. Güterwagen G02 DR III o. Bhs.                                   #47777       TT-Ged. Güterwagen G02 VEB PIKO DR III                             #47850       TT-Schüttgutwagen Falls AWT VI                                                                  PIKO N #40586       N-E-Lok BR 485 BLS VI + DSS Next18                                    #40587       N-E-Lok/Sound BR 485 BLS VI + Next18 Dec.                         #40588       N-E-Lok BR 185 PIKO Jubiläum + DSS Next18                       PIKO aktuelles Programm bei amazon.de