GERMANY: DB Regio has awarded Škoda Group a contract to overhaul five double-deck push-pull trainsets which operate Nürnberg – Ingolstadt – München regional services using the high speed line, with an option for a sixth.

News from the world rail freight market.

SLOVAKIA: Electric services on the 21·5 km single-track Haniska pri Košiciach – Moldava nad Bodvou (mesto) section of the Košice – Zvolen line began on February 17.

KYRGYZSTAN: A public-private partnership agreement has been signed for the construction of a railway from Karakol to Makmal.

NETHERLANDS: National passenger operator NS has unveiled a mock-up of its future Dubbeldekker Nieuwe Generatie electric multiple-units.

This week’s news from the global railway supply chain.

UK: Following a successful pilot last year, the Railway Industry Association has launched a training service to support the industry, including RIA members, in developing and refining skills and knowledge.

BELGIUM: National passenger train operator SNCB has selected CAF as preferred bidder to supply the future AM30 electric and battery-electric multiple-units.

UK: Arriva TrainCare’s Crewe depot has completed work on the first of 29 Class 170 diesel multiple-units operated by CrossCountry which are to be refurbished by 2028.

EUROPE: Railpool has completed the upgrade of all of its locomotives used in Scandinavia to ETCS Baseline 3.4.

FINLAND: National operator VR is to return to traffic four Alstom Sm6 trainsets that were used on the Helsinki – St Petersburg Allegro service until it ceased operating following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Amid geopolitical turbulence, governments in Europe and beyond will need to ramp up their defence spending urgently, potentially squeezing the funding avilable for rail and wider civilian infrastructure. However, a push for more efficiency offers opportunities too, believes our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley.

UK: The High Speed Rail Group has called for ‘new, affordable and realistic plan’ for HS2 including the completion of a London Euston to Crewe ‘core’.

JAPAN: East Japan Railway has issued the first images of its E10 Shinkansen high speed trainset.

PORTUGAL: Suburban services in the Matosinhos district of Porto has been enhanced with the partial reopening of the Leixões line to passengers after a hiatus of 14 years.

UK: The effectiveness of the disability training received by rail staff and new models of raising awareness are to be studied by the Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Community Rail Network, backed by funding from the Motability Foundation.

CANADA: Vinci Energies and its local subsidiary TCI+ have acquired signalling design, installation and maintenance company X-Rail Signalisation.

The 1·6 km twin-bore tunnel at Long Itchington Wood is among the most well advanced of HS2’s many underground sections. Chris Howe  reports from the site in Warwickshire.

PORTUGAL: National infrastructure manager IP has commissioned a cost-benefit analysis and an interoperability study to assess the gauge choice for the future Porto – Lisboa high speed line, for which procurement has started.

UK: Innovate UK has awarded funding for a project which aims to use hydrogen-based carbon clean and capture technology to prolong the life of locomotive engines while improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.