MAURITANIA: The African Development Bank has approved a US$150m loan to state-owned iron ore firm Société Nationale Industrielle et Minière to support a US$467m programme to double the capacity of its heavy haul railway by 2030. Plans include the acquisition of up to 36 locomotives and 1 743 wagons.

USA: Chicago commuter operator Metra’s legacy 900 MHz communications system is to be upgraded to the dot16 standard, in what suppliers Siemens Mobility and Ondas Networks say is a ‘milestone’ first for a major railway.

USA: Chicago commuter operator Metra’s legacy 900 MHz communications system is to be upgraded to the dot16 standard, in what suppliers Siemens Mobility and Ondas Networks say is a ‘milestone’ first for a major railway.

SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways trains are using electricity entirely from renewable sources from January 1.

As the rail sector increasingly embraces longer trains to drive efficiencies, advanced telematics are helping to ensure safety and reduce maintenance costs, opening up the prospect of intelligent and more sustainable rail freight transport.

JAPAN: Central Japan Railway has developed a device that allows the shape of wheels to be measured while trains are passing over it at up to 80 km/h.

Financial support from Brussels is lending much-needed momentum to a long-running programme of route modernisation on the key rail axes linking Bulgaria with neighbouring countries and serving its major ports. Toma Bačić reports.

Early operator engagement is essential to ensure the success of rail projects, particularly those that are highly complex in terms of planning, contracting approach and implementation.

FRANCE: The next stage of the Réseau Express Métropolitain Européen programme to increase local passenger services in the area around Strasbourg has been launched.

Once regarded as a fragile material, modern glazing products are increasingly being used to enhance the safety characteristics of major transport hubs.

Using estimates for the service life of electronic signalling components, Japan’s Railway Technical Research Institute has developed a method for choosing the ideal time to replace them.

SWITZERLAND: Berner Oberland-Bahnen has taken delivery of the first of 10 ABeh 4/8 electric multiple-units being supplied by Stadler.

After a long period of neglect, railways in Georgia are undergoing reform at a time when they stand to benefit from east-west trade moving via the Transcaucasian route between the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea.

UK: GB Railfreight has put three Zephir LOK 16.300 depot shunters into service moving steel billets from an electric arc furnace to rolling mills at Celsa Steel’s Cardiff site.

BRAZIL: The Ministry of Transport has issued a directive to Infra SA to accelerate the licensing process for strategic rail projects. Signed by the National Secretariat for Rail Transport and the Secretariat of Sustainability, this provides for the federal government to take over the environmental licensing process.

EUROPE: A new EuroCity Direct cross-border inter-city service connecting Brussels and Amsterdam was launched with the timetable change on December 15.

NETHERLANDS: The European Commission has approved under EU State aid rules a €41m Dutch scheme to promote the shift of freight from road to rail by providing direct grants for the installation of upgraded versions of ETCS onboard equipment.

UKRAINE: The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development is lending €300m to finance the acquisition of electric locomotives by national railway Ukrzaliznytsia.

UK: WH Davis is to convert coal wagons owned by leasing company Porterbrook for use by Freightliner to transport aggregates.

BRAZIL: The federal government has established a working party to review options for rehabilitation of the Malha Sul network currently operated by Rumo Logística, whose concession awarded in 1997 is due to expire in 2027.