INDIA: Integral Coach Factory in Chennai has awarded BEML an Rs8·67bn contract to design, manufacture and commission two 280 km/h high speed trainsets.

CHINA: A wagon made of a lightweight carbon fibre composite material has been developed by CRRC Qiqihar, China Energy Railway Equipment Co and the National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon Energy.

UK: Freightliner has launched a container service which it says has been made possible by a Network Rail scheme to attract freight to rail by waiving track access charges for the first six months of a new flow.

USA: Amtrak is now supplying departure times, trip durations and fares for display on Google Search results pages when a user indicates they are considering rail travel between two of the operator’s destinations. Once they select a train, they can click through to Amtrak.com to complete the booking without needing ...

IRELAND: The Stadler Class 99 electro-diesel locomotive for UK operator GB Railfreight was receiving close scrutiny from Iarnród Éireann at InnoTrans in Berlin, with the Irish national operator confirming to Railway Gazette International that it had discussed with the manufacturer how the type might be adapted for operation in Ireland.

POLAND: The government is backing high speed rail project promoter Centralny Port Komunikacyjny to build the Y-shaped high speed rail network linking Warszawa and the planned CPK air hub to Łódź and then Wrocław and Poznań with funding coming from the national budget.

INNOTRANS: The first international Railway Influencer Festival and award ceremony was held on the final day of InnoTrans 2024, bringing together 31 transport content creators and guests from 41 companies.

UK: Survey Solutions has entered the rail sector with the acquisition of JWG Survey & Engineering. It is Survey Solutions’ first acquisition since a 2023 management buyout backed by private equity firm WestBridge, and further acquisitions are expected in the coming months.

ITALY: Private operator Arenaways has confirmed to Railway Gazette International that it is in talks with one public and one private investor over the sale of stakes in the company.

UK: Rail services have begun using Belfast’s Grand Central station, an integrated transport hub built to replace the previous Great Victoria Street rail and Europa bus stations.

UK: Representatives of the planned Global Centre for Rail Excellence test facility in South Wales have agreed that securing funding is challenging but reiterated their hope that it can be secured soon.

SWEDEN: During InnoTrans shunting and terminal services company Väte Rail signed an agreement to use a hydrogen shunting locomotive to be supplied by Polish manufacturer Pesa within two years.

News from the world rail freight market.

FINLAND: The city of Turku’s tramway project promoter Turun Raitiotie has begun market consultation ahead of the procurement of a fleet of trams.

UK: ‘We believe that nobody will be buying a diesel train any more, be it a locomotive or a passenger train, and with our technology of bi-mode and, by adding batteries, tri-mode products we are certainly capable of providing the rolling stock that is needed’, Ralf Warwel, Marketing & Sales ...

ITALY: Wagon leasing company Wascosa has signed an agreement to offer the NiKRASA handling system as part of its service range.

EUROPE: High speed train operator Eurostar has signed a memorandum of understanding to become the first non-airline partner of the SkyTeam aviation alliance.

ASIA: UAE to Oman railway project promoter Hafeet Rail has awarded Progress Rail a contact to supply 27 EMD SD70ACS diesel locomotives. These will be designed to withstand the desert conditions, with advanced sand filtration systems as well as carbon emission reduction technologies.

GERMANY: Rhein-Ruhr transport authority VRR has awarded incumbent TRI Train Rental a contract to continue to operate Niers-Erft-Bahn service RB37 from December 2024 to December 2027.

SOUTH AFRICA: Huawei has deployed its railway perimeter security tool that uses both an optical fibre which can detect vibration and CCTV cameras across six depots managed by Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa throughout the country.