Belarus: TMH’s Tver works is to supply BC with 14 Type 61-4447.02 platskartny cars, eight Type 61-440.00 sleeping cars and eight Type 61-445.03 sleeping cars with staff compartments. The order is...

Australia: Laing O’Rourke, Jacobs and Metro Trains Melbourne have signed a A$89m contract to elevate the line at Toorak Road in Melbourne to eliminate a level crossing. e+ Architecture is to plan...

NEW ZEALAND: The main contract for construction of the tunnels and stations on the Auckland City Rail Link was formally signed on July 19, at an event attended by Transport Minister Phil Twyford and...

USA: The Short Line Safety Institute has launched a leadership programme focused on developing new and experienced railway managers’ soft skills including communication, mentoring and coaching. It...

IRELAND: The construction of a €135m National Train Control Centre to manage the entire Iarnród Éireann network was approved by the Irish government on July 17. The new centre is to be delivered by...

CHINA: The National Development & Reform Commission has approved the construction of two railway lines to provide access to Fuzhou Changle International Airport in Fujian province. The Fuzhou –...

Alstom booked €1·6bn of orders in Q1 to June 30, compared to €2·6bn in the same period last year. Sales increased 2% to €2·1bn, with a decrease in Systems balanced by a growth in Signalling and...

INDIA: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the construction of an 81 km line between Sahjanwa and Dohrighat in Uttar Pradesh. The government said the railway would support...

EUROPE: One of PKP Cargo’s Vectron MS electric locomotives has completed a cross-border journey from Poland to Germany and back, the operator announced on July 11. The loco hauled a passenger service...

HS2 Ltd is consulting on plans for a 2·3 km elevated peoplemover which would link the future Interchange station in Solihull with the National Exhibition Centre, the existing Birmingham...

GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn has resumed acceptance of ICE 4 trainsets with immediate effect, Siemens Mobility and Bombardier Transportation announced on July 17. The national operator had stopped...

UK: Organisations from across the rail sector have responded to Keith Williams’ speech in Bradford on July 16 during which he provided an update on the strategic review of the rail sector which he is...

PORTUGAL: Prime Minister António Costa and Housing & Infrastructure Minister Pedro Nuno Santos attended ceremonies on July 16 to mark completion of two electrification schemes on routes north of...

HUNGARY: Stadler’s factory in Dunakeszi has rolled out the first Kiss double-deck electric multiple-unit for national passenger operator MÁV-Start, which has so far ordered a total of 19 under a 2017...

COMPONENTS: TE Connectivity has introduced the RSTI 68 surge arrester which is designed to be mounted directly on the transformer, saving space on a train roof. The company said roof space is at a...

SWEDEN: Trafikverket has started work on a three-year project to resignal the Malmbanan heavy haul line between Boden and Riksgränsen with digital interlockings and ETCS at an estimated cost of...

UK: Greater accountability and a clear customer focus are the principal requirements for reform of the UK rail sector, according to Keith Williams, the independent chairman of the rail review...

EUROPE: The European Commission has published a study into criteria used to classify railway assets and activities as environmentally sustainable, and to provide insights into potential...

SPAIN: Alstom’s Atlas ETCS Level 2 equipment has been commissioned on the 163 km Valladolid – León high speed line, which opened in September 2015. ETCS and GSM-R have been rolled out as part of a...

LATVIA: The EU’s Cohesion Fund is to provide €318·5m to support the electrification of the main east–west corridor and the replacement of diesel locomotives. Only around 14% of Latvia’s 1 860 km...