Completely zero-emission operation and the ability to benefit from electricity cost arbitrage are the among the reasons why Nexrail selected batteries rather than diesel to provide last-mile capabilities for a fleet of powerful locos it has ordered from Stadler, the leasing company’s CEO Luuk von Meijenfeldt tells Railway Gazette International.

GERMANY: Infrastructure manager DB InfraGO is rolling out an AI assistance tool for its dispatchers, with the aim of developing a fully digitalised decision-making workflow to improve regulation of trains on busy routes by 2027.

EGYPT: The joint venture of Hassan Allam Construction and Arab Contractors which is upgrading the Raml tramway in Alexandria has awarded Hitachi Rail a contract to supply signalling and communications systems, the operational control centre, SCADA, CCTV, access control, passenger information systems and onboard equipment.

UK: EG Steele has entered into a framework agreement to supply, store and handle new and reconditioned wagon and bogie components for Mandy Rail, working with an extensive supply chain and providing next-day delivery.

THAILAND: Main contractor Ch Thawee–AS Construction Joint Venture has awarded Progress Rail a contract to provide signalling and telecoms for the double-tracking of the line from Khon Kaen to Nong Khai near the border with Laos.

SINGAPORE: Siemens Mobility has launched its Signaling X train control technology in the metro market at the Singapore Rail Test Centre.

INNOTRANS: The Railway Influencer Festival will return at InnoTrans 2026, where rail influencers and bloggers from around the world will be able to network with invited guests in a festival atmosphere at the world’s biggest rail industry event.

POLAND: PKP Intercity has formally signed the contracts for Alstom to supply 42 Coradia Max partly double-deck 200 km/h EMUs and provide 30 years of maintenance.

UK: The CAF automated light metro trainsets which recently entered service on the Docklands Light Railway have been temporarily withdrawn from traffic as a precautionary measure following what Transport for London described as ‘an issue with braking performance during wet weather on one train’.

EUROPE: The 473 km railway from Narvik in Norway to Kiruna and Luleå in Sweden has been designated as an Arctic Test Arena which will be used to test technology in challenging weather conditions.

HUNGARY: Court proceedings have begun for the liquidation of rolling stock businesses Ganz-Mavag International and Dunakeszi Járműjavító, but the government is seeking to protect their future by declaring them businesses of national strategic importance.

This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.

This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.

GERMANY: Augsburg public transport operator SWA has ordered a MPV VentuS-NV rail grinding and maintenance vehicle from Windhoff Bahn & Anlagentechnik for use on its tram network.

AUSTRIA: Hungarian rail freight company CER Cargo Group has agreed to acquire Wiener Lokalbahnen Cargo.

INDIA: Chennai Metro Rail Ltd has awarded Faiveley Transport Rail Technologies India a contract to retrofit metro cars with an anti-drag safety system which would stop the train if a sari, bag or belt gets trapped in the doors.

INNOTRANS: The 200 000 m² of display areas at the InnoTrans 2026 trade fair are now fully booked, with organiser Messe Berlin reporting particular interest in the Railway Infrastructure segment.

UK: The Lucchini Unipart Rail joint venture has expanded its British footprint with official opening of a wheelset repair facility at Trafford Park in Manchester and a bogie service facility at Warmsworth near Doncaster.

COLOMBIA: Latin America and Caribbean development bank CAF has approved a loan of up to US$300m to support the Railway Reactivation, Sustainable Mobility & Logistics Efficiency programme which aims to transform Colombia’s transport infrastructure.

UK: The rail freight sector has expressed concern that the future Great British Railways might focus on its own nationalised passenger services at the expense of freight operations, which will remain in the private sector.