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THE FIRST driverless metro line in South America was inaugurated in São Paulo on May 25, when a limited service was launched on the 3.6km section of Line 4 between Faria Lima and an interchange with Line 2 at Paulista. 

TORONTO transport operator Metrolinx has exercised an option to buy 182 Bombardier low-floor LRVs as part of the city's ambitious 5 in 10 transport strategy. The deal, which is worth $C 774 million ($US 745 million), is an option from a contract for 204 vehicles which was signed in June 2009.

SOUTH AFRICA'S largest railfreight operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) achieved a better-than-expected increase in revenues in the last financial year, despite a decline in export coal traffic and general freight. Revenues rose by 11.8% to Rand 20.6 billion ($US 2.7 billion) in the year ending March 31, buoyed by an increased share of the intermodal market and rising bulk volumes in the latter part of the year.

THE concessionaire of Newcastle Tyne & Wear Metro DB Regio has selected Wabtec to refurbish the network's fleet of 90 two-car trains in a deal worth £25.2 million. The refurbishment programme will run until 2015 with the work being carried out at Wabtec's Doncaster facility.

AFTER three attempts, Australian receivers KordaMentha have finally found a buyer for FreightLink after agreeing terms with Genesee & Wyoming (G&W), United States.

REVENUE operation has begun on South Africa's Gautrain Rapid Rail Link just three days before the Soccer World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg. The first section of the network to open is the 17km line between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton in Johannesburg, which was officially inaugurated on June 5. The line has four stations with a journey time of 15 minutes between the airport and Sandton.

A CONTRACT to install slab track on Taipei's airport express metro line has been awarded to Rail.One, Germany, which will supply its Rheda 2000 ballastless system.

KAZAKHSTAN Railways (KTZ) has selected KTZ - Ansaldo STS Italy partnership to design, supply, install, and commission signalling systems and telecommunications for the 300km Zhetygen - Korgas line in the southeast of the country. The Euros 70 million contract was signed by Ansaldo STS CEO Mr Sergio de Luca and KTZ chairman Mr Askar Mamin today in Almaty.

ALSTOM and its Russian partner Transmashholding (TMH) today signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a mutual cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) to manufacture electric locomotives.

THE GREEK government confirmed today that it plans to sell 49% of Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) as part of a privatisation programme designed to reduce the country's massive public debt.