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VISITING China, as I did last month to attend the international heavy-haul conference and study tour, is a salutary lesson in what the Chinese are capable of now that their creative and entrepreneurial skills have been unleashed. These skills, coupled with a huge influx of modern technology from abroad, are now equipping Chinese companies with the tools they need to become world players.

Michael Roney, general manager, technical standards, with Canadian Pacific Railway, was elected chairman of the International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) at its ninth conference in Shanghai, China, in June. David Briginshaw spoke to Roney about the challenges facing heavy-haul railways and his vision for the IHHA.

BRITISH transport secretary Lord Andrew Adonis has announced plans for the country's first major electrification project for more than two decades. Planning will start immediately on the electrification of the Great Western Main Line (GWML) from London to Bristol, Cardiff and Swansea, together with the lines from Reading to Newbury and Didcot to Oxford. The £1 billion project will be implemented in phases, with the final section due for completion in 2017, when London - Swansea journey times will be reduced by 19 minutes.

ANSALDO STS is celebrating its largest ever contract after clinching a deal worth €541 million to supply signalling and telecommunications systems for two new lines in Libya.

GERMAN RAIL (DB) is set to go ahead with its takeover of Poland's largest private railfreight operator PCC logistics after the acquisition was approved by the European Commission.

MORE THAN 92,000 passengers welcomed light rail to Seattle on the weekend of July 18-19, when the 22.5km line from Westlake Center to Tukwila line was inaugurated with free rides for local people.

SIEMENS has revealed a new emu for the British market which it hopes will be the winner in the race to supply up to 1200 vehicles for the expanded cross-London Thameslink network.

INDONESIAN State Railways (PTKA) has selected GE to supply 20 diesel locomotives in a deal which could lead to the purchase of up to 150 locomotives. The C20-EMP locomotives will be manufactured as kits by GE at its site in Eire, United States and shipped to Indonesia for final assembly by PTKA at its Madiun workshops. Deliveries will begin next year and will be completed in 2011.

RUSSIAN RAILWAYS (RZD) is to receive a $US 500 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which will be used to help it restructure its balance sheet and complete a series of reforms that began in 2001. The 10-year unsolicited loan would be the largest single investment by the EBRD since it was established in 1991, and takes the bank's total investment in Russia's railways since 2001 to $US 1.2 billion.

NEW ZEALAND'S national railway operator KiwiRail is set to receive its first new locomotives for 20 years after awarding CNR Loric Import and Export Corporation, China, a contract worth around $NZ 75 million ($US 47.2 million) to supply 20 diesel-electric locomotives. The 2700kW locomotives will be manufactured by CNR Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock, and the first batch of six locomotives will be delivered next May, with the remainder due to arrive in New Zealand in August 2010.