Administrator

BRITAIN'S Department for Transport (DfT) today announced the shortlist of bidders for the new West Coast and Greater Anglia franchises.

UNION Railway today revealed its new corporate identity as Etihad Rail and set out further details of its plans to develop a 1200km railway network across the United Arab Emirates.

THE French government's strong objection on safety grounds to the operation of distributed-traction passenger trains in the Channel Tunnel, as planned by Eurostar and German Rail (DB), has been overruled by the European Railway Agency (ERA). ERA confirms that the current rules authorising vehicles to operate in the Channel Tunnel "do not explicitly prohibit distributed power, provided an equivalent level of safety" to the existing Eurostar trains, which have power cars at each end, "is demonstrated."

THE privatisation of Europe's second-largest railfreight operator was launched today when Polish State Railways (PKP) invited expressions of interest for the sale of its PKP Cargo subsidiary.

CZECH Railways (CD) has agreed a Koruna 2 billion ($US 111.5 million) contract with Pesa, Poland, for the supply of 31 two-car Link dmus.

TWO lawsuits have been filed in court today by Brazil's Federal Prosecution Office (MPF) seeking correction of irregularities which it claims to have found in the tender process for the Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo - Campinas high-speed project. While some irregularities can be corrected immediately, others must await action and therefore require the tender process to be suspended.

SOUTH AFRICAN freight logistics group Transnet has confirmed the reinstatement of Mr Siyabonga Gama as head of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) just nine months after his high-profile dismissal for being found guilty on three charges of misconduct relating to the award of certain contracts.

THE FIRST of 20 CAF class 4000 dmus for Translink NI Railways was unloaded in Belfast Docks yesterday having completed its journey from Spain by ship.

TORONTO's transport authority, Metrolinx, has announced that it will purchase 50 double-deck commuter coaches from Bombardier in a deal worth $C 125 million.