Administrator

THE European railway industry association (Unife) has attacked the British government's decision to resume negotiations with Hitachi over the Intercity Express Programme (IEP), which will replace part of the ageing HST fleet. Unife says it is alarmed by the procurement of rolling stock from a Japanese manufacturer when, the association claims, only 2% of the Japanese rail equipment market is open to foreign suppliers.

WABTEC subsidiary Xorail has signed a $US 165 million contract with MRS logistics to design and install communications-based train control across its 1643km network in the Brazillian states of Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo.

TWO Florida politicians yesterday filed a suit in the state supreme court with the aim of overturning Governor Rick Scott's decision to abandon plans for a high-speed line between Tampa and Orlando.

AN alliance of John Holland, GHD and Perth Public Transport Authority has been appointed to deliver the $A 360 million ($US 366 million) Perth City Link project, which involves rerouting the Freemantle Line underground between William Street and Lake Street.

BRITAIN's secretary of state for transport, Mr Philip Hammond, has given the go-ahead for the long-delayed Intercity Express Programme (IEP) to supply a fleet of 200km/h trains in a £4.5 billion deal with the Agility Trains consortium of Hitachi and John Laing.

A CEREMONY was held in Eskisehir yesterday to celebrate the completion of the first GE PowerHaul locomotive to be assembled in Turkey. The ac traction locomotive was built by Tülomsaş using components manufactuered by GE's plant in Erie, United States.

GERMAN Rail (DB) has concluded the sale of the Arriva Germany Group to a consortium led by Italian State Railways (FS) in partnership with Cube Infrastructure Fund, France, following approval of the deal by the European Commission (EC) on February 16.

WABTEC is expanding its locomotive servicing capability in the Britain with the acquisition of Brush Traction in a deal worth around $US 31 million.

With Eurostar and German Rail planning to launch new services between Britain and mainland Europe, Eurotunnel CEO Jacques Gounon tells Kevin Smith that the company is striving to promote growth.

Russian Railways (RZD) has emerged from the global economic crisis in good shape according to president Vladimir Yakunin who spoke exclusively to Kevin Smith in London last month about the railway’s recent challenges and its prospects.