About the author

Keith Barrow

Keith Barrow joined IRJ as News Editor in 2006 and was promoted to Associate Editor in 2008. He was previously editor of employee publications for the Welsh Assembly Government, G4S, and Thomsonfly, and has written for a range of other publications including the Derby Telegraph. He graduated from Lincoln University in 2002 with a degree in journalism.

November 4, 2016 | Track

Synthetic sleepers on test in Norway

NORWEGIAN infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket is evaluating the use of synthetic sleepers on bridges and in tunnels as an alternative to traditional creosoted-wood sleepers.

November 4, 2016 | Asia

Singapore to share revenue risk on Thomson East Coast Line

SINGAPORE Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on November 4 that it will launch a limited tender in the first quarter of next year for a contract to operate the Thomson East Coast Line (TEL), and - uniquely for a Singaporean rail project - the government will bear revenue risk on operations.

November 4, 2016 | High-speed

West Coast franchise to include HS2 services

BRITAIN’s Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed on November 4 that services on the initial London - Birmingham phase of High Speed 2 (HS2) will be included in the forthcoming Inter City West Coast (ICWC) franchise, which is due to start in 2019.

November 3, 2016 | High-speed

Tracklaying begins on Copenhagen - Ringsted high-speed line

DANISH infrastructure manager Banedanmark marked the start of tracklaying on the Copenhagen - Køge - Ringsted high-speed line on October 28, when the first 10 sleepers were lowered into position by Denmark’s transport minister Mr Hans-Christian Schmidt.

November 3, 2016 | Commuter Rail

Stockholm City Line set for July 2017 opening

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket confirmed on November 3 that the SKr 16.8bn ($US 1.88bn) Stockholm City Line will open at 05.00 on July 10 2017, doubling main line rail capacity through the centre of the city.

November 3, 2016 | Asia

Power Grid wins Indian electrification contract

INDIA’s Ministry of Railways has awarded Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) a Rs 8.89bn ($US 133m) contract to electrify four lines totalling 761 route-km as part of a programme to electrify 24,000km of the Indian Railways (IR) network over the next five years.

November 3, 2016 | Metros

Isfahan metro opens four more stations

THE Iranian city of Isfahan extended services on its first metro line to four more stations on November 2 with the opening of the 0.8km section between Shohada and Takhti in the city centre, and new stations at Baharestan, Golestan and Shahid Chamranon on the initial phase of the line.

November 2, 2016 | Rolling stock

Paris RER NG tender down to one bidder

A consortium of Alstom and Bombardier is now the only bidder in the running for a contract to supply up to 371 new trains for the Paris RER network after CAF was eliminated from the competition.

November 2, 2016 | Africa

China to build Zambia - Malawi rail link

A contract to construct a rail link between central Zambia and the Malawian border was signed in the Zambian capital Lusaka on November 2 by minister of transport and communications Mr Brian Mushimba and representatives of China Railway Construction Corporation.

November 2, 2016 | Africa

Algeria inaugurates Birtouta - Zéralda line

THE latest phase of the Algiers RER network was inaugurated on November 1 with the officially opening of a Dinars 35bn ($US 319m) link to the western suburb of Zéralda.