Philadelphia is the United States' fifth largest city and boasts one of the country's most extensive urban and suburban rail networks, but decades of underinvestment have brought the system close to the brink of collapse. With new sources of funding finally coming on stream, Keith Barrow looks at how regional transport authority Septa plans to reinvigorate its rail assets.
TRANSPORT for London (TfL) has selected MTR Corporation to become the first operator of the new Crossrail line. The £1.4bn concession will be for eight years with an option to extend it by two years.
TRANSPORT for London (TfL) announced on July 15 that four bidders have been shortlisted for a contract to supply at least 39 new trains for the London Overground network.
DÜSSELDORF public transport operator Rheinbahn announced on July 11 that it has secured a €150m loan from the European Investment Bank which will be used to fund a €300m investment in the city's light rail and bus networks.
SAN FRANCISCO Municipal Transportation Authority (SFMTA) has recommended awarding a contract worth up to $US 1.2bn to Siemens for up to 260 S200 SF LRVs, which will replace the city's ageing Breda trams and expand the fleet for the opening of the Central Subway line.
THE first five of 21 additional EMD JTW42CWR (class 66) diesel locomotives for British operator GB Railfreight were unloaded at the port Newport in Wales on July 11 after completing their sea voyage across the Atlantic from the United States.
VIENNESE public transport operator Wiener Linien has concluded a 10-month trial using a Siemens ULF light rail vehicle, which has been specially adapted with energy-saving technologies as part of the EcoTram research project.
CO-OPERATIVE Bulk Handling Group (CBH), Western Australia, has awarded a contract to Wi-Tronix, United States, to equip its locomotive fleet with a remote monitoring and hosting system.
SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) has exercised options with Stadler for 19 additional Kiss double-deck EMUs for the Zürich S-Bahn network and six single-deck Flirt EMUs, which will be used on regional services in the canton of Vaud in western Switzerland.
THE BOARD of Ile-de-France Transport Authority (STIF) has approved funding for the acquisition of 22 additional class Z 50000 Francilien EMUs from Bombardier for use on Paris suburban services.
