THE Brazilian National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has approved a loan of Reais 2.89bn ($US 760.2m) to Rumo North and Rumo South, subsidiaries of the Cosan Group, for rail and port operations.

CZECH rail freight operator ČD Cargo has confirmed it will order 10 Traxx MS3 multi-system electric locomotives from Bombardier together with four additional Siemens Vectron MS locomotives, supplementing the eight units already in service.

RUSSIAN Railways’ (RZD) GT1h-002 prototype liquefied natural gas (LNG) fuelled turbine-electric locomotive has completed a series of test runs on the Surgut - Korotchaevo line in western Siberia hauling trains with a gross weight of up to 9000 tonnes.

CZ LOKO has completed the delivery of an order for five EffiShunter 1000 four-axle diesel shunting locomotives to Mercitalia Shunting & Terminal (Mist), Italy, including the Czech manufacturer's 1000th locomotive.

GREAT Western Railway (GWR) operated the first class 800 Intercity Express Trains built by Hitachi Rail Europe between London and Paignton on June 30, the first Intercity Express Train to travel beyond Exeter in passenger service.

CHILE’s Antofagasta Railway (FCAB) has awarded GE Transportation a contract to supply five C23EMP single-cab ac/dc diesel-electric locomotives for delivery in 2019. The deal, the first between the two partners, includes a parts, service and warranty agreement.

RATH Group, Austria, awarded Siemens a contract on July 9 to supply three Vectron multisystem (MS) locomotives which RTB Cargo, the freight transport arm of the Rath Group, will use for freight services in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia.

NEWAG presented its new Dragon 2 locomotive at a ceremony at Poland’s Railway Research Institute Operations Centre in Żmigród on July 12, attended by Poland’s minister of infrastructure Mr Andrzej Adamczyk and deputy minister Mr Andrzej Bittel.

THE first of 15 Siemens ACS-64 electric locomotives delivered to Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Septa) was unveiled at a ceremony and made its inaugural run in revenue service on July 11.

GE Transportation unveiled its first nearly-completed TE33A locomotive bound for Ukrainian Railways (UZ) in Erie, United States, on June 10. The first of 30 12-cylinder 3355kW units should be transported to the Ukraine in a few weeks where the final 10% will be completed.