BADEN-Württemberg Ministry of Transport and Rhine Neckar Transport Authority (VRN) announced on June 6 that they have selected DB Regio as preferred bidder for a contract to operate Lot 2 of the Rhine-Neckar S-Bahn network for 14 years from December 2020.

THE rail division of First Group, Britain, saw a 26.2% drop in profit from £72.9m for the year ending March 31 2016 to £53.8m in 2016-17, while its operating margin fell from 5.6% to 4.2% in 2016-17.

TRACKLAYING has reportedly commenced on a 1213km line connecting China’s western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region with the neighbouring province of Qinghai.

THE government of the Indian state of Haryana has approved the construction of a 4.9km northern extension of the Delhi metro Red Line from Narela to Kundli.

AUSTRIAN-Hungarian rail freight operator Györ-Sopron-Ebenfurth Railway (GySEV) has exercised an option with Siemens for four additional Vectron electric locomotives.

DUTCH secretary of state for infrastructure Mrs Sharon Dijksma has approved the alignment of a new freight line in the port of Rotterdam, which will divert traffic away from the life-expired Caland vertical lift bridge.

SIGNIFICANT changes were made to the tram network in Antwerp on June 3 with the opening of an extension in the north of the city and a new tunnel in the city centre.

POLAND’s national long-distance operator PKP Intercity has issued a call for tender for 55 coaches with a closing date for bids of July 14.

THE first of 1000 1676mm-gauge Evolution Series locomotives for Indian Railways (IR) was unveiled at the company’s plant in Erie, Pennsylvania, on June 1.

KAZAKHSTAN’s president Mr Nursultan Nazarbayev inaugurated a new main station in the country’s capital Astana on May 31.