THE Uzbek city of Samarkand inaugurated the initial phase of its tram network on April 15, just six months after the start of construction on the first line.

THE City of Ottawa has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for a contract to design, build, finance and maintain the southern extension of the diesel-operated Trillium Line.

SOUND Transit has signed a 10-year agreement with Puget Sound Energy (PSE) which will enable Seattle’s Link light rail network to operate on 100% renewable energy from 2019.

SRI LANKA Railways (SLR) has awarded Rites, India, a Rs 680m ($US 126m) contract to supply 10 1676mm-gauge diesel locomotives and six DMUs.

NEW South Wales transport minister Mr Andrew Constance announced on April 18 that the new light rail line in the city of Newcastle will operate without catenary for much of its length to reduce the line’s visual impact.

INDIAN Railways (IR) has decided to upgrade the 245km Delhi - Chandigarh main line to increase the maximum speed for passenger trains to 200km/h.

ATTIKO Metro published an invitation to tender on April 10 for contracts to build and equip the initial phase of Athens metro Line 4.

SUZHOU added a second north-south line to its metro network on April 15 with the start of trial passenger operation on Line 4.

PLANS to construct a third track on a congested section of the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) have taken a step forward with the publication of a Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the project after more than a year of data collection, analysis and public consultation.

POLISH infrastructure manager PKP PLK has awarded two contracts worth a total of Zlotys 646m ($US 161m) for the modernisation of a 63km section of the Warsaw - Radom line.