GERMAN Rail (DB) and Siemens have agreed terms to further amend a contract originally signed in 2011 for 85 10-car and 45 seven-car 250km/h ICE 4 trains.

THE European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted Belgian National Railways (SNCB) a €600m loan to invest in modernising its rolling stock fleet.

THE first Desiro HC driving car for the Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) regional network was presented to North-Rhine Westphalia state transport minister Mr Michael Groschek at Siemens’ plant in Krefeld, Germany, on March 31.

NETINERA subsidiary Vlexx, Mainz, has awarded a contract to Bombardier to supply 21 three-car Talent 3 EMUs to begin operation on the Saar Electric Network in December 2019.

STOCKHOLM moved a step closer to a major expansion of its urban rail network on March 30, when the Swedish government concluded negotiations with local authorities on an agreement which links investment in new housing with significant improvements to the public transport system.

BADEN-Württemberg Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure and Bavarian Railway Company (BEG) announced on March 30 that they have selected Hohenzollern Railways (HzL) for a contract to operate the Ulm Star regional network (Baden- Württemberg Network 12) south of Stuttgart.

RUSSIAN Railways (RZD) and Gazprom signed an agreement on March 30 to jointly finance the construction of the Northern Latitudinal Railway (NLR) in western Siberia.

DB Regio remained the clear leader in the German regional rail market in 2016 according to annual figures released by the German Federation of Regional Passenger Rail Authorities (BAG-SPNV), but the incumbent operator’s market share continues to decline as competitors strengthen their position.

BOMBARDIER announced on March 30 that it has a received an order from German Rail (DB) to supply IC2 25 double-deck trains, which consist of 25 Traxx locomotives and 124 Twindexx Vario coaches.