A metro connection between Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport and the Chinese high-speed rail network began operating on June 28 with the start of passenger services on Shenzhen metro Line 11.

BOMBARDIER formally handed over the first Traxx AC Last Mile locomotive for Austrian rail freight operator LTE at a ceremony in Graz on June 27.

THE United States Federal Transit Administration has awarded a Letter of No Prejudice (LONP) to Fort Worth Transportation Authority (FWTA) for the $US 996m Tex Rail commuter rail project, clearing the way for groundbreaking next month.

TRENITALIA has selected Alstom and Hitachi Rail Italy (HRI) for two framework contracts with a combined value of up to €4.5bn to supply up to 450 regional trains.

SWITZERLAND's Southeastern Railway (SOB) signed a SFr 170m ($US 173m) contract with Stadler Rail in Herisau on June 27 for 11 Flirt EMUs, which will be used on Lucern - St Gallen Voralpen-Express services.

SIEMENS has announced plans for a new range of commuter and regional EMUs, known as Mireo. The articulated design uses many components used in the current Desiro City EMU for Britain and will supersede Siemens' Desiro ML platform for continental European markets.

IRISH Rail (IE) operated a 440m-long container freight train between Dublin North Wall and Claremorris on June 27 as part of trials to introduce longer freight trains later this year to boost its competitiveness.

THE municipality of Eskişehir, Turkey, invites bids by July 21 for the supply of 14 LRVs for operation on the city's 45km EsTram light rail network.

FOLLOWING the cancellation of a tender for switches and crossings, Israel Railways (IR) has decided to invite prospective suppliers to attend face-to-face meetings to assess the tender documents.

A new fleet of long-distance coaches entered passenger service with Bangladesh Railway (BR) on June 25, when the country's prime minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed launched the new Sonar Bangla Express service from the capital Dhaka to the port city of Chittagong.