IRJ at International Railway Summit 2016: EUROPEAN Railway Agency (ERA) executive director Dr Josef Doppelbauer says he is now "almost certain" that the technical pillar of the Fourth Railway Package will come into force on June 1.

SERVICES on Washington DC's DC Streetcar H/Benning Line are due to begin on February 27 after more than a decade of planning, construction and testing.

AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) is planning to order up to 300 more EMUs in addition to its existing framework contract for 200 Siemens Desiro ML sets.

NETHERLANDS RAILWAYS (NS) is to operate peak-hour bus services from today in an effort to relieve overcrowding on its busiest rail services.

DUSSELDORF's €843.6m underground Wehrhahn Line light rail line opened on February 20. Regular operation and closure of the previous on-street route followed overnight with services starting via the new route on February 21.

ROLLS-ROYCE is to supply 100 2200kW MTU Series 4000 diesel engines for freight locomotives in Argentina in a €30m+ deal with China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC).

Rolls-Royce, Britain, and China Yuchai International subsidiary Guangxi Yuchai Machinery Company (GYMC) have formed a 50:50 joint venture for the production of MTU diesel engines under licence in China. Both parties will invest RMB 75 million ($US 11.4m) in the joint venture.

International Railway Summit 2016, Vienna: Mr Jerzy Lejk, CEO, of Warsaw Metro, announced that a general contractor will be appointed very soon to construct the first phase of planned extensions to Line M2.

Battery manufacturer Saft has won a multi-million dollar contract from Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (Septa) to supply lineside lithium-ion energy storage equipment.

GERMAN open-access operator derschnellzug.de - which was planning to start services between Stuttgart and Hamburg on March 18 says its planned services will be delayed.