SLOVAKIAN railfreight operator ZSSK Cargo has sold its fleet of 12,342 wagons to a newly-formed joint venture company under a sale-and-lease-back agreement signed on March 5.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket says it intends to begin developing plans for the construction of a second track on the eastern section of the Kiruna – Narvik (Norway) heavy-haul line in the Arctic Circle.

ETIHAD Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE's national railway network, has officially handed over the operations control centre in Mirfa to Etihad Rail DB, a joint venture between Etihad Rail and DB Schenker.

PUBLIC services began operating on the latest addition to the metre-gauge Valencia metro network on March 6, with the inauguration of Line 9.

NETHERLANDS Railways (NS) has awarded Dutch telecommunications provider KPN a contract to supply, install and maintain 1400 GSM-R cab radios for its fleet of locomotives, multiple units and driving trailers.

WARSAW celebrated the opening of its second metro line on March 8 when the city's mayor Mrs Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz launched a day of free rides on the initial 6.5km section of the east-west Line M2 from Dworzec Wileński with Rondo Daszyńskiego.

TANZANIA-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) has announced measures to reduce waste and enhance efficiency following an agreement between the president of Tanzania Mr Jakaya Kikwete and his Zambian counterpart Mr Edgar Lungu to revive the 1860km 1067mm-gauge railway.

THE merger of China's largest rolling stock manufacturers CNR and CSR has moved a step forward after the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC) granted in-principle approval of plans to amalgamate the two companies.

GHANA Railway Corporation plans to launch a suburban rail service in the twin cities of Sekondi-Takoradi in the fourth quarter of this year.

THE European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €50m loan agreement with Swietelsky Baugesellschaft, Austria, on March 5 to finance a €105m research project into the development of innovative track maintenance techniques.