GUANGZHOU Metro Corporation has awarded Thales a contract through its Thales Saic Transportation local joint venture to supply communications-based train control (CBTC) for two new metro lines in the city.

NORFOLK Southern (NS) has released the first of 25 low-emissions GP33ECO heavy shunting locomotives from its Juniata Locomotive Shop at Altoona, Pennsylvania, for mainline testing.

CALIFORNIA marked the official start of construction on the state's high-speed network on January 6 with a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future high-speed station in Fresno.

BLS, Switzerland, announced on January 6 that it has reached an agreement with German Rail (DB) subsidiary DB Schweiz Holding, part of DB Schenker Rail, to buy back its 45% stake in BLS Cargo for an undisclosed sum.

FOLLOWING several years of decline in the wake of the global economic crisis, passenger numbers on Ireland's railway network are finally growing again according to the latest figures from Irish Rail (IE), which show overall ridership increased by 2.5% in 2014 to 37.6 million journeys.

INDIA's first CBTC deployment reached an important milestone on December 30 with the first test run under Automatic Train Operation (ATO) on the 8km eastern section of Hyderabad metro Line 3 between Nagole and Mettuguda.

CSR Qishyuan, China, has begun delivery of an order for 20 six-axle metre-gauge SDA3 diesel locomotives for State Railway of Thailand (SRT).

MEXICO's Federal Secretariat of Communications and Transport (SCT) confirmed on January 4 that it will issue preliminary bidding documents on January 14 for a revised tender for the contract to build the 210km Mexico City - Queretaro high-speed line.

ISTANBUL Metropolitan Municipality has placed a Won 103.8bn ($US 93.3m) provisional order with Hyundai Rotem for the supply of 17 four-car metro trains that will boost capacity on Line M2 between Yenikapi and Haciosman.