OPEN access long-distance passenger operator Thello has announced it will withdraw direct overnight services between Paris and Rome from December 15, instead offering improved connections with Trenitalia high-speed services, which it says will reduce journey times between the two capitals.
PASSENGER Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has signed a Rand 51bn ($US 5bn) contract with the Gibela joint venture led by Alstom to supply 3600 cars to be formed into 600 emus during a 10-year period, plus spare parts for 18 years. Financial closure of the contract is expected in December.
JR East plans to introduce its Advanced Train Administration and Communications System (Atacs) on the busy Saikyo Line in Tokyo from autumn 2017.
PRAGUE City Council has approved plans for the construction of the initial phase of metro Line D, which will link the city centre with the southern suburbs of Lhotka, Libuš, Nové Dvory, and Pisníce as well as Krč hospital.
SWIFAMBO Rail Leasing, South Africa, has awarded a €250m contract to Vossloh for 70 electro-diesel passenger locomotives which will be leased to the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) to haul passenger trains. The contract includes options for a minimum of 10 additional units as well as to maintain the fleet.
CONSTRUCTION of the first railway tunnel for London's Crossrail project is complete after tunnel boring machine (TBM) Phyllis completed her 6.8km journey this week from Royal Oak to Farringdon.
THE Rhine-Ruhr Transport Association (VRR) has issued a call for tender for a contract to supply and maintain for 30 years a fleet of 71 double-deck emus plus additional trains to cover maintenance.
TRIALS have started in South Africa with three locomotives fitted with a system called Jika passive hydraulic steering (PHS) which is aimed at trebling the life of locomotive wheels and reducing track wear by 60%.
WHITEHAVEN Coal, Australia, has selected Leighton Contractors to build a 16km railway link from the $A 767m ($US 716.8m) Maules Creek Coal project in the Gunnedah Basin in New South Wales (NSW) to the Mungindi railway, which runs from the Main North Line at Werris Creek to Mungindi in northern NSW.
THE governor of Jakarta, Mr Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, officiated at Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) ground breaking ceremony on October 10 to mark the start of construction of the first metro line in the Indonesian capital.
