ISRAEL’s minister of transport Mr Yisrael Katz took an inaugural trip on August 29 on the 60km Jezreel Valley line linking Haifa and Beit Shee’an ahead of the start of scheduled services on October 16.
THE operation of regional rail services in Sweden's four most-northerly counties changed hands on August 20, when Tågkompaniet took over the Norrtåg network from Botniatåg, a joint venture between German Rail (DB) subsidiary Arriva (60%) and Swedish national train operator SJ (40%).
AFTER several delays, Dutch infrastrucutre manager Prorail opened the new station at Utrecht Vaartsche Rijn on August 23.
ITALY’s transport and infrastructure minister, Mr Graziano Delrio, has issued a decree for Italian State Railways (FS) to take over South East Railway (FSE), which has been in financial difficulties for some time.
FOLLOWING considerable public opposition, the Hungarian government has abandoned a proposal tabled earlier this year to close the terminus station at Budapest Déli and divert services to the city’s other main stations, Kelenföld and Keleti.
AMTRAK, the US long-distance passenger train operator, has appointed Mr Wick Moorman to succeed Mr Joe Boardman as president and CEO with effect from September 1.
CZECH Railways (ČD) announced on August 22 that it is introducing two open coach types on its Prague – Ústi nad Labem – Dĕčín – Berlin – Hamburg – Kiel route.
THE California State Transport Agency (Calsta) announced on August 16 the 14 recipients for the $US 390m 2016 Transit and Intercity Capital Programme (TIRCP) grants, $US 374m of which will be invested in rail.
THE governments of Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso have signed a revised operating concession with Sitarail, part of the Bolloré Group, to include responsibility for the infrastructure of the 1260km railway linking the two countries.
CZECH infrastructure manager SŽDC awarded Strabag, Austria, a €34m contract on August 9 to renovate the 46km Okříšky - Zastávka u Brna line in southern Czech Republic.
