ISRAEL National Roads Company invites companies or groups to prequalify by October 24 for a contract to construct the superstructure, and equip two new lines currently under construction.
SIR Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, has made a final appeal against the recent decision by Britain's Department for Transport (DfT) to award the 13-year four-month franchise for InterCity West Coast to First Group rather than accept a bid from the incumbent Virgin/Stagecoach joint venture which he claims is less risky.
FERROVIA Trans Rail Solutions, the joint venture awarded the Rs.1.56bn ($US 28m) contract to build the 66km New Kawadia - Durgapur section of India's 1839km Ludhiana - Dankuni eastern dedicated freight corridor (DFC), will import a refurbished Harsco Rail track laying machine in December.
THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has provided $US 500m to the East African Community (EAC), which covers Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, to roll out projects under its Railway Master Plan starting this year.
BELARUS Railways (BC) says it is on course to complete the electrification of the 107km section of the Minsk – Gomel line between Osipovichi, Babrujsk and Zhlobin by December.
TRENITALIA has received three bids for a contract worth around €1.5bn to supply 130 regional diesel and electric multiple units with options for a further 60 trains.
AFTER a lengthy and complex decision process, Czech Railways (CD) has finally announced it will go ahead with a reduced order for seven 230km/h Railjet trains from Siemens.
THE EUROPEAN Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has agreed to provide Macedonia's Public Enterprise for Railway Infrastructure with a €46.4m 15-year loan to fund the rebuilding of the 30.8km Kumanovo – Beljakovce line, the first phase of a project to establish a direct rail link between Skopje and Sofia.
WORKERS laid the final section of track on August 14 on a new Yuan 4.5bn ($US 706m) line in southwest China which will eventually provide a second standard-gauge connection to Vietnam.
GERMAN RAIL (DB) subsidiary DB Regio has exercised an option worth €108m for an additional 32 class 146 electric locomotives from Bombardier.
