DUTCH infrastructure manager ProRail has been granted €43m by Mrs Stientje van Velthoven, secretary of state with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, to allow Netherlands Railways (NS) to introduce more high-frequency passenger services. NS will contribute €27m to the project.

IRELAND’s National Transport Authority (NTA) says 251 million passenger journeys were made in 2017 on Irish Rail (IE), Dublin’s Luas light rail network, Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann, representing an increase of 16.3 million or 7% over 2016.

SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) announced on January 30 that it has selected Amadeus IT Group for a contract to deliver a new international distribution system with the aim of improving interfaces with other operators and simplifying cross-border rail travel.

TEXAS Central, which is planning to build a privately-funded 386km 320km/h railway linking Dallas with Houston, has selected the site for its station in Dallas and says it has reached an agreement with developer Jack Matthews, which owns the site.

ACCORDING to Spanish press reports, Spain’s Ministry of Development and national train operator Renfe are finalising plans for a €2bn rolling stock investment plan covering the period 2017-2028. The total investment could be much higher if Renfe includes maintenance in the contracts it awards.

IRJ Pro market researcher Jonny Dearden reviews the winners and losers in the rolling stock market in 2017.

Automatic Train Operation has been widely used on metro lines for decades, but the technology is now starting to unlock benefits in more challenging main line environments. Keith Barrow reports from Vienna on how the industry is preparing to seize the opportunities offered by ATO on heavy rail networks.

AN ACS Group/Hochtief-led consortium has been selected as recommended developer for a $US 1.95bn public-private partnership (PPP) project to build an automated peoplemover at Los Angeles International Airport and operate it for 25 years.

SHANGHAI Shentong Metro Group has awarded the Thales SEC Transport (TST) joint venture of Thales and Shanghai Electric a contract to equip the new Line 14 for driverless operation as a pilot project.

SOUTH Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Korea Rail Network Authority opened a new section of the Donghae Line from Pohang to Yeongdeok on January 26.