CZECH and Slovak open-access operator Regiojet has awarded Bombardier a contract to supply eight Traxx MS2E multi-system electric locomotives, with an option for 20 additional units.

THE board of Chicago commuter rail operator Metra has given the agency the go-ahead to issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for the procurement of new locomotives and coaches as it begins the replacement of its ageing fleet.

THE government of São Paulo has announced that bidding will open on July 4 for the public-private partnership (PPP) concession to operate lines 5 and 17 of the Brazilian city’s metro network.

JAPAN’s Tobu Railway introduced a new timetable on April 21 featuring additional limited-express services operated by its 500 series Revaty trains which are entering service at the same time.

SIEMENS has announced that it will launch a new digital rail service in the United States, which will use sensors and software platforms to put intelligence behind billions of data points created on the country’s rail network.

SWITZERLAND’s second-largest railway BLS says it is still pushing for a concession to operate long-distance services beyond its own network, despite the recent failure of talks with Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) on the future of domestic inter-city services.

BUENOS Aires Metro (SBase) has awarded a €17m contract to Alstom to renew the power supply on Line B.

AN alliance has been formed in Brussels which brings together open-access operators in the passenger and freight sectors with the aim of collectively addressing issues affecting non-incumbent rail companies.

THE Korean city of Busan expanded its metro network on April 20 with the opening of the southern extension of Line 1, which connects the previous south-western terminus at Sinpyeong with Dadaepo Beach.

THE Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure has fined both Netherlands Railways (NS) and Prorail for failing to meet contractually-agreed performance levels.