THE Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has selected Telstra in a 10-year contract to provide continuing telecommunications services through its NextG network to support ARTC's National Train Communications System (NTCS) for the 8500km Australian freight railway network.

AUSTRALIA's largest railfreight operator, Aurizon has reported a 139% increase in statutory net profit after tax to $A 604m ($US 443.8m) for the 2015 financial year despite traffic remaining relatively flat.

THE board of Australian logistics group Asciano has recommended that shareholders accept a bid from Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for 100% of the company, which includes Pacific National, Australia's second largest railfreight operator.

THE premier of the Australian state of Victoria Mr Daniel Andrews and minister for public transport Mrs Jacinta Allan announced on August 17 that the state government will back the full implementation of the Murray River Basin Rail Project, which is intended to increase freight safety, reliability and capacity in northern Victoria.

NEW ZEALAND's prime minister Mr John Key attended a ceremony at Auckland Transport's Wiri depot on August 13 to mark the delivery of the last of 57 AM class EMUs from CAF.

TRANSPORT for New South Wales (TfNSW) has launched a tender seeking a technical advisor for the planned 2.6km light rail line in Newcastle.

GREAT Southern Rail (GSR) is set to halve the frequency of services on its iconic Ghan and Indian Pacific trains after the Australian federal government announced that it would cut its subsidy by $A 9m ($US 6.6m) from July 2016.

QUEENSLAND's deputy premier and minister for transport Ms Jackie Trad announced on August 6 that expressions of interest for the second phase of the Gold Coast light rail network will open on August 10 as the state and the city push to complete the project in time for the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

TRANSPORT for New South Wales (TfNSW) has awarded a joint venture of Australia's UGL and Unipart Rail, Britain, a $A 131m ($US 96m) contract to upgrade the fleet of 447 Tangara double-deck EMU cars operated by Sydney Trains.