BIDS have been invited for the supply of 12 two-car LRVs as part of a project to upgrade and extend light metro Line 1 in Guadalajara, Mexico. 

TESTING is underway on the new 4.3km Ayacucho light rail line in the Colombian city of Medellin.

BRAZIL's National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has approved a Reais 746.5m ($US 212.8m) loan for Rio de Janeiro's 28km Porto Maravilha light rail project.

BRAZIL's Ministry of Cities and Brazilian Urban Trains Company (CBTU) have launched a study into the feasibility of building a light rail line in Campina Grande, a city of more than 350,000 inhabitants in the northeastern state of Paraiba.

BRASILIA's metro operator Metro-DF is planning to open Latin America's first entirely sustainable metro station next month following the installation of photovoltaic panels at Guariroba station on the network's Green Line.

THE modernisation of the Buenos Aires suburban rail network has reached a milestone with the of the shipping of the last of 709 new EMU cars from CRRC Corporation's Qingdao Sifang plant in China.

THE government of the Brazilian state of Bahia announced on July 31 that it will begin tendering this month for contracts to build an 18.5km light rail line in the state capital Salvador, which will partially utilise the alignment of the existing suburban rail line from Calçada to Paripe.

THE Panamanian cabinet granted Panama Metro approval on July 21 to proceed with the acquisition of 70 additional metro cars to increase capacity on Panama City metro Line 1.

PERU's Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment (Proinversión) issued an invitation to prequalify on July 24 for a concession to "comprehensively rehabilitate" the 128.7km Huancayo - Huancavelica line in the Andes, which is popularly known as Tren Macho.

CHILEAN State Railways (EFE) has received a new self-propelled measurement vehicle from Mermec, Italy, which will monitor the condition of the railway network and help its engineers to optimise maintenance and renewal work.