MEXICO's Ministry of Communications and Transport (SCT) confirmed on October 15 that a Chinese consortium has submitted the only bid in an international tender for a contract to design, build, operate, and maintain a 210km high-speed line linking Mexico City with Queretaro.

GE Transportation Brazil announced on October 9 that it has received the first order for its new metre-gauge ES43BBi Evolution diesel locomotive, which has been developed specifically for the Brazilian market.

THE government of the Federal District of Mexico City has begun tendering for the construction of the 4km extension of metro Line 12 from its western terminus at Mixcoac to an interchange with Line 1 at Observatorio.

BUENOS Aires metro authority Sbase has selected Siemens in a contract worth €30m to upgrade signalling, the depot operations centre, and to install a new passenger information system for the 5km, nine-station metro Line C.

ELECTRO-MOTIVE Diesel (EMD) has secured orders to supply a total of 34 SD70ACe locomotives to Mexico's Ferromex and Ferrosur.

PAULISTA Metropolitan Trains Company (CPTM) has completed a feasibility study into a 30km north-south light rail line linking Guarulhos northeast of São Paulo with the districts of Santo André, São Bernardo, and São Caetano.

ARGENTINEAN President Mrs Christina Kirchner and transport and interior minister Mr Florencio Randazzo witnessed the unloading of the first new EMU cars for Buenos Aires' Mitre suburban lines on September 8.

CIVIL works have begun on the first phase of the third light metro line in Mexico's second-largest city Guadalajara.

ARGENTINA's world-famous Tren de las Nubes (Train of the Clouds) has ceased operating and concessionaire Ecotren has been stripped of its contract following a derailment in a remote area of the Andes.

MOVE São Paulo, the PPP concessionaire responsible for building and operating São Paulo metro Line 6, has awarded Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) contract to provide railway systems for the 13.5km driverless line.