DUTCH secretary of state for infrastructure Mrs Wilma Mansveld resigned on October 28 following the publication of a report into the Fyra high-speed fiasco, which places the blame for the debacle squarely with various current and former government ministers as well as Netherlands Railways (NS) and Belgian National Railways (SNCB).

THURINGIA's Ministry of Infrastructure and Agriculture announced on October 28 that South Thuringia Railway (STB), a 50:50 joint venture between Erfurt Railway (EB) and Hessen State Railways (HLB), has been selected as preferred bidder for a contract to operate the South Thuringia Diesel Network for 11 years from December 2017.

ROME-based open-access operator Italian Railway Company (CFI) announced on October 23 that it is acquiring Italian railfreight operator RailOne for €8.6m from Gruppo Toto.

TURIN City Council approved a resolution on October 20 authorising the start of tendering for contracts to construct the city's second driverless metro line.

THE first intermodal terminal for direct loading of lorry semitrailers between rail and ferry in France was inaugurated at the Port of Calais on October 23.

CZECH Railways (CD) has signed an agreement with Silesian Railways (KS) to co-operate on measures to improve cross-border regional rail links between eastern Czech Republic and southern Poland.

GERMAN regional rail operator Sweg placed a contract award notice in the Official Journal of the European Union on October 24 confirming it has selected Bombardier for a framework agreement to supply and maintain EMUs for use on regional services in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

THE Slovakian city of Košice is set to receive a €38.6m grant from the European Union Cohesion Fund to finance a €47.8m order for 33 new trams from Pragoimex, Czech Republic.

THE second stage of Zürich's Durchmesserlinie (DML) cross-city link was inaugurated on October 26, when Swiss Federal Office of Transport director Mr Peter Füglistaler, Zürich cantonal councillor Mrs Carmen Walker-Späh and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) CEO Mr Andreas Meyer pulled a ceremonial lever to launch the new line.

STADLER Rail has approved a Forints 1bn ($US 3.5m) investment in the bogie overhaul facility at its Szolnok plant in Hungary which will enable the site to begin producing bogies for new trains.