FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) architectural and urban planning subsidiary Arep has been awarded a contract worth around €7m to carry out studies into the modernisation of three of Iran's busiest stations.

RIYADH's King Abdulaziz Public Transport Authority has revealed the first images of the new trains for lines 1 and 2 of the Saudi capital's six-line metro network, which is currently under construction.

METRO Jeddah Company (MJC) has invited expressions of interest for contracts to carry out civil works on the first phase of the city's metro network, together with a turnkey contract to design, build, operate and maintain the planned Corniche light rail line.

A milestone was reached in the construction of Israel's 70km Ashkelon-Beer-Sheva line at the beginning of August when the signalling system was activated making the line operational.

THE municipal government in the Iranian city of Shiraz and Shiraz Urban Railway Organisation have launched a tender for a contract to provide engineering consultancy and design services for metro lines 4, 5, and 6.

ISRAEL Railways (IR) has taken delivery of the first two units from an order for six NGT26CW diesel-electric locomotives, ordered from National Railway Equipment (NRE), United States, and assembled by TZV Gredelj, Croatia.

THE tendering committee of Israel Railways (IR) has selected Bombardier as preferred bidder for a contract to supply 62 electric locomotives as part of a project to electrify 420km of the national network.

MAJOR construction works were launched on Tel Aviv's first light rail line on August 3 with the start of excavation at the junction of Allenby Street and Yehuda Halevi Street.

ISRAEL's transport minister Mr Israel Katz has approved the appointment of Mr Kathriel Moriya as the first general manager of Israel Railways' new subsidiary Rail Cargo.

CHINA's CRRC Corporation has shipped the first two units from an order for eight six-axle diesel locomotives from Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO).