MASSACHUSETTS Bay Transportation Authority’s (MBTA) Fiscal and Management Control Board voted on December 12 to order 120 additional metro cars from CRRC Corporation subsidiary CRRC MA at a cost of $US 280m.

GE Transportation confirmed on December 9 that it has acquired Iders, Canada, a designer and manufacturer of electronic products for the rail industry, which GE says will enhance its sensor data and analytics offerings and accelerate its vision to offer self-aware trains.

TEST running began on Ottawa’s light rail Confederation Line on December 2 when an LRV operated between Cyreville and Blair on the eastern section of the route.

VANCOUVER SkyTrain Millennium Line services were extended to Coquitlam on December 2, when Mrs Christy Clark, premier of the province of British Columbia and Mr Dan Ruimy, member of parliament for Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge, inaugurated the 11km Evergreen extension.

VOSSLOH announced on December 5 that it has signed an agreement to acquire North American rail infrastructure company Rocla Concrete Tie for $US 117.2m at the beginning of 2017 subject to merger control clearances.

THE Australian subsidiary of Genesee & Wyoming (G&W), United States, has completed the acquisition of Glencore Rail (GRail) for $A 1.14bn ($US 846m) and issued a 49% equity stake in Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA) to funds and clients managed by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets.

A ground breaking ceremony was held in California on November 29 for the $US 700m five-year first phase of the 40-year $US 6bn North Coast Corridor (NCC) infrastructure improvement project.

PRESIDENT-elect of the United States Mr Donald Trump has nominated Ms Elaine Chao as his administration’s secretary of transportation.