CSR Qishuyan Locomotive Company, China, has completed a batch of five SDA2 diesel locomotives, which will be used by Pacific National (PN), Australia, on the 1067mm-gauge heavy-haul coal network in central Queensland.

AMTRAK submitted its budget request to Congress for 2015 financial year on March 18 with a warning to the federal government that failure to step up investment in the United States' passenger rail infrastructure could put the system at risk.

SPAIN's transport minister Mrs Ana Pastor this week unveiled further details of the liberalisation process initiated in February 2013 and confirmed the government's intention to kick-off the partial privatisation of the freight branch of Renfe in the next few months.

STADLER Rail handed over the first two of an order for 42 additional Flirt emus for Hungarian State Railways (MÁV) passenger unit MÁV Start on March 19 at a ceremony attended by Hungary's national development minister Mrs Lászlóné Németh.

Malaysia's Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT) and Siemens have unveiled a full-size mock-up of the forthcoming Inspiro metro train for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) Sungai Buloh – Kajang line in Kuala Lumpur, which is currently under construction.

BOMBARDIER announced on March 19 that it has received an order worth around €60m for 15 Traxx DE ME multi-engine diesel locomotives from Germany-based financial joint venture Paribus-DIF Netz West Lokomotiven.

THE Illinois Department of Transportation (Idot) has formally awarded a $US 228m contract to Siemens and Cummins to supply 32 diesel-electric locomotives for use on Amtrak services in the states of Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington.

METRÔ RIO celebrated the opening of Rio de Janeiro's 36th metro station on March 15, with the inauguration of the 1.1km extension of Line 1 from Saens Peña to Uruguai.

EGYPT is to revive plans for a high-speed line linking the Mediterranean coast with the country's far south, according to transport minister Mr Ibrahim El-Demeiry, who has described the project as "a top priority" for the interim government.

NETHERLANDS Railways (NS) and Finmeccanica, the parent company of Italian rolling stock manufacturer AnsaldoBreda, have reached a settlement on the future of the V250 Fyra high-speed trains and the cancellation of the contract by NS.