MILAN public transport company ATM has awarded Italian construction company Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti (CMC) a contract to reconstruct the Milan-Desio-Seregno suburban tram line, which was closed in October 2011.

TURKMENISTAN's Ministry of Railway Transport issued an international invitation to tender on January 14 for the contract to complete construction of the 1520mm-gauge railway between Bereket and the Iranian border near Etrek, which will form part of a new 686km north-south line between Kazakhstan and Iran.

FOLLOWING a period of preparatory works, main construction began on Austria's 27.3km Semmering Base Tunnel on January 7.

VIETNAM Railway Administration has submitted a draft proposal to the Ministry of Transport for the construction of a 38.4km standard-gauge suburban line serving western districts of Hanoi.

CHINA Railways Corporation (CRC) has announced plans to invest Yuan 630bn ($US 104.2bn) in fixed assets in 2014, a reduction of more than Yuan 30bn on its investment budget for 2013.

GERMANY's Federal Railway Authority (EBA) has granted Vossloh's G12 and G18 four-axle single-cab freight locomotives an authority to place into service for operation on the German network.

BELARUS Railways (BC) has awarded China National Electric Import and Export Corporation (CUEC) a contract to electrify the 80km line from Maladzyechna, 72km northwest of Minsk, to Gudohay and the Lithuanian border.

ROMANIAN rolling stock manufacturer Softronic has unveiled the prototype of its new Hyperion emu, which is expected to begin mainline testing next month.

STUTTGART Tramways (SSB) has ordered an additional 20 Tango S-DT8.12 high-floor LRVs from Stadler Pankow, exercising an option from an initial contract for 20 vehicles, which was signed in January 2010.

THE Maryland Board of Public Works has approved a $US 13 million contract with Wabtec subsidiary Wabtec Railway Electronics for the installation of Positive Train Control (PTC) onboard equipment on the Maryland Regional Commuter (Marc) fleet.