RAILROAD Development Corporation (RDC), United States, has finally won a six-year fight for compensation over the forced termination of its Guatemala Railways (FVG) concession and has been fully reimbursed with a payment of $US 14.6m.

THE first of five low-floor LRVs being supplied by China Northern Rolling Stock Corporation (CNR) subsidiary CNR Tangshan Railway Vehicles to the city of Samsun was delivered to Turkey by air on November 29.

PASSENGER Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) has awarded Siemens a contract worth around €180m to resignal main lines around Johannesburg and Pretoria as part of the agency's National New Signalling Programme.

SIEMENS Rail Systems and Cummins jointly announced on December 3 that they are launching a passenger locomotive partnership with the aim of bringing "one of the most modern and efficient diesel-electric passenger locomotives in the world to the US marketplace."

STRASBOURG Transport (CTS), France, has issued a call for tender for a framework contract for the supply and possible maintenance of a fleet of light rail vehicles.

ANTITRUST authorities in Germany and Austria have approved the merger between VTG and the rail logistics division of Kuehne & Nagel, allowing the new VTG Rail Logistics to be launched on January 1.

JUST 11 days after the start of public services on the first phase of Paris light rail Line T7, the départment of Essonne granted public utility status to the 3.7km southern extension from Athis-Mons to Juvisy-sur-Orge on November 28.

SAUDI Railways Organisation (SRO) has awarded a contract worth around $US 67m to FreightCar America to supply 500 freight wagons.

THE latest figures from Germany's federal statistics agency Destatis show that Europe's largest railfreight market suffered declining volumes in the first three quarters of this year.

THE first of 10 class 350/4 emus has been delivered by Siemens to First TransPennine Express for operation between Manchester and Glasgow and Edinburgh.