QATAR Railways Company (QRC) has signed a $US 535m deal with Qatari Diar Vinci Construction (QDVC) for the second phase of construction on the Lusail light rail project.

BRAZIL'S Federal Transport Infrastructure Department has allocated a budget of Reais 1.85bn for various rail projects around the country this year, according a report by Business News Americas.

EUROPEAN railfreight traffic levels continued to show signs of recovery in the first three quarters of 2011 following the worldwide economic crisis of 2008-09. Passenger ridership was also slightly up on the same period in 2010, according to figures compiled by the Community of European Railway and infrastructure Companies (CER).

RUSSIA's prime minister, Mr Vladimir Putin, together with the president of Russia's ICT Group, Mr Alexander Nesis, officiated at the opening of a 250,00m2 freight wagon factory in Tikhvin.