HITACHI announced on November 2 that it has completed the acquisition of Italian train builder AnsaldoBreda and signalling specialist Ansaldo STS from Finmeccanica.
ALSTOM says that the company is now entirely focussed on rail transport following the conclusion of the sale of its energy divisions to General Electric (GE) under a deal worth €12.4bn.
The need to provide additional capacity while improving reliability and reducing costs has energised the market for rolling stock refurbishment and retractioning in Britain. Keith Barrow considers whether innovative rebuilds of older trains can deliver passenger satisfaction and operational efficiency.
EAST Japan Railway Company (JR East) has confirmed its prototype E235 suburban EMU will enter commercial service on Tokyo's circular Yamanote Line on November 30.
THE HAGUE Tramways (HTM) launched its new fleet of Siemens Avenio LRVs on the morning of November 2, when the first of the low-floor vehicles entered passenger service on Line 2 between Kraayenstein and Leidschendam North.
SIEMENS has fabricated the first bodyshell at its Krefeld plant in Germany for the fleet of 30 five-car class 707 Desiro City suburban EMUs ordered last year by rolling stock leasing company Angel Trains on behalf of British train operator South West Trains (SWT).
ITALY's open-access high-speed operator NTV has awarded a €460m contract to Alstom for the supply and maintenance for 20 years of a fleet of eight Pendolino tilting high-speed trains.
GERMAN regional rail operator Sweg placed a contract award notice in the Official Journal of the European Union on October 24 confirming it has selected Bombardier for a framework agreement to supply and maintain EMUs for use on regional services in the state of Baden-Württemberg.
THE Slovakian city of Košice is set to receive a €38.6m grant from the European Union Cohesion Fund to finance a €47.8m order for 33 new trams from Pragoimex, Czech Republic.
STADLER Rail has approved a Forints 1bn ($US 3.5m) investment in the bogie overhaul facility at its Szolnok plant in Hungary which will enable the site to begin producing bogies for new trains.
