NORFOLK Southern will spend $US 2bn on capital improvement projects in 2013, including $US 831m on infrastructure maintenance and replacement of sections of rail, sleepers, ballast and bridges.
THE inaugural passenger services with Desiro Rus emus built by Siemens for Russian Railways (RZD) commenced on Wednesday following a ceremony at Moscow Station in St Petersburg.
ALSTOM has signed an agreement with Williams Hybrid Power to adapt energy storage technologies originally developed for the 2009 Williams Formula One car for use on light rail vehicles.
POLISH operator Regional Railways (PR) has issued a tender for a contract to carry out a major upgrade of 44 EN57 emus, which in addition to new interiors will include renewal of electrical and mechanical systems.
FYRA high-speed services linking Amsterdam and Belgium, which were withdrawn on January 17, remain suspended following a ban by the Belgian National Safety Authority (DVIS) on the operation of the V250 emus in Belgium except for testing.
RUSSIA's Gorkovskay Railway announced on January 11 that it will invest an additional Roubles 1.4bn ($US 46.1m) in 2013 to complete improvements to railway infrastructure in the Russian Republic of Tatarstan ahead of the World Student Games that is being held in the region in July.
ALL Fyra V250 high-speed services between Amsterdam and Brussels were cancelled on January 17 and again on January 18 as a precaution following damage to the underside of three trains.
ONE of Russia's largest private railfreight operators, NefteTrans Service (NTS), plans an initial public offering of ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange during the first half of this year.
FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) says it will invest what it describes as an unprecedented amount this year to expand and modernise its passenger fleet and facilities. It plans to spend €2.6bn on the procurement of new trains, the refurbishment of existing trains, and improvements to stations.
The global market for rolling stock maintenance is growing faster than that for new build and is slowly opening up to third parties. But according to Henry Koppermann and Maria Leenen of SCI Verkehr, Germany, the market remains very diverse worldwide.
