PROGRESS Rail Services announced on July 1 2014 that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the track business of Pacific Rail Engineering (PRE), Australia, for an undisclosed sum.

GERMAN infrastructure consultant Gauff Ingenieure has been awarded a $US 8.6m contract to design the new standard-gauge railway line linking Uganda's capital Kampala with Kigali in Rwanda.

VOSSLOH's new management team has announced a major restructuring of the company to improve its long-term profitability, but with additional costs of up to €250m Vossloh says it expects to lose between €150m and €180m this year.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) and French Rail Network (RFF) are making considerable progress under the €410m four-year Vigirail project to improve the safety of points and modernise track maintenance according to a report presented to the SNCF board.

A JOINT study by the Norwegian and Swedish infrastructure managers, Jernbaneverket and Trafikverket, recommends upgrading the heavy-haul line linking Kiruna and Narvik to meet a forecast growth in traffic.

GERMAN Rail (DB) has completed the first phase of upgrading the Berlin – Rostock main line, and from June 15 journey times will be cut from 2h 54min to 1h 59min by ICE.

SWEDISH transport administration Trafikverket has awarded Strukton a five-year contract worth SKr 367m ($US 55.8m) to provide maintenance services on 310 track-km in southern Stockholm.

THE European Investment Bank has granted a €268m loan to Poland's infrastructure manager, PKP PLK, to rehabilitate a 58km section of the 78km main line linking Katowice with Kraków.

Ilya Shirokobrod, vice-president and head of the railway products division with Evraz, Russia, takes a look at how the market for rails is developing both technically and commercially, and the company's position in the market.

INDONESIA's directorate general of railways has commenced work to construct a second track on 26km of the 42km Medan - Aras Kabu - Kuala Namu International Airport line in northern Sumatra following a groundbreaking ceremony on May 22.