GERMAN concrete-sleeper manufacturer Rail.One is to construct a plant in Iowa, United States, at a cost of €15m. The factory is expected to be commissioned by the end of the year and will have an annual capacity of 600,000 sleepers.

KAZAKHSTAN Railways (KTZ) has selected KazElectroPrivod (KEP), a joint venture of Alstom and Kamkor, Kazakhstan, in a €90m contract to supply 10,000 point machines over a period of 10 years. Delivery will commence this year.

THE European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that the First Railway Package does not require member states to have an institutional separation between an infrastructure manager and the incumbent railway operator.

HARSCO, United States, announced on February 26 that it has won orders with new customers in China.

SUDANESE Railway Corporation (SRC) is reportedly in negotiations with Ukraine, Korea, and China as it prepares to issue a tender in the next few months for 10 locomotives as well as track materials to rehabilitate about 1000km of railway. The project could be worth up to $US 500m in its initial stages.

FOLLOWING a difficult winter on Britain's railway network where flooding and more recently snow and ice have had a major impact on service punctuality, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) says that infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) must improve the resilience of Britain's railways.

THE Brazilian government expects to release draft plans soon for 12 concessions to construct around 10,000km of new lines during the next five years. This will allow public hearings to be held regarding each project.

THE Association of American Railroads (AAR) says the major freight railways in the United States plan to spend an estimated $US 24.5bn in 2013 on motive power, rolling stock and infrastructure improvements.

With heavy-haul operations placing significantly more stress on track structures and components, railways should consider customised maintenance schedules and practices, as Dr David Rhodes, Pandrol's technical director, explains.

HABTOOR Leighton Group (HLG), the civil works contractor building Qatar's Education City light rail line, has awarded Rail.One a contract to supply its Rheda City ballastless track system for the project.