Voestalpine is testing what it claims is the world's first maintenance-free rail. Kevin Smith spoke with Norbert Frank, the company's head of technology, about how Dobain differs from existing rails already available and how it might alter the track maintenance landscape.

GERMAN infrastructure manager DB Networks will launch a compensation scheme on December 9 for railfreight operators forced to divert their services due to engineering work.

BRITISH infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) and Balfour Beatty Rail have completed the first full track and ballast modular switch & crossing (S&C) replacement during a midweek possession.

NETWORK Rail (NR) has achieved efficiencies of £775m over the last three years and is on target to achieve the targets set for the remainder of the current five-year funding period, according to the Office of Rail Regulation's (ORR) annual assessment of the British infrastructure manager, which was published on November 8.

THE Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment in cooperation with Dutch railway infrastructure manager Prorail have started planning the construction of a new link between the Betuweroute dedicated freight line and 's-Hertogenbosch.

MALAYSIA's Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC) has awarded two contracts worth a total of Ringgits 1.18bn ($US 387m) for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) Sungai Buloh – Kajang Line in Kuala Lumpur.

THE global railway track system market remains on course for steady growth despite the budget crisis in the Euro zone and the slowdown in upgrades in China, according to the latest market study by German consultancy group, SCI Verkehr.

THE EUROPEAN Investment Bank (EIB) has agreed to provide Polish infrastructure manager PKP PLK with two loans worth a total of €165m to upgrade two sections of line.

INDIAN Railways (IR) has set the budget for infrastructure development for 2013-18 at Rs 4.56 trillion ($US 86.3bn).

IRJ at the UIC Global Freight Conference in Tangier: The Mongolian government plans to invite bids by the end of the year for the first phase of a $US 7bn project to build around 6000km of new lines, comprising an east-west corridor and two north-south lines.