THE International Union of Railway (UIC) has named Mr François Davenne as its new director general while Mr Renato Mazzoncini, CEO of Italian state Railways (FS), has accepted an offer to continue as UIC chairman for another two years.

AFTER a 45-year hiatus, Cambodia Royal Railway restored passenger services between the country’s capital and the Thai border on July 4 with the inauguration of the final section of the reconstructed Phnom Penh - Poipet line.

SRI LANKA’s Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development announced on July 1 that land acquisition has begun for the first light metro line in Colombo following the completion of a feasibility study commissioned by Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

A viable market exists for low-fares high-speed train services between Britain and France, according to a study commissioned by Channel Tunnel operator Getlink.

THE Brazilian government announced on July 3 that Vale and MRS Logistics will invest in the construction of two new railways in exchange for the early renewal of other concessions currently held by these companies which expire in the next decade.

STADLER held a groundbreaking ceremony at St Margrethen in eastern Switzerland on July 4 to mark the start of construction on an SFr 86m ($US 86m) rolling stock plant, which will take over production of Kiss double-deck EMUs from the company’s plant in nearby Altenrhein.

TESTING of the first driverless metro train for Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast Line is underway at Mandai depot in the north of the island in preparation for the opening of the first phase of the line at the end of next year.

CANADIAN National (CN) and Vossloh have signed a multi-annual framework contract for the supply of turnouts, following on from a similar agreement for concrete sleepers, which was signed in April.

RAIL freight volumes in the Netherlands declined by 6.1% last year, despite a 1.4% increase in the overall freight transport market, according to newly-published figures from the Dutch Central Statistics Office (CBS).

JOURNEY times between the Pearl River Delta and the western part of China’s Guangdong province were shortened significantly on July 1 with the opening of a new 200km/h line from Jiangmen to Maoming.