TEST running on the first section of Luxembourg’s light rail network was officially launched by minister of sustainable development Mr François Bausch, the city’s mayor Mrs Lydie Polfer, and city council leader Mrs Sam Tanson at a ceremony at Luxtram’s Kirchberg depot on July 12.

TENERIFE rail authority Metropolitano de Tenerife (MTSA) published a tender notice in Spain’s Official State Journal on July 13 for a contract to update the environmental impact assessment for the island’s Tren del Sur project, which was suspended in 2011 due to the economic downturn.

SPANISH companies involved in the development and certification of the OGI automatic gauge-changing system have completed the first phase of dynamic testing. The OGI bogies are designed for use on freight routes crossing the Spanish-French border where the track gauge changes from 1668mm to 1435mm.

ITALY’s Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning (Cipe) granted definitive project approval on July 10 for the €2.5bn Brescia - Verona high-speed line.

THE conversion of the Schiedam - Hook of Holland line from heavy rail to a light rail line connected to the Rotterdam metro network is suffering delays which are likely to push the reopening date into next year.

CAF announced on July 13 that it is planning to build a rolling stock plant in South Wales, which will assemble vehicles for the British market.

ALSTOM led consortium Gibela has completed delivery of the first 20 trains to Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) as part of the €4bn contract signed in 2013 to supply 600 X’Trapolis Mega suburban EMUs over 10 years.

ALSTOM has delivered 13 Coradia Lint regional trains, which will begin operation in Demark later this year, to North Jutland Railway (NJ).

TRANSPORT for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has awarded MPact Thales (MPT), a consortium of Laing O’Rourke, VolkerRail and Thales, a contract to design and construct the extension of the city’s Metrolink light rail network to Trafford Centre.

SIEMENS presented the first prototype Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) EMU at its Wegberg-Wildenrath test centre on July 12, where testing will now begin.