FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) and London-based mobile point-of-sale (MPoS) specialist ECR Retail Systems (ECR) have completed Phase 1 of a three year project by deploying a real-time mobile payment solution across SNCF’s entire fleet of trains in France, including the delivery of nearly 1500 lightweight ECR Go MPoS devices.

THE Greenbrier Companies confirmed on May 1 that it has completed a transaction which increases its stake in South America’s largest wagon manufacturer Greenbrier-Maxion from 19.5% to 60%.

SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) announced on May 3 that it is planning to invest around SFr 300m ($US 303m) in the mid-life refurbishment of its fleet of 341 IC2000 double-deck inter-city coaches, which were originally supplied by a consortium of Bombardier and Alstom between1997 and 2004.

GERMAN regional operator DB Regio has awarded a €150m contract to Alstom for the supply of 25 additional Coradia Continental EMUs for the states of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate.

AN investment group is seeking federal permission to construct a $US 2.8bn privately-owned railway around Chicago to bypass congested lines in the city.

DETAILS of plans for a major expansion of the Seattle light rail network were announced by Sound Transit on April 27.

THE supervisory board of Czech rail freight operator ČD Cargo has approved the acquisition of three additional Vectron locomotives from Siemens at a cost of around Koruna 300m ($US 12.2m).

TRANSPORT Scotland has appointed WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff to produce a business case for improvements to the Highland Main Line between Perth and Inverness.

NORWEGIAN infrastructure manager Bane Nor has awarded Infranord Norway an NKr 475m ($US 55.2m) turnkey contract to install railway systems on the 22km Follo Line between Oslo and Ski.

THE government of the Australian state of Victoria has announced that its forthcoming state budget for 2017-18 will include current and forward investment of $A 1.45bn ($US 1.1bn) for a Regional Rail Revival package of upgrades on every regional passenger line across Victoria.