WESTERN Australia track owner Brookfield Rail has announced on August 15 it will undertake all regular track maintenance activities over the state’s 5500km multi-user rail freight network, previously undertaken by John Holland.

THE governments of Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso have signed a revised operating concession with Sitarail, part of the Bolloré Group, to include responsibility for the infrastructure of the 1260km railway linking the two countries.

CZECH infrastructure manager SŽDC awarded Strabag, Austria, a €34m contract on August 9 to renovate the 46km Okříšky - Zastávka u Brna line in southern Czech Republic.

THE first of 42 driverless metro trains being supplied by Hitachi Rail Italy (HRI) for Lima metro Line 2 was loaded onto the MV Cerinthus at the port of Salerno on August 16 in readiness for its 29-day sea voyage to Peru.

AUSTRAILIAN rail freight operator Aurizon revealed on August 15 that its 2015-16 full year results highlighted a reduced profit based on falling volumes and previously announced asset impairments.

GENESEE & Wyoming (GWI) announced on August 15 that it plans to acquire Providence & Worcester Railroad (P&W) for $US 126m at $US 25 per share.

ZIYANG Iran Rail Pardaz Group, a subsidiary of Iran’s Rail Pardaz Seir, signed a contract with CRRC Ziyang, China, on August 9 for 30 main line diesel locomotives.

THE first of 26 LRVs being built by Stadler for the light rail network in Aarhus arrived in the Danish city for testing on August 11.

THE Norwegian city of Bergen opened a further extension of its north-south light rail line on August 15 when the city’s mayor Mrs Marte Mjøs Persen and Hordaland county mayor Mrs Anne Gine Hestetun cut the ribbon to inaugurate the 4.8km southern section between Lagunen and Birkelandsskiftet.