GERMAN Rail (DB) has announced delays to the introduction of further new IC2 double-deck trains being supplied by Bombardier following problems with the vehicles swaying from side-to-side at speed on some lines on which they have already been deployed.

MALAYAN Railway (KTMB) has expanded its electric long-distance passenger services and cut journey times following the extension of 25kV ac electrification north from Ipoh to Butterworth and Padang Besar and south from Kuala Lumpur to Gemas.

GERMAN Rail (DB) is to spend €5.5bn this year on modernising its existing network which is around €200m more than in 2015.

THE government of the Australian state of Victoria has announced the introduction on February 8 of what it describes as a temporary, stable timetable for V/Line regional passenger services which have been crippled by excessive wheel wear on VLocity DMUs and a level crossing malfunction.

LIGHT Rail could make a return to New York City under plans announced by mayor Mr Bill de Blasio on February 4.

UNION Pacific (UP), Unites States, plans to invest $US 3.75bn in 2016 which it says is around $US 550m less than it invested in 2015, representing a reduction of almost 15%.

PROPOSALS to construct a metre-gauge line linking Switzerland's Zentralbahn (ZB) and the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway (MGB) via a tunnel beneath the Grimsel Pass were unveiled in Berne on February 4.

NORWAY's Ministry of Transport and Communications launched the first competitive tenders on February 4 for operation of passenger services on the national network, a key component of plans to liberalise the sector, which were unveiled by the government last year.

JAPAN's Nishi-Nippon Railway has awarded Kawasaki Heavy Industries a contract to supply 18 1067mm-gauge EMUs for the 75km Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line in Fukuoka prefecture.

ISRAEL's transport minister Mr Israel Katz approved on February 3 what is claimed to be the country's largest railway budget which calls for an investment of Shekels 28.3bn ($US 7.24bn) until 2020.