GERMAN Rail (DB) has selected a consortium of Siemens Convergence Creators and Huawei to perform a migration of DB's first-generation GSM-R network in northern Germany.

TESTING started this month of two 350km/h prototype China Standard EMUs designed by Chinese engineers.

PASSENGER numbers on Russian Railways's (RZD) flagship Sapsan services reached 1.88 million in the first half of this year, a 26.4% increase compared with the same period in 2014, according to ridership figures released on July 13.

MID-SAXONY Transport Authority (VMS) has awarded Vossloh Kiepe and Vossloh Rail Vehicles a contract to supply four additional City Link tram-trains for use in the Chemnitz area after the state of Saxony agreed to fund 75% of the €23.7m order.

SOUTHWEST Ohio Regional Transportation Authority (Sorta) has awarded Transdev Services a five-year contract to operate and maintain the initial 5.8km phase of the Cincinnati Streetcar network, which is due to open in September 2016.

TRENITALIA marked the introduction of Pesa ATR 220 Swing DMUs on regional lines in central Tuscany on July 13, when one of the new trains was formally presented to Tuscany's regional councillor for infrastructure and transport Mr Vincenzo Ceccarelli and the mayor of Siena Mr Bruno Valentini by Trenitalia CEO Mr Vincenzo Soprano.

OMAN's Ministry of Transport and Communications has held discussions with banks and financial advisors on the possibility of using PPPs to finance construction of the more profitable sections of the country's national rail network.

TRIAL operation began on China's most northerly high-speed line on July 13, when a CRH5 EMU was used for a maiden test run on the 281km Harbin - Qiqihar line in Heilongjiang province.

PERTH's Forrestfield-Airport Link took an important step towards the start of construction on July 13, when Western Australia's Environmental Protection Authority recommended the $A 2.2bn ($US 2bn) project for conditional approval.

CRRC Corporation began production at its first rolling stock plant outside China on July 9, when Malaysia's transport minister Mr Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai officially opened Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive's new facility at Batu Gajah in the state of Perak.