THE government of Panama announced on May 14 that it has selected Consorcio Linea 2, a consortium of Constructora Norberto Odebrecht, Brazil, and FCC Construcciones, Spain, to build the second metro line in Panama City.

JAPAN's Railway Technology Research Institute (RTRI) is claiming a world first after successfully completing trials with superconducting wire in the overhead electrification system of an operational passenger line. 

TORRENTIAL rains in the Andean foothills in Chile´s Atacama region might put an end to rail transport on the 155km line from the copper smelter at Potrerillos, 2880m above sea level, down to the wharf on the coast at Barquito.

BRITISH infrastructure manager Network Rail has completed the construction of a new platform at Needham Market station on the London – Norwich line in less than 36 hours using a new composite fibreglass platform system.

A cross-party Dutch parliamentary committee, set up in December 2013 to investigate the V250 Fyra high-speed train fiasco, will start public hearings on May 18 which will continue until June 12.

AZERBAIJAN Railways (ADY) president Mr Javid Gurbanov and Stadler Rail CEO Mr Peter Spuhler signed a contract worth around €70m at the TransCaspian 2015 international transport and logistics exhibition in Baku on May 13 for five 1520mm-gauge Kiss double-deck EMUs.

THE Valle d'Aosta region in northwest Italy has awarded Stadler a €43m contract for five three-car bi-mode Flirt trains for the inter-regional passenger service between Aosta and Turin.

WHILE the new 2015-16 budget published by Australia's federal government on May 12 will see increases in spending on both rail and road infrastructure, the rate of increase for road is much greater than for rail, and federal funding for urban rail will be slashed.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket has selected Strukton Rail to modernise and remodel Tomteboda station, just north of Stockholm main station.

INVESTIGATIONS are continuing into the cause of a derailment of an Amtrak train on the North East Corridor (NEC) in Philadelphia on the evening of May 12, which left seven people dead and over 200 injured.