CONSTRUCTION of a 418km standard-gauge line linking the Laotian capital Vientiane with the Chinese network could begin next year, according to local media reports.

THE 4.9km western extension of Paris light rail line T1 from Saint Denis to Asnières Gennevilliers Les Courtilles opened on November 15.

IRISH RAIL (IE) made a loss of €20.9m in 2011 and is unlikely to return to profitability until 2016, according to the company's newly-published annual report.

EUROPE's largest wagon leasing company VTG has achieved a 2.6% year-on-year increase in third quarter revenues, defying the overall lack of growth in the European railfreight market.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has approved the acquisition of an additional eight five-car class 377/6 Electrostar emus from Bombardier for the Southern franchise, exercising an option from a contract for 130 vehicles signed in December 2011.

VIA Quatro, the PPP concessionaire responsible for building and operating São Paulo's Metro Line 4, has awarded a €40m contract to a consortium of Alstom and ThyssenKrupp for infrastructure works on the second phase of the project.

ILE-DE-FRANCE Transport Authority (Stif) and Paris Transport Authority (RATP) have placed a €127m contract with Alstom for 14 MP05 rubber-tyred metro trains for Line 14, a fully-automated line which is being extended 5.8km north from St Lazare to Marie de Saint-Ouen.

KENYA's president, Mr Mwai Kibaki, officially opened a $US 4.7m 2.3km extension of the Nairobi – Embakasi line to Syokimau on November 14, which is said to be the first new station built in Kenya for 80 years.

THE Western Australian government has placed an order for an additional five three-car B-series emus from a consortium of Bombardier and Downer EDI, to strengthen the Perth suburban fleet.

CZECH open-access operator Leo Express began trial operation with passengers on November 13 in the final stage of the certification process for its fleet of five Stadler Flirt emus.