A CONSORTIUM of Aecom and Malaysian partner SA Architects has been awarded a $S 52.8m ($US 42.7m) contract to carry out architectural and engineering studies on the proposed high-speed line between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

CALIFORNIA High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has awarded Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) a two-year extension worth $US 96m for programme management services on the state's high-speed rail project.

TWO bills authorising the construction of the first phase of a 338km Y-shaped high-speed network linking London with Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester have been included in today's Queen's Speech to parliament, which sets out the British government's legislative programme for the year ahead.

SIEMENS reported its financial results for the first half of the 2013 financial year on 2 May, which show second quarter group revenues fell 7% year-on-year to €18bn with profits of €1.37bn.

FRENCH National Railways (SNCF) and Renfe have postponed the launch of direct TGV services between Paris and Barcelona due to delays in completing certification of TGV Dasye sets for operation on the Figueres – Barcelona high-speed line.

RUSSIAN Railways (RZD) says design work could begin by the end of this year on the 790km Moscow – Kazan section of the proposed 1600km Moscow – Yekaterinburg high-speed line.

HS2 Ltd, the company responsible for developing a high-speed network linking London with Birmingham and northern England, has revealed revised proposals for the redevelopment of Euston station, the site chosen as the location for HS2's central London terminus.

THE president and CEO of Amtrak Mr Joseph Boardman has warned the US government that the country's busiest inter-city passenger railway, the Northeast Corridor (NEC) from Boston to New York and Washington DC is facing a "major coming investment crisis that, without a solution, will mean strangled growth and deteriorating service."

HIGH-speed passenger operator Eurostar, which runs services between Britain and mainland Europe, reported what it describes as an "encouraging start to the year" after revenues increased by 1% during the first quarter to £213m from £211m during the same period in 2012. Passenger numbers remained stable year-on-year at 2.23 million.

CALIFORNIA High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) has revealed details of the five bids submitted in January for the contract to design and build the first section of the state's high-speed network.