INDIAN Railways (IR) signed two contracts with a combined value of around Rs 450bn ($US 6.8bn) with Alstom and GE Transportation on November 30 for a total of 1800 freight locomotives, most of which will be assembled at purpose-built plants in the north-eastern state of Bihar as part of the government's Make in India initiative.

ALSTOM announced on November 26 that it has signed an agreement to purchase a 51% share in Commuter Transport and Locomotive Engineering (CTLE) from South African companies Commuter Transport Engineering (CTE) and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), which will remain shareholders.

THE first trial runs with passengers on the 28km Porto Maravilha light rail network took place on November 21, when the mayor of Rio de Janeiro Mr Eduardo Paes boarded an Alstom tram for trip over the city centre section of the line.

TRANSPORT Infrastructure Ireland (TII) signed a €36.5m contract with Alstom on November 17 for seven additional Citadis low-floor LRVs for Dublin's Luas light rail network, which will expand the existing fleet of 66 vehicles in preparation for the opening of the Cross City Line in 2017.

LYON Transport Authority Sytral has exercised a €20m option with Alstom to supply seven additional Citadis low-floor LRVs for the city's light rail network.

THE government of the Australian state of Victoria has announced the shortlisted bidders to finance and build 37 high-capacity six-car trains for the Melbourne suburban network.

ALSTOM has received a letter of award from India's Ministry of Railways to supply 800 double-unit Prima electric locomotives to Indian Railways (IR) in a deal worth Rs 230bn ($US 4.3bn).

EGYPT's National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) has awarded Alstom and its consortium partners contracts worth €187m to supply signalling, telecommunications and electromechanical equipment for the phase 3 extension of Cairo Metro's Line 3.

NEW South Wales minister for transport Mr Andrew Constance unveiled on November 6 a life-size model of the 22 Metropolis metro trains being built by Alstom for Sydney's first metro line.