AN Alstom Prima II locomotive was tested in the Channel Tunnel on the night of September 29-30 in what EuroTunnel says was a step to introducing standard locomotives on railfreight services between Britain and continental Europe.

IRJ at InnoTrans 2012: TRENITALIA's German regional transport subsidiary Netinera signed a contract worth around €300m with Alstom at InnoTrans on September 19 for the supply of 63 Coradia Lint regional dmus.

SWEDISH regional public transport authority Östgötatrafiken has awarded Alstom a €50m contract to supply eight additional X61 Coradia Nordic 15kV ac emus under a framework agreement signed in 2008.

THE FRENCH city of Dijon inaugurated its first light rail line on September 1, with a weekend of free rides preceding the start of full commercial services on September 3.

A defining trend in the locomotive market at present is the increasing demand for alternative energy sources and hybrid traction. Quintus Vosman examines some of the latest innovations in this sector.

RUSSIA's anti-trust watchdog has ordered the city of Moscow to stop taking bids for a $US 300m contract to supply 120 LRVs and to re-tender.

TRENITALIA has received three bids for a contract worth around €1.5bn to supply 130 regional diesel and electric multiple units with options for a further 60 trains. 

BRITAIN's Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded First Group the contract to operate the flagship InterCity West Coast franchise for 13 years and four months from December 9, ousting the Virgin/Stagecoach joint venture which has run the franchise since 1997.

SWISS Federal Railways (SBB) has placed a €200m order with Alstom for an additional eight ETR 610 Pendolino tilting emus. The order is an option from a contract for seven trains signed in March 2004 by Alstom and Cisalpino, the now defunct joint venture between Trenitalia and SBB.

DANISH infrastructure manager Banedanmark has selected Alstom to deliver its Atlas ERTMS onboard signalling solution to train operators across the Danish network.