KNORR-Bremse announced on August 29 it has sold driver training simulator developer Sydac to Oktal, a subsidiary of the French Sogeclair group for an undisclosed sum.

METRO Trains Melbourne began serving the suburb of Mernda on August 26 with the start of commercial operations on the 8km extension from South Morang.

AUSTRALIAN freight operator Aurizon has reported a 6% increase in underlying earnings before interest and tax (Ebit) to $A 941m ($US 658.2m) for the 2017-18 financial year, up from $A 884m the previous year, which the company says reflects increased coal volumes and business transformation outcomes achieved during the year.

HIGH-SPEED testing of Alstom Metropolis trains has begun on the first phase of the Sydney metro network, with trains regularly reaching speeds of 100km/h during daylight test runs.

VOSSLOH announced on August 3 that it had signed a contract with international engineering enterprise Laing O’Rourke for the acquisition of Australian concrete sleeper manufacturer Austrak, with closing expected in the third quarter of 2018 subject to regulatory approval.

ALSTOM has signed a €60m contract with Transport for Victoria (TfV), the Australian state’s public transport authority, to supply five additional six-car X’Trapolis EMUs for Melbourne’s suburban rail network.

THE government of the Australian state of Victoria has announced that if re-elected in the forthcoming November state election it will provide up to $A 5bn ($US 3.5bn) towards the construction of a dedicated rail link from the Melbourne city centre to the international and domestic airport at Tullamarine.

THE state government of South Australia and the Australian government have formalised an agreement that will see $A 220m ($US 163.3m) of federal funding provided towards full electrification of the 78km line linking Adelaide and the outer suburb of Gawler.