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.

THE Australian government has announced a tender for the provision of technical and engineering advisory services for the proposed $A 10bn Inland Rail project from Melbourne to Brisbane, which will create a 1700km freight link and includes constructing 600km of new line.

AMSTED Rail is developing new designs of components to produce a bogie to meet the demand from Australian heavy-haul freight railways for 45-tonne axleload freight wagons, or even 50-tonne axleloads in the future.

Utah Transit Agency (UTA) has a track record of delivering transit projects ahead of schedule and under budget. Michael Allegra, UTA's recently-retired president and CEO, reveals the secrets of UTA's success and its future ambitions in an exclusive interview with Kevin Smith.

Current prospects for the global rail track system market are mixed according to the latest study by German consultancy SCI Verkehr. CEO Maria Leenen and senior consultant Karl Strang profile the results.

THE Australian government has published a 10-year delivery plan to implement the $A 10bn ($US 7bn) Inland Rail project to create a 1700km line for freight traffic linking Brisbane with Melbourne by building around 600km of new line.

THE Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has selected Telstra in a 10-year contract to provide continuing telecommunications services through its NextG network to support ARTC's National Train Communications System (NTCS) for the 8500km Australian freight railway network.

AUSTRALIA's largest railfreight operator, Aurizon has reported a 139% increase in statutory net profit after tax to $A 604m ($US 443.8m) for the 2015 financial year despite traffic remaining relatively flat.

THE board of Australian logistics group Asciano has recommended that shareholders accept a bid from Brookfield Infrastructure Partners for 100% of the company, which includes Pacific National, Australia's second largest railfreight operator.

THE premier of the Australian state of Victoria Mr Daniel Andrews and minister for public transport Mrs Jacinta Allan announced on August 17 that the state government will back the full implementation of the Murray River Basin Rail Project, which is intended to increase freight safety, reliability and capacity in northern Victoria.