Speaking at the Railway Forum in Berlin last month, Dr Martin Platzer, senior vice-president with rail and turnout specialist Voestalpine, made a plea for European railways to start purchasing equipment and systems on the basis of the most economically-advantageous tender rather than simply the lowest price. David Briginshaw was in the audiance.

CONSTRUCTION of Austria's 55km Brenner Base Tunnel took another step forward on March 19, when a ceremony was held to mark the start of drilling on the main bore of the tunnel.

THE European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a €50m loan agreement with Swietelsky Baugesellschaft, Austria, on March 5 to finance a €105m research project into the development of innovative track maintenance techniques.

VIENNA's Administrative Court has annulled a direct award contract issued by Verkehrsverbund Ostregion (VOR) to Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) for the operation of additional passenger services in the Vienna area from December following a complaint from open-access operator Westbahn.

AUSTRIAN Federal Railways (ÖBB) has finalised the details of a project to quadruple the Linz - Wels section of the Vienna – Salzburg line.

REGIONAL rail links between Austria and Italy were stepped up significantly on December 14 with the launch of hourly services on the Fortezza - San Candido – Lienz corridor as part of the Euregio initiative between the Austrian province of Tyrol and the Italian autonomous region of South Tyrol.

THE extension of the Salzburg Local Railway (SLB) from Trimmelkam to Ostermeithing was inaugurated on December 12 by the deputy governor of Upper Austria Mr Reinhold Entholzer and Salzburg provincial minister for transport and infrastructure Mr Hans Mayr.

VIENNESE public transport operator Wiener Linien announced on December 1 that it has selected Bombardier as preferred bidder for a contract to supply up to 156 low-floor LRVs in a deal worth up to €562m.

THE European Commission announced on November 26 that it has launched infringement proceedings against Austria at the European Court of Justice for failing to comply with EU regulations on financial transparency in the rail sector.

SIEMENS has rolled out the first Desiro ML train for Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) which has branded the EMU fleet Cityjet.