VIENNESE public transport operator Wiener Linien has begun trial operation of the EcoTram, a Siemens ULF light rail vehicle equipped with low-energy heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on August 2 to mark the start of the start of construction on a new €300m intermodal terminal at Inzersdorf south of Vienna.

INFRASTRUCTURE maintenance and construction company Rhomberg Sersa Rail Group is to take on most of the workforce and contracts of Universale Bau, a subsidiary of Austria's insolvent Alpine Bau Group.

AUSTRIA's railways experienced a mixed fortunes in 2012 with falling freight volumes offset by rising passenger traffic, according to the annual report from the country's rail regulator Schienen-Control, which was published on July 10.

VIENNESE public transport operator Wiener Linien is considering whether to launch a new tender for LRVs instead of exercising an option for 150 additional Ultra Low-Floor (ULF) vehicles from Siemens.

SWISS intermodal operator Hupac achieved a small profit of SFr 4.4m ($US 4.5m) last year, up 65.6% on 2011, despite a drop of 7.8% in total revenues to SFr 454.5 million.

Long considered a model city for urban transport, Vienna continues to build capacity into its already dense network. Erwin Reidinger looks at the fourth phase expansion of the metro network and considers the prospects for further investment.

AFTER several years of poor or mixed results, Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) achieved a strong turnaround in 2012 with a return to profitability.

RAILHOLDING, the 100% owner of Austrian open-access passenger operator Westbahn has increased its capital stock by €20 million following an injection of funds from Strabag CEO Mr Peter Haselsteiner.

RAIL Cargo Group (RCG), the recently-renamed railfreight subsidiary of Austrian Federal Railways' (ÖBB), achieved a higher than forecast Ebit last year of €56m compared with a budgeted profit of €13m.