CHINA Railway Investment Corporation (Cric) has issued tenders for contracts to supply 586 electric locomotives and 40,000 freight wagons to China Railway Corporation (CRC).

ALSTOM announced on February 6 that it has been awarded a €17m contract by Shanghai Shentong to supply traction systems, static inverters (SIV) and train control monitoring systems (TCMS) for four new metro cars, which will operate on Shanghai metro line 2.

THE Chinese city of Harbin opened the first phase of its circular metro line on January 26, when trial passenger operation began on the 4km southern section of Line 3 between Harbin West Station and an interchange with Line 1 at Yidaeryuan.

THE first container train from China to Britain arrived at DB Cargo’s London Eurohub terminal in Barking on schedule on January 18, having left Yiwu in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang, southeast of Shanghai on 1 January.

China has redoubled its commitment to rail infrastructure investment as it seeks to stave off a slowdown in economic growth and boost development in areas that are poorly served by the network. Keith Barrow looks at the prospects for rail spending under the 13th Five Year Plan and considers some of the potential obstacles ahead.

NANJING added a seventh line to its metro network on January 18 with the start of trial operation on the first phase of Line 4.

THE Chinese city of Zhengzhou more than doubled the size of its metro network on January 12 with the start of trial passenger operation of two extensions which take the total length of the system to more than 100km.

BOMBARDIER announced on January 12 that it has delivered its first Innovia automated people mover (APM) 300 vehicle to China, and will be used on a shuttle service to Shanghai Metro Line 8.

THE Chinese city of Fuzhou celebrated the opening of a 15.1km northern extension of Line 1 between previous terminus Sanchajie and Xiangfeng on January 6.

JOURNEY times between three major cities in China’s central Hunan province were reduced significantly on December 26 with the opening of the Changsha - Zhuzhou - Xiangtan Intercity Railway.