CHINA's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) gave the go-ahead on September 11 for three new lines in central and southwest China, representing a total investment of Yuan 142.8bn ($US 22.4bn).

CONSTRUCTION of the first light rail line in the Chinese city of Huai'an, in Jiangsu province, is nearing completion and the first LRVs are expected to be certified for operation by the end of the year.

THE Indonesian government has scrapped a project to build a high-speed line between Jakarta and Bandung disappointing Japanese and Chinese bidders that were competing for the $US 5bn project. However, the government has left the door open for a new main line between the two cities.

BOMBARDIER announced on September 2 that its Bombardier Sifang Transportation (BST) Chinese joint venture has secured a Yuan 2.4bn ($US 381m) contract to supply 15 additional CRH380D high-speed trains to China Railway Corporation (CRC).

THE world's largest train builder, China's CRRC Corporation, has posted a 6.85% increase in profit "attributable to the owner" and a 61.2% jump in overseas revenue for the six months up to June 30.

XIAMEN has announced plans to build metro line 6 connecting the Haicang, Jimei and Tong'an districts of the city which is located in China's Fujian province.

TESTING and commissioning is underway of the first of 18 7.2MW electric locomotives built by CRRC subsidiary Datong Locomotive Works for Belarus Railways (BC).

CHINA is to construct a second high-speed line between Fuzhou and Zhangzhou, but with a design speed of 350km/h rather than the 250km/h design speed of the existing line which opened in 2010 and is now very busy with trains operating in excess of 100% occupancy.

CHINA launched passenger services on its most northerly high-speed line on August 17 with the start of commercial operations on the Harbin - Qiqihar line in Heilongjiang province.

Chinese cities are increasingly looking to light rail to solve their public transport issues, and in particular to serve new residential developments. Dipl-Ing (FH) Dennis Schulz and Kevin Smith present a comprehensive insight into current and future projects.