THE FIRST of 20 metro trains for Dalian metro Line 2 was unveiled at the CNR Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock plant on April 21.

CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock has unveiled the first of 18 low-floor Flexity 2 LRVs for the first phase of the city of Suzhou's under-construction light rail network.

CHINA Railways Corporation (CRC) has announced it will increase its 2014 investment budget to Yuan 720bn ($US 116.3bn), Yuan 20bn more than previously planned.

CHINA Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) has selected Siemens in a €15m contract to supply signalling equipment for the 15km completely-underground extension of Suzhou metro Line 2.

CHINA's National Development and Reform Commission has announced that freight rates on the new 179km Zhunchi Railway, which is due to open in June, will be determined by the carrier, its clients and investors.

THE national railways of Russia (RZD), Kazakhstan (KTZ) and Belarus (BC), the United Transport & Logistics Company Project Office (UTLC PO), and DHL Global Forwarding have signed a MOU to develop railfreight forwarding services between China and Europe with door-to-door delivery of containers.

THE Chinese government announced on March 11 that the 253km extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway from the Tibetan capital Lhasa to the region's second city Xigaze will open in September.

THE Nigerian government has allocated $US 60m to the $US 823m project currently underway to build the first phase of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit Project, a 45km standard-gauge commuter rail line being built by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

ŠKODA Kingway Electric, a joint venture of Škoda and Jiangsu Kingway Transportation, China, has secured a contract to supply drives and motors for 40 six-car metro trains being supplied by CSR Nanjing Puzhen to the Chinese city of Suzhou.

THE government of Sri Lanka has selected a Chinese contractor to build the 88km extension of the Colombo – Matara – Beliatta line to Kataragama in the south of country.