CHINA Railway Corporation (CRC), the state-owned body that has assumed responsibility for the former Ministry of Railways commercial activities, has announced a plan to raise fixed-asset investment to Yuan 660bn ($US 97.88bn) this year to boost railway construction.

THE first freight train from Zhengzhou in eastern China to the Billwerder intermodal terminal in Hamburg arrived at its destination on August 2, just 15 days after setting off on its 10,214km journey.

China's Shuo Huang Railway is aiming to almost triple capacity on its heavy-haul network by 2018 as it tries to keep pace with growing demand for coal. Kevin Smith examines its plans.

On March 17 the Ministry of Railways nameplate on its main office in Beijing was torn down to be replaced by that of China Railways Corporation, marking the MOR's demise. Qi Zhongxi and Yang Jianxiang of China Features explain the new setup and the outlook for the new railway.

CSR Corporation subsidiary CSR Nanjing Puzhen has secured a contract to supply 33 six-car type B metro trains for Shenzhen Line 3.

THE first of 20 locomotives supplied by CNR's Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock subsidiary have entered service in Argentina.

THE latest addition to the metro network in the Chinese city of Chengdu was inaugurated on June 8 with the launch of commercial services on the 8.7km western extension of Line 2 from Chandianzi Bus Station to Xipu.

ŠKODA Transportation has agreed a 10-year technology licensing contract with CSR Qingdao Sifang to produce up to 400 ForCity (15T) low-floor LRV cars for the Chinese market.

MTR Shenzhen, the operator of Shenzhen Metro Line 4, has awarded Nanjing SR Puzhen Rail Transport (NPRT) a Yuan 420m ($US 67.74m) contract to supply 56 metro cars which will be delivered in 2013-14.

Nanjing Metro Group has awarded Alstom and its Chinese joint venture Shanghai Alstom Transport Electrical Equipment (Satee) a contract worth around €28m to supply traction systems for the fleet of 174 vehicles it has ordered for metro Line 4.