GE Transportation is set to supply at least 1000 diesel locomotives to Indian Railways (IR) after GE Global Sourcing India was selected as preferred bidder for a Rs 220bn ($US 4.2bn) contract to establish a new joint venture production facility at Marhoura in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, which will build 700 3.36MW and 300 4.47MW units over the next decade.

With lacklustre domestic economic growth and turmoil in the commodities sector resulting in a difficult year for Australian railfreight, Mark Carter reviews the current issues and looks at the key indicators that will shape the industry in 2016 and beyond.

THE government of the Indian state of Maharashtra has given Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) approval to proceed with construction of two further sections of the Mumbai metro network.

LUCKNOW Metro Rail Corporation has awarded Alstom a contract worth around €150m to supply rolling stock and signalling for the Indian city's first metro line.

INDIAN Railways (IR) held a pre-bid conference on September 30 for the five shortlisted consortia bidding to supply 17 20-car inter-city EMUs in a contract worth an estimated Rs 25bn ($US 378.8m).

Current prospects for the global rail track system market are mixed according to the latest study by German consultancy SCI Verkehr. CEO Maria Leenen and senior consultant Karl Strang profile the results.

INDIAN Railways (IR) awarded contracts on September 24 to carry out feasibility studies into the construction of three high-speed lines as part of the country's proposed Golden Quadrilateral network.

RAIL Vikash Nigam (RVNL), a special purpose vehicle set up by India's National Railway Board to manage electrification projects in the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka, and Telengana, has awarded Isolux Corsán, Spain, three contracts to electrify three lines totalling 563 single track-km.

INDIA's prime minister, Mr Narendra Modi, officially opened a 14km extension to the north-south Violet Line (Line 6) of Delhi metro on September 6. 

ALSTOM and GE Transportation have emerged as lowest-price bidders for contracts with a combined value of around Rs 23bn ($US 348m) to establish two new locomotive assembly plants in the Indian state of Bihar.