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.

KAWASAKI Heavy Industries confirmed on August 24 that it has been awarded a contract to supply eight 10-car 40000 series EMUs to the Seibu Railway for suburban services in the Tokyo area.

SEIBU Railway's new series 40,000 trains, which are due to enter service on lines serving Tokyo and its suburbs in spring 2017, will be fitted with propulsion systems supplied by Toshiba after the company won a contract to deliver 24 sets for eight 10-car trains.

DEDICATED Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFFCIL) has awarded two civil works contracts worth Rs 43.3bn ($US 660m) for sections of the second phase of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) between Delhi and Mumbai to the Express Freight Consortium, which is led by Mitsui & Co, Japan.

Despite completing two major projects earlier this year, JR East has announced plans to increase the rate of investment. As David Briginshaw reports exclusively from Tokyo, the emphasis is on growth and measures to make the railway more resilient to earthquakes.

JAPAN's ruling Liberal Democratic and Komeito parties began discussions on August 7 on the proposed third phase of the Hokuriku Shinkansen, which would extend the line from Tsuruga to Shin-Osaka.

BRITAIN's Department for Transport has approved a £361m order with Hitachi Rail Europe for a fleet of 29 AT300 dual-mode 200km/h trains for operation by First Great Western (FGW) on services between London, Plymouth and Penzance.

The first class E353 tilting EMU built by J-Trec, Japan, for limited express services on the 1067mm-gauge Chuo Main Line has been delivered to JR East's depot at Matsumoto in Nagano prefecture in readiness for the start of mainline trials.

THE Japanese government has offered to fund the construction of India's first high-speed line linking Mumbai with Ahmedabad provided 30% of the rolling stock is supplied by Japanese companies.

INDONESIA's president Mr Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has urged that construction of a high-speed link between Jakarta and Bandung start "next month" during a cabinet meeting on high-speed rail systems for Indonesia held on July 13.