NORWEGIAN transport minister Mr Ketil Solvik-Olsen announced on June 5 that Swedish national train operator SJ will go ahead as planned with the launch of its accelerated Stockholm – Oslo service on August 9, after Norwegian infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket agreed to postpone infrastructure works on part of the route.

SWEDISH National passenger operator SJ has abandoned plans to launch hugely-improved services on the Oslo – Stockholm route because Norwegian infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket is planning more than two years of daytime closures on part of the route for infrastructure work.

BOMBARDIER has completed a three-week programme of endurance testing on the Norwegian rail network using a Traxx AC Last Mile locomotive owned by leasing company Railpool.

OSLO airport express operator Flytoget has awarded CAF a NKr 1.3bn ($US 160m) contract to supply eight four-car Oaris EMUs for services from Gardemoen Airport to Oslo Central and Drammen.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket says it intends to begin developing plans for the construction of a second track on the eastern section of the Kiruna – Narvik (Norway) heavy-haul line in the Arctic Circle.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket has completed a project to reactivate the cross-border section of the Meråker Line from Trondheim, Norway to Storlien in Sweden which has been closed for more than a year due to movements in an embankment on the Swedish side of the border.

NORWAY's infrastructure manager Jernbaneverket has awarded the first of five engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts to Condotte, Italy, for the 22km Follo Line linking Oslo Central and Ski.

SWEDISH national passenger operator SJ has revealed plans for major improvements on the Stockholm – Oslo route with the reintroduction of X2000 tilting trains, an increase in frequency, and dramatically improved journey times.

NEW train schedules were launched across Europe on December 14, and according to the December issue of the European Rail Timetable, the improvements outnumber the number of services being withdrawn.

THE Norwegian government has revealed plans to increase spending on the country's railway network to record levels next year as part of the 2015 state budget, which was announced on October 8.