NSW Trainlink, which operates passenger rail services in the Australian state of New South Wales, has awarded a five-year contract to Perpetuum, Britain, to install a track and ride monitoring system on XPT power cars.

THE New South Wales (NSW) government has announced the awarding of a contract to build tunnels beneath Sydney Harbour, as part of the wider Sydney Metro project, to a joint venture of John Holland, CPB Contractors, and Ghella.

THE Australian federal government has made its strongest commitment yet to the proposed Melbourne to Brisbane Inland Rail route with $A 8.4bn ($US 6.2bn) in equity funding for the national infrastructure manager Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) in the 2017-2018 national budget, which was unveiled on May 9.

THE Australian federal government published its 2017-2018 budget on May 9, committing up to $A 20bn ($US 14.7bn) in current and forward investment in rail projects that it says will cut congestion in cities, provide growth in regional areas and create new employment opportunities.

THE government of the Australian state of New South Wales has unveiled its preferred route for the first stage of Parramatta Light Rail project, which will connect a major hospital at Westmead with central Parramatta and Carlingford.

THE New South Wales (NSW) state government has announced that following the granting of final planning approvals, construction will begin this year on stage 2 of the Sydney Metro project from Chatswood through the Sydney central business district to Sydenham and on to Bankstown.

FOLLOWING a competitive tender, Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) has awarded Downer EDI a $A 1.7bn ($US 1.3bn) contract to supply and maintain 24 Waratah double-deck suburban EMUs, which will provide additional capacity on the Sydney Trains network.

AUSTRALIAN rail freight operator SCT Logistics has announced it will launch its first services on the Melbourne - Brisbane interstate corridor in January 2017, the first time a private operator has challenged the two major players already operating on the route, Pacific National and Aurizon.

THE deputy premier of the Australian state of New South Wales Mr Troy Grant and minister for transport Mr Andrew Constance announced on October 28 that the state government has allocated $A 50m ($US 37.9m) to accelerate the renewal of NSW TrainLink’s medium-and long-distance diesel fleet, starting with the XPT trains.

TRANSPORT for New South Wales (TfNSW) has appointed Downer EDI as managing contractor for the Newcastle light rail project.