THE government of Ukraine has announced plans to electrify the 105km Kovel - Izov line at 25kV ac, and is set to enter negotiations with Poland over extending this to Hrubieszow, which is the gateway to PKP-LHS, the 1520mm-gauge line to Katowice.

POLISH rolling stock manufacturer Newag announced on February 2 it has secured a €17.5m contract to supply five E6DCF-DP Dragon electric locomotives to ING Lease Poland for use by open-access railfreight operator Freightliner PL.

PKP Cargo announced on February 2 that it had agreed terms with Lublin-based copper and silver miner KGHM Polska Miedź to acquire a 49% stake in its railfreight subsidiary Pol-Miedź Trans.

POLAND's largest railfreight operator PKP Cargo has issued an international invitation to tender for a contract to supply and maintain 15 multi-system electric locomotives, with an option for five additional units, to support the expansion of its international operations.

MPK Lodz signed a Zlotys 166m ($US 45.8m) contract with Pesa on December 30 for 22 low-floor LRVs, which will be used on the Polish city's 120km metre-gauge tram network.

POLAND's PKP Cargo signed an agreement on December 30 to acquire an 80% stake in AWT, the Czech Republic's second-largest railfreight operator, from Czech businessman Mr Zdenek Bakala and the Bakala Trust.

POLISH long-distance operator PKP Intercity launched its new EIC Premium services on December 14, marking the entry into passenger service of its Alstom ED250 Pendolino EMUs.

IN an effort to beef up security of its coal shipments, Polish State Railways (PKP) railfreight subsidiary, PKP Cargo, has introduced drones equipped with different types of cameras, including infrared, to carry out aerial surveillance of its trains.

A framework contract has been awarded by Pesa, Poland, to Rolls-Royce for up to 940 MTU diesel power-packs to be fitted to Link DMUs for German Rail (DB).

THE City of Warsaw has issued a tender notice for contracts to build two extensions to metro Line 2, just weeks before the opening of the initial 6.5km section of the east-west line from Dworzec Wileński with Rondo Daszyńskiego.