SIEMENS has officially been awarded a €1.7bn contract by Rhine-Ruhr Transport Authority (VRR) to supply 82 Desiro High Capacity (HC) EMUs for the Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) network and maintain the fleet for 32 years.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket has awarded Siemens a contract worth around €17m to supply a Sitras SFC Plus static frequency converter to feed power from the 50Hz public grid into the railway's 16.7Hz traction power network.

ONE of the first Siemens Avenio LRVs for Qatar's Education City light rail line has been transferred from Siemens' Simmering plant in Vienna to the nearby Rail Tec Arsenal climatic chamber for testing.

RHINE-Ruhr Transport Authority (VRR) announced on February 10 that it has selected Siemens as preferred bidder for a contract to supply 82 EMUs for the Rhine-Ruhr Express (RRX) network and maintain the fleet for 30 years.

ARGENTINA's Interior and Transport Ministry has concluded contracts for the resignalling of Buenos Aires' Sarmiento and Mitre suburban lines, together with the electrification of the final section of the 60km Buenos Aires Constitutión – La Plata Line.

SIEMENS Rail Automation began work on January 26 on a 22-month project to renew life-expired signalling on the Heyford – Leamington Spa section of the Didcot – Oxford – Birmingham line, which is being carried out under a £40m contract awarded by infrastructure manager Network Rail.

FOUR consortia have prequalified for a contract to design and construct a 23.5km light rail network in the Finnish city of Tampere.

A COURT in Vienna has rejected an appeal by Siemens against public transport operator Wiener Linien's decision to award Bombardier a contract worth up to €562m for up to 156 low-floor LRVs.

RHEINBAHN, the operator of Düsseldorf's light rail network, has awarded Siemens a contract to resignal the 11km Stadbahn tunnel beneath Düsseldorf city centre.

THE mayor of San Francisco Mr Edwin Lee announced on January 13 that San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) will exercise a $US 210m option with Siemens for 40 additional SF200 low-floor LRVs, taking the total number of vehicles on order to 215.