RESIDENTS of Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, and Sacramento, California, are celebrating the latest additions to their city's light rail networks which opened on August 22 and 24 respectively.

MARYLAND Transit Administration (MTA) has decided to phase out its fleet of four AEM7 and six HHP8 electric locomotives used on Marc commuter services on the Northeast Corridor (NEC) and replace them with eight new 200km/h Siemens Charger diesel locomotives.

THE United States sent its latest status report on the rollout of Positive Train Control (PTC) to congress on August 7, warning policymakers that despite seven years of strenuous efforts by the industry most railways will not complete installation by the federally-mandated December 31 deadline.

THE first new railway bridge between the United States and Mexico for more than 100 years became operational on August 7, with the opening of the West Rail link between Brownsville, Texas, and the neighbouring town of Matamoros in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas.

ALL Aboard Florida, the inter-city passenger subsidiary of Florida East Coast Railway (FEC), moved a step closer to completing financing for its Miami - Orlando service on August 5, when the Florida Development Finance Commission voted unanimously to allow the company to issue $US 1.75bn in tax-exempt bonds.

AN initial public consultation will begin on August 11 on proposals to expand the light rail network in Charlotte, the largest city in the US state of North Carolina.

MAXWELL Technologies, United States, has signed a long-term strategic partnership with CRRC subsidiary China Qingdao Sifang Rolling Stock Research Institute (CRRC SRI) to jointly develop new rolling stock energy storage solutions for the Chinese market.

STAFF at Denver's Regional Transportation District (RTD) have recommended that the RTD Board of Directors accept a bid from Balfour Beatty Infrastructure for a contract to design and build the city's Southeast Rail Extension.

A MAJOR expansion of passenger rail services in Vermont is proposed as part of the state's new rail plan, which identifies capital investment priorities for the next 20 years.

KEOLIS confirmed on July 14 that it has been granted a five-year extension by Virginia Railway Express (VRE) for the operation of commuter rail services from Washington D.C. to Manassas and Fredericksburg in northern Virginia.