THE City of Chesapeake, Virginia, is to submit a formal request for funding to Hampton Roads Transit for the extension of The Tide light rail line from the neighbouring city of Norfolk.

Nearly half a century after the first metro line opened in the US capital, the system is under increasing pressure to cope with the demands of a growing city. Keith Barrow reports from Washington, DC on how the city's transport authority is seeking to overcome years of underinvestment and build a foundation for future expansion.

GENESEE & Wyoming's newest rail subsidiary, the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad (RCP&E) began operations on June 1, 2014 after Canadian Pacific (CP) completed the sale of the line, the western stretch of the Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern (DM&E).

A groundbreaking ceremony was held in Kansas City on May 22 to mark the launch of construction on a 3.5km starter tram line linking River Market with the city centre and Union Station.

GE Transportation and PowerTrunk, a subsidiary of Teltronic, Spain, have signed an agreement to provide North of Colombia Railways (Fenoco) with an Incremental Train Control System (ITCS) over a digital Tetra radio network.

CALIFORNIAN commuter rail operator Caltrain has issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for a design-build contract to electrify the 82km San Francisco – San Jose line, a key component of its Modernisation Programme, which is due to be completed by 2019.

MASSACHUSETTS Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has approved the purchase of 24 light rail vehicles from CAF, Spain, for the Green Line.

AFTER many years of indecision, the mayor of Virginia Beach Mr William Sessoms and Virginia state transportation secretary Mr Aubrey Layne have agreed to develop plans for a light rail link between Virginia Beach and the neighbouring city of Norfolk.

THE latest commuter rail line in the United States opens today in Florida following an official opening ceremony for SunRail on April 30.

SAN Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (Bart) has awarded a contract worth $US 58m to Stadler to supply eight two-car DMUs for use on the 16km East Contra Costa Bart extension project, which is currently under construction.