NORFOLK Southern will spend $US 2bn on capital improvement projects in 2013, including $US 831m on infrastructure maintenance and replacement of sections of rail, sleepers, ballast and bridges.
MOLDOVA's minister of transport and road infrastructure, Mr Anatol Salaru, is hoping to secure financial aid of €50-60m from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) for modernisation of the country's railway system.
US Class 1 railway CSX says it plans to invest around $2.3 bn in its business in 2013 supporting initiatives to help meet long-term demand for railfreight, improve customer service and support the company's plans for long-term growth.
CHANNEL Tunnel operator Eurotunnel says it had a record year in 2012 with a 14% increase in turnover to €993.1m. Passenger traffic breached the 300 million mark in October 2012 since the tunnel opened in 1994.
BNSF Railway, the second largest Class 1 railway in the United States, says it will increase capital investment this year by 11% to $US 4.1bn. This includes $US 2.3bn for infrastructure improvements, and $US 1bn for motive power and rolling stock.
SPAIN's infrastructure manager Adif has outlined plans to sell 333 non-operational station buildings and more than 1500 staff houses in an effort to reduce maintenance expenses and reduce a small part of its €15bn debt, which this year will incur interest payments of €350m.
ONE of Russia's largest private railfreight operators, NefteTrans Service (NTS), plans an initial public offering of ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange during the first half of this year.
The global market for rolling stock maintenance is growing faster than that for new build and is slowly opening up to third parties. But according to Henry Koppermann and Maria Leenen of SCI Verkehr, Germany, the market remains very diverse worldwide.
HUNGARIAN State Railways (MÁV) announced on January 4 that Stadler is the sole bidder for the supply of 48 low-floor emus, 42 of which will be purchased by regional operator MÁV-Start and six by Györ-Sopron-Ebenfurth Railway (GySEV).
THE Czech and Slovak governments are considering plans to merge state-owned railfreight operators CD Cargo and ZSSK Cargo in an effort to improve their financial position and protect them from potential takeover bids from foreign railways.