NIPPON Sharyo Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Nippon Sharyo USA formally launched production at its new plant in Rochelle, Illinois, on July 19 in the presence of around 500 guests, including Illinois governor Mr Pat Quinn.
GE Transportation has rolled out the 5000th Evolution Series locomotive to be built since the platform was first launched in 2005. The 5000th unit, a 3.28MW ES44AC, was delivered to United States Class I freight operator Union Pacific (UP) and is numbered 7964.
WALLONIA Regional Transport (SWRT) has invited tenders for a PPP contract to finance, design, build, and maintain the first modern light rail line in the city of Liège.
NIGERIA's council of ministers has approved the decision to award China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) a $US 1.49bn contract for the modernisation of the 130km line from Lagos to Ibadan.
CHINA's National Development and Reform Commission has approved a public-private partnership deal for Line 1 of the Hangzhou metro.
AFTER several attempts to increase the volume of mail transported by rail, most of them unsuccessful, the United States Postal Service (USPS) is once more eyeing rail as means of reducing costs and improving efficiency.
THE DUTCH government has announced plans to extend the concessioning of regional rail services following the completion of a research project by two consultants.
ITALY's rail regulator (URSF) has ruled in favour of Italian Rail Network (RFI) in a dispute with open-access high-speed operator NTV over the recent erection of a fence at Rome Ostiense which prevents NTV passengers walking directly from NTV's lounge to their train on the adjacent platform 15.
THE SPANISH government is expected to vote at the end of this month on draft legislation that could bring sweeping liberalisation of the rail market within a year together with the privatisation of Renfe.
PASSAZHIRSKIE Perevozki, the passenger operations subsidiary of Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ), has awarded a €989.4m contract to Talgo, Spain, to maintain 1044 passenger coaches for 15 years.