THE Export-Import Bank of the United States has signed a $US 425m credit agreement with Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) and its subsidiary Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty (LKZ) to finance the supply of around 200 GE Evolution Series ES44ACi diesel locomotives.
INDEPENDENT Transport Company (ITC) is set to complete its takeover of Freight One after the board of Russian Railways (RZD) approved the sale of its remaining 25% plus one shareholding in the company.
CHINA's National Development and Reform Commission has approved plans for new metro lines in the cities of Nanchang and Fuzhou at a total cost of more than Yuan 30bn ($US 4.8bn).
THE Chinese city of Hangzhou launched commercial operations on its first metro line on November 24, when the governor of Zhejiang province Mr Xia Baolong officially inaugurated the 48km Line 1 in a ceremony at Wulin Square station.
SHANGHAI Shentong Metro Group has awarded Alstom and its local joint venture Shanghai Alstom Transport Electrical Equipment (Satee) a €37m contract to supply new traction equipment for trains operating on Shanghai Metro lines 3 and 4. The work is due to be completed by 2014.
MTR Corporation has awarded China Northern Rolling Stock subsidiary CNR Dalian a contract to supply 23 830kW diesel locomotives, which will be used on engineering trains and rescue duties on MTR's network in Hong Kong.
THE National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) announced on November 13 that it will provide cash-strapped Pakistan Railways (PR) with a Rs 6.1bn ($US 63.7m) loan to revive its depleted locomotive fleet.
CONSTRUCTION of a 418km standard-gauge line linking the Laotian capital Vientiane with the Chinese network could begin next year, according to local media reports.
RUSSIAN Railways (RZD) will step up its fleet modernisation programme next year by spending a record Roubles 85bn ($US 2.7bn) on new locomotives, transport minister Mr Maksim Sokolov confirmed on November 8.
THE European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the municipal government of Almaty signed a memorandum of understanding on November 7 for the development of a 14km light rail line in Kazakhstan's second largest city.