THE government of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) says four private sector consortia have submitted formal expressions of interest for the Capital Metro light rail project in Canberra.

GREATER Wellington Regional Council has finalised the short-list for its new suburban railway contract, which covers operations on the three primary north-south corridors into the city centre, and is based on a new performance-based partnering contract model.

A CONTRACT has been signed between the New South Wales state government and the Altrac Light Rail consortium (previously known as Connecting Sydney) for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the $A 2.1bn ($US 1.72bn) Sydney CBD and South East Light Rail line.

GENERAL sluggishness in the global economy and softening thermal coal prices continue to create uncertainty for proponents of major coal mines and associated rail infrastructure in the Galilee Basin region in the north of the Australian state of Queensland.

AUCKLAND Council's Governing Body has voted to defer the start of work on the $NZ 2.4bn ($US 1.89bn) City Rail Link (CRL), a 3.5km underground extension of the existing suburban line beneath the city centre until 2018-19, two years later than previously planned.

Construction is finally underway on Sydney's North West Rail Link which is scheduled to open in 2019. The project could revolutionise urban transport planning in Australia, as Mark Carter reports.

IN the run up to the election on November 29 in the Australian state of Victoria, the Liberal/National coalition government has promised to invest $A 3.9bn ($US 3.4bn) in new rolling stock for the state's suburban, regional and light rail networks, should it be re-elected.

PUBLIC consultation began on November 3 on route alignment options for the first light rail line in Sunshine Coast, Australia.

ADANI Mining has selected Parsons Brinckerhoff as its project management consultant for the Carmichael integrated coal mine, railway and port project in the Galilee Basin in the Australian state of Queensland.

THE New South Wales state government looks set to continue its love affair with light rail, announcing four route options as the first step in the creation of a new light rail network for Sydney's western suburbs centered on Parramatta.