THE cost of constructing a high-speed line linking Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane could be a little over half the $A 114bn ($US 100bn) price tag estimated in an Australian government study, according to a report issued this week by the Australasian Railway Association (ARA).

NEW South Wales (NSW) transport minister Ms Gladys Berejklian has announced that the Connecting Sydney consortium has been selected as preferred bidder to build and operate Sydney's CBD and South East Light Rail line.

IRJ at InnoTrans 2014: EMD has on show a new ergonomically-designed locomotive cab to be installed in three demonstration locomotives which will be shipped to Australia next year.

THE government of New South Wales has confirmed that it has awarded the Northwest Rapid Transit consortium a $A 3.7bn ($US 3.48bn) operations, trains and systems contract for Sydney's $A 8.3bn North West Rail Link (NWRL), which includes a €298m rolling stock and signalling deal with Alstom.

AUSTRALIAN railfreight operator Aurizon has signed an infrastructure framework agreement with American Metals & Coal International (AMCI), Korea's Posco and Chinese steel producer Baosteel, for the provision of the rail and port infrastructure for the West Pilbara Iron Ore Project (WPIOP) in Western Australia.

THE Australian Capital Territory (ACT) government has given the strongest indication yet that it will proceed with the planned 12km-long light rail line, Capital Metro, for Canberra.

THE government of the Australian state of New South Wales announced this week that the first of four tunnel boring machines has begun excavating the twin 15km tunnels required for Sydney's North West Rail Link between Rouse Hill and Epping.

NEW ZEALAND's national railway KiwiRail has posted losses of $NZ 248m ($US 208m) for the 2013-14 financial year, which ended on June 30 2014, compared with a deficit of $NZ 174m in the previous financial year.

WESTERN Australia Public Transport Authority (PTA) has issued a request for information (RFI) for a contract to supply a new generation of rolling stock for the Perth suburban network.