THE government of Argentina has placed an order with China Northern Rolling Stock (CNR) for 27 three-car metre gauge dmus, which will be used on commuter services on the metre-gauge Belgrano Sur network in Buenos Aires.

CONSTRUCTION of Line 1 of the Panama metro is now 92% complete and test running is underway.

URUGUAY Trains (TDU) has put forward plans to two local authorities to reintroduce a passenger rail service between Montevideo and Minas following completion of a feasibility study. The mayor of Canelones, one of the two local authorities, has already pledged his support.

BRAZILIAN President Mrs Dilma Rousseff and transport minister Mr César Borges inaugurated Latin American Logistics' (ALL) new Reais 150m ($US 68m) intermodal freight facility near Rondonópolis in the state of Mato Grosso on September 19.

ARGENTINE interior and transport minister Mr Florencio Randazzo confirmed on September 12 that the government is to nationalise the Mitre and Sarmiento suburban lines in Buenos Aires.

THE government of the Brazilian state of São Paulo announced on September 10 that will re-issue bidding documents for construction, operation and maintenance of São Paulo metro Line 6 on September 13.

CUBAN Union Railways (UFC) has placed an order for 300 two-car dmus with Russian manufacturer Murom, the first of which has already been shipped to the island.

BRAZILIAN transport minister Mr César Borges announced on August 12 that the government has postponed the tendering process for the 511km Campinas – São Paulo – Rio de Janeiro high-speed line, which is likely to delay the opening until after 2020.

The Buenos Aires metro network has been through its fair share of highs and lows in the 100 years since it opened. Enda Murphy looks at how Subte is reaching out to new areas of the city and responding to the challenges of ridership decline and inadequate revenue.