RHEINBAHN, the operator of Düsseldorf's light rail network, has awarded Siemens a contract to resignal the 11km Stadbahn tunnel beneath Düsseldorf city centre.

To accommodate increasing demand and network extensions, Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) engaged in a project to upgrade its track-circuit based signalling system to communications-based train control (CBTC). Mr L Y Lam, advisor to BTS, and Dr Chaisak Srisethanil, BTS' project and engineering director, chart the evolution and highlight the major challenges of this innovative project.

EGYPTIAN National Railways (ENR) has awarded Alstom a contract worth around €100m to supply signalling equipment for the resignalling of the 240km Beni Suef – Asyut section of the Cairo – Luxor line.

SWEDISH infrastructure manager Trafikverket has awarded Strukton Rail a five-year contract worth around €50m to maintain railways in the Malmö area.

GUANGZHOU Metro Corporation has awarded Thales a contract through its Thales Saic Transportation local joint venture to supply communications-based train control (CBTC) for two new metro lines in the city.

INDIA's first CBTC deployment reached an important milestone on December 30 with the first test run under Automatic Train Operation (ATO) on the 8km eastern section of Hyderabad metro Line 3 between Nagole and Mettuguda.

JR East outlined its future procurement strategy at the EU-Japan 2nd Railway Industrial Dialogue earlier this month, pledging to strengthen links with European suppliers.

THE installation of ERTMS on the Betuweroute dedicated freight line between the port of Rotterdam and the German border was finally completed on December 8, when the section between Zevenaar, Netherlands, and Emmerich, Germany, switched to ETCS from the legacy Dutch ATB train protection system.

GERMAN Rail (DB) board member for infrastructure and services Dr Volker Kefer has unveiled details of plans to spend a minimum of €28bn over the next four years on maintenance and investment in Germany's mainline rail network.