TASRAIL, which operates the 1067mm-gauge railway on the Australian island state of Tasmania, has invited bids by August 5 for a contract to renew sleepers and rails on parts of its 638km network.

Increasing rail traffic in North America is coinciding with a rise in the risky behaviour of delayed road users at occupied level crossings. Ian Naish, of Naish Transportation Consulting, considers the findings of recent research on this subject and suggests means to mitigate this risk in a study conducted for Transport Canada.

GHANA plans to rehabilitate the Dunkwa - Awaso branch line of the 340km 1067mm-gauge western main line that links Takoradi, Dunkwa and Kumasi.

The European Restrail research project, which concluded in October 2014, investigated means to reduce fatal incidents and suicides on Europe's railways, including two approaches to prevent illegal trespassing in Finland. Dr Anne Silla and Mr Veli-Pekka Kallberg from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland reveal their findings.

THE European Union has agreed to provide a grant towards upgrading the main line from Kalin west of Sivas to the Black Sea city of Samsun even though Turkey is not a member of the EU.

TRAFIKVERKET is set to bring forward a number of track and structure maintenance projects after the Swedish government increased the infrastructure manager's renewals budget for 2015 by SKr 620m ($US 73.6m).

MALAYAN Railways Corporation (KTMB) has placed its first order for rails with Evraz, Russia.

FOUR British universities have launched an £8.5m five-year research programme aimed at developing track which will cost less, last longer and have reduced maintenance needs.

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) plans to provide about $US 6bn to help fund road, rail and regional connectivity projects in Bangladesh.

THE Dutch secretary of state for infrastructure Mrs Wilma Mansveld, who is responsible for railway affairs, informed parliament on June 25 of irregularities by the national infrastructure manager Prorail in the awarding of track maintenance contracts.