President opens Astana automated light metro line
KAZAKHSTAN: President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was issued ticket number 001 when he travelled from the airport to Ulttyk Museum to inaugurate Asata Light Rail Transit Line 1 on May 16. Tokayev said the opening was an event of special significance for Astana and for Kazakhstan, saying ‘the capital should eventually develop into a transport hub of […]
France: Intercités on the cusp of renewal
Long overshadowed by the prestige of the TGV, France’s conventional inter-city services — Trains d’Équilibre du Territoire, which encompass traditional day and night services — are finally on the road to modernisation. Jérémie Anne investigates the transformation of this important business. Between the high speed TGV services and regional TER networks, a specific category of […]
France: Rail reforms promise a turning point
A package of legislation to overhaul the management of funding for rail and public transport aims to bridge a chronic gap in infrastructure funding and deliver the SERM suburban rail development programme, as Jérémie Anne explains. When Jean Castex met politicians in the Assemblée Nationale in October last year as part of his confirmation as […]
Comprehensive reconstruction starts on Spain’s busiest suburban line
SPAIN: Cercanías suburban rail line C5 serving the southern suburbs of Madrid is undergoing a comprehensive modernisation. The Ministry of Transport & Sustainable Mobility has announced a €1.35bn programme of 28 interventions on the line, aiming to increase capacity by 60% and improve accessibility, safety, resilience and operational adaptability. C5 links Móstoles-El Soto to Fuenlabrada/Humanes […]
Work starts on Quang Ninh high speed line
VIETNAM: Work is getting underway on the construction of an inter-regional high speed railway between Hanoi and Hạ Long, following a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and other senior officials. Being developed by the VinSpeed subsidiary of Vingroup, the 121 km line is expected to be completed by the end of […]
American Track acquires Queen City Railroad Construction
USA: North American Rail Solutions’ rail infrastructure subsidiary American Track has acquired Queen City Railroad Construction, which provides maintenance and construction services for industrial and short line customers. Tennessee-based Queen City will be integrated into Fort Worth based American Track’s rail construction group to expand its capabilities and geographic reach. American Track COO Stacey Posey […]
EuroMaint lands Nordic maintenance contracts worth €300m
EuroMaint takes over Pågatågen fleet In southern Sweden, EuroMaint will take over from Alstom maintenance of the X61 regional EMUs used on Pågatågen services under an agreement with VR Sverige. The contract award follows regional transport agency Skånetrafiken selecting the Swedish subsidiary of Finland’s state-owned rail group to continue operating Pågatågen services from December 2027. […]
Railmark Holdings returns to the passenger rail sector
USA: Rail freight and engineering company Railmark Holdings is returning to the passenger rail services sector through its subsidiary Train Travel, which provides consulting, operating and mechanical services to transport agencies, operators and states seeking expansion or new services. Railmark said Train Travel has a ‘storied 38-year past’ with its former Star Clipper Dinner Train […]
Monterrey monorail construction still underway as World Cup deadline nears
MEXICO: Monterrey metro operator Metrorrey hopes to launch limited services on parts of monorail lines 4 and 6 when the city hosts FIFA World Cup matches in June, but the start of full passenger service is not now expected until 2027, and there is no confirmed date. The state government of Nuevo León had intended […]
Vossloh to acquire rail surveying technology specialist Cordel Group
UK: Track and rail infrastructure component supplier Vossloh has announced its intention to acquire UK-based LiDAR specialist Cordel. Voissloh said digital technology is a strategic priority for the group, and Cordel offers a differentiated suite of digital asset monitoring and optimisation technologies. Cordel provides hardware and software for the processing and analysis of survey-grade digital […]