World Railway News 10th April 2012

International Railway Journal News...... France approves route for TGV SEA extensions THE French Ministry of Transport has approved the route for two new high-speed lines totalling 417km that will serve the southwest of the country. The lines will extend the Sud-Europ Atlantique high-speed line, currently under construction between Tours and Bordeaux, southeast to Toulouse and south to Hendaye on the Spanish border.

Richard Bowker quits Etihad Rail MR Richard Bowker has left his position as CEO of Etihad Rail, the company responsible for the United Arab Emirates' $US 11bn railway network construction programme, to join English Football Association as an independent director. Transnet to invest $US 25.9bn in rail by 2019 TRANSNET South Africa today unveiled plans to invest Rand 205bn ($US 25.9bn) in rail projects over the next seven years as part of a drive to triple revenues and support booming mineral exports. Alstom wins Amsterdam metro CBTC contract THE Municipality of Amsterdam, the owner of the city's metro network, has awarded Alstom a Euros 100m contract to supply a CBTC solution based on its radio-based Urbalis platform on the network's four existing lines and the new North-South line, which is currently under construction. Harsco wins international orders HARSCO has secured orders worth more than $US 20m to supply its track maintenance grinders to new customers in Korea and China, and existing customer, Britain's infrastructure manager, Network Rail. Rail.One to supply turnout sleepers for German HS line RAIL.ONE has been awarded a contract to supply turnout sleepers for the 123km Erfurt-Leipzig/Halle high-speed line in eastern Germany. The contract covers almost 22,000 linear metres of ballastless sleepers, which will be installed on the Erfurt - Gröbers section by the end of 2013.   www.railway-technology.com News Update.....   MARTA approves $1.16bn for Clifton Corridor light rail projectThe Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) in the US has approved a $1.16bn plan to build the Clifton Corridor light rail, which will run between Avondale station, east of Decatur, and Lindbergh Center station in North Atlanta.                            Saudi Arabia's Haramain high-speed rail to begin operations by 2014 Saudi Railways Organisation (SRO) has announced that the Haramain high-speed rail project, a 450km railway line that will link the Saudi holy cities of Mecca and Medina to Jeddah, will start operating by early 2014.                            Alstom wins Deutsche Bahn train orderAlstom Transport has won a €140m contract from German rail operator Deutsche Bahn Regio, a subsidiary of DB, to build 28 Coradia Continental regional trains.                            Ansaldo wins signalling and train control contracts in US and AustraliaAnsaldo STS, a unit of Finmeccanica, has signed new signalling and train control system contracts in the US and Australia, worth €81.2m.         www.progressiverailroading.com US Railroad News    Watco acquires Cudahy Car Shop AAR names six nominees for Chafee environmental stewardship award Caltrain posts all-time high weekday ridership UP wins Toyota Logistics awards; CSXT scores more ethanol business WMATA to resume major trackwork through December Commuter rail to serve Wickford Junction station, garage North Carolina DOT to review bridge, crossing project at public workshop April 10: Updates from Alstom, Oregon Iron, CIT, Mitsui Rail and Greenbrier