World Railway News 9th August 2012

International Railway Journal

BRAZIL's state-owned railway engineering and construction company Valec has revealed further details of the government's plans to allow open-access freight operations on certain parts of the network.

THE founder of Italian open access operator Arenaways Mr Giuseppe Arena has publically apologised for delays to the launch of the company's Trenohotel overnight service, citing unexpected technical and logistical problems.

ALGERIA's National Railway Investment Agency (Anesrif) has awarded a contract to supply and install signalling systems on the new 129km standard-gauge line from Mecheria to El Bayadh to a joint venture of Algerian State Railways (SNTF) and Siemens.

www.progressiverailroading.com US Railroad News

Kansas City Southern promotes EVP Ebbrecht to COO

Sound Transit begins signal, rail testing on Sounder extension

Portland port completes rail yard expansion

Fertilizer producer becomes Stockton Terminal and Eastern's newest customer

Chicago's Metra breaks ground on Cicero Station rehab project

New Jersey Transit registers improvement in rider satisfaction

Chicago Transit Authority amends contract for station improvement project

June's Transportation Services Index showed slight growth

www.railway-technology.com Latest Updates...

Bombardier to deliver Flexity 2 trams to Belgium's De Lijn
Bombardier has won a €128.6m order from Flemish transport firm De Lijn to provide 48 new Flexity 2 low-floor trams for deployment in Antwerp and Ghent in Belgium.       
                   
Australia starts first phase of Victoria's Regional Rail Link project
Australia has started work on the 7.5km Footscray to Deer Park section of the A$5bn ($5.2bn) Regional Rail Link project in Melbourne, Victoria.       
                   
Estel to supply signalling systems to Algerian rail line
Algerian railway agency ANESRIF has awarded a contract to ESTEL, a joint venture between Siemens and national railway SNTF, to provide signalling and telecommunication systems on a new 129km rail line from Mecheria to El Bayadh, Algeria.       
                   
Work starts on Welsh valleys railway upgrade
Work has started on the £220m Cardiff area re-signalling renewal project, which will be carried out by contractors that include Atkins, Siemens, Balfour Beatty, Birse and Bam Nuttall.