Canada: The Regional & Remote Passenger Rail Services programme is providing C$4·2m to support Algoma Central Railway passenger services to otherwise inaccessible areas between Sault Ste Marie and Hearst until April 2009.
Montréal transport authority STM has unveiled a C$1·5bn capital spending plan for 2008-10, allocating C$942m to the metro for station upgrading and replacement of the MR-63 train fleet.
Russia: With the aim of encouraging private-sector investment in rolling stock, EBRD is providing Inpromleasing with a US$141·5m loan to fund the purchase of Russian-built wagons to be leased to three operators.
On January 10 EBRD announced it would acquire a minority equity stake in RZD subsidiary TransContainer, which handles more than half of Russian's container traffic. The €134m of pre-privatisation support gives EBRD two seats on the board.
Spain: Rolling stock manufacturer CAF has formed a special-purpose company with banks BBK and Kutka to lease six trainsets worth €13m to Palma Metro operator SFM over a period of 18 years.
USA: Northern Virginia Transportation Authority has allocated $36·9m for preliminary engineering on a proposed $150m tram line in Arlington, running 7·5 km between Pentagon City and the Skyline area of Falls Church.
