Africa: The Indian government has granted a US$7·1m line of credit to fund the purchase of a loco and 12 metre-gauge coaches for use on services between Dakar in Sénégal and Bamako in Mali from August 2007.
Canada: Transport Canada has announced C$2·1m of operating funding to continue CN subsidiary Algoma Central Railway’s passenger services between Sault Ste Marie and Hearst in northern Ontario until April 2007. An additional C$1·5m will fund modernisation of the passenger fleet with refurbished rolling stock.
China: Guangshen Railway is to list A shares on the Shanghai stock exchange later this year. Cash from the sale of 2·75bn shares representing 63% of the company will fund the acquisition of the Guangzhou - Pingshi railway from Guangzhou Railway Group.
Mexico: The government is to provide US$15m to rebuild the 280 km section of the Chiapas-Mayab Railway between Tonala and the Guatemalan border, inoperable after being hit by Hurricane Stan in October 2005. Concessionaire Genesee & Wyoming is to provide $3m and insurance proceeds are expected to fund a further $2m.
Russia: Brunswick Rail Leasing has agreed a five-year US$350m loan from Hypovereinsbank and an additional US$37·5m from International Finance Corp. The rolling stock leasing firm plans to acquire around 2000 wagons to expand its current fleet of 3500 vehicles.
Serbia: On July 14 ZS signed a €60m 15-year loan with EBRD to fund the purchase of 1100 wagons. These will bring the fleet up to what director Milanko Sarancic said is the optimal size of 6000 vehicles.
Spain: A total of €111m is to be provided by the Ministry of Development (66%), the regional government (26%) and the city council (8%) for a scheme to relocate underground 4 km of railway in the city of Murcia. Including a new station, the scheme is expected to cost a total of €195m of which €84m will be funded by property development.
USA: The Californian budget for 2007 allocates $14·3m for the High Speed Rail Authority, ensuring continuation of engineering and environmental studies and preservation of the alignment. Putting the scheme to voters has been delayed to November 2008 under legislation signed on June 27.
