Argentina: Under a 30-year agreement signed with the federal government, the province of Mendoza is take responsibility for passenger services within its borders. Passenger services may be reintroduced between the city of Mendoza and major towns throughout the province.
Ferrobaires has restored passenger service to the 103 km Bragado - Lincoln route in the province of Buenos Aires, following track upgrading work undertaken in conjunction with freight concessionaire América Latina Logística.
Armenia: Officials have said they are ready to reopen the Shirak - Kars cross-border route, closed when Turkey and Azerbaijan imposed sanctions in 1992.
Australia: Steve Bredhauer, Queensland Minister for Transport, launched a policy document entitled ’Rail Network Strategy for Queensland’ at the AusRAIL conference in Brisbane last month. Objectives include enhancing the role of the state rail network, developing a reference framework for state funding, and encouraging private-sector investment.
Bosnia: Sarajevo - Zagreb services were reinstated on June 10 after a nine year gap. BHZJK Director General Hidajet Serbo said services to Budapest will start in the autumn after a bridge over the river Sava is reconstructed; trains to Beograd will restart ’when conditions are right’.
Brazil: Under a project costing R$6m, Rio de Janeiro commuter operator SuperVia is to restore services to the Saracuruna - Vila Inhomirim route. Five DMUs supplied by Mitsui of Japan may also be deployed on the Saracuruna - Guapimirim route.
Canada: CPR has signed an agreement to handle containers for Orient Overseas Container Line, NYK Lines and Lykes Lines. CPR says this will double its traffic from Vancouver to the US Midwest.
Following the decision to re-integrate its St Lawrence &Hudson subsidiary, CPR will transfer control of its Eastern Division from Montreal to Calgary.
China: Electric services on CR’s Harbin - Shenyang line are expected to begin on August 18.
Europe: Intercontainer-Interfrigo launched a container shuttle between Bettembourg and Milano on June 10, running four times each way per week. Daventry International Railport is offering services from Britain to Muizen in Belgium, and Metz, France. Contship Overland plans to introduce an Italy - Netherlands rail service later this year. A container terminal served by Black Sea ferry and rail services was opened at Odesa on May 15.
On June 17 the SJ-NSB joint venture Linx AB took over the management of Oslo - Karlstad - Stockholm and Oslo - G
