Australia: The Western Australia government has exercised an A$157m option with Bombardier and EDI Rail for a further 15 B-series three car EMUs (p111). The 130 km/h 25 kV units will enter service on Perth's 1 067 mm gauge network in 2009-11.
China: ABB is to supply Beijing Line 4 with 600 low voltage switchgear sets in an order worth 38m yuan. Delivery will be from September to November 2007, and the 28·7 km metro line between Ma Jia Lu and Long Bei Cun is expected to open in 2009.
Lithuania: On December 15 LG signed a €18m contract with Skoda subsidiary CKD Vag?nka for the supply of two three-car double-deck EMUs which will enter service on the Vilnius - Kaunas route in the second half of 2008. The 160 km/h units will be a 1 520 mm gauge 25 kV version of the Class 471 units built for Czech Railways.
Netherlands: Strukton Railinfra has been awarded a contract for major track renewals in the IJsselstreek region around Deventer. ProRail took into account the number of hours for which the tracks will be out of use when awarding the contract, and the work on 17 level crossings with the renewal of 12 km of track is to be completed by December 1, with the lines out of service for 380 h.
Norway: At a cost of €62m, Oslo Airport express train operator Flytoget has ordered an additional 16 carriages from Bombardier to lengthen its three-car EMUs to four cars by August 2009.
Poland: The CBRail joint venture of Babcock & Brown and Bank of Scotland Corporate Group has signed a contract with GE Transportation for the modernisation of 20 ST44 (M62) diesel locos which will be available to private operators. They will get a GE module containing a FDL?12 engine, alternator and auxiliary equipment, as well as upgraded traction motors. Approval will be obtained for use in Germany. Delivery will run from May 2007 to January 2008.
Russia: In May JSC Aeroexpress will take delivery of an eight-car EMU being built by Transmash Holding's Demikhovsky Engineering Plant for use between Moscow's Savelovsky station and Sheremetyevo airport. Based on the ED4MKM design, the 120 km/h EMU includes checked baggage facilities.
This year RZD is to undertake trials of 300 open wagons designed by Altaiwagon which are shorter but wider and higher than conventional designs, allowing an increase in the number of vehicles and overall capacity within the same train length. Test trains will run from mines in Kuzbass to the ports of Ust-Luga and Nakhodka.
Spain: As part of the project to build a high speed line between Madrid and Ja?n (RG 9.06 p490), Sacyr and Neopul have been awarded a €93·8m contract to upgrade the 46·7 km Alc?zar de San Juan - Manzanares section of the Madrid - C?rdoba main line for 220 km/h operation.
The Ministry of Development has awarded Tecsa and Dragados a €41·06m contract to undertake formation repairs and relay with UIC?54 rail the 50?6 km section of the Barcelona - Latour-de-Carol route between Ripoll and the French border. Tunnel linings are to be waterproofed to prevent ice forming on the overhead line equipment.
UK: On December 19 Network Rail announced it had awarded Ansaldo the contract for design of a €60m project to implement an ERTMS Level 2 cab-signalling system to replace Radio Electronic Token Block on the largely self-contained 215 km Cambrian route in central Wales. Design work will be completed by the summer.
USA: TrinityRail is to construct 920 covered hoppers and 1 050 tank wagons which it will then lease to Ethanex, which is developing three ethanol plants with a capacity of 1?5 billion litres/year.
Bombardier has placed a $14m order for 406 auxiliary power units, spares, training and engineering services with Turbo Power Systems, the largest rail contract won by the company spun-off from Imperial College in London. The equipment will be used on metro cars for Chicago with AC propulsion and regenerative braking (RG 6.06 p309).
Venezuela: China South's Qishuyan Locomotive Works has supplied the first two of a batch of 12 DF8Bven 3 680 kW diesel-electric locomotives, customised to work in high temperatures and humidity.
