Argentina: Benito Roggio and Esuco have been awarded a contract for track renewals on the 750mm gauge Río Turbio to Río Gallegos route in Santa Cruz province. Maximum speed is to be raised to 40 km/h.
Australia: Siemens has an €85m share of a €150m order placed by QR with the German firm and United Group for modernisation of 60 Class 3100 and 3200 freight locos by December 2010. The 25 kV locos used on Goonyella coal trains will be converted from DC to three-phase AC propulsion, and their weight increased from 110 to 126 tonnes to raise the tractive effort.
Barclay Mowlem has won a contract to manage CityRail’s A$98m Hornsby Platform 5 and Clearways project in Sydney.
Canada: On December 21 Bombardier announced a firm order from GO Transit for a further 10 BiLevel commuter coaches worth C$56m, to be built at Thunder Bay and delivered in 2007.
China: A consortium of Arcadis, MAA Engineering Consultants International and local partners has been awarded a contract worth €16m to manage construction on the 247 km Wuhan - Hwadu section of the Wuhan - Guangzhou high speed line.
Europe: Eurofima has reported ’stronger annual business volume and increased earnings’ for 2005. Railway financing for 369 locos, 1 275 multiple-unit cars, 1365 coaches and 59 wagons totalled SFr3·8bn, the highest figure for 10 years. Cash flow was up 2·2% to SFr49·7m and net profit 9·7% to SFr47·2m.
France: On January 4 Bombardier announced a €290m order from SNCF for an additional 73 AGC trainsets, including twin-voltage electro-diesel units, to be delivered in 2007-10.
Germany: On December 22 DB placed a €36m order with Bombardier for 25 double-deck coaches, which will be used between Rostock, Schwerin and Hamburg from 2007.
India: Minister of Railways Laloo Prasad has announced plans to place wagon orders with Burn Standard and Braithwaite & Co to revive work at the state-owned companies.
Ireland: On January 3 Minister for Transport Martin Cullen announced a €62m order had been placed with Mitsui for a further 10 three-car DMUs. To be built by Rotem and Tokyu Car Corp, they will be used on services from Dublin to Sligo and Rosslare from 2007-08.
Slovenia: Siemens has delivered the first of 20 Class 541 three-system electric locos it is building for SZ under a €74m contract funded by a Eurofima loan. Similar to the ÖBBClass 1216, they will be able to run in Austria, Slovenia and Croatia; one batch will also be equipped to operate into Hungary,
Spain: Ferrovial Agrom
