Czech Republic:Skoda DT Plzen is to supply 20 Astra asynchronous low-floor trams worth KC1·3bn to Praha in 2005, for use on the Hlubocepy - Barrandov extension (RG 1.04 p14). There are options for a further 40 vehicles worth up to KC3bn.
Denmark:København Metro’s Flintholm station opened on January 24, providing an interchange with S-bane services.
France:Through a series of exhibitions at town halls along the route, between February 2 and March 5 members of the public were able to register their comments on the Lea project to build a light rail line between Part-Dieu and Meyzieu in Lyon.
On January 30 RATP awarded a €95m contract to Siemens, CSEE/Ansaldo and Technicatome for supply of train control equipment for Paris Metro Lines 3, 5, 9, 10 and 12. The first installation on Line 3 is due to be completed in 2008.
Greece:Attiko Metro has awarded Scott Wilson Railways and Omete AE a contract to design extensions of the Athens Metro. Line 2 would be extended to Hellenikon and Line 3 to Piraeus, with branches from the city centre north to Galatsi and Paradisos.
India:Delhi Metro Rail Corp plans to raise Rs50bn from the domestic debt market towards the Rs80bn cost of the 40 km second phase of the capital’s metro network, which is planned to be completed in 2010.
Dubai Cable Co and Emirates Trading Agency are to supply fire-resistant cabling worth US$3bn for Delhi Metro phase one.
Bharat Earth Movers Ltd rolled out the first two of 180 locally-assembled cars for Delhi Metro in Bangalore on January 21. They are being built under a technology transfer agreement with Rotem, which is supplying 60 cars and components from South Korea.
Italy:On January 29 Sardinian Railways ordered six 950mm gauge low-floor Vektra trams fromSkoda for KC400m, with an option for seven more. The five-section 30m long cars are due to enter service in Cagliari in June 2006.
Spain:Government minister Javier Arenas announced at the end of January that the circular route with three new stations built under the Metrotrén Sevilla project (RG 3.03 p119) is due to open to traffic this month. Civia EMUs are now being delivered to Renfe’s Sevilla suburban operation.
United Kingdom:The M-Tram consortium of Serco, Mitsubishi and MTR Corp, and the Keolis/PB consortium of Via GTI UK and Parson Brinckerhoff have been shortlisted for the design, build, operate and maintain concession for Line 1 of the planned Merseytram light rail network (MR03 p40).
USA:Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has voted to proceed with preliminary engineering for a $51·2m 7·2 km tunnel which would carry BART trains beneath central San Jose. BART is moving ahead separately with an 8·6 km two-station extension from Fremont to Warm Springs.
Chicago Transit Authority is to overhaul its Budd Series 2200 and Boeing-Vertol Series 2400 metro trains, with new wheels, rebuilt traction motors and modernised controls.
Wabtec has signed a contract with options worth up to $100m to provide event recorders, door panels and operating systems for 1700 metro cars being built for New York MTA by Alstom and Kawasaki.
