Bosnia-Herzegovina: Kosice Transport of Slovakia has delivered two 1989-built Tatra KT8D5 trams to Sarajevo. Pars Sumperk and Siemens are to refurbish 37 Tatra K2 trams for Sarajevo Tramway over five years.
Canada: Services began on Ottawa’s O-Train diesel light rail line on October 15, using three Class 643 Talent DMUs. Mayor Bob Chiarelli forecast that the line would be extended within five years.
China: Hong Kong’s Chief Secretary Donald Tsang has approved plans for a HK$10bn tunnel to carry KCRC’s planned Sheung Shui - Lok Ma Chau branch under wetlands in Long Valley, to avoid intrusion into a wildlife sanctuary. Other projects including the Western Corridor between Yuen Long and Shenzhen are also to be accelerated.
Czech Republic: Brno Transport is calling tenders for up to 20 modular low-floor trams up to 24m long with asynchronous motors and regenerative braking by 2004. They will replace K2 trams dating from the 1960s.
France: Alstom inaugurated a 1·6 km light rail test track in La Rochelle on September 2. It will be used to develop innovative technologies to reduce infrastructure costs.
Germany: München Transport tested a Siemens-SGP ULF tram from Wien, with a floor height of 180mm, on Line 21 last month.
Great Britain: Transport for London has started public consultation for the proposed Cross River Transit light rail route linking Camden, King’s Cross, Brixton and Peckham, and for a line along Uxbridge Road in west London.
Hungary: Budapest Transport inaugurated a new 18 km orbital tram route on October 2, linking Mexikói Ut with Gubacsi. Route 3 services began the next day, using former Hannover cars.
Israel: Metropolitan Mass Transit System Ltd has appointed Jakes Associates to study elevated transit proposals for Tel Aviv. The work includes evaluating routes, a comparison with light rail, and the preparation of preliminary cost estimates.
USA: Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District is planning a $166m replacement of the power supply and signalling equipment on the Chicago - South Shore line, to increase reliability and timekeeping. In addition, six bridges will be replaced, and high platforms installed at two stations.
