Algeria: Railway agency Anesrif has awarded Nortel a contract to supply GSM -R equipment on the Tabia – Mecheria and Bordj Bou – Arreridj M’Sila routes currently under construction (RG 4.07 p205).
Argentina: TBA has taken delivery of an 08-16 split-head levelling and lining tamper as well as a PBR 400 ballast regulator from Plasser & Theurer, acquired at a total cost of 9·86m pesos. The first deployment will be on track renewals on the Sarmiento route.
China: A consortium of Ansaldo STS and Beijing HollySys has won a €62m contract to supply ETCS Level 2 equipment for the Zhengzhou – Xi’an high speed line. The two companies are to establish a joint venture to bid for future ERTMS contracts in China.
Czech Republic: Skanska is to modernise the 30 km Stribo – Planá section of the Plzen – Cheb route by May 2011 at a cost of KC2·3bn.
Europe: Work to replace the bridge over the Rhein river between Kehl and Strasbourg was launched on July 8, with a ceremony attended by representatives of the French and German railways and governments. Scheduled to open in 2010, the truss bridge will replace the current structure dating from 1954. It will comprise two spans of 131 and 107 m, and clearance above the river will be increased from 6·85 m to 7 m. To eliminate an operating bottleneck, the running speed will be raised from 100 to 160 km/h. Germany is contributing 75% of the €23m cost of replacing the bridge.'Construction of the new Rhein bridge stands for more mobility and a more united Europe’, said DB board member Dr Otto Wiesheu.
Finland: RHK has selected a consortium led by Pöyry to undertake detailed design costing €10·6m for the 8·1 km tunnel forming part of the planned €512m Helsinki-Vantaa airport link (RG 3.08 p122).
Italy: Ferrovie del Nord Barese has awarded DEC and IPA Precast a €47·8m contract to divert 8 km of its inland route between Bari and Barletta to serve Bari airport.
Malaysia: The MMC-Gamuda joint venture responsible for double-tracking the 329 km route from Ipoh to Padang Besar has selected a joint venture of Ansaldo STS and Balfour Beatty to provide signalling, communications and electrification under a €390m contract.
Namibia: South Korean firm Samsung has signed a contract to supply TransNamib with digital communications equipment for the 400 km Windhoek – Walvis Bay route.
Russia: Last month Nippon Steel began delivering 20 000 tonnes of high-specification rail which will be installed on the Moscow – St Petersburg route as part of an upgrading for operations above 200 km/h.
Spain: The Ministry of Development has awarded Puentes y Calzadas and Ortiz a €59·95m contract to build a double track alignment over the 7·3 km between Perafort and Alcover, completing civils tendering for the new connection between the Valencia – Barcelona route at Vandellós and the Madrid – Barcelona high speed line.
Sweden: Peab is to install a second track on the 7 km Skänninge – Fogelsta section of the Motala – Mjölby line in a SKr105m contract.
Turkey: Invensys company Dimetronic has won its first major order in Turkey, a €25m contract from civils contractor Yapi Merkezi to supply ETCS Level 1 and 2 equipment for the 212 km Ankara – Konya 250 km/h line now under construction.
UK: Network Rail has selected Telent to upgrade telecoms infrastructure under the Thameslink project (RG 3.08 p172).
USA: Sound Transit has awarded the Seattle Tunnel & Rail Team joint venture of Jacobs Engineering Group and CH2M Hill a construction management contract for the 5·1 km light rail extension to the University District. Construction begins next year for opening in 2016.
