Belgium: SNCB has exercised an option worth €222m for a further of 60 Siemens Class 18 Eurosprinter ES60U3 electric locos (RG 9.08 p631), to be delivered by April 2012.
A €128m contract has been placed with Bombardier and Alstom for a further 72 M6 double-deck coaches for delivery 2010-11, bringing SNCB’s total order to 492 vehicles.
France: On December 14 Alstom and Eurailtest completed four weekends of high speed testing of the Pégase AGV demonstrator on LGV Est, where it is possible to reach 360 km/h. During 2009 Pégase will be sent to Italy to assist in the approvals process for the 25 sets ordered by NTV.
Bombardier announced on December 5 that SNCF has placed a €160m firm order for 45 Traxx F140 DE diesel-electric locos for freight traffic, with an option for a further 35. Deliveries will start in May 2010.
Included in the I-trans programme to stimulate industrial research in Nord-Pas de Calais is ‘Cademce’, under which the School of Electrical & Electronics Technology in Amiens will study electric traction and the pantograph-catenary interface supported by Carbone Lorraine, Alstom and Eurotunnel.
Germany: DB and Siemens signed a contract worth €500m on December 17 for a further 15 multi-voltage ICE3 trainsets for international use. The eight-car sets are due to enter service from December 2011.
Hungary: On November 25 Bombardier signed a €77m contract to supply MÁV with 25 Traxx multi-voltage electric locomotives within two years, with an option for 25 more.
India: IR has appointed Systra and Rites to assess the feasibility of running air-conditioned trains along the 60 km Churchgate - Virar route in Mumbai. An elevated extension from CST to Nariman Point and Mantralaya is also proposed.
Ireland: The Railway Procurement agency has exercised a €21m option with Alstom for a further eight Citadis trams for use on Dublin’s Luas network from early 2010.
Kosovo: TZV Gredelj has been awarded a €2·5m contract to heavily rebuild and re-engine an EMD Class 661 diesel-electric locomotive as a pilot for a rebuilding programme.
Morocco: Last month Interpipe announced a contract to supply ONCF with 2 300 wheels over six months.
Russia: Ukraine‘s Lugansk Works is to supply RZD with 120 diesel locomotives in 2009, up from 100 in 2008.
RZD has selected the Transmash Holding-Alstom joint venture as its strategic partner for the supply of 1 210 double-deck ‘hotel train’ cars for the St Petersburg - Moscow - Sochi route. They will be produced in Russia under a localisation programme.
Serbia: CZ Loko has supplied two Type 621 diesel shunters to mining firm PD Rudarski Basen Kolubara.
Slovakia: ZOS Zvolen has rolled out a pre-series Class 756 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotive rebuilt from a Class 750 for ZSSK Cargo. Work undertaken in collaboration with CZ Loko included fitting a 1 455 kW Caterpillar 3512B SCAC engine and Siemens 1FC2 631-6 alternator. Nine series build locos will follow.
ZSSK received no bids to supply 12 three-car inter-regional DMUs by 2015 (RG 11.08 p 904).
South Africa: The five Class 39 diesel locos completed by Transnet Rail Engineering as extensive rebuilds of the Class 34 are to be the last of this series; it is understood that the cost of the work substantially exceeded expectations. The 39-200 batch will effectively be new locos using imported components. TRE and EMD are collaborating on this project.
The first two of 110 Mitsui Class 19E dual-voltage 3 kV DC and 25 kV AC locomotives for Transnet Freight Rail being assembled locally by Union Carriage & Wagon are now undergoing testing north of Tshwane.
Sweden: Leasing company Transitio has placed a €148m order with Alstom for 23 four-car 180 km/h Coradia Nordic regional EMUs to be used by Norrtåg and Västtrafik from late 2010.
