Argentina: The contract to build the 2·9 km extension of metro Line A from Primera Junta to Nazca (RG 4.04 p186) was signed in Buenos Aires on April 12. Civil works began 10 days later, with new stations expected to open at Pu? n and Carabobo in 2007 and at Flores and Nazca in 2008.
China: On March 28 trial operation begun with eight trains on the 6·5bn yuan light metro line running for 45 km from central Tianjin to Binhai. Full opening is planned for October 1.
Secretary for Public Works & Transport Ao Man Long has said the Macau SAR government is to start public consultation for a light rail line costing 2·7bn patacas following a feasibility study by Hong Kong MTRC.
France: Preliminary works are now underway on the 2 km extension of Paris metro Line 13 from Gabriel Péri to Asnières-Gennevilliers III, serving one intermediate station. Due for completion in 2007, the €204m extension is being funded by the Ile-de-France region (40%), central government (24%) and the département of Hauts-de-Seine (20%), with the remaining 16% lent by the region to RATP.
Bombardier Transportation has been selected as preferred bidder to supply up to 66 LRVs for the existing tram route and proposed extensions in Marseille (RG 2.04 p70).
Israel: On March 30 preliminary works began in Petach-Tikva for the Red Line of the planned Tel Aviv light rail network (MR03 p54). The winning consortium from the four bidders is expected to start construction in 2005, for opening in 2010.
Italy: Construction consortium CCC has awarded Corus a contract to define the optimum wheel and rail profiles for the Bergamo light rail project. Corus is also to supply RI59N grooved and UNI50 flat-bottom rail for the 12·6 km network.
Netherlands: HTM Personenvervoer NV is to order 50 bi-directional RegioCitadis dual-voltage cars from Alstom for €150m. Similar to the Kassel tram-train vehicles, the 75% low-floor three-section cars will carry up to 220 passengers on RandstadRail services between Den Haag and Zoetermeer from mid-2006.
Spain: Within a budget of €64m, FGV has called tenders for the supply of 10 metro trainsets to operate on Lines 3 and 5 in Valencia. The 60m long trainsets are required to accommodate 600 passengers and attain a maximum speed of 80 km/h.
FGV has awarded a contract for civil works on Section A of the branch from the Alacant - El Campello light rail route to Lucentum and San Juan (MR04 p20). Work is expected to take 15 months to complete.
Ukraine: Bitum Petrochemical Industries has won a US$3m contract to waterproof 12 km of Kyiv metro tunnels with spray-on sealant.
United Kingdom: The first two of 94 Docklands Light Railway trains being refurbished by Alstom in a £20m contract have been returned to the railway. Onboard information systems have been improved and the seating layout changed.
USA: As part of the $325m Boston Green Line relocation, trains will be diverted into a new underground North Station from June 19, and the last remaining 0·8 km elevated section of the MBTA network between Causeway Street and Martha Road will close.
New York MTA has exercised a $206m option to buy a further 120 Bombardier M-7 electric multiple-unit cars for Metro-North Railroad.
