Xi Jinping and Orbán agree to develop Hungarian rail projects
HUNGARY: Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán have reached an agreement to start ‘preparation works’ for the development of a rail freight bypass around Budapest and a rail-based link to the capital’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport.
British Steel rail ordered for Turkish project
TURKEY: British Steel has won a contract of disclosed ‘multi-million-pound’ value to supply ‘tens of thousands of tonnes’ of rail for the project to modernise and electrify the 286 km Mersin – Adana – Gaziantep line to for 200 km/h operation.
Scenic Plus coach refurbished for New Zealand tourist train service
NEW ZEALAND: National railway KiwiRail’s tourist train business Great Journeys New Zealand has unveiled a coach which has been refurbished to provide a premium ‘immersive travel experience’ on the 223 km TranzAlpine coast-to-coast service between Greymouth and Christchurch.
Capacity to be increased on Siberian main lines
RUSSIA: The government has given the go-ahead for the third stage of work to increase capacity on the Baikal – Amur and Trans-Siberian main lines.
RegioJet orders Škoda EMUs
CZECH REPUBLIC: RegioJet has awarded Škoda Group a KC3·5bn contract to supply 23 customised 160 km/h electric multiple-units.
Southeastern announces shortlist to supply ‘modern trains for a modern network’
UK: Southeastern has shortlisted five bidders for a contract to supply a fleet of 750 V DC third rail electric multiple-units for use on its ‘Metro’ network of suburban services in southeast London and Kent.
Prasa reports completion of resignalling schemes
SOUTH AFRICA: Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa has resignalled six suburban rail lines across the country, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga reported on April 24.