Dialogue Forums to Bring Rail Industry Together at InnoTrans 2026
The Dialogue Forums at InnoTrans 2026 will serve as a central hub for policymakers, industry leaders, academia, and transport operators to discuss pressing rail challenges. Organized by the German Transport Forum, VDB, UNIFE and ZVEI, the forums will feature panels on digitalisation, sustainability, infrastructure, cybersecurity and innovation. The event runs September 22‑25, 2026 at Messe Berlin, with Railway Gazette International as the sole official international media partner. These sessions aim to shape the sector’s transformation through shared expertise and collaborative solutions.
First New Stations Under Major Cork Commuter Rail Upgrade Targeted for 2028-29
Ireland’s national rail operator Iarnród Éireann has set a delivery timetable for the Cork Area Commuter Rail Programme, a €1.8 billion (≈$2 billion) upgrade that will electrify the network and deliver high‑frequency service by around 2032. The first two new stations –...
Comment: Still a Long Way to Go for Deutsche Bahn
Deutsche Bahn’s flagship Hamburg‑Berlin line finally reopened in mid‑June after a nine‑month shutdown and a six‑week winter‑induced delay, underscoring the broader challenges facing the rail giant. Despite a record €19.9 bn (≈$21.5 bn) infrastructure spend in 2025 and a planned €23 bn (≈$24.8 bn)...
Sofia Receives First of Its Next Fleet of Metro Trains
Škoda Group has handed over the first five of an eight‑train order worth €65 million (about $70 million) to Sofia’s Metropoliten EAD. The 80‑metre, four‑car units can carry over 580 passengers and feature air‑conditioning, regenerative braking and step‑free boarding. Designed from Škoda’s...
Afghanistan’s Rail Freight Capacity Boosted with Opening of Additional Terminal
Afghanistan and Uzbekistan have completed a $6.3 million upgrade that adds a fifth freight terminal, Port 5, on the 75‑km Hairatan‑Mazar‑i‑Sharif line. The new facility initially handles 50 wagons, with plans to expand capacity to 200‑300 wagons. A 1,650‑metre siding is also...
RENFE President Backs Reintegration with ADIF
Renfe President Álvaro Fernandez Heredia told Spain's Senate that the state rail operator should merge with infrastructure manager ADIF to boost safety and coordination after the fatal Adamuz high‑speed crash. He argued that the current separation, introduced in 2005 to meet...
Indian Track Components Joint Venture Targets Innovation and Exports
The Pandrol Rahee Technologies joint venture, formed by India’s Rahee Group and Sweden‑based Pandrol, announced a three‑year revenue target of roughly $157 million (Rs13 billion) as rail modernisation accelerates domestically and abroad. The JV will boost R&D spend by 50% to develop...
Indian Company Wins ‘Milestone’ South African Locomotive and Wagon Order
Texmaco Rail & Engineering Ltd won a contract from South Africa's Tsiko Africa Logistics and Barberry Holdings to deliver 30 diesel locomotives and more than 2,235 wagons. The deal, valued at over Rs40.5 billion (about $495 million), also includes a 15‑year maintenance...
Flirt Evo France Unveiled to Support Cross-Border S-Bahn Expansion
Stadler unveiled the first Flirt Evo France EMU at its Erlen plant, marking the start of a 33‑unit order for Basel’s cross‑border S‑Bahn expansion. The new trains will serve the S2 and S4 lines linking north‑western Switzerland with France’s Alsace...
Urban Rail Industry News Round-Up
Los Angeles Metro opened three new D‑Line stations in West Hollywood on May 8, extending service to Mid‑Wilshire, Miracle Mile and Beverly Hills. Turku, Finland approved a 12‑km tram line costing €465 million (≈$507 million) pending 30% state funding, with construction slated for 2027...
CAF-Led Consortium Signs Napoli Metro Line 10 Contract
Italian regional operator EAV has awarded a €238 million ($257 million) contract to a CAF‑led consortium to design, supply and maintain railway systems and rolling stock for the first 6.5 km of Napoli Metro Line 10. The seven‑year deal includes CAF’s Optio CBTC, driverless...
Private Sale: Homogeneous Fleet of 10x Heavy Hybrid Shunting Locomotives (90t) – 303 kN – Zero Lead Time
Agorastore, acting as exclusive broker, is offering a private, off‑market sale of ten modern heavy‑hybrid shunting locomotives. Each 90‑tonne unit delivers over 300 kN tractive effort and combines high‑capacity batteries with a Stage V diesel range extender. Unlike new builds that face...
Vossloh Opens Sweden’s First New Turnout Factory in over a Century
Vossloh inaugurated a new, fully automated turnout factory in Sannahed, Sweden, the first such plant built in the country in over a century. The 150‑metre hall can produce up to 900 turnouts a year, replacing the historic Örebro site that...
Finland Signs ‘Unique’ Alliance Deal to Support ERTMS Rollout
Finland’s rail infrastructure manager Väylävirasto has inked a €70 million (≈ $77 million) service alliance with six engineering firms to accelerate the ERTMS rollout across 970 km of the country’s busiest lines. The partnership covers design, construction consultancy and commissioning inspections for the Helsinki...
Kaohsiung Metro Construction Contract Awarded
Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Mass Rapid Transit Bureau awarded the civil works and electromechanical facilities contract RLC02 for the Xiaogang–Linyuan (Red) Line to a 70:30 joint venture of Malaysia’s Gamuda and local partner Shang Ting Construction. The NT$26.39 billion (≈ $845 million) contract covers three...