SWITZERLAND: Aargau Verkehr has taken delivery of the first of five Stadler ABe4/8 Saphir II electric multiple-units ordered for use on the 22 km Wynental and 10 km Suhrental lines west of Zürich from December 2025.

UK: DB Cargo UK has returned to service the first of 60 BAA bogie steel wagons which are being refurbished to carry imported slab and coil to Tata Steel’s Port Talbot site.

RUSSIA: A longer and wider design of overnight coach developed by Transmashholding’s Tver Carriage Works is undergoing certification trials at the VNIIZhT test centre in Belorechensk.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Turnout manufacturer DT Výhybkárna a Strojírna is collaborating with secondary schools and universities to offer a scholarship programme, internships and factory tours.

UK: The Railway Industry Association has announced changes at its Exports Leadership Group, which enables members to share their experiences and work with RIA’s Exports and Trade Policy teams to gain advice and support on selling their products and services abroad.

SWEDEN: Wabtec has announced a US$960m definitive agreement to acquire Dellner Couplers from EQT, saying the deal adds ‘highly attractive and complementary technologies’ to its passenger rolling stock component portfolio.

UK: Five CEOs of members of the RailFreightForward coalition of rail freight operators recently met EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas to discuss challenges including a lack of high-quality cross-border infrastructure capacity, an uneven economic level playing field and investments in digital technology.

Following the Transport Ticketing Global exhibition, Railway Gazette International takes a look at some of the latest developments in the world of fare payment.

UK: ScotRail is working with leasing company Angel Trains and fuel supplier Crown Oil to test the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil instead of diesel to power a Class 156 diesel multiple-unit.

USA: Watco is to acquire the 650 km Great Lakes Central Railroad, which runs north from Ann Arbor in Michigan to Cadillac with branches to Thompsonville, Traverse City and Petoskey.

USA: California’s North County Transit District unveiled new Alstom double-deck push-pull coaches as part of celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of its Coaster passenger service between Oceanside and San Diego.

SWEDEN: SJ has awarded Alstom a further two-year contract for the maintenance of night trains at depots in Luleå and Stockholm.

News from the world rail freight market.

UK: Two more training courses have been launched by the Rail Safety & Standards Board. One will help frontline rail workers develop leadership skills for a ‘dynamic and complex’ environment, and another is aimed at equipping operational decision-makers with the skills to make rational choices under pressure.

USA: Houston-based industrial logistics and repair services group PSC has announced a ‘significant’ expansion of its freight wagon activities through the acquisition of 32 repair, inspection, cleaning, shunting and maintenance facilities operated by Rescar.

CROATIA: HŽ Infrastruktura has launched a €620m tender for the modernisation and double-tracking its 83 km Dugo Selo – Novska line. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Connecting Europe Facility and the Competitiveness & Cohesion Programme

Birmingham University spin-out Vanguard STS launched its HydroShunter locomotive on January 31 before convening a round table to assess the prospects of hydrogen traction gaining ground in rail applications. Nick Kingsley joined the discussion.

EUROPE: Virgin Group is seeking partners to invest in its planned launch of international high speed train services through the Channel Tunnel.

SWEDEN: The Halland region is to trial Fairtiq’s pay-as-you-go ticketing system based on swiping in and out on a mobile app.

This week’s news from the global railway supply chain.