ITALY: Lombardia regional passenger train operator Trenord has launched an account on the WeChat social media and messaging app which is popular with Chinese visitors.

News from the world rail freight market.

Pandrol has deployed its latest low-vibration trackform and floating sleeper mats on two extensions of the light rail network in the historic centre of Firenze. The company’s Technology Manager for Sustainable Resilient Systems Ernesto San Vicente explains how the challenges of the deployment were overcome.

ITALY: Pre-feasibility studies have been presented for a 22 km light rail line to link Brescia with its hinterland to the northeast, including Lake Garda.

ROMANIA: Infrastructure manager CFR SA has awarded the Asocierea RailWorks consortium of Arcada and Alstom a €450m contract to modernise the line from București to the Bulgarian border.

INDIA: Train detection and lineside equipment control system manufacturer Frauscher Sensortechnik launches construction of a factory in Mysore with a groundbreaking, blessing and tree planting ceremony.

INTERNATIONAL: Siemens Mobility subsidiary Hacon has begun rolling out the latest generation of its HAFAS journey planning app.

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

UK: Accessibility, comfort and convenience were priorities when designing the interiors of the future Class 895 trainsets for High Speed 2 services, according to the Hitachi-Alstom High Speed manufacturing joint venture.

UK: Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander has written to train operators saying that she has accepted in full the recommendations of the Office of Rail & Road’s review of revenue protection practices.

CANADA: The government of Ontario and transport authority Metrolinx have awarded North End Connectors the tunnelling contract for the Toronto metro’s Yonge North Subway Extension project.

INTERNATIONAL: The opening up of all regional transport routes, including the long-mooted Zangezur Corridor – now renamed the Trump Route for International Peace & Prosperity – is included in a joint declaration agreeing to end the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

MAURITANIA: The European Investment Bank has approved a US$125m loan to support a investment in a heavy haul railway linking the mining area of Zouerate with the coast.

SWITZERLAND: Automatic operation on the Waldenburgerbahn is scheduled to begin in September, with conversion to fully driverless operation envisaged for 2030.

CANADA: The first of 46 seven-section light rail vehicles being supplied by Hyundai Rotem for the Valley Line West project has arrived in Edmonton.

FRANCE: LGV Sud Europe Atlantique infrastructure concessionaire Liséa has begun construction of a train maintenance centre at Marcheprime as part of plans to enable more services to operate on the Paris – Bordeaux route.

Network Rail’s Eastern Region is pioneering a range of automated track inspection and monitoring systems, aimed at improving performance and resilience to extreme weather events whilst helping to reduce costs.

DENMARK: Local railway operator Lokaltog has awarded Stadler a firm order to supply a further 10 Flirt Akku battery multiple-units.

This week’s round-up of news from the urban transport sector.

UK: South Essex train operator c2c is to temporarily amend its timetable following track problems arising from soil moisture deficit caused by this year’s exceptionally dry weather.