Australia: Patrick Stevedores launched a thrice-weekly rail shuttle on April 29 to convey maritime containers between Melbourne and Adelaide; the wagons are hired from AN, which provides crews jointly with V/Line.
Queensland Railways has launched a network of dedicated ’Cattletrain’ services to 40 key cattle producing areas, using a fleet of 250 wagons. This follows an A$10m investment in holding and spelling facilities over the past five years.
Austria: Transport Minister Caspar Einem and his Hungarian counterpart Karoly Lotz have launched a feasibility study for electrification of the cross-border Graz - Szentgotthard - Szombathely line.
Azerbaijan: Deputy Prime Miniser Abid Sharifov signed a protocol with representatives from Georgia and Ukraine on April 8 for creation of an international joint stock company to run rail and train ferry links between the three countries.
Canada: Canadian National is installing its computerised Intermodal Terminal Management System at Toronto and Montréal after field testing in Vancouver.
CN began an intermodal shuttle between Halifax and Boston on April 29. The New England Clipper is worked jointly with New Brunswick Southern Railway and Guilford Rail System.
Czech Republic: The Transport Ministry has put forward proposals to privatise the branch line serving the Dukovany nuclear power station; Loko-Trans of Strelice has expressed interest in taking it over.
Europe: On April 24 Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that Eurostar patronage between London and Paris had overtaken air. In 1996 air traffic fell 10% to 2·9 million passengers, whilst rail loadings rose 70% to 3·6 million.
The two pylon caissons to support the high bridge section of the Øresund fixed link between Denmark and Sweden were submerged on each side of the Flinte channel on April 6 and 16, after being towed from Malm
