Argentina: Metro Line H in Buenos Aires (RG 7.07 p407) carried its first passengers on October 18 following a second official opening by head of the city government Jorge Telerman. A legal challenge which had delayed the opening saw three of the trainsets provided from Line C withdrawn for being unfit to operate.
Austria: Under the terms of a December 2004 framework agreement, Wiener Linien has placed a €18m order for a further eight low-floor LRVs to be delivered by April 2009 for use on for Line U6.
Belarus: Tram manufacturer Belkommunmash has announced plans to complete a prototype three-section articulated low-floor vehcile by April 2008. The company is seeking international partners to develop a modern tram design with a view to winning contracts in Russia.
Canada: This month rolling stock manufacturer Rotem will ship the first of 20 two-car metro trains ordered for the 19 km Canada Line in Vancouver (RG 1.06 p9). They are expected to arrive next month.
Chile: Santiago Metro is planning to raise US$140m next year through an initial offering of bonds to investors on the local market. Issued without government guarantee, the bonds will have a 21-year term.
China: Following the award of a $7·9m contract in July covering the supply of automation systems for Shenzhen metro Line 1, HLS Systems International has been awarded a $23·8m contract to provide automation systems for the 14 km Line 2 under construction for opening in 2010.
Czech Republic: Praha Municipal Council has approved financing for a KC39bn extension of metro Line A over 12·8 km west from Dejvická to Letiste Ruzyne. The extension will have six bored and two excavated stations, and construction is due to start in 2009 for opening in 2018.
France: On August 27 TAN of Nantes brought into service its new terminus at Gare de Pont Rousseau, now the southern limit of light rail Line 2 which offers interchange with SNCF TER services. The short branch to Jamet on Line 1 re-opened on the same day, with 73 of the 79-strong LRV fleet now required for peak services.
Germany: A 1·9 km connection between existing light rail lines at Rieth and Salinenstraße in Erfurt opened on October 5.
Israel: The first of 46 Alstom Citadis 302 trams for Jerusalem was unloaded at the port of Ashdod on September 23.
Italy: On October 5 Prime Minister Romano Prodi attended the opening of a 2·1 km three-station extension of the Torino metro from Porta Susa to Porta Nuova. Siemens is shortly to supply six more four-car VAL 208 light metro trainsets, and a further 3·5 km extension to Lingotto is to open in 2010.
Jordan: On October 18 the government signed a contract with Jordan Rail Transport System Co establishing a PPP to build and operate a 25 km double-track electrified interurban line between Amman and Zarqa (RG 1.07 p9). Financial close is expected in early 2008, after which the consortium of Pakistan's Infrastructure Development Corp and China's Cetci will invest US$200m in the 12-stop standard-gauge line, to be built mostly within the Hedjaz Railway corridor and due to open in late 2009.
South Korea: The Ministry of Construction & Transport last month finalised plans for a 1 300bn won extension of Seoul metro Line 9, which opens to Kimpo Airport in 2009 (MR04 p46). The initial 4·5 km of the second phase will open as far as the Olympic Stadium in 2014, with a further 8 km to Bangi following in 2016.
Malaysia: Last month SPNB exercised a €71m option with Bombardier for an additional 52 Advanced Rapid Transit MkII light metro cars for the Kelana Jaya Line in Kuala Lumpur. Final assembly will be by Hartasuma, with deliveries from 2010.
Netherlands: HTM Consultancy has recommended a second sneltram line rather than a busway from central Utrecht to the Uithof university campus and a park-and-ride site, with future extensions to Zeist and Vianen.
Poland: A 600 m section of the Krakow fast tram project (RG 8.03 p478) was opened by the city's mayor at Rondo Mogilskie on September 20. Egis is responsible for project management on the €100m scheme.
Spain: FGV has awarded Indra Sistemas and SICE an €18m contract to equip stations on the Valencia metro network for the ApunT contactless smartcard.
UK: Last month Tube Lines and Alstom, maintainer of London Underground's Northern Line train fleet, signed amendments to the 1995 PFI agreement which the PPP contractor inherited when it assumed responsibility for the line in 2003. A joint management structure and increased investment from Tube Lines aims to align the organisations' performance targets. In addition, Alstom has signed a €117m contract renewal covering the maintenance of the 63 Jubilee Line trainsets, which also now runs to 2017.
CBS Outdoor is undertaking a four-week test of three cross-track digital projectors at Euston station on London Underground's Victoria Line, displaying moving adverts on tunnel walls opposite waiting passengers. If the results are satisfactory, 150 units could be installed at 24 stations in 2008.
USA: Following disruption caused by torrential rain on August 8, New York MTA has published a report on flood prevention and mitigation measures to be adopted by the subway over coming years. An initial $30m is to be spent on areas most at risk.
Los Angeles County MTA has appointed Parsons Brinckerhoff to evaluate alignments for the 17 km Crenshaw – Prairie Transit Corridor, to which $955m has been provisionally allocated for construction of a metro, light rail or bus rapid transit line.
