Algeria:Entreprise du Métro d’Alger has awarded a consortium of Systra and RATP Développment a contract to follow up design studies and fit-out fixed equipment on the 11 km Alger metro phase 1 between Tafourah Grande Poste and Haã El Badr.
Canada:Following testing of two prototypes, Toronto Transit Commission has confirmed a £1·75m order with Turbo Genset for 100 low voltage power supply and inverter units to upgrade and extend the life of its Canadian LRV fleet.
India:The city authorities in Thane are proposing an Rs8·5bn metro or light rail link be built under a BOT concession agreement. The 16·2 km line would have 11 stations and link Gokhale Road, Nitin, and Thane College with the Ghodbunder development area to the north.
Malaysian-owned firm IJM has received a letter of acceptance from Delhi Metro Rail Corp for an Rs890m contract to construct a viaduct and elevated stations at GTB Enclave, Jhilml and Duilshad Garden to extend metro Line 1 by the end of 2008.
Ireland: The Railway Procurement Agency has awarded Alstom a €24m contract to extend the 24 Citadis trams on Dublin’s Red Line from 30 to 40m, the same length as the trams on the Green Line. The first extension section will be delivered from Barcelona in March 2007, and installation will require two weeks.
Japan:An extension of Tokyo’s Yurikamome rubber-tyred metro line from Ariake to Toyosu with four stations was officially opened on March 27.
South Korea:Korea Railroad Research Institute and the National Science Museum have formally launched a Technical Advisory Group for maglevs, with 15 staff based at offices at the museum. Work has begun on a US$10m test track which will run 1 km between the museum and Daejon Expo site.
MexicoWith the final batch of six trainsets, Mexico City metro operator STC is due to complete the introduction of new trains to Line 2 in May. Bombardier Transportation and CAF supplied 45 nine-car trains, with Bombardier responsible for the production of 28 trainsets and 810 rubber-tyred bogies.
Alejandro Encinas, who heads the government of Mexico’s Federal District, has announced that smartcard ticketing is to be introduced to the STC metro in Mexico City.
USA:On March 16 the Exposition Light Rail Transit Project received $208m of the $523m requested by Los Angeles MTA from the California Transportation Commission. The remainder of the funding for the 13·7 km line with eight stations was to be allocated at a CTC meeting on April 27.
Southern California Regional Rail Authority agreed on March 24 to purchase 11 remanufactured diesel locos from Motive Power Inc for $31·9m under an agreement with Utah Transit Authority. Seven will be funded by Orange County Transportation Authority.
Services on the entire length of the Canal Street tram line in New Orleans were restored on April 2 after repairs to the infrastructure damaged by Hurricane Katrina.
