Argentina: Siemens has won a 12-year US$27·2m contract to refurbish and maintain 64 cars for Buenos Aires metro Line E.
Czech Republic: Skoda AS is to refurbish a second batch of 10 T3 trams for Liberec, and fit them with IGBT chopper controls and regenerative braking. Seven T3s are being refurbished for Plzen.
France: Lyon metro has completed the refurbishment of its first train in a FFr60m in-house programme covering 32 sets.
India: The 4 km Chepuak - Tirumailai section of the Chennai Mass Rapid Transit System has been completed, and work on the 11·5 km Tirumilai - Velachery Phase II is now being taken forward by the Tamil Nadu government and Indian Railways.
Netherlands: Rotterdam Metro has begun the renovation of its north-south line from De Akkers to Centraal, including installation of lifts at all stations, lighting improvements and graffiti removal. Wider platforms and additional escalators are being provided at Beurs.
Singapore: The Land Transport Authority has invited prequalification bids for civil works at Changi Airport and Somapah stations on the MRT extension.
Spain: Bilbao Metro has opened the final 1·8 km underground section of Line 1 from Casco Viejo to Bolueta, with intermediate stations at Santutxu and Bassarrate.
Thailand: Ove Arup & Partners International has been selected to design the north section of the Bangkok MRTA Blue line. The contract covers 9 km of twin-bore 6m diameter tunnel and nine stations.
USA: Chicago Transit Authority completed its conversion from tickets and tokens to magnetic farecards on September 15, when manned ticket offices at elevated and underground stations in the city centre were replaced by vending machines.
San Diego MTDB’s 9·8 km Mission Valley West light rail extension is due to open on November 20, with revenue service starting on November 23.
San Francisco Municipal Railway has been allocated US$13·8m to buy another 59 Breda LRVs to replace its last Boeing Vertol cars.
Utah Transit Authority has announced plans for a 17·5 km second light rail line from Salt Lake International Airport to the University of Utah costed at US$374m.
