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UIC’s 2026 Asia-Pacific Web Meeting Series will run sessions on topics including advocacy, sustainability, resilience, security, passenger, infrastructure, rolling stock and energy, freight, and UIC publication tools. The programme aims to connect Asia-Pacific members more directly with UIC technical departments and working groups.

UIC and UIRR will present the 2026 Combined Transport report, covering freight market shifts, infrastructure constraints and evolving European policies.

A Scottish fatal accident inquiry found that an off-design drain, missing as-built records, and maintenance and weather-management gaps contributed to the 2020 Carmont derailment. The inquiry said building the drain to its approved design might realistically have prevented the crash. No new recommendations were made.

Kenya Railways has begun vehicle transport on the Standard Gauge Railway between Mombasa and Nairobi, moving 21 cars on its first service. The operation uses adapted vehicle wagons alongside container trains and is being developed with Autobarn East Africa for about 700 vehicles a month.

Hitachi Rail opened its new Canadian headquarters in Scarborough, Toronto, to serve its signalling and systems business. The company is delivering the Ontario Line and Hazel McCallion Line, and modernizing TTC Line 2 signalling after a $400 million contract award in July.

PKP PLK is considering converting some existing Polish electrified main lines from 3 kV DC to 2×25 kV AC. The programme has two phases through 2045, with consultations planned in November 2026 and a final programme expected by year-end, subject to financing.

Network Rail completed nine days of work to renew and strengthen Saxmundham junction on East Suffolk Line, converting it from manual to powered operation and upgrading signalling and infrastructure. The improvements support increased freight traffic to the Sizewell C construction site and resumed Greater Anglia services between Halesworth and Ipswich.

Indian Railways reported higher coal and overall freight loading in October, CONCOR ordered 12 rakes of container wagons from Golden Rock Workshop, DP World expanded double-stack services from JNPA, and the Rowghat iron ore line was commissioned. A new East-West dedicated freight corridor is under study.

Transport for Wales has proposed a Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro with new stations, extra services, a new platform at Swansea, track links and signalling-related enabling works. Phase A and Phase B plans are open for public feedback until 13 December 2026, with funding still to be secured.

GMRC has invited bids for the ₹197.14 crore development and construction of the Gyaspur Depot for the Ahmedabad Metro Rail Project in Gujarat. The package covers depot infrastructure, an Operations Control Centre, and associated electrical and mechanical works. Bid submission closes on 20 November 2026.

Anthony Loke said the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is projected to generate RM418 million in operating revenue from passenger and cargo services by 2029.

Malaysia has approved funding for preliminary work to extend the under-construction East Coast Rail Link by 32km to the Thai border.

BBG Infrastructure won a ₹137.93 crore DMRC contract to design and construct seven elevated metro stations and a foot overbridge for Delhi Metro Phase 4. The tender had two bidders, but only BBG qualified technically. The work period is 660 days.

At Austria’s Wels intermodal terminal, two new gantry cranes have been erected and are now in technical installation. The €68 million, ÖBB- and EU-financed upgrade also adds extended tracks, a longer crane runway, video gates and automated truck entry/exit, with completion expected in mid-2027.

VIA Rail will provide free train travel for young patients and families to six children’s hospitals in Ontario and Quebec under a three-year partnership with Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations. The program builds on a similar London, Ontario collaboration launched in April 2026.

The European Commission approved €29.3 million in German state aid for a new intermodal freight terminal at Stolberg Hauptbahnhof near Aachen. The terminal, part of the Euregio Railport project, is planned to open in 2035 and handle 740-metre freight trains, supporting rail freight flows to and from Benelux ports.

Hitachi Rail marked the opening of the first operational section of Chennai Metro Phase II, a 15 km, 11-station elevated corridor powered by its CBTC signalling for GoA4 driverless operation. The wider Phase II signalling contract, awarded in 2023, covers 119 km of metro lines.

KORAIL won the 2026 UIC Sustainability Impact Awards’ Modal Shift category for its “Love Regional Rail Travel” initiative, which promotes rail tourism with local partners and a 50% fare discount. The programme launched in August 2024 and had about 470,000 passengers by July 2026.

SRI Rail Invest ordered a Vectron Dual Mode locomotive for delivery in late 2027 or early 2028. In a separate deal, it arranged financing for Projektbahn to acquire former ICE 2 vehicles from DB Fernverkehr.

Schneider National will shift its primary eastern US intermodal rail service from CSX to Norfolk Southern under an agreement announced on 29 October 2026. Freight is expected to move in November 2026, and Norfolk Southern says it has been preparing terminal capacity and track adjustments for the added traffic.

UIC said it will participate in COP31 to promote rail’s role in climate action, focusing on carbon-credit methodologies and including rail in national adaptation planning. It also highlighted the MoveCredits Coalition and joint work with UITP and Alstom on rail and public transport climate finance and resilience.

A commentary says Alstom shares fell sharply after two profit warnings, with the company still weighed down by delayed projects, cost overruns and integration issues after the Bombardier Transportation deal. It says another warning cannot be ruled out as the new CEO prepares a future strategy update in 2027.

The Transport Minister said the East Coast Rail Link is projected to generate RM418 million in operating revenue from passenger and cargo services by 2029.

Southeastern held its annual Remembrance Service in Dover on 4 November, with veterans, cadets and railway colleagues attending. The operator also reminded veterans, serving personnel and bereaved family members that they can travel to Remembrance services for free.

The Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway in Middlesex will run Santa Specials on 12-13 and 19-20 December, with tickets booked in advance. The article also notes the railway won a 2023 HRA Infrastructure Award for a new coach shed and maintenance facility.