UIC WG1 Station & Urban Design meeting will be held online on 1 December 2026.
UIC has released IRS 30345, a new non-binding standard for procuring new rolling stock with harmonised environmental specifications. It replaces UIC Leaflet 345 and sets guidance on energy use, emissions, noise, air quality, and circularity, including raising component recyclability targets from 85% to 95%.
Ports & Rail Week 2026 will be held on 24-25 November 2026 in Durban, South Africa. The event will focus on port and rail infrastructure, intermodal connectivity, green transport, digitalization, AI, automation, PPPs, and safety in African transport corridors.
UIC will hold the 5th Global FRMCS Conference on 24–25 November 2026 in Paris. The event will cover FRMCS technical developments, V3p specifications, large-scale testing under FP2 MORANE 2, and global deployment challenges for next-generation railway communications.
Leighton Buzzard Railway in Bedfordshire has announced a lineup of 2027 heritage railway events, including a Chaloner 150th birthday celebration, Easter activities, themed family days, a beer festival, and Christmas events. Full details will be posted on its website.
UIC lists its 109 General Assembly on 4 December 2026, scheduled from 11:30 to 16:30.
Bachmann Europe announced its winter 2026 model railway releases, led by an OO-scale exclusive of LNER A2 No. 60532 Blue Peter in Express Blue. The range also includes new N and OO scale locomotives, wagons, coaches, buildings and accessories.
Robin Hood Line Community Partnership published its 2025 annual report, covering community engagement, rail safety education, station adoption, active travel, and local projects on the Nottinghamshire line. It also noted an award-winning Fusion Learning initiative and various community events and school visits.
African rail updates include a EUR 355 million Wabtec support agreement for Transnet locomotives, TAZARA’s five-year recovery plan, Ghana opening Tema–Mpakadan to private freight operators, TransNamib revising fleet renewal plans, and Algeria inviting bids for a 310 km railway section.
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.
Maersk is launching a twice-weekly intermodal rail service between Haparanda on the Swedish-Finnish border and APM Terminals Gothenburg, with plans to increase frequency to six round trips per week. The electric rail link will move containerised freight from northern Sweden and Finland to Gothenburg for onward ocean connections, including Asia.
Singapore will expand the Singapore Rail Academy’s role from November with standardised training, wider eligibility, and new certification pathways for engineers, technicians and operations staff. The changes, developed with LTA and rail operators, are meant to support MRT network expansion, upgrades and future technology adoption.
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.
Singapore will revamp its Rail Academy from November, partnering five educational institutions and consolidating training from LTA, SMRT and SBS Transit into a common curriculum. The scheme will create clearer pathways for rail workers to earn formal diplomas, degrees and new sector certifications, with WSQ certification starting in early 2027.
VIA Rail has completed a C$310 million modernization of its Toronto Maintenance Centre, adding expanded heavy-maintenance facilities and a Vehicle Equipment Measurement System for early fault detection. The federally funded project supports VIA’s new Siemens Venture Corridor fleet and existing trains.
CRRC Dalian and Temoinsa won an order in Chile for four CDA3 diesel locomotives. The locomotives have a maximum speed of 120 km/h, are intended for routine infrastructure maintenance, and will replace ageing equipment. First delivery is expected in about 18 months.
MCMC is testing internet coverage along the 378km Phase 1 East Coast Rail Link route from Gombak to Kota Baru, including 16 stations and tunnels, ahead of the Dec 12 launch. Maxis, appointed by MRL as the 4G infrastructure provider, has presented its implementation plan.
Hitachi Rail opened a new C$30 million, 125,000-square-foot headquarters and center of excellence for signalling and systems in Toronto, Canada. The facility is intended to support the company’s signalling and systems work in the Canadian market.
Australia’s ARTC reported faster Sydney–Melbourne freight times after network maintenance works. Inland Rail started track laying on the Illabo–Stockinbingal section, Queensland Rail announced freight incentives from January 2027, Western Australia advanced legislation to buy back its freight network, and Transport for NSW opened an EOI for new electric multiple units under the Future Fleet programme.
Network Rail completed drainage renewal and related maintenance on the East Coast Main Line in North Yorkshire after two weekend possessions. The programme included 300 metres of drainage at Chapman’s Bridge near Shipton, work on track, power lines and points, vegetation management, and a new bridge at Church Fenton for overhead line preparation.
Parsons, with Systra and Egis in the RMTC joint venture, has been awarded project and construction management services for the Riyadh Metro Red Line Extension in Saudi Arabia. The 8.4-km extension will add five stations and connect King Saud University to Diriyah South.
Penang’s Mutiara Line LRT Macallum–Penang Sentral alignment, including a 5.5km marine bridge across the Penang Strait, is scheduled to start construction in 3Q2027 after MRT Corp completes tender evaluation this month. The alignment is targeted for completion by December 2031.
Alstom cut its 2026/27 outlook after production delays and technical issues on the Coradia Max platform and other German projects. First-half adjusted EBIT margin was about -4%, free cash flow was negative EUR 1.25 billion, and full-year rail vehicle production guidance was reduced to about 4,000.
The Mutiara Line LRT link from Macallum to Penang Sentral, including a 5.5 km marine bridge across the Penang Strait, is expected to start construction in Q3 2027 after MRT Corp completes tender evaluation this month. Completion is targeted for December 2031.
Network Rail will spend £1.75m to renew 1,300 metres of track, sleepers and ballast on a bridge between Rishton and Accrington in East Lancashire. The East Lancashire line will close on 22, 28 and 29 November, with rail replacement buses operating during the work.