Everything we read, routed to your cluster

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.

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.

ÖBB and SBB extended their passenger rail cooperation to 2036, covering more than 30 daily direct services and six night train routes from Zürich. Passenger numbers on the joint services have grown strongly over the past decade, alongside ÖBB’s rollout of new Siemens-built Nightjet trains.

Freightliner has introduced a new logo after CMA CGM completed its acquisition of the UK intermodal business on 29 January 2026. The deal covered rail and road operations, inland terminals and the Freightliner brand, while heavy haul, Rotterdam Rail Feeding, and operations in Poland and Germany were excluded.

An opinion piece says the ECRL is nearing a defining moment in Malaysia, with passenger service due to start on 12 December 2026. It highlights expected travel-time savings, dynamic fare pricing, concessions and the importance of first- and last-mile connectivity around stations.

CSX expanded its Chambersburg intermodal terminal after volumes rose from 159,000 units in 2023 to 192,000 in 2025. The railway added a rubber-tyred gantry crane, two reach stackers and more parking space, and is now enlarging the maintenance facility. Further expansion options are under review.

Premium PSU will present its full auxiliary and services power conversion range for rolling stock at InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, including AC/DC supplies, DC/DC converters, inverters, VFDs and DC-UPS. The products are engineered to EN 50155 and related railway standards and built in Barcelona.

The article argues that rotary vane compressors outperform rotary screw compressors in rail use because vane units self-adjust, maintain efficiency, and better tolerate vibration, temperature swings and contamination. It claims screw compressors lose efficiency and need more frequent bearing overhauls.

TRC Synergy said its subsidiary has a 30% interest in a joint venture awarded the RM2.69 billion Penang LRT CMC2 package. The five-year contract covers design and construction of a 5.5km sea-crossing viaduct, a navigation span, an elevated station and related works for the Mutiara Line.

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.

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.

A Southco guide explains monitor mounts, torque control methods, and selection factors such as weight, vibration, safety factor, and end-use environment for applications including kiosks, vehicles, and industrial equipment.

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.

UIC released a report on how liberalisation affects high-speed rail affordability, using Spain as the main case study and comparing Italy, France and Germany. It finds lower average fares, wider service choice and higher ridership in Spain, while stressing that results depend on local market and regulatory conditions.

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.

Kelantan plans industrial and logistics development around the ECRL station in Cherang Tuli, Pasir Puteh, including processing industries, warehousing, a logistics hub and a proposed dry port in Bandar Baru Tok Bali. The state also wants supporting roads, distribution centres and last-mile logistics facilities.

Severn Valley Railway will host Class 55 Deltic D9015 Tulyar from 13 to 16 May 2027 during its Spring Diesel Festival, marking 40 years since the line’s first diesel gala. The locomotive returned to passenger service in 2026 after a 30-year restoration.

At InnoTrans 2026 in Berlin, SOGECLAIR TRAINING & SIMULATION presented Oksygen® and LITE, simulation tools for driver and operator training. The platforms use real infrastructure data, digital twins, 2D/3D modelling and portable hardware to support training, assessment and operational readiness.

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.

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’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 describes rail-related climate work under COP action plans on freight modal shift, urban transport, and infrastructure resilience. It cites a new study on National Adaptation Plans showing rail is often mentioned but rarely backed by costs or funding, and says COP31 discussions will address green freight corridors and carbon markets.

UIC will hold its 9th Zero Waste Workshop in Paris and online on 19 January 2027 on critical raw materials and rail resilience. The event will discuss rail supply-chain dependencies, circular economy approaches, and draft EU Agency for Railways findings on circular economy in rail.

Amtrak has launched its Winter Wanderlust sale, offering up to 30% off fares on U.S. routes for travel between 1 December 2026 and 14 March 2027. The sale runs until 12 November and applies to Coach and Acela Business Class bookings.

Kelantan says the ECRL station at Cherang Tuli, Pasir Puteh, will be supported by industrial, logistics and warehousing development, including a proposed dry port in Bandar Baru Tok Bali, to create jobs and local business opportunities.