Urban rail industry news round-up

This week's global urban transport developments highlight significant infrastructure expansions and fleet modernizations across major metropolitan networks. Key projects include the commencement of the Delhi Metro’s Central Vista Corridor extension and the introduction of new Kawasaki rolling stock on New York City’s Subway system. These updates reflect a broader industry trend toward enhancing passenger capacity and integrating advanced contactless payment technologies to streamline transit operations.

In India, the Delhi Metro Rail Corp (DMRC) has officially started construction on the 9.9 km Central Vista Corridor extension of the Magenta Line, which will connect Janakpuri West to RK Ashram Marg via nine underground stations. This project includes transforming the Central Secretariat station into a triple interchange for the Magenta, Yellow, and Violet lines, facilitating better access to government and judicial institutions. Meanwhile, in Spain, ADIF awarded a €15.2m contract to Aldesa Construcción for the rehabilitation of the Soto del Real station to support Madrid’s C-4b suburban route extension, featuring new platforms, canopies, and a bike lane.

Fleet modernization is progressing in North America, where New York City Transit has deployed Kawasaki R211A trains on the D/6th Avenue Express service to replace aging R68 cars from the 1980s. At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the first four of 63 Alstom Innovia APM R vehicles have entered service, enabling more frequent operations for the Plane Train peoplemover. On the technology front, Melbourne has introduced 'tap and go' contactless payments on its tram network, and Taipei Metro now accepts JCB contactless payments, joining Kaohsiung, Taoyuan, and Taichung in eliminating the need for physical smart cards or tickets.

In the procurement sector, Masabi has secured a co-operative purchasing contract with Sourcewell, providing US and Canadian transit agencies with a streamlined route to adopt modern fare payment systems through pre-negotiated competitive rates. This move aims to bypass lengthy direct procurement processes for public agencies by leveraging national buying power. Additionally, København metro authority Metroselskabet has appointed Jacob Eberholst, formerly of Implement Consulting Group and the city council, as its new Chief Financial Officer. These administrative and procurement shifts underscore the industry's focus on financial efficiency and modernized service delivery.