Saft to supply batteries for MRS
Saft Batteries recently announced that it has won an order from Brazilian company MRS Logistica to supply specialized SRX onboard battery systems.
Brazil
Salvador light rail consultation under way
The Secretariat for Urban Development in the Brazilian state of Bahia has launched a public consultation on a PPP project to build, operate and maintain an 18.5km (11.5-mile) light rail line in the state capital of Salvador.
Salvador opens second metro line
The Brazilian city of Salvador opened the initial section of its second metro line on Dec. 5, when passenger services began operating on the 2.2 kilometer (1.37 mile) three-station western section of Line 2 from Accesso Norte station on Line 1 to Detran and Rodoviária.
Rumo obtains $US 1.1bn loan from BNDES
Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) has agreed to lend Reais 3.5bn ($US 1.1 billion) to rail and port operator Rumo Logistics in order to fund part of its 2015-2018 investment program.
Sao Paulo Line 9 expansion delayed
The 4.5-kilometer (2.8-mile) extension of São Paulo’s suburban Line 9, which will connect the district of Grajaú to the Varginha tunnel, has been further delayed until 2018 after Sao Paulo commuter rail operator CPTM ceased contracts with the two consortiums responsible for building the extension.
Testing begins on Salvador Metro Line 2
Construction of the second phase of the metro network in the Brazilian city of Salvador (Metrô de Salvador, commonly called Metrô) reached a milestone on Sept. 29 with the start of dynamic testing on east-west Line 2.
Operating license granted for Brazilian mineral line
Brazilian mining giant Vale has obtained a 10-year operating license from the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Natural Resources (Ibama) for a rail link to the new Carajás Serra Sul (S11D) mine in the state of Pará.
São Paulo plans metro privatisation
The governor of the Brazilian state of São Paulo, Geraldo Alckmin, says he wants to privatize six of the nine existing or planned metro and monorail lines serving the city of São Paulo, which represents about 60% of the network.
Brazil’s capital commissions commuter rail study
Brazil’s National Land Transport Agency (ANTT) has awarded two consortia contracts to carry out feasibility studies for a commuter rail link running south from the capital Brasilia to Luziânia in the state of Goiás.
São Paulo metro Line 4 Phase 2 contract awarded
The government of the Brazilian state of São Paulo announced on June 7 that TC-Linha 4 Amarela, a consortium of Comsa and Tiisa Infraestrutura e Investimentos, has been selected to complete the second phase of metro Line 4.