On the effective date of 1st April 2018, the Railpool group acquired all shares in the company northrail technical service (NTS), a workshop operation for rolling stock based in Hamburg-Billbrook, from the Paribus group. Ongoing activities under existing contracts will continue unchanged under the new owner. The workshop will in future operate under the name Railpool Lok-Service.
Source: Paribus & Railpool press release 12.04.2018

On 9th April 2018, Lower Silesian regional rail transport company Koleje Dolnoslaskie (KD) and the Polish centre for EU-funded transport projects CUPT signed a funding contract for the acquisition of 11 new multiple-unit trains. Accordingly, KD is to receive EUR 20.2 million (PLN 85.1 million) out of total costs of EUR 49.8 million. The plans foresee the acquisition of five four-car electric multiple units (EMU) and six diesel multiple units (DMU), which are planned to be deployed for services in the greater Wroclaw area. The EMUs are planned to operate on the Wroclaw - Laskowice - Jelcz line, while the DMUs will operate on the Trzebnica - Wroclaw - Kobierzyce - Sobótka Zachodnia line. Koleje Malopolskie, the Lesser Poland operator, is to receive EUR 7.8 million according to the contract for the procurement of four EMUs for the suburban rail network in Krakow. The total costs are likely to amount to EUR 21 million.
Source: CUPT press release 09.04.2018

Turkish state railway TCDD has signed a contract for the delivery of ten high-speed trains (HST) of type Velaro with Siemens, which submitted the most favourable bid in the tendering process. The contract is worth around EUR 340 million and also includes maintenance, repair and cleaning of the vehicles for a period of three years. With this order, the Turkish Velaro fleet will grow to 17 HSTs.
Source: Siemens press release 13.04.2018

VIA Rail has awarded Cad Railway Industries (CRI) a EUR 29.5 million (CAD 46 million) contract to upgrade 25 passenger coaches used on The Canadian service between Toronto and Vancouver. The stainless steel coaches dating from the 1950s will be completely refurbished and transformed in order to better meet passengers' present and future needs and extend their service life by more than ten years. The scope includes updating the interior design, improving seat comfort, making the cars ready for future Wi-Fi deployment, mechanical upgrades, renewing the heating systems as well as replacing various electrical components. The works will be carried out over the next two years.
Source: VIA Rail press release 10.04.2018