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Breaking News
Train timetable blamed for traffic and safety hazard
METRO'S new train timetable has throttled traffic flow in Cheltenham, as train drivers wait at the station for minutes at a time to keep pace with the slower schedule, forcing the boom gates on the nearby main road to stay shut until after they move on.
Drivers say the enforced delay has created a public hazard, as they regularly watch pedestrians dart across the level crossing on busy Charman Road rather than wait for the boom gates to reopen.
Rio to spend $US3.4b on Pilbara expansion
Rio Tinto will spend $US3.4 billion ($3.16 billion) expanding its iron ore operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region.
Rio shares were recently down 1 per cent, or 69 cents, at $70.32.
The miner will spend $US2.2 billion on work to extend the life of its Nammuldi mine and $US1.2 billion on early works needed for the expansion of the Cape Lambert port and rail facilities, the company said today in a statement.
The revised Rio expansion figures came as rival BHP Billiton announced a small drop in half-year profit to just under $US10 billion. BHP's iron ore divsion accounted for about half of its profit.
Rail race to Galilee Basin
RURAL landholders across a vast stretch of Central Queensland from Alpha to Bowen are contemplating yet another player in the race to establish a rail corridor to transport coal out of the state's next big coal-mining hub, the Galilee Basin.
This week Queensland Co-ordinator General Keith Davies declared QR National's Central Queensland Integrated Rail Project (CQIRP) a "significant project". It is now subject to completion of an environmental impact assessment and economic feasibility studies.
On Tuesday, mining magnate Clive Palmer took to Twitter to confirm he is launching an $8 billion lawsuit against QR National for "breach of confidentiality and misleading conduct" over the rail project.
Quiet carriages trial for Sydney train commuters
Long-haul Sydney train commuters are to be offered the silent treatment, with CityRail to trial "quiet carriages" where passengers are asked to keep the noise down.
The front and back carriages of trains travelling to Sydney from Newcastle and Gosford will be designated quiet areas from next Monday.
New South Wales Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian says if the three-month trial is a success, it could become a permanent feature across Sydney's rail network.
Aust boss of UK rail firm gives up bonus
The Australian chief executive of Britain's Network Rail says he and his directors have decided not to take any bonuses and to allocate the money to safety improvements instead.
The executives have been under political pressure not to receive any extra money this year amid a huge row over bonuses for banking and other bosses in the UK.
The company's Australian chief executive Sir David Higgins said on Monday: "I and my directors decided last week that we would forego any entitlement and instead allocate the money to the safety improvement fund for level crossings. I can confirm that remains our intention."
News in brief
Safety 'not jeopardised' with Waratah deal
A deal to prop up the Reliance Rail consortium with an injection of $175 million won't jeopardise safety checks on the state's long-delayed Waratah trains, the NSW government says.
The public-private partnership signed by the former Labor government has been beset by delays and despite an initial 2010 delivery date for all 78 of the trains, only six are in service.
The government announced on Monday that in 2018 it would invest $175 million in the debt-laden Reliance Rail, to keep the $3.6 billion Waratah train project afloat.
North West Rail Link's Hills Centre station under review
AN UPDATED proposal for the North West Rail Link's Hills Centre station could preserve the Castle Hill Showground.
Two options are being considered for the station's location after community feedback supported protecting the showground site.
Detailed railway station design plans are expected to be released after July.
But Castle Hill and Hills Agricultural Society president Peter Gooch, who recently met Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian, said the northern option could see the Hills Centre station built in the vicinity of the showground's cattle rings.
A number of pavilions would also be affected.
Mr Gooch said this could effectively destroy the integrity and functionality of the showground.
Bradken delivers 65 per cent profit leap
Mining and rail equipment manufacturer Bradken says its first-half profit is up 65 per cent and its full-year expectations remain unchanged.
The company on Tuesday reported a net profit of $43.05 million for the half year to December 31, up 65.6 per cent on the same period a year earlier.
It said the booming mining sector had seen demand for Bradken products reach historically high levels, with the company expanding operations in Australia, North America and Asia.
Rail services return to normal after Bletchley derailment
A "normal working service" has resumed on the West Coast mainline in Buckinghamshire, say Network Rail.
The line was closed for more than 12 hours on Friday after a freight train engine derailed at 02:30 GMT in Bletchley.
It had been partially reopened on Friday afternoon after initial repairs were carried out.
Israel approvs key rail link of 'interest' to India
Israel on Monday approved the construction of the first rail link between its Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, offering a new Asia-Europe trade route to compete with the Suez Canal, a project in which India is also said to have evinced interest.
The so called proposal for Red-Med train link was unanimously approved by the Israeli cabinet and its construction is likely to take about 5 years from the time of start at a cost of approximately USD 2.3 billion.