Dear Readers
We are exhibiting at this year at CORE 2026 which will take place in Adelaide, South Australia at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
CORE 2026 returns to Adelaide from 17–19 August, bringing together the best minds across the rail sector for Australasia’s premier technical rail conference. Proudly presented by the RTSA, CORE continues its long-standing tradition of showcasing high-quality, peer-reviewed technical content alongside practical insights that shape the future of rail.
Our Stand is Number 12 so if you are in attendance, please drop by and say hello!
And for more information and to register to attend, visit: https://www.rtsa.com.au/
And it’s a bumper week for Job of the Week this week. In Hong Kong we are looking for 2x Project Planners (1 for Signalling and 1 for AFC and MCS) for a 4-month contract and in India, we are looking for a General Manager to work for a rail manufacturing group.
Best Regards
Rail Personnel
Rail News
14 July 2026. Singapore. Metro opening takes Singapore passengers round in circles
The continuous loop of the metro network’s Circle Line was completed with the opening of the final stage of the 30-year project on July 12. The 4.3 km Stage 6 has closed the gap between Harbour Front and Marina Bay, adding underground stations at Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road which were named following a public vote.
Source: Railway Gazette
14 July 2026. Vietnam. Consortium appointed to deliver five metro projects in Hanoi
The Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board appointed the consortium of property developer Vinhomes and the VinSpeed subsidiary of industrial conglomerate Vingroup on June 23 to carry out the design, procurement and construction of five metro lines totalling 267 km. The city held a project launch ceremony for the various lines on the same day as the consortium was named, although all five routes remain in the planning phase. The authorities also updated their development plans.
Source: Railway Gazette
13 July 2026. Philippines. Full steam ahead: Gov’t fast-tracks $30 billion rail expansion
The government has approved 12 major rail developments valued at over $30 billion, aiming to reverse decades of underinvestment in the mass transit sector. Of the 12 approved projects, seven are currently under construction, one has been completed, and six are expected to begin operations within the next seven years, according to Transportation Undersecretary for Railways Timothy John Batan. The pipeline comprises fully electric railway systems, which Batan said aligns with state efforts to shift toward cleaner infrastructure.
Source: Bilyonaryo
13 July 2026. Germany. RAILONE invests in next-generation concrete sleeper plant in Nuremberg
RAILONE GmbH has unveiled plans to construct a new, state-of-the-art concrete sleeper plant in the Nuremberg harbour area, reinforcing its long-term commitment to the German and wider European rail market. The new facility, to be located on Triester Straße, marks a significant milestone in the company’s continued growth strategy and modernisation agenda.
A sleeper storage yard is already operational at the site, which will form part of an expanded 42,000 square metre footprint once the new production plant is delivered.
Source: Rail Technology Magazine
Work is now officially underway to transform Barking Eurohub into a modern international rail freight hub, marking a significant milestone in the Government’s ambition to grow rail freight and reinstate direct cross-Channel services via the Channel Tunnel.
Located on a 40-acre site in east London, Barking Eurohub is being redeveloped into a fully operational international intermodal freight facility. Once complete, it will play a central role in handling traffic between the UK and key European markets including France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Source: Rail Technology Magazine
Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), under the Ministry of Railways has awarded ₹263 crore contract to Siemens for the overhead rail electrification work of the 102 km Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line in Uttarakhand. This was announced on Monday, 13 July 2026 via an official press release by Siemens. The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line is a new broad-gauge railway totaling 125 km, with extensive tunneling (over 100 km of tunnels) through the Himalayas. It is expected to significantly reduce travel time and improve access to Uttarakhand’s religious and tourist destinations.
Source: Metro Rail News
13 July 2026. Spain. First Fully-Automated Line 6 Metro Trains Presented in Madrid
The President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, has presented the first of 48 new automated trains destined to operate across the city’s Metro Line 6 from 2027. Currently under renovation, the line will soon become the first to utilise fully automated technology across the entire network, with testing set to begin later this summer. Thus far, more than 531 million EUR has been allocated to the project, which is expected to increase overall transport capacity by up to 70%, as well as increase service frequency to every two minutes.
Source: Railway News
13 July 2026. Japan. Hitachi Rail wins prestigious award for sustainability performance
Hitachi Rail has been awarded the prestigious EcoVadis Platinum Medal, placing the company among the top 1% of businesses assessed globally by EcoVadis over the past 12 months. This recognition highlights the strength and maturity of Hitachi Rail’s sustainability management system and reflects the company’s continued commitment to responsible business practices, environmental stewardship, ethical conduct, and supply chain transparency. The EcoVadis Platinum Medal is the highest level of recognition granted by EcoVadis, one of the most trusted providers of business sustainability ratings.
Source: Rail UK
13 July 2026. India. MahaRail unveiled 9 key infrastructure projects in Maharashtra
MahaRail (Maharashtra Rail Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited) officially unveiled 9 key infrastructure projects across six districts of Maharashtra on Sunday, July 12, 2026. These projects represented a combined investment of approximately ₹484 crore. The inaugural ceremony was planned and executed as a dual-format event, combining physical attendance with a state-wide virtual broadcast at the newly constructed Deepti Signal Road Over Bridge (ROB) in Nagpur. The Chief Guest of the ceremony was Nitin Gadkari (Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways), while the Presiding Guest was Devendra Fadnavis (Chief Minister of Maharashtra).
Source: Metro Rail News
Hitachi Rail has expanded its deployment of the European Train Control System (ETCS) Level 2 across South East Queensland (SEQ). The work has extended digital signalling works to the section of the Gold Coast line between Kuraby and Beenleigh stations. The project is being delivered in partnership with the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads and Queensland Rail as part of the ongoing modernisation of the SEQ rail network. More than 200 kilometres of passenger rail corridors across the region are being upgraded with digital signalling technology.
Source: Railway News
Job of the Week
Project Planner, Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Job ID#: 15454
Discipline: Planner
Language: Cantonese, English
Positions Available: 2
Job Description:
Our client is seeking 2x Project Planners for different bids (1 for Signalling and 1 for AFC & MCS) for 4-month contract to work from their office in Hong Kong.
The Project Planner is responsible for provision of accurate, integrated and meaningful bid planning information to the management team and key stakeholders. This encompasses; monitoring, analyzing and reporting for bid project schedules to ensure that information is used in bid decision-making based upon the status of the most up to date schedule. The information provided to review and report the status of the bid must be based on auditable, controlled and managed data.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop, maintain and control integrated bid programmes in Primavera P6, ensuring alignment with bid strategy, NEC4 contract requirements, customer deliverables, and client's governance.
- Produce tender schedules incorporating contractual milestones, deliverables, procurement activities, engineering, installation, testing and commissioning activities, together with internal approval and submission milestones.
- Coordinate the development of resource-loaded and cost-loaded bid programmes, ensuring consistency with the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), cost estimates and bid assumptions.
- Analyse programme logic, interfaces and dependencies to identify critical path activities, schedule risks and key delivery constraints.
- Provide schedule and resource analysis to support bid management reviews, tender strategies and decision-making, recommending mitigation and recovery actions where required.
- Prepare and maintain bid progress, resource and planning reports, including schedule forecasts, milestone achievement and performance metrics.
- Support the application of Earned Value Management (EVM) principles and schedule performance analysis where required by the bid or contract.
- Conduct resource loading, levelling and capacity analysis to ensure the proposed delivery plan is achievable and aligned with organizational resource availability.
- Establish, maintain and manage bid schedule baselines and ensure all programme revisions are controlled through the approved change management process.
- Support risk and opportunity management activities by assessing schedule impacts and integrating mitigation actions into bid programmes.
- Ensure planning deliverables comply with client procedures, customer requirements, NEC4 contractual obligations and industry best practices.
- Participate in tender reviews, customer presentations and bid assurance activities, providing subject matter expertise on planning, scheduling and programme delivery.
- Undertake other duties consistent with the role of Planner as required to support business development and tendering activities.
Job Requirements:
Demonstrated experience in bid planning and scheduling for major infrastructure, rail, transportation projects preferred but not a must.
Advanced proficiency in Primavera P6.
Working knowledge of NEC4 contracts, including programme requirements and contract deliverables.
Experience in critical path analysis, resource planning, cost loading and schedule risk assessment.
Excellent communication and analytical skills to convey planning information to a variety of stakeholders.
Ability to establish and meet deadlines, multi-task and prioritize without the requirement for regular direct supervision.
Contact: David Hyland (davidh@railpersonnel.com)
Business Head / General Manager, Nagpur, India
Job ID#: 15455
Discipline: Rolling Stock
Language: English
Job Description:
Our client is a leading engineering and manufacturing company, and they are seeking an experienced Business Head to lead Railway Automatic Door Systems division for rolling stock applications, including Main Entrance Doors, Inter-Compartment (IC) Doors, and Cab Doors.
This role will be based in Nagpur, India.
Duties/Responsibilities:
Strategic Leadership
- Define and implement business strategies for growth and profitability.
- Build strong relationships with OEMs, railway authorities, and key stakeholders.
Technical & Operational Oversight
- Oversee manufacturing processes to ensure efficiency and adherence to standards.
- Monitor procurement activities and vendor development for timely material availability.
- Supervise stores and inventory control systems for optimal stock management.
- Ensure robust Material and Production Planning for smooth operations and timely deliveries.
- Implement and monitor Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) systems.
- Oversee testing protocols and compliance with railway safety and certification requirements.
Sales & Marketing
- Develop and execute sales strategies to achieve revenue targets.
- Identify new business opportunities and manage key accounts.
Finance & HR
- Manage budgeting, cost control, and basic financial reporting.
- Supervise HR functions including team development and resource planning.
Technology & Systems
- Utilize SAP/ERP systems for procurement, inventory, and production planning.
- Ensure compliance with industry standards and safety regulations.
Job Requirements:
The ideal candidate will combine strong business leadership with knowledge and experience in overseeing manufacturing, procurement, stores, inventory control, material and production planning, quality assurance/control, and testing processes for door systems, ensuring operational excellence and compliance with railway standards. Past experience in the field of manufacturing door systems is highly preferable.
- Bachelor's in Engineering (Mechanical/Electrical/Industrial); MBA preferred.
- Minimum 12–15 years in Railway Rolling Stock or related industry.
- Proven experience in overseeing manufacturing, procurement, stores, inventory control, material and production planning, quality assurance/control, and testing of automatic door systems or similar products.
- Past Experience in the manufacturing of door systems is highly preferable.
Competencies Required:
- Technical Oversight in Manufacturing, Procurement, Material & Production Planning, QA/QC & Testing
- Strategic Thinking & Business Acumen
- Operational Excellence
- Customer Orientation
- Team Leadership & Development
Contact: Rajni Tewani (rajni@railpersonnel.com)
