<p>Queensland Rail (QR) has secured a $36m construction contract with the Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation.</p> <p>The contract was awarded to the CHCQ joint venture, of which QR is a partner, and is to build an extension on the Lok Ma Chau spur railway line.</p> <p>The extension is designed to relieve increasing congestion on the border crossings between the Hong Kong new territories and mainland China, QR said. </p> <p>The news came as QR unveiled plans for further expansion in the global rail market through its new business division, iQR.</p> <p>At the AusRAIL PLUS 2003 conference in Sydney yesterday (Monday, November 17), QR’s chief executive, Bob Scheuber, said iQR will build on the QR’s work in international rail design and management.</p> <p>The new division will provide a range of services from design and project planning through to maintenance and asset management.</p> <p>"It will promote and sell QR’s products and services," Mr Scheuber said.</p> <p>iQR will focus on opportunities in Asia, where it believes QR’s experience of sub-tropical climates and narrow gauge rail will give it an edge.</p> <p>"We will be looking at all the big projects," Mr Scheuber said. </p> <p>QR believes it can offer a "whole package" approach, an advantage that stems from its survival as an entire state railway organisation.</p> <p>Work on the Lok Ma Chau spur line will start in the last quarter of 2004.</p> <p>It is QR’s third contract with the Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation. </p> <br />
