ASTANA. September 10. KAZINFORM On September 10, U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan Richard Hoagland and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy President Askar Mamin will sign a $655,188 grant to improve the country's rail system; Kazinform refers to the US Embassy in Astana.

The grant, awarded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ - Kazakhstan Railways), will fund a feasibility study for new signaling and communications systems on three railway corridors covering 1356 kilometers (km). 

Improved train control and signaling systems allow for safer and more efficient operation of railway networks.  This has become increasingly important in Kazakhstan, which is Central Asia's largest economy and a hub for rail traffic between China and Europe.  The grant also will help KTZ achieve its future goals, as it pursues a recently announced program to increase its network high-speed rail lines. 

USTDA will also host a delegation of KTZ officials to the United States in November, and provide them the opportunity to observe the latest U.S. rail-sector technology.  The delegation will meet with U.S. government and private-sector rail experts, and visit rail facilities in Washington, DC, Chicago, IL, and Pueblo, CO.