Comment: Modal shift still key to rail’s green agenda
In the transport sector, the urge to decarbonise is manifesting itself in an increasingly frenetic push for the roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell and battery technology to replace internal combustion in everything from cars to small aircraft. These offer significant potential for decarbonising rail too, but they should not be prioiritised over the need to deliver modal shift from ore polluting forms of mobility, argues our Managing Editor Nick Kingsley.
Rail Freight Energy & Emissions Calculation tool to help optimise performance
UK: Funding has been awarded for the development of a low-cost tool allowing train operators and their customers estimate accurately the emissions produced by different traction, route and loading options in order to assess the benefits of modal shift to rail.
CP set to acquire 117 EMUs in ‘largest ever’ procurement
PORTUGAL: The Council of Ministers has approved investment worth €819m to enable national passenger operator CP to call tenders for 117 regional and suburban EMUs, of which €617m would come from EU grants.
Africa: Traxtion eyes growth potential
New investment opportunities are opening up in the African rail sector, and as the continent’s largest private freight operator Traxtion wants to lead the charge, CEO James Holley tells Chris Jackson.
Vossloh expands in the Netherlands with acquisition of ETS Spoor
NETHERLANDS: Vossloh signed an agreement to acquire ETS Spoor on July 26, saying the rail infrastructure component and services company is an ‘established and leading’ business in the ‘technologically sophisticated and highly innovative’ Dutch market where Vossloh sees ‘outstanding’ growth prospects.
Brno selects ‘grand and human, monumental and tangible’ design for new main station
CZECH REPUBLIC: The city of Brno has selected a team of Benthem Crouwel Architects and urban design company West 8 as the winner of an international competition to design a new main station in the Trnitá urban redevelopment area. Completion is envisaged in 2032-35 at a cost of €1·8bn.
Collapsed bridge replaced in two days
RUSSIA: A bridge on the trans-Siberian line has been replaced within two days of being destroyed by flooding.
