Nordic Re-Finance has arranged for one of the 25 RC4 locomotives it has acquired from Sweden’s Green Cargo to carry Amtrak livery. When RC4-1166 was first produced in 1976 it was sent to the USA for six months of testing between New York and Washington. Manufacturer ASEA was subsequently selected to supply Amtrak’s AEM-7 locomotives.
Henri Poupart-Lafarge has decided not to seek a fourth term as CEO of Alstom at the end of his current term, which expires at the General Meeting called to approve the financial statements for the financial year ending 31 March 2027. The board has begun the process of identifying his successor to ensure a smooth transition.
Leasing company Railpool’s Italian branch in Savona has moved to a larger office to accommodate its expanding team.
Ted Baun has joined The Greenbrier Companies’ North American Commercial Team as Senior Vice-President, and will become Chief Commercial Officer in January 2026 when Tim Schitter retires. Baun was the Chief Commercial Officer for PNW Railcars, and spent 23 years at FreightCar America and its predecessor Johnstown America, including 11 years as Chief Commercial Officer.
European Sleeper passengers can now use the Moovit app to plan and pay for their night train journeys. Purchase and validation uses Distribusion’s ticketing network.
Eurofima has released an updated Green Bond Framework to reflect the latest regulatory developments and best practices. This extends the use of proceeds to PSO rail freight and urban and suburban transport, and other types of propulsion such as bi-mode, battery or green hydrogen. On May 14 it issued a €400m green bond with a 15-year maturity, with BNP Paribas, Deutsche Bank, Rabobank and NatWest Markets as joint lead managers. This attracted more than 120 investors.
Finland’s national railway VR Group has signed a new €200m committed revolving credit facility agreement to strengthen its liquidity. The co-ordinating lead arranger was Danske Bank, with Nordea, OP Corporate Bank and SEB as other lead arrangers. The agreement matures in the second quarter of 2028, with two one-year extension options, and replaces a €200m agreement signed in June 2021. It is tied to VR’s sustainability targets, with indicators derived from scope 1 and 2 emissions and Scope 3 emissions excluding category 11 emissions. ‘The linking of the revolving credit facility agreement to VR’s science-based targets is a concrete indication that we are committed to ambitious emission reduction targets’, said Group Treasurer Janne Runsamo. ‘VR intends to halve its emissions by 2032 and aim for net zero emissions by 2040.’