Freight news – Page 141
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NewsGotthard Base Tunnel freight tests begin
" src="https://d1x8q5iq3n6y12.cloudfront.net/CMS/s3/dvv-library/web/import/pics/tn_ch-gotthard-base-tunnel-first-freight-train-test.jpg?w=660" />SWITZERLAND: Testing of freight rolling stock in the 57 km Gotthard Base Tunnel began on January 16, when project promoter AlpTransit Gotthard and SBB Cargo undertook trials with a variety of wagon types including two rolling motorway lorry-carrying vehicles. Further tests over the coming weeks will assess vehicle ...
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NewsRing of Fire railway planned to Big Daddy and Black Horse
CANADA: Mining exploration company KWG Resources Inc is negotiating a deal for China Railway First Survey & Design Institute Group Co to undertake a feasibility study for the construction and financing of a proposed 328 km multi-user railway which would link mineral deposits in the remote Ring of Fire region ...
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NewsArriva and Schenker sell-off decision delayed
GERMANY: Plans announced last July for the possible part-privatisation of Deutsche Bahn subsidiaries DB Arriva and DB Schenker Logistics are in doubt following government indications that it is unhappy with DB’s proposals. DB had hoped to raise up to €4∙5bn from a sale that could be set against its debt ...
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NewsLeasing company VTG completes refinancing
EUROPE: Wagon leasing and logistics company VTG announced on January 12 that it had refinanced a large proportion of its existing bank loans, concluding new financial agreements for €1·2bn or about two-thirds of its total financial liabilities with an international consortium of 12 banks led by KfW IPEX-Bank and UniCredit. ...
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NewsBrunswick Rail reviews business amid downturn
RUSSIA: Brunswick Rail Ltd has appointed Houlihan Lokey (Europe) Ltd as financial advisor to support a strategic review of its capital structure in response to what it the leasing company sees as ‘fundamental and permanent changes’ to the Russian market brought about by falling traffic volumes, declining lease rates and ...
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NewsTraxx AC Last Mile on test in Croatia
CROATIA: A Bombardier Traxx AC3 Last Mile locomotive owned by leasing company Railpool has been tested in Croatia, with the aim of obtaining certification for operation during the first quarter of 2016. Static testing was followed by dynamic tests which focused on performance under different braking modes. On December ...
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NewsHandheld vehicle tag reader introduced
RFID: Mobile computing specialist Trimble has introduced a rugged, handheld computer with an integrated UHF capability designed to read RFID vehicle tags. The Juno T41 R-AEI is able to read simultaneously the AEI tags used in North America and Australia as well as the EPC tags used by European railways ...
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NewsLotos Kolej orders last-mile Griffins
POLAND: Open access freight operator Lotos Kolej has placed the first series-build order for Griffin electric locomotives from Newag, placing a contract on December 23 for an initial build of five locos valued at 56·2m złoty. Designated E4DCU-DP, the four-axle locomotives will be a 3 kV DC variant of the ...
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NewsTouax acquires 2 000 GE wagons
EUROPE: Leasing company Touax announced on December 21 that its Touax Rail subsidiary had acquired approximately 2 000 wagons from GE Rail Services GmbH, GE Capital Rail Services Ltd and GE Capital Rail Ltd. Touax said the vehicles it had acquired were ‘complementary’ to those it already manages; they ...
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NewsOman Rail phase two approved
OMAN: A royal decree issued on December 20 declared the second phase of the planned 2 135 km national railway project to be a public utility project. The decree grants powers for land acquisition for Phase 2, which would run south to Fahud from a connection with the Al Aïn ...
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NewsBNDES funds VLI rolling stock
BRAZIL: Federal development bank BNDES has approved funding of R$587⋅8m for the acquisition of 16 diesel locomotives and 1 916 wagons by freight operator VLI Multimodal. BNDES is to provide R$392⋅9m directly, and Banco Safra R$195m. By acquiring new rolling stock in 2016, VLI is looking to increase freight capacity ...
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NewsNuclear Decommissioning Authority orders flask wagons
UK: The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority has awarded Nottinghamshire-based wagon builder WH Davis Ltd a contract to supply five new-generation nuclear flask carriers for use on the national rail network. The new vehicles are intended to replace the existing Type FNA flask carriers, and the NDA requires them be certified in ...
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NewsAustralia runs 1 250 m long grain train
AUSTRALIA: Southern Shorthaul Railroad and the Australian Rail Track Corp have co-operated to run what they say is the longest export grain train in the country’s history. At 1 250 m long, the five-loco, 73-wagon train is more than twice the length of regular grain trains on the line. ...
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NewsHopper wagon contract signed
RUSSIA: United Wagon Co has signed an agreement with fertiliser producer Uralkali to supply 400 hopper wagons from its Tikhvin factory. The Type 19-9870 cars will have an axleload of 25 tonnes and can carry up to 76·5 tonnes. A two-stage coating also improves protection from load damage. ...
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NewsEtihad Rail commercial operations approved
UAE: Etihad Rail was granted official safety authorisations to commence commercial operations on Phase 1 of the network at a ceremony in Dubai on December 9. Operations partner Etihad Rail DB will run two trains per day on the 264 km route between Shah and Habshan and the Port ...
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NewsBromelton freight terminal to receive federal funding
AUSTRALIA: The federal government is to provide A$9·6m for the construction of the Bromelton Intermodal Rail Freight Precinct west of the Gold Coast under the second round of its National Stronger Regions Fund, which was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss on December 7. This includes a total of ...
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NewsAurizon to develop second Sydney terminal
AUSTRALIA: Aurizon has signed a heads of agreement with NSW Ports for a new intermodal terminal at Enfield in western Sydney, the company announced on December 7. The agreement is non-binding at this stage, but a binding lease and terminal operator agreement should be signed in the first quarter of ...
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NewsHallandsås Tunnel inaugurated at last
SWEDEN: The country’s longest railway tunnel was officially inaugurated on December 8, when Minister of Enterprise Mikael Damberg drove a special train carrying VIPs through the 8·7 km Hallandsås Tunnel, before participating in an opening ceremony at the northern portal. He was joined for the inauguration by the mayor of ...
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NewsSiemens wins more Algerian signalling work
ALGERIA: The Estel joint venture of national railway SNTF and Siemens is to supply signalling, safety and train control for 140 km of lines around Alger, serving 18 stations. Worth €340m to Siemens, the package covers the installation of ETCS Level 1 to shorten headways and permit operation of ...
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NewsEIB loan to fund Südbahn upgrading work
AUSTRIA: Austrian Federal Railways and the European Investment Bank signed a €1·8bn loan agreement on November 30 for upgrading work on the Südbahn route between Wien and Graz to 2026. The loan is to be disbursed over the next three years in tranches of €600m. The money will support ...