Freight news – Page 200
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The freight debate
THE GOVERNMENT agency responsible for renegotiating Argentina's freight railway concessions, Uniren, is pushing ahead with the process. A public hearing was due to be held last month to consider the latest proposals for Fepsa, and Uniren also expected to sign letters of understanding with NCA and ALL by the ...
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NewsAlice - Darwin freight beats target
FREIGHTLINK, operator of the Adelaide - Darwin route in Australia, celebrated its first anniversary of hauling traffic to Darwin on January 15. Traffic in the first year amounted to around 600000 tonnes. 'We hoped to carry about 380000 tonnes in our first 12 months, so we are delighted with our ...
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Istanbul - Köln shuttle trial
WEEKLY freight services between Germany and Turkey will be running by the end of the year following a successful trial run from Istanbul to Köln that covered the 3000 km in just 79h. According to freight operator Railion Deutschland, the objective is to launch a daily service within two years. ...
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North-south corridor ready
CONTAINER TRAINS between Berlin and Tehran will start running in August, according to the President of Russian Railways Gennadi Fadeyev. That month will see the formal launch of the North-South corridor linking Europe with Central Asia and shipping routes from the Gulf to India. Fadeyev visited Germany at the beginning ...
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Transcontinental link completed
On January 15 the first FreightLink container train for Darwin will leave Adelaide, arriving at the Northern Territory port two days later. The inaugural service on the Alice Springs - Darwin marks the completion of the 150 year dream of linking Australia's Top End with the cities in the south ...
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Raising loads and lowering charges
Wagons now being delivered to operators in several European countries are making use of bogies designed to minimise impact forces on the track
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NewsTurning coal and containers into profit
Since moving into the private sector in 1996, Freightliner has reshaped its intermodal business and expanded into coal and other bulk cargo. Murray Hughes talked to Chief Executive Alan Galley
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Alpine plan cleared
PLANS TO introduce rolling motorway services over the 175 km Fréjus corridor between Aiton-Bourganeuf in France and Orbassano in Italy have been cleared by the European Commission. On August 4 the EC confirmed that it had given the go-ahead for the formation of Autoroute Ferroviaire Alpine, a 50:50 joint venture ...
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NewsRealities and costs drive Kazakhstan's railway reform
The Kazakh government has integrated the three distinct rail networks it inherited at independence, and is now introducing reforms to encourage private-sector investment and reduce the need for domestic services to cross international borders, explains Gordon Feller
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A ‘huge opportunity’ in open access
Rail Traction Company was the first open access freight operator to begin running in Italy. Founder and Director-General Giuseppe Sciarrone explained his strategy to Chris Jackson
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The cost of being profitable
Rail freight rates in North America are not merely the lowest in the world, but they have been falling steadily since deregulation over 20 years ago. Independent consultant David Burns asks how the US railroads have been able to charge such low rates and still show a positive balance sheet
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Ikea launches furniture 'pipeline'
Swedish-based Ikea Rail AB is one of the first private companies to have bought train paths across two borders. Richard Hope finds out how the train will cover 1044 km in three countries at an average speed of 65 km/h, using three drivers and two locomotives
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NewsModalohr tests the market
Against a background of increasing concern over the safety and environmental impact of road freight using the Alpine crossings, the feasibility of carrying trailers by rail between France and Italy is to be tested using swing-tray wagons. As the first trial bores are dug for a new Mont Cenis base ...
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Panama Railway reopens
FREIGHT TRAINS were due to begin running on the Panama Canal Railway in mid-October, following a US$76m reconstruction and conversion to standard gauge. Passenger services resumed in July, using ex-Amtrak locos and coaches. The complete overhaul of the 75·6 km route, including new ballast, sleepers and rails, has taken nearly ...
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NewsIntegrating 'global brilliance'
IN HIS KEYNOTE speech to the 7th International Heavy Haul Conference in Brisbane on June 11, former Spoornet Chief Executive Braam le Roux, currently Representative for Southern Africa at the International Union of Railways, drew attention to the constant threat facing railways from their competitors. Telling 580 delegates from 27 ...
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NewsTechnology transfer - from heavy haul to passenger and back
With privatisation sweeping the world, passenger carriers are increasingly subject to the same pressures as those affecting freight railways. Heavy haul operators have invested considerable time and effort learning how to run the world's most efficient rail businesses, and their experiences should be of interest to all railway managers, including ...
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30 tonnes on the Malmbanan
SWEDISH heavy-haul iron ore operator MTAB held ceremonies on March 7 to mark the start of regular operations with 30 tonne axleloads on the Luleå - Kiruna - Narvik corridor. The opening celebrations also marked the entry into revenue service of MTAB's first new trainset, funded by iron ore mining ...
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Five phases of HAL research bring billion dollar savings
With the fifth phase of HAL research due for completion next year, it is clear that substantial benefits accrue from heavy axleload operation. Cumulative savings from the use of HAL techniques and equipment in North America during the 1990s are of major significance
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Railion recruits another member
WHILE EUROPE's politicians wrestle with ways to introduce competition between operators (below), the national railways continue in their slow march towards a series of alliances. Earlier rumours about Danish State Railways' freight business, DSB Gods, were confirmed on December 15 when it joined the Railion holding group formed by German ...
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Mexican train ferry link
THIS MONTH is due to see the start of train ferry services between Mobile, Alabama, and Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. To be operated by International Shipholding Corp of New Orleans as a joint venture with Ferrosur, it will give eastern US railways independent access to Mexico. Ferrosur will handle traffic in Mexico, ...