Freight news – Page 29
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NewsNational Railways of Zimbabwe seeks help from private operators
ZIMBABWE: Mirroring the policy emerging in neighbouring South Africa, National Railways of Zimbabwe has announced plans to open its infrastructure to new entrants in an effort to increase the provision of rail services on the network. NRZ General Manager Respina Zinyanduko said the plan is at ...
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Rail Business UKGovernment will consider rail freight operators’ proposals for last-mile electrification
UK: The government will consider industry proposals for last-mile electrification into freight terminals which would enable operators to take advantage of existing and future main line electrification when procuring new locomotives, Rail Minister Huw Merriman has told Rail Business UK. Speaking at an event to announce ...
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NewsOperail Chairman steps down
ESTONIA: Raul Toomsalu has resigned as Chair of the management board of Operail. A successor is to be appointed once the government confirms its future strategy for the state-owned freight operator. ‘My journey in the railway sector has been long and exciting’, Toomsalu said when he ...
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Rail Business UKRail freight sector responds to government’s 75% target for growth
UK: The rail industry has welcomed the government’s announcement of ‘a top-level ambition’ to grow freight tonne-km by at least 75% by 2050, but says more work is needed to identify actions implement this. The target announced by Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper on ...
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NewsGlobal logistics groups will reshape intermodal rail freight market
EUROPE: The emergence of global logistics groups as major players in international rail freight provision is poised to shake up the sector, according to a study by SCI Verkehr.
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Rail Business UKDeliver gauge clearance in Kent to boost northern economy, urges Channel Tunnel operator
UK: The Channel Tunnel risks remaining ‘essentially inaccessible’ to rail freight without investment to enhance the loading gauge of the conventional main line through Kent, the CEO of Eurotunnel’s parent company Getlink has warned.
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NewsRegional Rail buys two short lines
USA: The 70 km Indiana Eastern Railroad and 100 km Ohio South Central Railroad have been acquired by Regional Rail. The two Class III railways join the 3i-backed short line group alongside the Effingham Railroad Co, South Point & Ohio Railroad and Illinois Western Railroad Co ...
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NewsCando acquires Transmark terminal
CANADA: Cando Rail & Terminals has acquired Transmark, which operates the Lethbridge Multi-Purpose Terminal train staging and rolling stock storage facility in southwest Alberta, which has wagon repair shops on site. The facility currently has a capacity of 1 700 wagons and will offer services seven ...
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NewsFunding secured to support locomotive orders
EUROPE: Private equity investor RIVE Private Investment has structured a €300m financing platform for the acquisition of ‘innovative’ locomotives for lease. This will initially support existing orders for: 15 Siemens Mobility Vectron Dual Mode electro-diesel locomotives; 20 Alstom Traxx MS3 locomotives, which RIVA said would ...
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NewsOmniTRAX to operate West Virginia’s South Branch Valley Railroad
USA: On December 1 OmniTRAX took over operational management of the South Branch Valley Railroad under an agreement with West Virginia Department of Transportation. The 85 km SBVR between Petersburg and Green Spring is a former branch of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Co serving the ...
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NewsCanadian National to acquire Iowa Northern Railway
USA: Canadian National has signed an agreement to acquire Iowa Northern Railway, an independent 440 track-km Class III short line led by the Sabin family which connects with CN’s US network as well as with CPKC and Union Pacific routes. IANR will be transferred to an ...
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NewsHiivr Rail autonomous wagon unveiled in Western Australia
AUSTRALIA: Western Australia rail infrastructure concessionaire Arc Infrastructure and US technology partner Parallel Systems have unveiled a prototype autonomous container wagon following three years of development. The battery-powered wagon branded Hiivr Rail was demonstrated to government and industry stakeholders at the Kenwick Freight Rail Facility in ...
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NewsKazakhstan begins work on additional rail link to Uzbekistan
KAZAKHSTAN: Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov has formally launched construction of a 152 km rail link to Uzbekistan, participating in the November 27 ceremony by teleconference. The line is intended to contribute to the development of the Turkestan region by connecting it to the main Kazakh rail ...
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In depthComment: Freight’s miserable year
According to UIRR, the European rail freight industry is facing a downturn. Our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley highlights the critical importance of intermodal transport for the future of rail freight and the need for policy support to decarbonise global supply chains.
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NewsUSAID backs standard gauge rail link to Lviv
UKRAINE: The United States Agency for International Development has signed a memorandum of understanding to support national railway Ukrzaliznytsia in the development of a 75 km of standard gauge line from the Mostyska II yard near the Polish border to Sknyliv in the city of Lviv. ...
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NewsTX Logistik completes Exploris acquisition as part of European expansion strategy
GERMANY: The TX Logistik subsidiary of FS Group’s Mercitalia Logistics has finalised the acquisition of Exploris Deutschland Holding GmbH and its Via Cargo, HSL Logistik and Delta Rail subsidiaries. This makes the Italian state railway group company the second largest rail freight operator in Germany, behind ...
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Rail Business UKDoncaster rail freight terminal expansion deal
UK: Expansion of industrial property developer Verdion’s iPort Rail multimodal freight terminal in Doncaster is to go ahead, after the UK subsidiary of MSC Group’s Medlog business agreed terms to operate the facility under a long-term lease. Handover is expected in Q1 2024, with container lifting ...
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In depthJapan: Challenge and change at JR Freight
Legislation limiting overtime worked by road haulage drivers comes into force next year, offering JR Freight an opportunity to win back lost traffic. Challenges include the need to adapt more of the 1 067 mm gauge network for 40 ft high cube containers and to develop wagons to carry them. Mike Bent reports.













