Freight news – Page 98
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NewsNorfolk Southern starts TOP 21 roll-out
USA: Norfolk Southern has successfully rolled out the first phase of its Thoroughbred Operating Plan 21, covering its wagonload and automotive traffic, the railway confirmed on July 22. Mirroring the principles of the Precision Scheduled Railroading concept adopted by other Class Is, TOP21 is designed to improve system velocity ...
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NewsCement trains start rolling on Tanga – Moshi line
TANZANIA: The revival of freight operations on the country’s 438 km Usambara Railway was marked by a ceremony at Moshi on July 20 attended by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa. The Tanga – Moshi line has been out of use for 12 years, but the Prime Minister told parliament in ...
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NewsCalifornia Northern Railroad commissions low-emission locos
USA: Two Knoxville Locomotive Works low-emission diesel locos have entered service on Genesee & Wyoming’s California Northern Railroad following the completion of trials. The 1·79 MW locomotives have 12-cylinder MTU engines and use selective catalytic reduction technology to meet Tier 4 emissions requirements. They are expected to provide fuel ...
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Rail Business UKMendip Rail orders aggregate wagons
UK: Touax Rail UK has signed a contract to supply 55 Greenbrier Europe JNA open wagons and 40 HOA hoppers to Mendip Rail for use on aggregates traffic. Announcing the order on July 22, the leasing company said this was its first order for new wagons for the UK ...
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NewsVectrons ordered for Ceneri Base Tunnel services
SWITZERLAND: Landesbank Baden-Württemberg subsidiary SüdLeasing has awarded Siemens Mobility a contract to supply 20 Vectron multisystem electric locomotives which will be operated by SBB Cargo International under a long-term leasing plan with a flexible term. The order announced on July 22 includes a full-serve maintenance agreement with Siemens Mobility ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
The International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport has published a list of 13 policy measures it would like to see implemented in the 2019-24 EU legislative period. These include transforming the EU Agency for Railway into an EU Agency for Land Transport. ADIF has appointed a joint venture of ...
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NewsShort Line Safety Institute launches leadership programme
USA: The Short Line Safety Institute has launched a leadership programme focused on developing new and experienced railway managers’ soft skills including communication, mentoring and coaching. It combines role play, self-assessment and group discussion of topics including delivering constructive feedback, managing to agreement, coaching, building high performing ...
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NewsNational control centre approved
IRELAND: The construction of a €135m National Train Control Centre to manage the entire Iarnród Éireann network was approved by the Irish government on July 17. The new centre is to be delivered by IÉ, with government funding provided through the National Transport Authority as part of Project Ireland ...
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NewsMalmbanan resignalling to support ETCS
SWEDEN: Trafikverket has started work on a three-year project to resignal the Malmbanan heavy haul line between Boden and Riksgränsen with digital interlockings and ETCS at an estimated cost of SKr3bn. According to the infrastructure manager, most of the existing interlockings on the iron ore corridor are more than ...
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Rail Business UKWilliams reiterates call for UK franchising changes
UK: Greater accountability and a clear customer focus are the principal requirements for reform of the UK rail sector, according to Keith Williams, the independent chairman of the rail review established by Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling in the wake of the May 2018 timetable change debacle. ...
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NewsPrima H4 pre-series locos on test with SBB
SWITZERLAND: A pre-series batch of five Prima H4 shunting locomotives has now been delivered to SBB for a year of in-service trials. Designated Aem940 by SBB, the locomotives will be used mainly at marshalling yards and for engineering possessions. In line with SBB’s fleet rationalisation efforts, the four-axle loco is ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
ČD Cargo has begun taking delivery of 80 Zacns 88 m3 tank wagons ordered from Tatravagónka Poprad. Volvo, automotive logistics company ARS Altmann and Intermodal Container Logistics have begun delivering cars from China to Gent in Belgium by rail. Several round trips per week are planned, carrying 40 000 vehicles ...
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NewsTimber wagons ordered
RUSSIA: UniCredit Leasing has awarded United Wagon Co subsidiary TikhvinSpetsMash a contract to supply 50 timber wagons for use by Luzales, one of the largest logging companies in the Komi Republic. An initial 30 Type 13-6895 cars are to be delivered by the end of the third ...
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NewsSão Paulo state seeks to relaunch passenger network
BRAZIL: A state-wide X-shaped network of passenger services could be reintroduced to the main line network in São Paulo under plans being developed by Governor João Doria. The initial service would link São Paulo with Campinas, a distance of around 100 km. The proposals envisage adapting existing ...
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Rail Business UKGenesee & Wyoming to be acquired in US$8·4bn deal
INTERNATIONAL: A consortium of Brookfield Infrastructure, GIC and Brookfield’s institutional partners has agreed to acquire short line group Genesee & Wyoming Inc in a US$8·4bn transaction. The consortium would pay US$112 per share in cash, with G&W becoming a privately held company. ‘We believe this transaction is an excellent ...
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NewsWorld rail freight news round-up
TX Logistik is to launch a thrice-weekly Ocean Rail Logistics service between the Port of Rotterdam and Kornwestheim near Stuttgart on July 1. ‘The new service now also connects businesses in Baden-Württemberg with the busiest seaport in Europe’, said Berit Börke, Chief Sales Officer at TX Logistik. ‘We are using ...
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NewsBane NOR awards Moss realignment contract
NORWAY: Infrastructure manager Bane NOR has selected a consortium of Implenia Norge and Acciona Construcción to rebuild a key section of the busy Østfold Line through the town of Moss, at a cost of NKr6·3bn. Under a contract signed on June 28, the MossIAANS joint venture will build a 10·3 ...
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Rail Business UKMidlands Hub plan to boost east-west connectivity
UK: The Midlands Connect consortium of local authorities and regional transport bodies has unveiled proposals for a £2bn package of targeted improvements to boost rail services in the East and West Midlands. The group is seeking £25m in government funding to develop the business case for its Midlands Rail ...
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NewsSwitzerland approves SFr13bn infrastructure investment package
SWITZERLAND: The upper house of Parliament (Ständerat) voted unanimously on June 21 in favour of a further phase of rail infrastructure expansion to eliminate bottlenecks, allow more frequent services and make stations more accessible. Worth SFr12∙89bn, the investment package known as STEP 2035 (Strategische Entwicklungsprogramm Bahninfrastruktur) covers around 200 large ...