TX Logistik increased its Leipzig DUSS to Verona Sommacampagna-Sona intermodal service from six to eight round trips per week from April 5, with a further increase planned. Goods carried include vehicle parts, recyclables, chemical products and consumer goods.
LKAB Malmtrafik has renewed Railcare’s contract to operate three daily Kiruna – Svappavaara – Gällivare iron ore trains. The agreement runs to December 31 2022 and is worth SKr50m. The previous contract started in June 2020 and included one train per day, later expanded to three per day.
‘The tragedy in Ukraine and its impact on commodity prices are likely to have far-reaching consequences to the global railcar industry, including growth in rail freight in many sectors’, said William A Furman, Executive Chairman of wagon manufacturer The Greenbrier Companies, on April 6. ‘We are closely watching global commodity markets, including crude oil, grain and fertilisers, which are traditionally leading indicators for expansion in freight rail loadings. Now operating on four continents, Greenbrier is continuously assessing the effect of geopolitical developments, and actively working to support the safety and security of our employees and the cybersecurity of our information and data infrastructure.’
Montréal Port Authority and Canadian National have reached an agreement to plan rail services at MPA’s future Contrecœur container terminal, which is to be developed and operated by a private partner. ‘This partnership with CN will ensure optimal integration of rail-related intermodality for strategic, competitive and enhanced access to key markets such as Ontario and the US Midwest, to the benefit of port of Montréal user companies and the ultimate client, the consumer’, said MPA President & CEO Martin Imbleau on April 6.
GATX Rail Europe has delivered 44 newly-built Type 1697 mineral oil tank wagons to Varo Energy Marketing. They will be used on traffic which has switched from ship following the installation of a rail siding at the GPS Terminal Amsterdam site.
ADIF has awarded Acciona Construcción a 12-month, €10·4m contract to build the Expacionavalmoral logistics terminal in Navalmoral de la Mata and to connect it to the existing line from Madrid to Cáceres and Badajoz, and also to the soon to be inaugurated high speed line to Extremadura. The intermodal terminal will have an area of 35 000 m2, with two loading tracks capable of handling 550 m long trains and a capacity of four trains in and out per day.
Norfolk Southern has appointed Floyd Hudson as Vice-President Transportation. Hudson was previously General Manager of the company’s Southern Region, and succeeds Hunt Cary, who is leaving the company. Hudson joined NS as a management trainee in 2004 and progressed through operations leadership roles to lead both the southern and northern regions. He spent a year on a rotational assignment as Chief of Staff to Chairman & CEO Jim Squires.
From April 6 ÖBB Rail Cargo Group increased the frequency of its Linz – Malmö TransFER wagonload service to three round trips per week, reflecting increased demand for the transport of steel, paper and consumer goods.
CSX has appointed Steve Fortune as Executive Vice-President and Chief Digital & Technology Officer. Fortune previously spent 30 years at BP, most recently as CIO.
Wedler Franz Logistik has signed a multi-year deal to lease Rens wagons from GATX Rail Europe. They will be used to transport infrastructure maintenance materials for DB Netz in eastern Germany.
Norfolk Southern is working with freight database supplier Commtrex to enhance customer visibility of its 32 rail-accessible transload facilities. ‘This partnership is impactful and enables transload customers to easily identify facilities served by Norfolk Southern, increasing access to shipping by rail’, said Leggett Kitchin, Vice-President Industrial Products at NS.
Russian Railways has begun taking delivery of 162 Type 19-6940 hopper wagons supplied by Sinara’s Yaroslavl Remputmash plant. They offer a capacity of 75 tonnes, which is 5 tonnes more and 5 m higher than the established VPM-770 design. The hopper’s service life has increased from 28 to 40 years and the first scheduled repair interval from 210 000 to 500 000 km.