News from the world rail freight market.
Innofreight Transportlogistik operated the first train carrying beech wood for UPM Biochemicals at the beginning of August, using its SmartGigaWood system which offers a high utilisation rate and easy loading and unloading.
Temperature-controlled logistics company Americold has opened a $120m import-export hub in Kansas City, Missouri, which is its first on the Canadian Pacific Kansas City network. This is intended as a hub for the Mexico Midwest Express single-line service for refrigerated goods between the USA and Mexico, and flows from Canada to Mexico which face border inefficiencies and road haulage capacity challenges. Features include on-site inspections to eliminate border delays. ‘This is more than infrastructure – it’s a fully integrated solution that connects food producers to consumers faster and more efficiently’, said Americold CEO George Chappelle. ‘By combining our cold storage capabilities and food flow expertise with CPKC’s rail network, we’re creating a new North American cold chain that delivers real value to our customers.’
GATX India has awarded Jupiter Wagons a Rs2·4bn order to supply 583 high-performance wagons for transporting coal, iron ore, containerised cargo, bulk materials and cars.
Under a memorandum signed between the Olmaliq Mining & Metallurgical Co, Uzbekistan’s national railway and the Andijon Mechanical Plant in November 2024, the Olmaliq Foundry & Mechanical Plant has localised the production of six-axle tipper wagons with a capacity of 115 tonnes. It has also begun production of 45 Tyoe 15-9724 and 15-9724-04 sulphuric acid tank cars designed for Navoiyuran.
Commenting on the US Department of Transportation’s proposed rule on beyond visual line of sight drone operations, on August 6 Association of American Railroads President & CEO Ian Jefferies said ‘routine BVLOS operations hold tremendous potential for railroads — enhancing safety, speeding up inspections and improving emergency response in ways that were previously limited. AAR members have long advocated for a rule that offers clarity, scalability and meaningful safety benefits, and while we are still reviewing the rule in full, we are optimistic that today’s action represents a significant milestone toward that goal.’
Leasing company Rail Capital Partners has placed the first order for Gama 3.0 electric locomotives, with five to be delivered by Pesa Bydgoszcz in 2026. ‘In line with our strategy, we want modern, reliable, environmentally friendly locomotives to run on Polish tracks, and we offer such vehicles to our customers’, said RCP CEO Ireneusz Kozłowski.
Jacobs has been awarded a contract to provide construction management services for the Port of Long Beach’s Pier B On-Dock Rail Support Facility programme. The project scheduled for completion 2032 will more than triple on-dock rail capacity to 4·7 million TEU annually. This is expected to significantly reduce lorry traffic, lower emissions and improve air quality.
CRRC Zhuzhou has unveiled a two-section O’Z12T diesel locomotive manufactured for Uzbekistan’s Navoi Mining & Metallurgy Co. It is designed for a maximum speed of 120 km/h and to haul 7 000 tonne trains. Seven diesel and two electric locos are to be delivered by the end of the year, along with two refurbished locos.
Patriot Rail has appointed Anthony Evett as Vice-President of Design & Construction, responsible for leading the short line group’s industrial development portfolio. Evett was Chief Engineering Officer at the Port of New Orleans, Project Manager at Volkert and Quality Control Systems Manager at Shaw Environmental.
Gary Long has been appointed President & CEO of US intermodal terminal modernisation company Remplex. He was CEO, Rail Investments at FTAI Infrastructure, and is an executive adviser and board member at Cathcart Rail.