Business news from the world rail freight market.
The Swiss government has awarded SBB a national contract to provided single wagonload traffic in 2026-29, with a subsidy of SFr260m over the four years. ‘This will ensure that SBB will continue to offer the Swiss economy a comprehensive service by climate-friendly railway’, said Alexander Muhm, SBB executive board member for freight. SBB will aim to attract traffic through market-based pricing and cost reductions.
Grupo Mexico Transportes is to use CloudMoyo software across its more than 10 000 km network, including CloudMoyo’s Crew Management, Crew Analytics, Crew Projection, and the CrewWise, a generative AI-powered assistant. ‘We are strengthening our focus on the adoption of the latest advancements in cloud and AI, enhancing our agility, scalability, and positioning ourselves at the forefront of practices that drive efficiency and safety’, said GMXT COO Jorge Marquez Abreu.
The Rail Customer Coalition of manufacturing, agricultural, and energy industries associations has said Union Pacific’s planned merged with Norfolk Southern ‘would mark the largest railroad consolidation in US history and the most consequential case ever reviewed by the Surface Transportation Board. It is an unprecedented test of the Board’s updated merger standards that were adopted after previous mergers upended the rail network and crippled the national supply chain.’ RCC said the standards ‘require an application to clearly demonstrate how the merger will improve service and enhance rail-to-rail competition. The Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern application fails to meet that.’
CargoBeamer has appointed Julian Hagenschulte to the new position of Chief Digital Officer, responsible for the group-wide digital strategy including the systematic development of an integrated, data-driven logistics platform that seamlessly connects physical transport and terminal infrastructure with digital services and data-based business models. He joins from PwC, where he most recently led the Digital & AI Advisory practice for construction, property and infrastructure clients.
A feasibility study by Talison Lithium and the South West Development Commission has concluded that recommissioning the 82 km Greenbushes to Bunbury railway is not economically feasible. Western Australia railway concessionaire Arc Infrastructure said ‘we are disappointed in the outcome of this feasibility study, and it is not the outcome we were hoping for. We remain committed to investing in the upgrade of the Greenbushes to Bunbury railway to facilitate the task and hopeful that the project may proceed in some form in the future, should prevailing conditions change.’
Anacostia Rail Holdings has appointed Aimee Nolan as Chief Legal Officer, succeeding Mark Sidman who is to retire as General Counsel & Corporate Secretary on March 31 2026. Nolan was most recently General Counsel at Zoro Tools.
ÖBB Rail Cargo Group and the Felbermayr International Low Loader Rail Transport Division have extended a long-term partnership until the end of 2034. The companies have been co-operating to transport oversized loads by rail since the 1990s, and the need for new and expanded substations to support the green energy transition is increasing the need for heavy transport, ITB Division Manager Thomas Grabuschnigg said.
On January 8 Hamburger Rail Service said that it had ordered a fourth Siemens Mobility Vectron DM locomotive.
Croatian company ENNA Transport is now fully using the Zedas Cargo and Zedas Asset rail software suite, after a period of parallel operation with legacy systems under real conditions. This replaces a individual applications that were not fully integrated, reducing duplication of work and creating clear and uniform data flows. ENNA Transport is now planning to introduce Zedas Cargo at its subsidiaries in Hungary and Serbia, requiring language adaptations including Cyrillic alphabet documents.
The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development has approved a sovereign loan of up to €20·9m to North Macedonia to strengthen the country’s rail transport sector through the purchase of up to five electric locomotives and the implementation of a modern enterprise resource planning. ‘The project will not only deliver tangible environmental benefits but also set new standards for operational excellence and equal opportunity in the sector’, said Fatih Turkmenoglu, EBRD Head of North Macedonia. ‘It is an important investment that will enable the country’s export-oriented businesses to integrate into global value chains. This will enhance private-sector competitiveness and create jobs, ultimately supporting the country in tackling population outflows.’
Union Pacific appointed W Anthony Will to its board from January 6, following his retirement as President, CEO and board member of hydrogen and nitrogen products company CF Industries Holdings. ‘It’s an exciting time for both Union Pacific and the rail industry as a whole, and I’m looking forward to leveraging my experience to help guide Union Pacific as we shape the future of rail’, he said.
The Vigo port authority and Grupo Davila subsidiary Transglobal have announced plans to launch a rail motorway service to Madrid and beyond by late 2026. Tatravagónka Type T4000 pocket wagons leased from VTG are to be used, and the journey time to or from Madrid is estimated to be around 10 h.
With effect from January 1, Watco CEO Dan Smith has assumed the additional responsibilities of Executive Chairman. Rick Baden, who previously served as EVP & CFO has now assumed the role of EVP & Vice-Chairman. Andy Nielsen, formerly EVP & Chief Accounting Officer, becomes EVP & Chief Financial Officer.