Business news from the world rail freight market.
Wabtec’s Contagem factory in Brazil has rolled out the first of 26 ES44 diesel locomotives for timber company Arauco, which has also ordered 721 wagons from Randon. The fleet is scheduled to enter service in 2027 on a dedicated line linking the Inocência pulp mill with the national rail network.
Progress Rail has delivered four EMD SD70ACe‑Tier 4 locomotives to Lake State Railway in Michigan as part of the short line’s strategy to modernise its fleet to improve efficiency and reliability. This has enabled LSRC to retire five locomotives that were on average 40 years old, significantly reducing emissions.
At the end of March leasing company European Loc Pool supplied Raildox with a Stadler Euro9000 electro-diesel locomotive to support expansion of its international freight operations including timber, fertiliser, grain, chemicals and mineral oil. ‘The key factors were the high performance, multi-system capability and cross-border operability’, said Frank Rudolf, Managing Director of the operator which is planning to further develop its activities towards eastern Europe.
DB Cargo UK has signed a seven-year contract with CAT UK to move finished vehicles from Jaguar Land Rover’s manufacturing facility at Halewood in Merseyside to the port of Southampton. It currently operates around three services a week between the two destinations, but output is expected to steadily grow.
Car transport company Transfesa Logistics has been renamed DB Cargo Iberia following the sale of the intermodal activities to Boluda Corporación Marítima, including the trading name.
CZ Loko is to deliver two shunting locomotives suitable for use in the national rail network to Czech strategic resources agency SSHR, and provide two years of full maintenance and three years of support.