In depth
Taking you behind the news to understand the deeper trends that are shaping the rail industry, and giving you the essential insight to inform your business decisions.
Freight: An intermodal gateway emerges in northeast Europe
Connected since July to the Polish border by a standard gauge link, the Kaunas Intermodal Terminal in Lithuania is set to become a strategic hub for the Baltic States as part of the wider Rail Baltica programme.
Freight: CargoFlex enters the digital era
Fitted to intermodal trains in Switzerland, Voith’s CargoFlex autocoupler builds on experience in the passenger sector, and is now being upgraded with a full digital capability.
Freight: Delivering Europe’s digital coupler
Testing of four prototype digital automatic coupler designs is underway as a deployment programme takes shape aimed at boosting the productivity and competitiveness of rail freight operations across Europe by 2030. However, much remains to be done.
Freight: STB juggles merger challenges
Over the coming months, the US Surface Transportation Board must rule on two proposed mergers involving Class I railroads, at a time of increasing calls for more competition in the US transport sector. Chris Jackson investigates.
Africa: Mixed fortunes in Tunis
While the first passengers are due to travel over a newly built section of the Tunisian capital’s RFR suburban network later this year, the government and its contractors are struggling to complete future phases of the programme. Christian Scasso investigates.
My Life in Rail: Verena Schraml
Germany has more work to do to spread the message that rail roles are increasingly attractive for women, explains Verena Schraml, a local operations manager for Go-Ahead Deutschland, based in Stuttgart.
