Freight news – Page 147
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NewsALL concessions revoked
ARGENTINA: Minister of the Interior & Transport Florencio Randazzo announced on June 4 that the government was revoking the two freight operating concessions held by América Latina Logística SA of Brazil. Comprising the former San Martín and General Urquiza networks, at 8 000 route-km ALL Argentina has operated the country’s ...
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NewsWabtec wins Australian locomotive order
AUSTRALIA: Wabtec Corp's MotivePower subsidiary announced an order to build a further six standard gauge MP33C locomotives for leasing company CFCLA Rail JV on June 5. Delivery is scheduled for 2014. The joint venture of CFCL Australia and Marubeni Corp previously ordered 10 locomotives in 2010. 'This additional order ...
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NewsGenset demonstrators delivered
AUSTRALIA: National Railway Equipment Co has delivered the first two 3GS24C-DE-AU N-ViroMotive three-engine genset locomotives to Australia. The design is targeted at regional operators requiring low-cost and reliable locomotives. Designated Class 1200, the initial locomotives are standard gauge but could also be supplied for 1067 mm or broad gauge, and ...
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NewsAlstom and TMH to design dual-voltage freight locomotive for RZD
RUSSIA: Alstom and Transmashholding are jointly to develop a dual-voltage freight locomotive for Russian Railways under an agreement signed at the 1520 Strategic Partnership’s International Business Forum in Sochi on May 30. To be designated 2ES20, the twin-section locomotive would be able to use both 3 kV DC and 25 ...
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NewsConvertible multi-deck automotive wagon launched
USA: The Multi-Max car-carrying wagon incorporating an adjustable deck enabling conversion from two to three levels to suit the type of vehicle being carried was unveiled by The Greenbrier Companies on May 29. The wagon is compatible with existing bi-level and tri-level fleets, so operators do not need to ...
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NewsEurotunnel announces financial support for intermodal freight
EUROPE: Eurotunnel is offering financial support to assist operators with launching new intermodal freight services through the Channel Tunnel. Announcing the Eurotunnel Incentive for Capacity Additions scheme on May 30, the tunnel operator said 'the difficulty with opening new services through the Channel Tunnel is not, contrary to some views, ...
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NewsStrategic authority envisaged under French reforms
FRANCE: The Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development & Energy outlined on May 29 the conclusions of two reports exploring in detail a proposed restructuring of the rail industry. Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier had announced in October 2012 that structural reform of the industry was planned in an attempt to improve ...
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NewsTrans-Siberian container train takes seven days
RUSSIA: An express container train service taking just seven days to cover the 9 450 km between the far east port of Nakhodka and Moscow has been launched by Russian Railways, its TransContainer subsidiary and Global Ports Group’s Vostochnaya Stevedoring Co. The first 71-wagon express train was despatched from Nakhodka ...
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NewsEstonian operator orders Kazakh-built locomotives
ESTONIA: Vopak EOS, parent company of private freight operator Estonian Railway Services, signed an order for 15 main line diesel locomotives in Astana on May 22. The TE33A locomotives are to be assembled by the JSC Lokomotiv Kurastyru Zauyty subsidiary of Kazakhstan's national railway KTZ, under licence from GE Transportation. ...
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NewsAutomated railway inaugurated 1 365 m underground
SWEDEN: A ceremony held 1 365 m below ground on May 21 inaugurated a new level and a 12 km driverless railway at LKAB's Kiruna iron ore mine. The SKr12·4bn mine expansion is the largest investment in the history of LKAB, and is expected to generate 35 million tonnes ...
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NewsUZ orders 300 electric locomotives
UKRAINE: National railway UZ and Luhanskteplovoz signed a memorandum of understanding on May 16 for the supply of 300 electric locomotives. The order is worth around 12bn hryvnia. Production is to begin this year, with deliveries scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016. Luhanskteplovoz’s plant should ...
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NewsAll CFR Marfa privatisation bids rejected
ROMANIA: The Ministry of Transport announced on May 15 that it was to start afresh with its attempt to sell a 51% stake in national rail freight operator CFR Marfa. This follows its rejection of all three of the applications to prequalify which had been submitted by the May ...
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NewsPresident visits Arica - La Paz Railway
CHILE: President Sebastián Piñera visited the Chilean section of the Arica – La Paz Railway on May 13, travelling the 40 km from Arica to Poconchile accompanied by Transport & Telecommunications Minister Pedro Pablo Errázuriz and other dignitaries. ‘Today is a day of great historical significance’, said Piñera, ‘because 100 ...
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NewsChina Northern enters the EU wagon market
CNR JINAN: The first production vehicles from a batch of 40 Type Zags LPG and ammonia tank wagons being built for French leasing company Atir-Rail was rolled out by CNR Jinan on April 28. CNR Jinan said the delivery of wagons to an EU customer was of 'epoch-making significance' for ...
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NewsCFR Marfa privatisation bids in
ROMANIA: Three bids to participate in the privatisation of national freight operator CFR Marfa were received by the May 8 deadline, the Ministry of Transport has confirmed. Submissions were received from OmniTRAX Inc, a US-based short line management group; SC Grup Feroviar Român, Romanian's largest private freight operator; A ...
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NewsCanadian Pacific increases 2013 capital investment programme
CANADA: Plans to bring forward to 2013 capital spending projects which were previously scheduled for 2014 were announced by Canadian Pacific on May 7. The company said higher than anticipated cash flow projections for the current year will enable it to allocate a further C$75m to C$100m to the ...
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NewsBlack Sea container terminal upgrading completed
RUSSIA: Container terminal operator NUTEP has completed the latest phase of a programme to upgrade railway facilities at the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. NUTEP has increased its overall monthly block train capacity to 30 trains of 112 TEU by constructing a new yard at the rear of the terminal. ...
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NewsClass 68 UKLight locomotives take shape
UK: The first of 15 Vossloh UKLight diesel-electric locomotives for freight and charter train operator Direct Rail Services is now under construction at the Vossloh España plant near Valencia in Spain. DRS expects the first locomotive to be sent to the Velim test circuit in the Czech Republic for ...
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NewsFramework agreement for 450 Bombardier locomotives
GERMANY: DB announced a 10-year framework agreement for the supply of up to 450 electric locomotives from Bombardier Transportation on May 2. Finalisation of the deal, which is potentially worth up to €1·5bn, is subject to a regulatory standstill period. An initial firm order is to be placed for 110 ...
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NewsRio Tinto orders Wabtec ECP braking equipment
AUSTRALIA: On April 30 Wabtec Corp announced an US$15m order to provide electronically-controlled pneumatic braking equipment including software for use on heavy haul locomotives and wagons operated by Rio Tinto in the Pilbara region. Delivery is scheduled for this year. The contract follows on from previous orders to supply ECP ...