Freight news – Page 156
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NewsAnsaldo STS to supply satellite positioning system for heavy haul railway
AUSTRALIA: A 'technically significant' contract to supply satellite positioning-based train control and protection technology for the 342 km heavy haul line to be built as part of the Roy Hill iron ore mining development in Western Australia was announced by Ansaldo STS Australia on May 2. The two-year turnkey contract ...
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NewsCFCL Australia orders MotivePower locomotives
AUSTRALIA: On May 1 Wabtec Corp announced an order for its MotivePower subsidiary to deliver 10 standard gauge MP33C diesel locomotives to the CFCLA Rail joint venture of CFCL Australia and Marubeni Corp during 2013. 'CFCLA and Marubeni are excited to introduce a new locomotive class into the Australian leasing ...
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NewsPKP Cargo to evaluate Chinese wagons
POLAND: National freight operator PKP Cargo is to evaluate an initial batch of three wagons to be supplied by China CNR Corp. If the Chinese-built wagons are certified as meeting Polish standards, a further 17 vehicles would be delivered for operating trials. The results of these trials should enable PKP ...
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NewsMetalloinvest to sell rail business to Globaltrans
RUSSIA: An agreement for private rail freight company Globaltrans to buy the Metalloinvesttrans rail activities of iron ore producer Metalloinvest for US$540m was announced on April 27. The transaction will be financed from Globaltrans' own funds and credit facilities, and subject to regulatory approvals is expected to close at the ...
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NewsDB and Hamburger Hafen agree intermodal freight restructuring
EUROPE: On April 27 Deutsche Bahn and port and logistics group Hamburger Hafen und Logistik announced an agreement to restructure their subsidiaries providing intermodal freight services from German ports. Subject to regulatory approval, DB Schenker Rail is to take over HHLA's 50% stake in TFG Transfracht, which moves containers from ...
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NewsNorth-South Railway on course to open in July
SAUDI ARABIA: The 2 400 km North-South Railway being developed by Saudi Railway Co is on course for a formal opening for mineral operations in July, with full operation scheduled for July 2013 and the start of passenger services in July 2014. Limited test trains have been running since ...
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NewsChinese locos prepare for service
AUSTRALIA: Following successful testing that has included operation at up to 130 km/h and hauling ‘one of the biggest iron ore trains’ between Port Augusta and Adelaide last month, SCT Logistics expects its full fleet of CSR Ziyang diesel locomotives to be ‘up and running’ by June. SCT says that ...
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NewsFuel cell locomotive trial
SOUTH AFRICA: Five fuel cell locomotives are under construction as demonstrators for use underground at Anglo American Platinum Ltd's Dishaba mine. Lead contractor Vehicle Projects Inc is undertaking engineering design, fabrication and testing of the fuel cell power plant in the USA. Completed units will be delivered to Trident South ...
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NewsYard capacity increased by 20%
GERMANY: The Mayor of Mannheim officially reopened the city’s main marshalling yard on February 27, following a €100m project to increase throughput by up to 20% and cut maintenance costs. As well as renewal of the 170 km of track and 550 turnouts, modernisation has included full automation including remote-controlled ...
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NewsOntario to sell Northland rail businesses
CANADA: The government of Ontario announced on March 23 that it is to 'wind down' the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission, an agency established in 1902 which operates a 1 100 km rail network in the north of the province. A transition board has been appointed to divest ONTC's 'commercially valuable' ...
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NewsCN announces locomotive acquisition programme
CANADA: Canadian National announced orders for 161 locomotives on March 22, saying the acquisition programme would accommodate anticipated traffic growth and improve operational efficiency. CN has ordered 35 GE Transportation ES44AC and 30 Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe locomotives for delivery in 2013-14. Intended to haul coal trains on demanding steeply-graded and ...
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NewsDemonstration high speed freight train links Lyon and London
EUROPE: The vision of a network of high speed freight trains carrying express parcels and other premium consignments across Europe moved a step closer on March 21, when a demonstration train from Lyon Saint-Exupéry and Paris Charles-de-Gaulle airports arrived at London's St Pancras International station. The trial run was organised ...
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NewsVTG reports 'controlled growth' in 2011
GERMANY: Wagon leasing and rail logistics company VTG has reported 'controlled growth' for 2011, with revenue of €750m up 19·2% from the 2010 figure and operating profit up 9·3% to €168·7m. The executive board is to propose a dividend of €0·35 for 2011, an increase of 6%. 'We used 2011 ...
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NewsWagon sales up
TOUAX: Leasing firm Touax Group has reported consolidated revenue from wagon leasing and sales of €74m for 2011, with the 33% increase from the previous year being mainly due to a rise in sales to €32m. Overall group revenue including shipping containers, modular buildings and barges totalled €336m, up from ...
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NewsBHP Billiton places large heavy haul locomotive order
AUSTRALIA: Downer EDI has been awarded a five-year contract to supply a minimum of 80 Electro-Motive Diesel SD70ACe/LCi locomotives for BHP Billiton Iron Ore's heavy haul network in Western Australia. The A$292m agreement announced on March 2 has options which could take the total value to more than A$400m. ...
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NewsPakistan pins hopes on private sector
PAKISTAN: Prime Minister Yousuf Gilani inaugurated the first privately-managed Business Express service between Lahore and Karachi on February 3. The train is operated under an agreement between Pakistan Railways and Four Brothers International, which sells the premium-priced tickets aimed at business travellers and provides the onboard services including bedding, catering ...
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NewsMidCargo is now CFL Cargo Sverige
SWEDEN: Freight operator MidCargo has been renamed CFL Cargo Sverige, reflecting CFL Cargo's purchase of a 51% stake in the company with effect from January 1. MidCargo was established in 1990 as BK Tåg, and is now a joint venture between CFL Cargo and Svensk Tågkraft. It is to be ...
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NewsNortheastern link proposed
THAILAND: The Thai Office of Transport & Traffic Policy & Planning submitted proposals for a 336 km railway from Ban Phai to Nakhon Phanom to the cabinet at a meeting in Udon Thani on February 21. The branch from the existing Nakhon Ratchasima – Nong Khai metre-gauge line would run ...
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NewsRio Tinto to introduce driverless trains by 2014
AUSTRALIA: Rio Tinto confirmed on February 20 that driverless trains would begin running on its Hamersley and Robe River iron ore network in Western Australia’s Pilbara region during 2014, under an A$518m investment package which forms part of the group’s ‘Mine of the Future’ strategy. Rio Tinto is currently investing ...
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NewsDB Schenker to boost London - Poland service
EUROPE: DB Schenker Rail is to add a second weekly train between Barking and Wroclaw in September, and it hopes to expand the operation to a daily service by the end of 2013, according to CEO Dr Alexander Hedderich. Speaking at a reception at the Polish embassy in London on ...