Freight news – Page 169
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NewsIFB expands intermodal operations
EUROPE: SNCB Logistics’ intermodal subsidiary IFB announced on January 21 that it was expanding its operations to the south of Europe in conjunction with partners in France, Spain and Italy. On February 1 IFB will open a new intermodal terminal at Bonneuil-sur-Marne, to the south of Paris. With two sidings ...
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NewsWhere is my wagon?
TRACKING: A specification and market analysis for cost -effective wagon tracking using the Galileo satellite navigation system has been finalised, with the aim of a product being commercially available by 2011. Funded by Austria and the German Land of Bayern, the GaWaLoc project is being undertaken by a consortium led ...
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NewsCzech firm to build Maxima locos under licence
CZECH REPUBLIC: Wagon manufacturer LOSTR has signed an agreement to produce Voith Turbo’s Maxima diesel-hydraulic locomotives under licence. The exclusive agreement signed on January 12 covers the central and eastern European markets excluding the former USSR. Voith will supply engines, transmissions and switch cabinets, while LOSTR will ...
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NewsDB Schenker Rail acquires majority stake in NordCargo
ITALY: DB Schenker has become the second largest rail freight operator in Italy after increasing its stake in NordCargo srl to 60%, the German national railway's freight subsidiary announced on January 13. DB Schenker's existing Italian subsidiary is to be merged into NordCargo. Milano-based NordCargo has been active in the ...
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NewsSugar firm orders 50 GE locomotives
BRAZIL: Sugar and ethanol producer Cosan has signed an order for 50 AC44i diesel-electric locomotives, GE Transportation announced on January 7. They will be used by Cosan's logistics subsidiary Rumo to haul sugar from processing plants to the Port of Santos using América Latina Logistíca's rail network. Deliveries will start ...
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NewsSBB Cargo stays independent
SWITZERLAND: Swiss Federal Railways has abandoned plans to team up with another operator in an attempt to strengthen its freight business. Announcing this on December 17, SBB said that SBB Cargo will continue to operate independently, although it will look for opportunities to co-operate with other organisations to develop international ...
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NewsGE and Transnet sign 100-locomotive deal
SOUTH AFRICA: GE Transportation announced the signing of a contract with Transnet Ltd to supply Transnet freight Rail with 100 C30ACi freight locomotives on December 18. Deliveries are scheduled for 2011-12. The manufacturer says they will be the first diesel-electric locomotives with AC traction equipment in sub-Saharan Africa. They are ...
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NewsCOBRA to give rail freight more bite
BELGIUM: DB Schenker Rail and SNCB Logistics signed an agreement to form a joint venture to manage cross-border freight trains between Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands on December 10. Corridor Operations Belgium Rail will be an operating organisation, with commercial activities remaining in hands of the two companies. COBRA's ...
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NewsQR National to be floated in 2010
AUSTRALIA: Detailed plans for the break-up and partial privatisation of QR were announced on December 8 by Queenland's state Premier Anna Bligh. The coal and general freight business, including some network infrastructure, is to be floated on the Australian stock market at the end of 2010. The new company ...
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NewsFirst French port operator formed
FRANCE: Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau announced on December 4 the launch of the first local rail operator to be formed as part of the national rail freight revitalisation strategy. NaviRail Atlantique will take over responsibility for the operation of the port rail network at La Rochelle, including the assembling and ...
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NewsGE announces Brazilian locomotive contract
BRAZIL: GE Transportation has signed an agreement to supply América Latina Logística with 10 AC44i diesel-electric locomotives by the end of 2009, the manufacturer announced on December 3. The 1 600 mm gauge locomotives be built at GE Transportation South America's plant in Contagem, Brazil, with engines from Grove ...
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NewsGE locomotives in cold-climate biofuel tests
CANADA: A five-month trial of biodiesel is being undertaken in what Canadian Pacific says is its first use with locomotives operating in the cold Canadian climate. Four GE Transportation AC4400 locomotives in dedicated service between Calgary and Edmonton are using a 5% biodiesel blend from November until the end ...
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NewsMore manganese please
SOUTH AFRICA: The increasingly busy Orex heavy haul iron ore railway between Sishen and Saldanha may gain a second source of traffic in the coming years. Transnet Freight Rail is in discussion with a consortium of mining companies about using the route to export manganese through the deep-water port at ...
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NewsVeolia Cargo sale finalised
FRANCE: On December 1 Veolia Environnement announced that its Veolia Transport subsidiary had finalised the sale of Veolia Cargo to Transport Ferroviaire Holding and Europorte 2. Eurotunnel subsidiary Europorte 2 is acquiring Veolia Cargo's businesses in France, which include Socorail, Veolia Cargo France, Veolia Cargo Link and CFTA Cargo. ...
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NewsGlobaltrans to be biggest private tank wagon owner
RUSSIA: Private freight operator Globaltrans has agreed to acquire a 50% interest in BaltTransServis from TIHL, the controlling shareholder in Globaltrans, in exchange for ordinary shares of company with a value of US$250m. Globaltrans is also raising capital of US$175m for rolling stock acquisition and general corporate purposes. BTS ...
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NewsVTG to fit stronger axles
EUROPE: Hamburg-based wagon leasing group VTG announced on November 16 that it is to equip its fleet with new wheelsets suitable for heavier axleloads. Starting with all newly-built wagons, plus those registered in Germany and Austria, the programme will cover up to 20000 vehicles and is expected to take between ...
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NewsRFF to launch Perpignan – Montpellier study
FRANCE: Following a public consultation between March and July 2009, infrastructure manager RFF announced on November 26 that it is to launch formal design studies for the high speed line between Montpellier and Perpignan. According to RFF, the public consultation led to the emergence of a ‘preferred corridor’ in terms ...
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NewsPowerHaul brings Evolution technology to Europe
UK: Capacity is the reason a new locomotive design was ordered from GE Transportation, Freightliner Ltd Managing Director Adam Cunliffe said as the first was named 'PowerHaul' in Leeds on November 24. The Class 70 PowerHaul locomotives will provide faster acceleration and higher running speeds than Freightliner's existing fleet. ...
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NewsDobra gateway opens at last
SLOVAKIA: Russian intermodal operator Transcontainer announced on November 23 that it had successfully operated its first complete block train through the container transhipment terminal at Dobra in southeast Slovakia two days earlier. Last year the RZD subsidiary agreed to lease the 18 ha Dobra facility from ZSSK Cargo for 15 ...
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NewsRail freight fuel efficiency up 22% since 1990
USA: The Federal Railroad Administration released a study on November 19 showing a 22% improvement in rail freight fuel efficiency between 1990 and 2006. The Comparative Evaluation of Rail & Truck Fuel Efficiency on Competitive Corridors study by ICF International says reasons for increased efficiency include the acquisition of ...