From April 6 ÖBB’s Rail Cargo Group has increased its Wörgl – Trento rolling motorway service to run six times a week. Services were reduced last year because of the pandemic, and suspended from March 11 to June 21 2020 and from December 4 2020 to January 17 2021.
Lithuanian national railway group LTG’s rolling stock maintenance company VLRD was merged with the LTG Cargo freight business on April 1, and will now provide repair and modernisation services under the name LTG Tech. ‘The synergies of both companies pave the way for increased efficiency of LTG Group, as well as for its higher competitiveness and greater value creation’, said LTG’s CEO Mantas Bartuška. ‘We have ambitions to expand our business across international markets. Combining operating and rolling stock maintenance businesses will allow us to build stronger positions in those markets as we will provide a wide range of services from one hand.’
Sinara Transport Machines is to supply two TEM9 shunting locomotives to Lasselsberger Group’s Cemix and LB Minerals businesses for use at industrial sites in the Russian Republic of Bashkortostan. The locomotives will be fitted with additional features including a KVARTA fuel consumption metering system with a GLONASS navigation module, anti-skid protection, the ability to work in emergency modes, and a heating system for the entire locomotive designed to ensure continuous operation throughout the year.
Wholesale timber merchant VIK has ordered 40 United Wagon Co Type 13-6852-02 flat wagons for delivery in Q2 this year. The 40 ft wagons have a capacity of 74 tonnes or 122 m3, up to 10 m3 more than older designs, with openings in the end wall to simplify cargo checks at customs control posts. ‘We attach a great deal of importance to delivery conditions and reliability’, said VIK CEO Oleg Batalov. ‘The choice of UWC flat cars is an obvious option for us, seeing that we have had no complaints throughout years of experience of operating the Tikhvin flat cars, and these cars have proven efficient.’
Jürgen Huschka became Executive Director Eurasia at freight operator InterRail Group on April 1. He has previously worked for Panalpina and Far East Land Bridge.
United Wagon Co has delivered 50 Type 11-6874 vans ordered by Locotrans at the start of the year. They have 25 tonne axleload bogies and a capacity of 73 tonnes or 175 m3, with wide doors for easy loading and unloading and grooved floors to provide better grip for the load and forklift wheels. There are four loading hatches on the roof and in the side walls for loading bulk materials.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc has appointed Eddie Aston as Chief Executive Officer of its UK/Europe Region, which comprises UK rail operator Freightliner, Freightliner Poland, Rotterdam Rail Feeding and container-logistics provider Pentalver. Aston succeeds G&W’s Gary Long, who is returning to the USA.
The Turkuaz joint venture of Azerbaijan’s ADY Container and Absheron Lojistika, Turkey‘s TCDD and Pasifik Eurasia and Georgia’s GR Logistics & Terminals has launched a twice-weekly container block train service from Baku to Mersin and Istanbul.
