Green Cargo has awarded Euromaint a renewed five-year maintenance contract covering more than 300 Rc/Rd locomotives in Sweden.
The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development is providing Kazakh private rolling stock operator Eastcomtrans with a US$40m loan to support the increase in container handling capacity at the Zhetygen logistics centre near Almaty, acquire up to 250 new wagons and maintain its existing fleet. This aims to help reduce bottlenecks along the Trans-Caspian corridor. As part of the project, Eastcomtrans will develop an equal opportunities strategy to increase women’s employment in currently male-dominated occupations and improve access to accredited training for young people.
Eurofima has reached a €15m, eight-year agreement with Austrian shareholder ÖBB to finance an order for ŽOS Trnava to supply 88 Faccns four-axle ballast hopper wagons. The transaction announced on December 14 is the first tranche of a €250m framework agreement to finance the purchase of ‘modern, high tech and climate-friendly’ maintenance vehicles.
Stadler’s Euro9000 six-axle locomotive design has been approved for operation in the Netherlands and Belgium, building on approval for Germany, Austria and Switzerland; Italy is expected to follow this year. The modular design is offered with electric, electro-diesel and/or battery options, with the diesel engine providing additional power when operating under 3 kV DC electrification.
On January 4 European Loc Pool announced a firm order for a further 10 Stadler EuroDual electro-diesel locomotives to be delivered in 2025-26 with approval for Germany and Austria. This takes its total order to 84 EuroDual and 30 Euro9000 locos; the first 101 are now all deployed on long-term full-service leases with more than 30 customers in six countries.
Kazakhstan’s Qaztemirtrans has taken delivery of 50 open wagons of 70 tonne capacity produced by Kazakhstan Wagon Building Co in Ekıbastūz. It plans to purchase about 3 000 more wagons by 2025.
Industrial decarbonisation investor Ara Partners has acquired a majority interest in USD Clean Fuels, which develops renewable fuels logistics infrastructure. As part of the transaction USDCF has acquired the West Colton Rail Terminal, which handles fuel-grade ethanol in southern California.
Nevomo has appointed PJ Motion and TÜV Rheinland to support the approval and commercialisation of its MagRail Booster linear motor technology which is designed to be retrofitted to wagons to enable autonomous operation.
Metrans subsidiary Metrans Adria began operating in Slovenia on December 10, when the first train was dispatched from Dunajská Streda to Koper were it arrived the following day. Metrans locomotives in Slovenia had pevioulsy been operated by SŽ - Tovorni Promet.
