Pinsly Railroad Co’s North Florida Industrial Railroad has entered into an agreement with Columbia County, Florida, to be the rail operator of the North Florida Mega Industrial Park. ‘There is a lot of potential for growth in the northeast Florida region, and we’re only in the beginning phases’, said Chief Commercial Officer Cassie Dull.
Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority says a concession agreement with a consortium of Chinese investors led by China Civil Engineering Construction Corp is expected to be finalised in early 2025, ‘paving the way to swiftly unlock the full potential of our revitalisation efforts’. Fuad Abdallah, Regional General Manager for Tanzania, said ’the major challenge we face is that our ageing wagons cannot carry heavy containers. We urgently need new locomotives and wagons capable of hauling significant cargo.’
Machine vision and AI company Duos Technologies has been granted a US patent for its Obliquevue device for capturing high-resolution images of the underside of wagons. ‘We deliver unparalleled accuracy and efficiency, allowing operators to identify and address safety concerns in real time’, said CEO Chuck Ferry.
Etihad Rail is using the EcoTransIT tool to provide CO2 Emission Avoidance & Reduction Certificates validating the carbon savings businesses achieve by choosing rail over alternative modes.
The US Surface Transportation Board has approved CN’s acquisition of Iowa Northern Railway Co from the Sabin family; the transaction could be completed in February.
The first Class 99 loco for GB Railfreight has left Stadler’s factory in València for testing at the Velim test track in the Czech Republic. It is expected to arrive in the UK in the early summer.
On January 10, 12 European industry associations including the Association of European Rail Rolling Stock Lessors, European Rail Freight Association, International Union of Wagon Keepers and the International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport issued an open letter calling for negotiating partners on the European Railway Capacity Management Regulation to adopt an ‘ambitious and international approach’ to improve the reliability of rail freight services. ERFA said ‘what is particularly important is this proposed Regulation does not lead to a deterioration or lack of legal certainty for companies involved in rail freight. The Regulation will revoke important initiatives such as the Rail Freight Corridors Regulation, so if negotiating parties are to reach an agreement, we need to be certain it is a step in the right direction and not a step into the unknown.’
In December Medway took delivery of the first two of six 1 668 mm gauge Euro4001 diesel locos ordered from Stadler Valencia through leasing company Alpha Trains. They will primarily be used on international traffic between Portugal and Spain via Salamanca and Extremadura.
Chinese company Baotou Beifang Chuangye is supplying 115 flat wagons in fully knocked down kit form for assembly by Pakistan Railways in Lahore. ‘This initiative is a pivotal step toward reducing import reliance and fostering local industry’, said PR CEO Aamir Baloch.
The Port Authority of Bilbao has deployed AllRead’s Agile Recognition Software machine vision technology to capture data such as UIC wagon codes, container codes, vehicle registration plates and dangerous goods plates.
The fifth European Intermodal Summit organised by International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport will take place online on January 22. Questions to be addressed will include how combined transport players can respond to the clean industrial deal; how can Europe boost its competitiveness; and how can combined transport contribute to achieve better productivity and resilience?