Swedish operator ProTrain Trafik has agreed to lease four Voith Gravita 10 centre-cab locomotives and four new Vossloh Rolling Stock DE18 Stage V locomotives with ETCS from Northrail. The first of the four Gravita locos was handed over on December 30, with the other three to follow on March 1.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Works has extended the contract for the Sogdiana Trans subsidiary of Uzbekistan’s national railway UTY to operate the Hairatan - Mazar-i-Sharif line.
Colgate-Palmolive has awarded FS Group’s Mercitalia Intermodal a further contract for the door-to-door transport of personal care and parapharmaceutical products between its Anzio plant and distribution centres in the Netherlands, France, Germany and UK, including six trains per week between the Pomezia terminal and Duisburg.
BNSF has announced a $3·8bn capital investment plan for 2025. This includes $2·84bn for maintenance and $535m for expansion and efficiency projects. These include completing a multi-year expansion of the Cicero Intermodal Facility in Chicago, development of the planned Barstow International Gateway project in California and starting development activities for an intermodal facility in the Phoenix area.
CargoBeamer is to expand its network of lorry trailer carrying services with a connection between Kornwestheim near Stuttgart and Domodossola in Italy from February 11. There will be three weekly round trips, carrying all types of semi-trailers, including cranable and non-cranable units, containers, swap-bodies, and refrigerated or tank trailers. SBB Cargo International will be traction provider.
Azerbaijan’s ADY Express and Hellmann Worldwide Logistics have launched a Chongqing to Europe intermodal service along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.
Iowa Interstate Railroad has introduced a hazmat training tank car fitted with telemetry technology including GPS location and load status monitoring to enhance the preparedness of first responders across its network. Raptor Tank Cleaning Systems donated cleaning services to the project.
The port of Trieste’s rail subsidiary Adriafer has awarded Vossloh Rolling Stock a €8m contract to supply a DE18 diesel locomotive, with an option for a second.
The Broe Group’s rail business OmniTRAX has named David Garin as board Chair and elected OmniTRAX CEO Dean Piacente to the OmniTRAX board. Outgoing Chairman Cameron Scott and Michael Brothers have been elected to the parent Broe Family Board.
On January 23 the national railways of Azerbaijan and Iran signed an agreement to further develop the North-South Corridor and to expand activities at the Astara freight terminal.
Norfolk Southern has appointed Lori J Ryerkerk, former Chairman, CEO & President of chemicals company Celanese Corp, to its board. ‘Lori’s extensive experience leading global operations and managing complex supply chain systems is a highly complementary addition to our board’, said President & CEO Mark George on January 27. ’Her strong operational acumen and insights as a large rail customer will be tremendous assets.’