Engineering trains are a significant part of the rail freight sector. They support the entirety of the railway. In Britain, GB Railfreight (GBRf) one of the country’s largest rail freight operators, has extended its contract for those support services with Network Rail, the owner and infrastructure manager of the UK mainline railway network. Network Rail…
Category: Rail freight
‘Moldova might separate IM and RU tasks by year’s end’
Ukraine and Moldova need to separate the roles of infrastructure manager (IM) and railway undertaking (RU) to be integrated into European railways. It seems that Moldova might achieve this by the end of 2024, as Harry Karandeinos from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) mentioned during the RailFreight Summit ‘24. Karandeinos, Principal Sustainable…
Russia and Iran finalising Rasht-Astara agreement
Russia and Iran are reportedly finalising an agreement for the Rasht-Astara railway. The line in northern Iran is a crucial missing piece for the western branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC). According to the agreement, Russia will bear the brunt of the costs. A meeting between the Iranian ambassador in Russia and a…
British manufacturer delivers first battery shunter to Freightliner
Freightliner in the UK has taken delivery of a brand new shunting and switching locomotive with a difference. It is entirely battery-powered. The designated Class 18 locomotive has been built by the British manufacturer Clayton, which has a long history of involvement in the UK railway industry. The locomotive has been financed by rolling stock…
Deutsche Bahn does not rule out DB Cargo sale
Deutsche Bahn (DB) does not rule out the sale of its freight subsidiary DB Cargo. Looming EU sanctions over excessive state support are forcing DB to find an escape route. A partial sale of financially underperforming DB Cargo might be on the table. According to Handelsblatt, DB does not rule out a sale of its…
Hungrail warns against V0 railway delay: “Economy could collapse”
Hungarian rail association Hungrail warns against delays in the construction of the V0 railway. The railway is supposed to connect Hungary’s eastern and western regions on a dedicated freight line bypassing congested Budapest. Hungrail says that the V0 line is necessary to avoid economic collapse. The V0 line project aspires to improve rail logistics, increase…
Hungrail warns against V0 railway delay: “Economy could collapse”
Hungarian rail association Hungrail warns against delays in the construction of the V0 railway. The railway is supposed to connect Hungary’s eastern and western regions on a dedicated freight line bypassing congested Budapest. Hungrail says that the V0 line is necessary to avoid economic collapse. The V0 line project aspires to improve rail logistics, increase…
Amazon grows intermodal transport by 50% in Europe, but struggles to commit
American e-commerce giant Amazon has increased its intermodal transport in Europe by 50 per cent, with a large role for rail. This growth percentage is based on data from 2023. Spanish publication El Mercantil writes that 25 per cent of all goods travel via intermodal transport from Amazon’s hub in Zaragoza. The company uses that…
DB Cargo Italia ditches diesel, switches to HVO
DB Cargo Italia is currently in the process of implementing a switch from diesel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. All diesel-powered locomotives of the company will switch to HVO by the end of the summer. According to DB Cargo, HVO represents a more environmentally friendly and renewable alternative to fossil fuels. The Italian subsidiary…
METRANS launches new connection to Ukraine
METRANS has launched a new freight connection to Ukraine. The service will run between Poland and the Ukrainian town Mostyska. According to METRANS, the route connects its network to cities such as Kyiv and Odesa. European rail operator METRANS launched the new route during the Easter weekend. Trains will run between Dabrowa Gornicza in Poland…