eurasian route development China follows through with Middle Corridor plans while traffic increases

What appeared like a vague plan in late 2023 is now becoming a reality. China is following through with its plans to expand the Belt…
digital automatic coupling DAC implementation might cost 9 times more than expected

Current quotations for the costs of implementing a Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) do not take into account many factors that might lead to costs to…
Netherlands sector appeal A new government, a new appeal from the Dutch rail freight sector

On 2 July, the Netherlands got its new government. Parties involved in Dutch rail freight figured that new leadership may also provide new opportunities, and…
deck reshuffling Network Rail chief joins UK government

The new Labour Party government has announced its team of ministers in charge of transport. The new Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has appointed his shadow…
Ice Silk Road How the Arctic Ocean can help Russian rail and bring it closer to China

On Friday 6 July, the first “Arctic Express” train departed from Russia’s Moscow region. Its destination: The northern port town of Arkhangelsk. The load, however,…
changing political landscapes Could France’s new biggest parliamentary group abandon liquidation of Fret SNCF?

The second round of French parliamentary elections on Sunday saw the left-leaning Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) become the biggest political group in the French Assembly…
Infrastructure expansion Sweden follows through with major projects after appeal for rail freight investments

In May, Swedish Railways made a serious appeal for additional investments in rail freight. A quarter of the country’s industry is affected by rail disruptions,…
Priority to rail freight French line to access Turin-Lyon tunnel will prioritise freight traffic

France’s infrastructure manager SNCF Réseau recently presented a three-year study for the access route to the future Turin-Lyon tunnel. Costing a total of 170 million…
rail freight revival Irish freight project bridges last gap

Ireland’s rail renaissance continues. The Limerick to Foynes rail freight line project has taken a further step forward. The Robertstown Viaduct, the last river crossing…

Business

Growing business Polish operator Laude planning new terminal in Ukraine

Polish rail operator Laude Smart Intermodal seems on track to surpass last year’s freight volumes of its Ukrainian operations, with January-September figures approaching total 2023…
strikes on the horizon? French labour unions get ready to go on strike over Fret SNCF discontinuity

Four labour unions at France’s State railway continues to call for a moratorium on the discontinuity of Fret SNCF and have brandished the threat of…
Privatisation Operail goes private with real estate company Tiigi Keskus

There is a purchase and sale agreement for Estonian national rail operator Operail. It is Tiigi Keskus, an Estonian real estate company that also owns…
optimistic predictions German Ministry predicts significant rail freight growth by 2040

The German Ministry of Transport presented its rail traffic forecast for 2040, showing significant optimism especially when it comes to freight. Concerning total tonnes transported,…
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In Depth

rolling stock repurposing UK electric shunter completes field trials

Developers Positive Traction have successfully completed trials with their prototype electric shunter, rebuilt from a successful diesel design dating back to the 1930s. Their first-of-a-kind…
Delay or no delay? Fehmarnbelt tunnel’s rail freight traffic could be delayed until a decade from now

The Fehmarnbelt tunnel is supposed to provide a shortcut to rail freight traffic, alongside road traffic, from Germany into Scandinavia. The grand opening of the…
optimistic predictions Survey of French shippers highlights strong growth potential of rail freight

A major study of the development of rail freight in the industrial and agricultural sectors in France has concluded that there is the potential for…
Establishment of Carpatica Feroviar Romania’s controversial plan to save state rail freight

CFR Marfă, Romania’s state-owned rail freight operator, will soon be liquidated following bankruptcy. In its place will now come a new state-owned operator by the…
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Asia-Europe

Alstom to build 4 maintenance plants in Kazakhstan

French rail rolling stock manufacturer Alstom is building four maintenance centres in Kazakhstan. The total investment revolves around 50 million euros and the first site,…
Locomotives left lingering Russian Railways: ‘We are using our capabilities in overheat mode’

Problems on the Russian railway network seem to be persistent and worsening. Reportedly, there are more and more locomotives being left unused, all the while…
American rail business in Kazakhstan Wabtec’s rolling stock business in Kazakhstan goes beyond 400 million dollar deal

Besides the recently announced 400 million dollar deal with Kazakh Railways (KTZ), American rail technology company Wabtec is delivering more rolling stock to the rail…
Major investment from Abu Dhabi Ports Kazakh Kuryk port to get various new terminals

The Kazakh Port of Kuryk, on the Caspian Sea coast, will get three new terminals. They are supposed to be ready by 2027, and Abu…
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Intermodal

balkan connections RCG launches another service through Serbian subsidiary

Austrian rail freight operator Rail Cargo Group (RCG) is launching a new service through its recently established Serbian subsidiary. The service will connect Serbia’s capital…
rail-port synergies Spain launches two feasibility studies to boost rail freight in A Coruña port

The Spanish ministry of transport began two feasibility studies concerning the port of A Coruña, in the northwest of the country. One of the studies…
boosting combined transport France’s master plan for combined transport highlights need for more terminals

France has published a “national master plan” for combined transport. Drawn up by the State Directorate-General for Infrastructure, Transport and Mobility (DGITM), in close collaboration…
modal shift tests Volkswagen to start EcoDuo-rail intermodal pilot between Germany and Spain

A new intermodal pilot project to move Volkswagen products between Germany and Spain will start in 2025. The initiative, led by the German Association of…
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Policy

Public versus private Dutch government and rail freight sector do not see eye to eye on DAC

The Dutch state secretary for infrastructure, Chris Jansen, recently attended a Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) demonstration with his German counterpart. Jansen sees potential in the…
file: greening freight package European associations ask for more concreteness over Greening Freight Package

The Greening Freight Package remains a significant initiative for the European Union. One of its pillars, the Combined Transport Directive, is however once again in…
rail revolution? MPs in France push to connect all logistics sites to the railways

A French Parliamentary bill aimed at developing rail freight has been tabled by a group of MPs which, if passed into law, would oblige all…
subsidy dilemma Italy opens application for this year’s subsidies, but still hasn’t paid last year’s

The Italian Ministry of Transport has opened applications for the 2024/25 Ferrobonus incentive, one of the main measures to support the country’s rail freight sector.…
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Technology

Public versus private Dutch government and rail freight sector do not see eye to eye on DAC

The Dutch state secretary for infrastructure, Chris Jansen, recently attended a Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) demonstration with his German counterpart. Jansen sees potential in the…
rolling stock repurposing UK electric shunter completes field trials

Developers Positive Traction have successfully completed trials with their prototype electric shunter, rebuilt from a successful diesel design dating back to the 1930s. Their first-of-a-kind…
New technology Öresund bridge gets rail maintenance-reducing pilot

The Öresund bridge between Denmark and Sweden is the site of a pilot project that is supposed to reduce maintenance on the rail tracks. With…
Two containers on a single wagon Kazakhstan tests double-stack container load

Kazakh Railways (KTZ) has tested a service with a double-stack container load. Its freight subsidiary KTZ Express cooperated with wagon manufacturer Ziksto (ЗИКСТО) to make…
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Infrastructure

rail-port synergies Slovenian Parliament gives final approval for Divača-Koper doubling

The Slovenian Parliament officially approved the project to double the Divača-Koper railway line. Construction works for the second track leading into the country’s largest port…
rail at a standstill Valencia remains logistically isolated due to extreme weather conditions

The east of Spain is currently experiencing extreme weather conditions, especially in the area of Valencia. The events have already claimed dozens of lives, caused…
Rail overhaul ‘Freight to be primary beneficiary of 6 billion euros in Croatian investments’

Croatia is planning to invest a record 6 billion euros in its railway infrastructure during the coming decade. Its infrastructure manager, HŽ Infrastruktura, says that…
new terminal coming soon Bow bells ring for east London rail hub

The London Olympics of 2012 is still developing, and rail freight is the last medal winner. The UK infrastructure agency Network Rail has been given…
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