Railway upgrades should be done by machines, not humans
They are like moving factories: machines capable of renewing a railway track autonomously, and without nearby line closures. They are the approach to efficient railway upgrading, but they are not yet widely applied. What is...Read more
Next step toward paperless freight traffic Europe
A next step towards paperless rail freight transport in Europe has been taken. On 12 March, the European Parliament proposed a new regulation for the digitalisation of electronic freight transport information. In simpler terms, this...Read more
Cargo should find its own way to final destination
Cargo should find its own way to its destination, where it determines a logical next destination. It could do this autonomously, without intervention of a human. This is called self-organising logistics. A step too far?...Read more
New order for Smartron freight locomotives
Siemens Mobility has received a new order for 25 Smartron electric locomotives specially developed in accordance with the requirements of the German rail freight market. The deal was concluded with Paribus Holding, a Hamburg-based investment...Read more
Vectron Dual Mode locomotive completed
Siemens Mobility has accomplished the manufacture of the first Vectron Dual Mode locomotive. The vehicle will be capable to use both electric energy and diesel fuel. The Dual Mode locomotive was designed and developed primarily...Read more
Fully automated rail terminals: how far away?
At the moment, full rail terminal automation does not exist in Europe. But this is to change, according to Hamburg Port Consulting (HPC). “In the next 5 to 10 years, we expect to see several...Read more
Google Glass to check containers at Wiencont
The Austrian hinterland terminal Wiencont will test the use of Google Glass this year to check incoming containers. Normally this work is done manually by taking pictures of all the elements that need to be...Read more
Digital tool to align terminal and railway traffic in Port of Antwerp
Alignment between terminal planning and traffic management is sometimes hard to find in the rail freight industry. Thanks to new technologies, this is about to change, at least in the Port of Antwerp. The Rail...Read more
DB Cargo well underway towards silent wagon fleet
Around 80 percent of DB Cargo’s freight cars are now equipped with silent brakes. The German operator aims to reduce railway noise pollution by half by 2020. Today, DB Cargo has 50,500 silent railcars in in...Read more
Rail Cargo Group equips wagon fleet with telematics devices
By the end of 2020, the freight cars of Rail Cargo Group will feature position detection, motion sensing and shock detection. The freight division of OBB has partnered up with A1 and A1 Digital to...Read more
UWC delivered 60 heavyweight flatcars to Transcontainer
Research and production corporation United Wagon Company (UWC) has completed the delivery of sixty flatcars on bogies with enhanced axle load to Transcontainer. The cars are intended to carry heavyweight containers. Transcontainer received 30 model 13-6851-05...Read more
Technical standards for rail interoperability extended
The opportunities to evolve Telematics Application for Freight Services (TAF TSI) will be further discovered. The European Commission has awarded a contract with this aim to Circle S.p.A and Hacon Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH. Circle will partner up...Read more
New rail terminal puts non-cranable trailers on track
Trailers are traditionally transported by road, but this is about to change. A terminal for the transport of non-cranable trailers by rail is in the pipeline in the Netherlands. The concept should bring about a revolution...Read more
Mobile app for digital rail freight Belarus
Belarusian Railways has presented a new mobile app, allowing rail freight operations to become fully digital. The app comes after the implementation of the electronic document in transit transportation on the Latvia-Belarus-Russia corridor. The launch of...Read more
Rollout world’s first driverless freight train network complete
Rio Tinto has completed the rollout of its automated rail network in Pilbara, Western Australia. According to the iron ore operator, it is the world’s first fully autonomous, long-distance, heavy-haul rail network, operating the world’s...Read more
Kalmar to supply 4 smart cranes to Norfolk Southern in US
Cargotec’s subsidiary Kalmar is to supply four SmartPower rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) to the US-based transportation company Norfolk Southern. The cranes are equipped with a range of process automation solutions. The units are scheduled to...Read more