Humber ports boosted by rail freight revamp project
A programme of major rail freight infrastructure improvements that will provide a vital connection with the River Humber ports on the UK’s east coast has been given the go-ahead. Network Rail, the UK’s rail infrastructure manager,...Read more
French Euro Cargo Rail agrees new redundancy deal with union
French private rail freight operator Euro Cargo Rail (ECR) says it has reached a key milestone in its controversial restructuring programme, with a reduced redundancy programme now agreed by trade unions. It follows negotiations between ECR...Read more
DB Cargo Germany goes Lean and Green
DB Cargo in Germany has further strengthened its green credentials by becoming a partner of the international Lean and Green initiative, which is committed to reducing CO2 emissions in the logistics and storage sectors. All the...Read more
India strengthens Trans-Asian rail freight prospects
The Dedicated Freight Corridor programme in India, which could eventually help open up vital new rail freight trading links with Europe, is entering its next phase with plans for a domestic southern route. India’s positioning on...Read more
UTLC rail alliance and Asstra sign containers deal
A rail alliance promoting the Eurasian freight corridors has signed an agreement with international shipping giant Asstra to ship containers between China and Europe via the railways of Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus and the EU. The United...Read more
Kazak rail head pledges to strengthen Eurasian freight links
The head of Kazakhstan’s national railways has outlined the country’s ‘great measures’ for revamping its transport and logistics infrastructure, as it looks to strengthen its position on the Trans-Eurasian rail freight routes. Kanat Alpysbaev, Chair of...Read more
Royal seal of approval for Luxembourg’s new intermodal terminal
Rail freight links between Luxembourg and its European neighbours will be strengthened through the new Bettembourg-Dudelange Intermodal Terminal, which has been officially opened by His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri. The CFL Multimodal-owned facility, which covers...Read more
EC approves Danish scheme to help rail freight operators fund ERTMS
A Danish scheme designed to support its national rail freight operators invest in the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on-board traffic management equipment has been formally approved by the European Commission. Between 2018 and 2023,...Read more
VTG buying CIT Group’s European rail wagon leasing arm
German rail freight wagon lease firm VTG is expanding its fleet after agreeing a near-800 million Euros deal to buy the European rail leasing division of US-based financiers, the CIT Group. The company is acquiring CIT...Read more
Siemens’ Manfred Fuhg new spokesman for Pro-Rail Alliance business members
The head of Siemens’ Germany’s Mobility division, Manfred Fuhg, says his main focus will be digitalisation after being elected as the new spokesman for companies represented by influential rail freight champion the German Pro-Rail Alliance. With...Read more
Major EC grant for rail freight study into Ghent-Zeeland ports merger
The European Commission (EC) has approved a 650,000 Euros grant for a potentially vital new Belgian-Dutch cross border rail freight link that is central to plans for a merger between the ports of Ghent and...Read more
Zeebrugge to Nancy rail service up and running
A thrice-weekly container train service is now running between the Port of Zeebrugge and Nancy in north east France, potentially opening up a host of new trade links to and from Scandinavia and the UK,...Read more
Rail Baltica secures nearly 500 million Euros in ‘remarkable’ success
The Rail Baltica programme linking Poland with the Baltic states via a new dedicated line is to receive nearly half a billion Euros from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), almost a sixth of the...Read more
Union threatens DB Cargo over ‘serious staffing gaps’
A union representing DB Cargo UK workers has issued a three-month ultimatum to the company to address ‘serious staffing gaps’ or face the prospect of a strike. The Transport and Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) has temporarily...Read more
EU technical workshop on rail freight telematics
The European Union Agency for Railways’ (ERA) 6th Regional TAF TSI workshop in September will provide important new information on the Technical Specification for Interoperability relating to the Telematics Applications for Freight subsystem. It is being...Read more
Slovenia puts 1 billion Euros rail freight plan to the people
A rail freight infrastructure programme for Slovenia that would cost a billion Euros is to be put to a referendum, following a vote by the country’s Parliament. The 27-kilometre line is designed to speed up...Read moreFrance to test self-driving freight train in 2019
France plans to experiment with remote-controlled freight trains in 2019, as it pushes forward technological advances to facilitate the use of semi-autonomous trains across the national rail network. It is all part of a long-term programme...Read more
UK public favour rail freight over roads, says survey
Almost two thirds of people (61 per cent) questioned in a survey would like to see more freight transported by rail in the UK, with only two per cent wanting to see more on the...Read more
Freightliner Europe’s new CEO appointed
The US-based Genesee & Wyoming group has appointed Gary R Long as Chief Executive Officer of its UK/Europe operations, which is led by the UK’s Freightliner rail freight group. Long joined G&W in 2013, having previously...Read more