ITALY: The first of six Flirt electric multiple-units ordered as part of the electrification of the Aosta line has been unveiled at Stadler’s factory at Siedlce in Poland.

SWEDEN: Green Cargo is to adapt its operations to offer ‘more robust and reliable’ services in 2025, focusing on corridors where the state-owned freight operator already has high volumes of block train, wagonload or intermodal traffic.

UK: Arriva has published a five-step plan to ‘fix Britain’s railways’ by first stabilising the network and then unlocking growth to increase usage, support public finances and drive improvements for passengers.

INNOTRANS: The Beijing Zongheng Electro-Mechanical Technology Co subsidiary of China Academy of Railway Sciences is to showcase its newly developed integrated traction and control technology at InnoTrans 2024.

UK: A smaller and lighter version of the battery pack currently being tested on a Hitachi Rail inter-city train is being developed for regional, commuter and suburban trains on non-electrified lines.

INNOTRANS: No fewer than 55 companies have confirmed their attendance at the upcoming Berlin trade fair, centred on the ‘Brazil on Rails’ pavilion at Stand 220 in Hall 10·2.

BELARUS: Chinese manufacturer CRRC Datong has decided not to deliver 15 BKG2 electric locos ordered by Belarus Railway. The decision is a result of sanctions imposed by the US and EU in response to the Belarusian government’s support for Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

EUROPE: The European Rail Freight Association has issued a 2024-29 manifesto setting three out three broad policy objectives and four issues it believes must be addressed by during the current five-year EU legislative cycle.

UK: Greater Anglia is working with Multiverse to offer staff data training apprenticeships.

TURKEY:  Projects to connect major industrial and agricultural production zones to the national rail network are set to be included in the 2025 Presidential Investment Programme, with construction tenders to be opened in the next six months.

NORTH AMERICA: The industry-wide RailPulse coalition has launched the open platform for telematics data which it has developed to provide near real-time insights for North American wagon owners, operators and freight shippers.

 

INNOTRANS: Korea Railroad Research Institute is to highlight eight of its latest innovations and research programmes during the upcoming Berlin fair.

News from the world rail freight market.

CZECH REPUBLIC: Passenger services have restarted on part of the narrow gauge network centred on Jindřichův Hradec following financial problems at operator JHMD.

INNOTRANS: Ukrainian rolling stock manufacturer Kryukovsky Railway Car Building Works is to showcase its product portfolio at the upcoming Berlin fair, with its Sggrss 80 ft articulated flat wagon at the heart of its display.

AUSTRIA: The first bore of the 27·3 km Semmering Base Tunnel was holed through on September 11.

AUSTRIA: Plasser & Theurer held a ground-breaking ceremony for a €60m track machine final assembly and commissioning facility at its Pummererstrasse site in Linz on September 11.

GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn’s management board has signed a €14·3bn agreement to sell international logistics subsidiary DB Schenker to Danish transport and logistics group DSV. The sale forms part of DB’s ‘Strong Rail’ strategy to focus on its core activities, and does not include the DB Cargo rail freight business.

UK: Plans for a Midlands-North West Rail Link have been set out by the consortium appointed by the mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.