Freight Tracks #23

A Year Down

A year closer to a UK general election.

bankrupt disunited Kingdom. Churchill’s less likely than our empire lasting for man-like futurologist Will Huskisson, gifts the average Yorkshireman an air finest hour is unlikely to have a date

Optimism be damned. The horizon’s glow is surely the engine shed on fire, the victim of a desperate insurance job. Surely not the first rays of rejuvenation, the white heat of technology dawning a brighter future? The rosy glow in the misty morning emanates from signals, defaulting to red for a January possession on the East Coast Main Line.

Stop now, yes, but big-tech is on the verge of delivering, big time, for our friends in freight’s capacity starved north. Britain’s favourite infrastructure agency, Network Rail, intends to get network real in 2023, ramping up their East Coast Digital Programme. “The work is an essential early stage towards delivering the transformation of a digitally signalled East Coast,” says Ed Akers, the programme’s Principal Sponsor.

No such transformation yet foreseen for the

Midland Main Line, so often Britain’s forgotten backbone conveyor of minerals, aggregates, and once of finished Sheffield steel. Now, those cooled furnaces are shaded by that white hot technology, emanating from software mills like 3Squared, where the coders work in shifts and the screens glow deep into the night. “Something that could dominate in 2023 is the modal shift between rail and road,” says Jason Durk, their Principal Consultant, ready to don his digital donkey jacket for another twelve month shift.

“We will be concentrating on developing our PathPlanner software [a winner in the Department for Transport and Innovate UK’s ‘First of a Kind’ competition] which will enable freight operators to run additional trains and enhance capacity.”

Network Rail responds too, albeit still concentrating on one commodity. Their slick East

Down the Tracks

election. Four quarters closer to a Churchill’s sunny uplands seem even for a thousand years. Ever statesHuskisson, whose inherent demeanour air of wild optimism, predicts our date in the diary for 2023.

Coast Digital Programme video mentions passenger improvements every two milliseconds, but there are huge benefits promised for non-

self loading cargo too. In fact, freight could be the project’s biggest benefactor. The stepchange to dynamic train management means

cramming more mixed traffic into a fixed track. Good news intensive metro and long-distance squadrons out of King’s Cross. “This will create better journeys on a state of the art, reliable railway,” adds Akers, “reducing emissions and providing further safety protection.”

Emissions might be further reduced if the rail freight fleet gets fired up again. Rail freight specialist consultant David Cross believes there are around 200 locomotives in store in the UK, about a quarter of them electric. He’s concerned about operators’ appetite for new work. “There’s never been more demand for rail freight, but new services are not much in evidence.”

Cross argues that the UK Government’s Modal Shift Revenue Support scheme doesn’t really encourage new flows, and there are several consequent issues that could be addressed

in 2023.

He says that the average speed of rail freight is still hardly faster than urban side streets (34mph) and even a modest one mile per hour increase per year would mark a significant improvement. In-fill electrification would help pull some of those stored locomotives out of store, but David has one big ask for immediate implementation. “The use of the Channel Tunnel for unaccompanied rail freight is pitiful,” he says. “No excuses for not making more use of this under utilised first class asset.”

Lumbering block trains

Others view the lumbering block trains in the same way fleet-footed mammals regarded the dinosaurs. If only freight could form up in the slipstream of those high-speed passenger squadrons. Well, it can. Pioneers like Varamis,

one fleet-footed mammal of an operator, has already proved the concept of express light logistics (that’s parcels to you and me) with a dedicated train, running between Birmingham and Central Scotland. They have ambitious plans for the coming year, with the East Coast in their sights. That digital signalling upgrade is opening the door to an ever wider range of services and operators.

Interfacing only briefly with the East Coast route, drivers bound for the Drax power station complex will be hoping for no repeat of the flood events that plagued operations in 2020. The railway, or causeway as it was then, kept the wood-chip fired generators running, and the lights on in millions of UK homes. Drax has done nothing villainous in their switch from coal to waste wood, and it has arguably diminished their carbon footprint, at the same time as stimulating rail freight operations.

“Our biomass trains deliver up to 30,000 tonnes to the power station each day,” says Bruce Heppenstall, Drax Plant Director, and the man whose signature is on the contract for an additional thirty new specially designed rail trucks. “Investing in these new wagons will further increase our resilience and cut carbon emissions on our Tyne to Drax rail route, whilst continuing to support thousands of jobs across the North, including at WH Davis,” he said.

Huge benefits of rail freight

All this is good news for afore mentioned independent wagon manufacturer in Mansfield. Wagon works were once a staple of British industry, from Southampton to Scotland. All that’s gone, mainly to vast east European factories, but WH Davis is still cutting a die, producing Rolls Royce quantities for Rolls Royce quality customers like Drax. The always cautious, wait until it’s on the dotted line, Les Bryant, their Group Engineering Director, does at least

confirm the order that will take the Drax fleet to over 250 units. He leafs through a stack of agreements in principle, but awaits customers’ sign offs. “There is much talk within the government about the huge benefits of rail freight in relation to the growth of the UK economy and the reduction in carbon footprint”, he says. “That seems to be all it is talk with very little action towards actually increasing UK rail freight.” Maybe Les and David need a chat.

However, a hit from the past is set to make a return to freight charts. The re-approval of the Barber low-ride bogie, fitted to the WH Davis IDA Super Low wagon (container trucks impersonating hovercraft), has been completed. Les says WH Davis can now offer this wagon back to intermodal carriers. Inside their development wing at Langwith Junction, work continues on a two axle forty-foot intermodal wagon which could revolutionise the industry. The potential fitment of wheel slide prevention (the railway’s ABS), and electro-pneumatic braking (latterly the preserve of prestige passenger stock), will see these little beauties hit the tracks at 100mph.

Supply chain disruption

None of that though should be taken as a given. 2023 will see the effects of supply chain disruption filter down, big time. In those far away lands of which we know little, there’s war, political unrest, economic instability and, because it’s still a thing, Covid. Add to that, commodities, components, and the double-edged sword of container rates, all still attempting to derail the smooth run through the year.

A yo-yo ro-ro year saw trans-continental container rental rates swing $1500 to $15,000, promoting a boom in overland Silk Road routes between Asia and Europe. Ocean freight rates have crested that wave, but global inflation is rising again. “We expect to see some companies

that switched over to rail in the last two years switch back to ocean freight,” says Ziwei Liu, (right) the co-founder of Bremen-based New Silk Road Network, the specialist rail freight forwarders for whom world events are less of a headache and more a way of life. Ziwei says many of her customers have however used the last two years as an opportunity, and found the rail freight experience a good product fit. “This will help the rail freight market mature,” she believes. “We are expecting 2023 to have a significant growth, given the increasing anticipation of China opening up with shortened quarantine times. We are also in a good position to develop, given our strong coverage outside China in the last three years.” Hashtag: warning about that Chinese recovery.

A closer look at the world island shows that neither China nor Russia is a decisive factor in Silk Road rail freight. The rising jewel of India sits just south of the historic “Khan to Constan” (Tashkent to Istanbul) route, avoiding this year’s contestants for the ‘conflict of the year’ award. For that, Ziwei is confident of returning containers eastwards. NSRN identifies strong domestic demand from Chinese partners.

Stacks boxes

However, global supply chain issues remain, and there are still stacks of boxes in the wrong places. Nowhere more so than in North America - home of the mile-long double stack. It would be good to think of the American rail freight industry as the clearing house of the world. However, rather than following the Silk Road, the railroads of North America are being railroaded into a coming annus horribilis of industrial disputes, taking their lead from the old country, and following Britain down a deep rabbit hole of strikes.

All that though is a mere bagatelle to the Port of Los Angeles, where the West Coast con-

tinues to roll by rail, and the digital revolution is most certainly being televised. “We’ll use data analytics more than ever before,” says the port’s spokesperson, Phillip Sanfield.

He says their own technology reliance will grow in 2023. “Data is no longer a competitive advantage; it’s a necessity. These insights allow

us to anticipate and act strategically. The port will push forward on infrastructure projects that make our supply chain more resilient. That includes rail projects, roadway and space utilisation projects. [We] will continue to lead the way on the sustainability front as we chart a path to decarbonising the maritime goods movement. Better data, modern infrastructure and sustainability are the backbone of everything we do. We’ll collaborate with our partners to meet the challenges of 2023.”

Back in Blighty, the problems may be stacking up faster than containers on the quaysides, but that’s not stopping visionary freight operators. GB Railfreight has already put spades in the ground for a new maintenance facility at Peterborough, and further up the East Coast, DB Cargo UK forges ahead with alternative fuels technology. Over in unfashionable Carlisle, Direct Rail Services irradiates ideas beyond 2023. “DRS will continue to modernise their fleet as they push to make rail freight the default option for ultra-low carbon logistics,” says their Andrew Butler.

Profitable for hauling their “Tesco trains” behind hi-tech bi-mode locomotives, DRS is more famous for high-security moves of a more reactive nature. “Nuclear work is at DRS’s core,” says Andrew. “[We’ll] continue to ensure nuclear material is transported safely and securely, but also look to partner with new customers in new markets.”

Whilst up north, visit Mossend, the ambitious International Railfreight Park, on the edge of Bellshill. The birthplace of Sheena Easton, for it is from that Lanarkshire town that her baby took the morning train, will soon see yet another new intermodal service connecting the South to Scotland - and back again - raising the daily round trips at MIRP to five (coincidentally the number of territories where Morning Train hit

number one). Visit early in the New Year, and you’ll see further track alterations, facilitating the expanding terminal - perhaps even an early delivery of the battery-powered shunters on order.

MIRP is on the rise, and if there is one thing that makes financiers sit up, it’s the rise of a financial dead cert. So, it has not escaped the City’s notice that the management contract at the wildly successful iPort Rail in Doncaster comes up in the New Year. There could be a bidding war in the offing for this particular property. How many more rail-served logistics terminals might find themselves under offer for all the right reasons in 2023?

Shine a light

Getting hammered may be the only answer to early 2023’s possessions back on the East Coast. That won’t please many, and make the case for greater rail freight market penetration all the harder. “Our aim is to accelerate the shift to rail by delivering better, faster and more sustainable services,” says Henry Bates, the head of freight and national passenger operators at 4

Network Rail - a job title where very much every buck stops.

“The past year has been a tough one for the railway, as well as global supply chains more broadly,” adds Henry. “All the more reason in 2023 to shine a light on the value of rail freight while continuing our mission to unlock capacity, develop new terminals, deliver safety improvements and support rail freight’s exploration of new markets.”

Boldly going where new markets exist is also the trek of the Rail Freight Group, the industry’s representative body. “2023 has huge potential, with customers remaining focused on sustainability and supply chain resilience,” says their starry-eyed prediction.

“There remains significant uncertainty over UK rail funding and reform, but the opportunity for growth is strong. The current political turmoil aside, RFG is seeing strong demand and so is the rail freight sector. We’ve seen growing demand among our membership for more networking opportunities now that Covid is behind us, and that will be reflected in our events calendar.”

Will conversation at those events revolve around the caveat of the year: the economy. With predictions plummeting from repeat recession of ’83 to encore depression of the last ’23, there are real fears that anything invested in the narrow-margins of rail freight could get derailed in a crash that even the best of train control systems will have no power to avert.

If life truly is a railway What year then to expect on this Sceptred Isle, where business is the delivery of Britain’s tangible assets.

Is it for bravehearts to live to the max, or would we be mad to expect anything beyond a forthcoming year of living dangerously. Will we be as happy as Wilson, Brewster and Koko taking turns on the Chuggington turntable, or as miserable as the Fat Controller filling a rest day roster while the station cat makes a multimodal delivery in his top hat.

To paraphrase Tom Cochrane, if life truly is a railway, and we do wanna ride it all night long, make sure the tank is topped up and the pantograph is fully raised. 2023 looks like being a very long journey indeed.

Freight must remain the political agenda

SINCE the first UK lockdown of the pandemic was brought into force on March 23 2020, rail operators have been working tirelessly to re-establish the industry’s path for both passenger and freight services. And while disagreements over job security and pay and conditions for workers have resulted in many challenges for the sector in 2022, there have also been many encouraging developments throughout the past 12 months.

Prior to the pandemic, there were serious issues facing the rail industry such as ageing train fleets, journey times, frequent cancellations and staff shortages. In May 2021, the William-Shapps Plan for Rail was published with hopes to establish Great British Railways (GBR) for the purpose of ending fragmentation and integrating the country's railways. Unfortunately, on 19 October 2022, the GBR plan was delayed when the Transport Bill was postponed by a lack of parliamentary debating time. Former Transport Secretary, Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP explained the Department for Transport (DfT) had lost the opportunity to bring the necessary legislation forward in this session of Parliament.

Freight's future

In June, government recognised the importance of freight when it published The Future of Freight Plan; the first-ever cross-modal and cross-government plan for the UK freight transport sector that highlighted the need for a national freight network. The aim of the plan is to create a freight and logistics sector that is cost-efficient, reliable, resilient, environmentally sustainable and valued by society. Moving forwards, it is imperative that this plan is implemented in the correct way to ensure that a multimodal approach to

Source: DB Cargo

transport is taken. To do this, it is essential that government communicates efficiently with the freight sector, and Logistics UK looks forward to continuing with these discussions in 2023.

Covid-19 did enable the industry to start making sustainable plans for a greener future and created the opportunity for improvement that will benefit both passengers and rail workers. Examples include smart ticketing through mobile apps which will provide rail service notifications including delays and cancellations on the network and will improve safety with real time communication. The lack of trains running during and after the pandemic highlighted how the railways must change for the better, including the

Alexandra Herdman, Senior Policy Manager, Logistics UK, takes a look at what we might expect in the coming year

remain high on agenda in 2023

freight can deliver.

Infrastructure improvements for rail are a priority across the next 12 months, such as the proposal to upgrade the railway in the Ely area, as well as track electrification, as only 38% of GB’s rail network is currently electrified. Rail freight played a vital role throughout the pandemic, ensuring that food and critical supplies, such as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), got to where they needed to go. The Government recognised how integral rail freight is to the prosperity of the UK and resilience of our supply chains. Looking ahead to 2023, this growing shift to rail from other transport modes is expected to continue, creating environmental and operational benefits as well as play a vital role in the nation’s economic recovery moving forward. However, the sector needs certainty and so it is vital that changes in government and/or postponed policies do not delay further rail freight growth.

provision of a modern passenger experience, new opportunities for freight operators, innovators and suppliers, and improvements to railway infrastructure.

It is imperative that freight remains high on the political agenda in the coming year and does not become the forgotten relative of passenger services. One key challenge is timetable capacity – even with reduced passenger numbers, securing timetable slots for freight is difficult – as well as operational considerations at passenger stations. In due course, new legislation must ensure this protection for rail freight. This is key for two reasons: to support environmental and congestion goals and to unlock the economic benefits that partnership with private sector investors in rail

Keeping the country trading Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With COVID-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.

For more information about the organisation and its work, including its ground-breaking research into the impacts of COVID-19 on the whole supply chain, please visit logistics.org.uk

Mixed fortunes coming

rear-view mirror,

DESPITE that four unions voted against ratifying a contract, Congress and President Biden stepped in with last minute legislation to halt a nationwide shutdown. A significant portion of rail workers. however, were not happy with the five year deal. Failing to address quality-of-life concerns such as paid sick days could lead to more workers calling it quits in 2023 after their back pay and bonus check is cashed. Railroads did agree to offer three unpaid days for engineers and conductors to schedule medical appointments, but those must be scheduled thirty days in advance.

Not an ideal situation for someone with a pressing medical issue. A continuation of The Great Resignation in 2023 would leave a fragile rail network scurrying to hire and train new employees at an even more frantic pace. Employees remaining may face even more demanding workloads. Even Association of American Railroads head Ian Jefferies acknowledged “there is more to be done to further address our employees’ work-life balance concerns.”

Will Marty be mad in 2023?

Will Surface Transportation Board Chairman Marty Oberman and his band of rail regulators continue to excoriate Class 1 executives over embargoes, slow deliveries, and rail congestion next

year? Oberman is the first chair in memory to hold railroad CEO’s feet to the fire. All the big boys will continue to submit weekly performance reports and monthly employment stats to the STB until May of 2023. Key performance indicators will continue to go under the microscope such as available equipment, terminal dwell time, velocity and over-theroad trip plan compliance.

Where is my railcar in 2023?

Look for implementation of even more technology for railroads and shippers in determining the exact location of a railcar in real or close-to-real time. Tracking rail shipments in today’s demanding supply chain requires a more precise way to make sure that the load of lumber products or a carload of wheat is rolling to a scheduled on-time delivery. Look for further expansion from names like RailPulse, Trinsight and others to alert shippers about the location, condition and status of their goods in transit.

Volume up or down in 2023?

Our crystal ball was rather cloudy in 2022 with up and down volumes of various commodities but the common consensus is that

WITH the threat of a nationwide US rail strike in the

the into 2023. Union rank-and-file maybe not so much. Peter Lecody, President be ahead

down the line in 2023

the Class 1s and short lines can breather a temporary sign of relief going President of Dallas-based Texas Rail Advocates, looks forward to what might

shippers expect rail volumes to go up about 2%, but not until the second half of next year. Analysts at Little Rock Arkansas’ Stephens, Inc point to their rail shipper survey that expects rail rates to rise as much as 6% in the new year.

Competitive access for shippers in 2023?

Currently sitting on the Surface Transportation Board’s desk is a proposal to allow captive rail shippers a second choice of carriers. Class 1s would like to keep the status quo and their rates intact but the STB may rule that Reciprocal Switching is a way shippers could get some relief as competition would rule the marketplace.

The last really big merger could happen in 2023?

Will the STB approve a merger application of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern in the new year?

The newest alphabet-created railroad, CPKC, would link Canada, the United States and Mexico together for the first time. Other Class 1 railroads have filed objections to

the merger as well as towns and cities concerned about increased rail traffic and congestion. Houston, Texas, where Union Pacific and BNSF Railway contend with minimal KCS trackage rights traffic contend that an additional projected eight. CPKC trains per day could not be handled without infrastructure improvements.

Will freight rail get a piece of Infrastructure funds in 2023?

The oversize bucket of new and expanded rail programs created under the Infrastructure Investmentand Jobs Act (IIJA) is tilted toward rectifying the lack of passenger rail options in the US, but there is funding afoot for freight rail. As the Federal Railroad Administration rolls out the five-year programme, everything is on the table thanks to advance appropriations.

From grade crossing elimination and improvements to CRISI grants (Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement) and port development projects, local and state agencies will be racing to file for billions of dollars in available funds.

As the Federal Railroad Administration rolls out the fiveyear programme,

everything is on the table thanks to advance appropriations.

Inland Rail looks forward to maintaining build momentum

INLAND Rail Interim Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Pickering has told delegates at the AusRail 2022 Conference in Brisbane that the company is looking forward to carrying on its strong momentum on delivering Inland Rail in 2023, with major construction work starting in Victoria in the New Year.

Hot on the heels of Inland Rail opening the Narrabri to North Star (N2NS) section in NSW earlier this month, and with the remaining Phase 1 works on N2NS due for completion early next year, Pickering said momentum is now building on delivering the project.

In addition to the New South Wales milestones being delivered, early works have begun on worksites at Glenrowan and Wangaratta in Victoria where major construction works are expected early in 2023.

Pickering said: “Inland Rail is being built to create a new freight future for Australia and construction is gaining momentum, and we are really looking forward to continuing that momentum in 2023.

“The work we are doing is not only connecting Australia’s freight network but is also a real catalyst for communities and businesses to unlock benefits and opportunities.

“Those benefits are clear from the first phase of construction between Narromine and North Star, which has supported work for nearly 2000 people since November 2020, including more than 600 locals—nearly 170 of whom are First Nations workers.

“Furthermore, nearly 140 local businesses have shared in nearly $200 million of contracts supporting and servicing the build – helping to spread the benefits of Inland Rail across the local economy.

“We are also very proud that our Inland Rail Skills Academy has already delivered training to more than 2,000 people along the alignment, helping to develop the skills needed to build a better future for our communities.

“Inland Rail is committed to working in partnership with our stakeholders and communities to deliver long-term value.”

RCG to expand TransNET in 2023

ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) is expanding TransNET – in China and to the Balkans – in 2023 and highlighted the system relevance of rail transport at the second RCG press conference.

During the annual RCG press conference, ÖBB CEO Andreas Matthä and Clemens Först, Spokesman of the Board of Management of ÖBB Rail Cargo Group, looked back on what had been a challenging year – from drastically increased energy prices, the Ukraine war, the Corona pandemic and securing fuel supplies in Austria to dealing with the international supply chain problems in Europe.

RCG's plans for expansion in the coming year include:

NEW: Branch office in China

From January 1 2023, RCG will have a branch office in Shanghai. The transport route along the middle corridor (Kazakhstan–Azerbaijan/Georgia–Black Sea–Romania–Central Europe) will be further expanded. With this, RCG can offer its customers end-to-end logistics from Europe to Asia from a single source.

NEW: Railway undertaking in Serbia

Another carrier company was also founded in Belgrade and is scheduled to start operations in the first quarter of 2023. This will make Serbia the 13th country in Europe where RCG will operate high-quality and attractively priced rail transport services with its own locomotives and personnel. This development makes it possible to offer TransFER connections heading for Turkey and Greece – where RCG is the market leader – via two alternative routes.

NEW: Investing in wagon equipment for the Waste Management Act

The RCG is preparing intensively for the changes to the Waste Management Act from January 1 2023 by investing in new wagon equipment. This will facilitate an increasing shift of waste transports from road to rail and ÖBB will once again be making a significant contribution to climate protection.

On top of that, the world's first duty-free corridor from the Port of Trieste to the Dry Port Villach/Fürnitz will channel additional road transports onto the railways. Villach will therefore be located by the sea in the future and will serve as a gateway for goods from all over the world to enter the EU.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM FREIGHT TRACKS NEXT YEAR: JOIN US FOR THE RIDE

FREIGHT Tracks magazine was launched this year to report and support the global rail freight industry through news reporting and feature writing.

Our ambition is to create a powerful and cost-effective medium for advertisers to reach decision-makers in the rail supply chain.

Which is why we reached out to some of the best writers covering rail freight at the moment.

Our readers are in the C-Suite - CEOs, CFOs, COOs - as well as Directors, Sales Directors, Sales Managers, Rolling Stock Engineers, Locomotive Mechanics and many other professionals in the rail freight supply chain.

Each issue to sent to 6250+ named executives in the industry. Readers are in the EU, North America, UK, Australia and Asia.

At the same time, a link is sent to 250k members of the 17 LinkedIn groups to which Freight Track belongs.

Business title

We have set out to make Freight Tracks a business magazine for the rail freight industry. To reflect this, an early issue covered the issues and business activity associated with moving steel on railways.

A second issue looked at likely developments in the rail freight industry in 2032.

Hot topics we have covered include rail freight’s reaction to the Ukraine crisis. We reported on the carrying of supplies in and out of the country.

In another issue, we covered moves in Germany to use rail as a hydrogen ‘pipeline’ to avert a fuel crisis.

We have also tried to bring more light hearted content to our readers, with a special issue of summer railway reading.

Photo competition

In 2023, we are planning to launch a photo competition to highlight freight train operations around the world.

We will start a series of features in 2023 looking at key features of the industry.

Our writers will look at the subject from different angles to give a 360o oversight of each of these topics.

Our ambition before the year is finished is that we will have launched an interactive website that builds on our market penetration and interest. Join us for the ride!

SACRE BLEU! ALLIANCE SILENCE ON ELECTRICITY

NEARLY a month after its meeting with the Minister of Transport, Alliance 4F deplores the government's silence regarding the allocation of aid to overcome the energy crisis. During this meeting, the rail freight and combined transport players requested the implementation of two aid measures, which have so far remained unanswered.

The players in the sector are asking for urgent answers from the government so that they can meet the demands of their customers and, beyond that, safeguard the entire logistics sector

During the meeting on November 16 with the Minister Clément Beaune, Alliance 4F, which brings together the entire rail and combined transport sector, made its demands known, which the Minister heard. The Alliance presented two essential demands:

• A cap on the price of rail traction electricity at €180 per megawatt hour;

• Adjustment of the existing toll aid system so that the State pays all the freight tolls invoiced by SNCF Réseau

On the occasion of this meeting, the Minister had given the sector a meeting within two weeks after the subject had been discussed between the sector and his services. However, Alliance 4F has remained without a response from the government for a month.

The companies in the sector have no visibility on the aid they are requesting to cope with the explosion in electricity prices, the unsustainable nature of which jeopardises the continuation of their activity - especially for the smallest of them, which cannot benefit from the general aid scheme. The question of business continuity arises for many of the companies in the sector. If there is no appropriate response to this request for a ceiling on the price of traction electricity and free tolls, the momentum of modal shift between 2020 and 2021 will be seriously jeopardised.

The tariff proposed by SNCF Réseau for 2023 has been

increased from €56/MWh in 2021 to €73.51/MWh! Despite these alarming figures, the Ministry of Transport remains silent on support for the rail freight sector.

The lack of support now affects the entire logistics chain, including road hauliers using combined road-rail transport, who are likely to face a cost increase of between 15 and 20%. In fact, with this level of increase impossible to be absorbed by the market, it is to be feared that multimodal flows will

ALLIANCE 4F DEPLORES PARIS ELECTRICITY COSTS

This objective is however included in the Climate Law of August 22 2021. Finally, Alliance 4F wishes to point out that rail freight is a response to both the energy crisis and the ecological transition.

As an ecologically virtuous and energy-saving mode of transport, rail freight consumes six times less energy and emits nine times less CO2 than road transport. The lack of aid to the sector makes Alliance 4F doubt the government's commitment to decarbonising transport.

Alliance 4F is sounding the alarm on the urgency of the situation and the survival of the sector. It therefore expects answers from the Minister before the end of 2022, in order to overcome the rise in energy prices, otherwise the situation will be dramatic for the entire French logistics chain.

4F, "Fret Ferroviaire Français du Futur", is an alliance that brings together players in the sector in France in order to structure a set of measures necessary to safeguard and develop rail freight.

be stopped and that there will be a shortage of transport capacity, as the road does not have the capacity to absorb all the volume of goods circulating on the railways. The French supply chain is therefore affected by this increase in the cost of rail freight transport, due to the rise in energy prices.

In the current state of the market, only frank and massive support from the State will make it possible to consider doubling the modal share of rail freight to 18% by 2030.

The alliance brings together the main rail freight companies (Fret SNCF, DB Cargo France, Captrain France, Europorte, Lineas, RegioRail, Millet Rail), the main multimodal combined transport operators in France (Novatrans, Naviland Cargo, T3M, Froidcombi), the rail motorway operator VIIA, the forwarding agent Forwardis, local rail operators, the French Rail Association (AFRA), the National Combined Transport Group (GNTC), the French Association of Wagon Owners (AFWP), the Federation of Railway Industries (FIF), the Union of Public and Rail Transport (UTP), the Union of Transport and Logistics Companies of France (TLF), the Union of Railway Works Contractors of France (SETVF), the French Association of Independent Railway Infrastructure Managers (AGIFI), the Committee for the European Transalpine Link, the Association of Freight Transport Users (AUTF) The infrastructure manager SNCF RESEAU actively co-operates in its work.

BRAKING NEWS AS KEY COMPONENT BNSF HUMP YARD GETS REPLACEMENT

IN US railroading, parlance a “bowl” –or classification yard tracks – is where freight cars are sorted and assigned to departing trains. This processing is done in what we call a hump yard. Many ingredients work together to ensure the rail cars aren’t “mixed up,” as in put on the wrong train, as they reach the bowl.

The process begins when cars are pushed atop a small incline, or hump. Then gravity propels the car downward, with its speed controlled by a braking system consisting of a master retarder and secondary retarders.

Factors such as car weight, length of track to traverse and grade of the hump are calculated by a computer that then engages the braking system. The goal is to have each car couple, or connect, at approximately 4 mph in the bowl. Too fast could result in a derailed car; too slow could mean the car doesn’t reach the desired location. Multiple radar detectors and wheel detectors along the track monitor car speed so a secondary braking system can further slow them on their journey to the bowl tracks.

“The master is the first line of defense if something goes wrong,” James Schenker, BNSF General Signal Supervisor, said. “It will stop a car super-fast. It’s two huge slabs of metal coming together onto the wheel of the car, and however hard you push the brakes is how quickly it’s going to stop.”

Like all railroad infrastructure, the retarders at BNSF’s eight hump yards are regularly inspected and routinely maintained. But after an average of 1,500 cars a day over almost 10 years, the master

system at our 300-acre Northtown facility in Minneapolis reached the end of its lifespan and needed to be replaced. When there is a planned outage of the classifying process, all teams work within a designated time window to be as efficient as possible. While Signal teams removed and replaced the master retarder, our Structures team tended to the scale on top of the hill and Engineering worked amid the 53 bowl tracks. In addition, our NX group – a specialized

COMPONENT OF NORTHTOWN’S REPLACEMENT AND UPGRADE

The new retarder is an upgrade and should require less maintenance, which means fewer unplanned outages for the hump yard.

“This is a much more modernized version,” Schenker said. “We have better control, better computer knowledge.”

Teams from BNSF Pasco, Washington, yard were on site in Northtown to prepare for their own master retarder replacement next year.

With the locations’ colder climates, both use retarders operated by hydraulic cylinders instead of the pneumatic systems, which don’t work as well in colder weather. The new master retarder has three sections, each about 40 feet, with approximately 16 hydraulic cylinders per section operating independently. This allows the three different “sections”

team in Engineering -- continued upgrading systems for automation of entering and exiting the yard with the installation of new housing cases for remote control equipment.

“Changing out a retarder in a hump yard is my team’s largest project,” Schenker said. “We installed this model retarder in our secondary in May and after seeing how it worked over these past months, we moved ahead with the master replacement.”

“I replaced the master in 2013 at Northtown, so I’ve seen two of these replacements now. This is a newer style hydraulic retarder,” Ryan Skarhus, Engineering Systems Classification Yards, said. “It’s easier for our Signal department to maintain. Fewer moving parts, fewer things breaking, less down time on humping cars.”

That’s good news for production at the third-largest hump yard on the BNSF system. Situated on the Northern Transcon between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, Northtown is a major gateway for items like agricultural commodities heading west for export, as well as industrial products like lumber moving east, and consumer products making their way to surrounding states. to be closed to varying degrees, or not at all.

TWO EURO9000 will soon be in use for ecco-rail. Rented from the European Loc Pool AG (ELP), the two electric multi-system traction vehicles are expected to be seen on Europe's rails by the end of 2023.

Existing EuroDual have already proven themselves in Germany.

The two new EURO9000 will be used on international corridors on the Danube axis from Bratislava to Austria via Germany to Belgium and Holland including a last mile delivery. The hybrid locomotives combine energy efficiency, performance and reliability and are in line with

corporate spirit and the idea of sustainability. The new locomotives enable heavier and longer runs for our customers and help us to save round trips and valuable energy. Climate protection is particularly important to us, which is why we only purchase green power in order to continue to be 100% CO2 neutral on the track.

The hybrid locomotives from Stadler are also supplied with a train driver training course and a corresponding locomotive foil. With an emphasis on the future, ELP look forward to its fleet which will include the state of the art EURO9000.

VolkerRail to undertake sidings renewals at London Gateway

DP World is the UK’s most integrated logistics hub, based on the River Thames, with two deep water ports, each with freight rail terminals, located at London Gateway and Southampton.

Its rail terminal at London Gateway is one of the longest in the UK, with over 20% of its throughput moved by rail, and over 50 freight train deliveries each week.

The work being undertaken by VolkerRail will provide vital improvements to the rail terminal, and will see teams replace up to 700m of track and a switch and crossing unit, along with the refurbishment of a second switch and crossing unit.

Works will begin in the new year and will be

carried out over a series of midweek working and core possessions, to ensure minimal disruption to the port. It is expected that work will be completed by Summer 2023.

Sam Allen, general manager for VolkerRail’s metro and rail projects division, said: “DP world is a new client, and we are excited to be given the opportunity to enhance their network.

“In addition to track installation, this project demonstrates VolkerRail Specialist Business’ ability to work collaboratively, utilising our in-house capabilities – signalling, power, plant and welding. We look forward to showcasing our capability and knowledge over the coming months.”

Operail sells Ukraine wagon fleet

more reasonable to sell the wagons in two stages: the wagons in Ukraine and the rest of the wagons separately,” Kurvits said. Wagons in Ukraine are different from other wagons because they cannot be brought out of the country. “Most wagons are untouched by war, are in working condition, and are earning rental income on the Ukrainian territory, but railway connections with neighbouring countries are poor,” Kurvits said.

THE Estonian state-owned railway company Operail sold its rental wagons located in Ukraine. Twenty companies participated in the competition and the best was the combination of two participants – companies Fortior Capital from Ukraine and Teslar Trans from Estonia.

In total, agreements were signed for selling 552 wagons. Total amount of the transactions is €6.51 million.

The opportunity to participate in the auction of the assets of Operail Leasing AS, a subsidiary of Operail, was introduced to more than 40 companies. “Considerable operators on the 1520 mm railway who could have an interest and ability to purchase knew about the competition and were able to participate,” said Merle Kurvits, member of the management board of Operail and Managing Director of Operail Leasing. 20 interested parties made their offer at different stages of the process, including several Estonian companies.

“After analysing the offers, we decided that it was

Comprehensive negotiations with the best tenderers followed. “It is an expensive and technically specific asset that was sold together with valid rental agreements – there are a lot of details that need to be worked out,” Kurvits explained the length of the process. “In view of the war in Ukraine, these are good sales transactions for Operail.”

In addition to the wagons located in Ukraine, the process of selling the remaining 2000 wagons of the wagon rental business is in the final stages – negotiation of contracts of purchase and sale with the best tenderers. Most of the wagons are covered by rental agreements. All tenants, without exception, are European companies. The wagons are mainly located in Estonia, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia. No wagons have been rented to Russia.

The sale of wagons is not related to the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Estonia decided to leave the non-strategic business areas of Operail in 2016, when this idea was written in the coalition agreement. In practice, the owner was able to sign the corresponding decision in the spring of 2021. The rental of wagons has been the most profitable business area of Operail for the past six years, with 99% of profits coming from it.

NS awards $1 million to Hampton Roads non-profits

NORFOLK Southern Corporation will award $1 million in grants to a diverse group of fifty-seven Hampton Roads non-profit organisations. The organisations are committed to positive change in areas such as homelessness, filling gaps in K-12 education, food insecurity, arts and culture, as well as environmental preservation and restoration.

In 2021, Norfolk Southern announced that it would contribute $5 million to the Hampton Roads community. The company will distribute $1 million each year for five years through the Hampton Roads Community Foundation to nonprofits that support education, the environment, social equity and community advancement.

"Generations of Norfolk Southern employees have lived, worked, and raised their families in the Hampton Roads community. Today, our railroaders and retirees continue to be engaged in the region and invested in its

757 Accelerate

Access College Foundation

Access Virginia

An Achievable Dream Virginia Beach

Blakey Weaver Counseling Center Inc

Chrysler Museum of Art Clever Communities In Action

Communities In Schools of Hampton Roads

Community Outreach Coalition

Connect With a Wish

Cover 3 Football INC DBA Cover 3 Foundation

Elizabeth River Trail Foundation

Empowerment Center for Children Youth and Families

Envision Lead Grow, Inc.

EQUI-KIDS Therapeutic Riding Program

Families of Autistic Children Of Tidewater G.I.R.L.S. Club

Habitat for Humanity South Hampton Roads

Hampton Roads Workforce Foundation

Healthy Chesapeake Hope House Foundation, Inc.

Horizons Hampton Roads, Inc.

I. Sherman Greene Chorale, Inc.

The Barry Robinson Center

LGBT Life Center

Lynnhaven River NOW New Vision Youth Services, Inc.

future," said Norfolk Southern President and CEO Alan H. Shaw.

"We are partnering with the Hampton Roads Community Foundation to award the first tranche of this $5 million fund and continue our support for a community that means so much to us."

Longtime, kindhearted support

A selection committee of Norfolk Southern railroaders who live and work in the Hampton Roads area reviewed more than 120 applications.

"These grants continue Norfolk Southern's longtime, kindhearted support of the non-profit community in Hampton Roads, making life better through philanthropy," said Deborah M DiCroce, president and CEO of the community foundation.

Norfolk Botanical Garden, Inc.

Norfolk Senior Center

Nursing CAP, Inc.

Regent University

Samaritan House, Inc.

Seton Youth Shelters

Southeastern Virginia Areawide Model Program

St. Mary's Home for Disabled Children

Suffolk Meals on Wheels, Inc.

The Four Rivers Project

The Genieve Shelter

Tidewater African Cultural Alliance

Trails of Purpose

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, Inc.

Village Family

Virginia African American Cultural Center, Inc.

Virginia Arts Festival

Virginia Beach CASA

Virginia Beach GrowSmart Foundation

Virginia Children's Chorus

Virginia Opera Association, Inc.

Virginia Stage Company

Virginia Symphony Orchestra

Virginia Zoological Society

Walk In It Inc.

Western Tidewater Free Clinic, Inc.

YMCA of South Hampton Roads

CP recognised for sustainability leadership

CANADIAN Pacific has been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the first time and in the North America Index (DJSI North America) for the third consecutive year.

The index benchmarks corporate sustainability performance based on an assessment of comprehensive governance, economic, environmental and social criteria. The world's top companies were selected for DJSI membership from a record number of participants in the 2022 Corporate Sustainability Assessment.

"At CP, we continuously challenge ourselves to innovate across our business and develop meaningful ways to serve our customers,

each other and the communities we operate in and through," said Keith Creel, CP President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are proud to be recognised again as a sustainability leader by the DJSI, and committed to delivering on our sustainability journey."

This year, CP performed particularly well in the areas of human rights, supply chain, occupational health and safety, environmental policy, management and reporting and corporate citizenship and philanthropy.

CP's sustained membership in the DJSI index reflects a long-term organisational commitment to continuous improvement and transparent

disclosure of the company's sustainability performance. In 2022, CP became the first freight rail company in North America to participate in the United Nations (UN) Global Compact, a voluntary global corporate sustainability initiative.

CP's commitment to corporate sustainability extends to operating safely, maintaining operational excellence throughout the company's network and understanding and managing the social and environmental impact of CP's work.

CP continues to lead by advancing its Climate Strategy and ambitious science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets the company set in 2021.

SNCF and DWS finalise the sale of Akiem

SNCF, DWS and CDPQ have concluded the transaction whereby CPDQ has acquired the entire capital of Akiem, the leading provider of locomotive leasing services in Europe, from SNCF Group and DWS.

The closing of the transaction follows the finalization of the customary consultation procedures with employee representative bodies of SNCF Group and Akiem, and the confirmation of the required regulatory approvals, in particular with the French competition authourity.

With revenues of nearly EUR 220 million, EBITDA of around EUR 150 million in 2021, a fleet of over 600 locomotives, 46 passenger trains and some 250 employees, Akiem is the European leader in locomotive leasing and maintenance. Headquartered in France with 8 European offices, Akiem provides local expertise to over 80 customers operating in 21 countries. The company has the largest fleet on the continent, of which 75% is electric, a share that is expected to increase in the coming years.

Emmanuel Jaclot, Executive Vice President and Head of Infrastructure at CDPQ, states: “CDPQ is thrilled to acquire Akiem, a major European player in the rail sector, and is looking forward to working with its team to bring the company to the next stage of its growth. Akiem’s size and positioning across the entire value chain, including maintenance, give it a significant competitive edge to benefit from the expected growth in the locomotive leasing market across Europe. With three quarters of its fleet already operating on electricity, Akiem offers a sustainable response to the challenges of decarbonizing transport – a solution that appealed to us from the start.”

Laurent Trevisani, Deputy CEO Financial Strategy,

SNCF Group, states: “The sale of our stake in Akiem is fully in line with SNCF Group’s strategy to become a world leader in sustainable mobility for passengers and goods. It will participate in the financing of our rail activities and of our two strategic assets, Keolis and Geodis, which are growth drivers of the Group. It will also contribute EUR 0.8 billion to the reduction of the Group’s debt through the proceeds of the sale. We would like to thank the Akiem teams for their work and wish them all the best for this new phase of development.”

Hamish Mackenzie, Head of Infrastructure at DWS, says: “Since becoming a shareholder of Akiem in 2016, DWS has supported management’s strategic growth ambitions through its active asset management approach combined with the rail expertise of its partner, SNCF. Akiem’s success during our investment reflects the quality of its management team and their unrivalled track record in the European locomotive leasing market, as well as the quality of our long-term partnership with SNCF. We wish Akiem and its teams, as well as CDPQ, the new shareholder, every success in this new stage of growth.”

Fabien Rochefort, CEO, Akiem Group, affirms: “Rail operators are facing growing demand for greener transportation in an increasingly complex environment. Akiem is providing its customers with rolling stock as a sustainable, safe and reliable turnkey service throughout Europe. After a fruitful collaboration with SNCF and DWS, we intend to pursue our growth strategy and will continue to innovate in order to strengthen the quality and performance of our freight and passenger solutions for our customers. We are confident that CDPQ and its teams will support our ambition and growth.”

Lineas Digitally Transforms

LINEAS, the largest private rail freight operator in Europe, is working with OutSystems partner Truewind to deliver “Golden Triangle.” This ambitious digital transformation program— based on a composable application development strategy powered by OutSystems—will provide frictionless customer experiences for pan-European, door-to-door freight services. By encouraging more customers to switch from road haulage to train freight, Lineas supports the EU’s climate neutrality goals while reducing road congestion and improving mobility.

Accelerate innovation

The rail industry is not usually a hotbed of innovation. Most operators are either state-owned or quite recently spun out from public ownership. The very nature of heavy engineering, slow-to-evolve infrastructure, and necessary safety regulations add further inertia to change.

“Modal shift from road to rail depends on slick digital systems, which is why OutSystems is at the heart of our composable development strategy. With the expert support of Truewind, we’re delivering frictionless customer experiences that overlay a complex business proposition—pan-European door-to-door freight delivery with real-time track and trace," said Mark Geuens CIO, Lineas.

Lineas has a public sector heredity. In 2010 the company was 100% owned by Belgium’s national railway company and then spun out with private equity investment in 2011, rebranding as Lineas in 2017.

The company’s rebranding signifies the enlarged mission to provide rail freight services across Europe, which Geuens explains, is challenging.

"Our mission is to offer premium rail products and total door-to-door logistics solutions. And if we deliver the required convenience, reliability, and value, more customers will shift the transport of their goods from road to rail."

So-called “modal shift” allows companies to improve their supply chain while decreasing their impact on mobility, climate, and air pollution. European Union legislation and increasing ESG pressure from shareholders make this a top priority for businesses.

However, delivering a frictionless customer experience is extremely hard from an IT perspective. “We were dragging a complex legacy behind us,” explains Mark. “We had rigid systems from our state ownership days and a mix of technol-

ogies following several acquisitions. Moreover, door-to-door logistics involves multiple parties. Lineas does the long haul, but partners deliver the first and last miles between railyard and customer.”

The lack of standards and digital maturity of national rail infrastructure providers adds to the complexity; making it hard to obtain real-time track-and-trace data to build customer trust and optimise operational efficiency.

Geuens joined Lineas as CIO in 2018 with the mission to overcome these challenges.

Small beginnings Lineas first adopted OutSystems in 2016, but its use had been limited to mobile field service application development. Mark realized that OutSystems could be used more strategically than this and challenged his development team to re-evaluate where and when they should use OutSystems.

“They had permission to throw OutSystems out so long as they could justify that from a productivity perspective,” says Geuens. “But on the contrary, the developers saw many advantages to building on OutSystems, and it put an end to some of the religious wars you sometimes get when developers favour different languages and frameworks.”

Next, Lineas went in search of a new OutSystems development partner. “A good partner isn’t an order taker,” says Geuens. “We now have a strategic partnership with Truewind. They’ve demonstrated lots of business acumen to

Transforms With OutSystems

understand our business and challenge and strategize with us. That’s much more valuable than OutSystems technical skills alone.”

“We implemented Kafka as a data fabric, making it easy to connect numerous data sources in a consistent and agile sublayer,” explains Tom Thijs, Enterprise Architect at Lineas. “Now we can connect to legacy systems, packaged applications, IoT data sources, and information across our partner ecosystems to publish that data in role-specific collections.”

Using OutSystems, Lineas developed three “Control Towers,” for significant aspects of the Lineas business. These three entities are:

Customer Care Control Tower provides the data and processes needed by customer service agents and the customer self-service portal, including track and trace and proactive notifications.

Supply Chain Control Tower provides the ability to plan and monitor logistics across Lineas’ multi-partner ecosystems.

Product and Network Control Tower includes the granular master data of Lineas’ locations, products, and services needed for detailed planning and pricing.

“Our Golden Triangle digital transformation program involves the integration of these three control towers,” explains Geuens. “Together, they enable us to orchestrate our entire operation across our partner ecosystem, to provide convenient, transparent, and reliable freight services that de-

carbonise European logistics.”

The blended delivery team includes a dedicated Truewind squad comprising a program manager, a tech lead, four developers, a UX/UI expert, and a tester.

Modal shift

All three control towers are in production. However, in late 2022, the Golden Triangle programme will launch a new endto-end transport management system. This will combine the customer care and supply chain control towers to provide new levels of convenience and collaboration between Lineas, customers, and supply chain partners.

“Providing a frictionless customer experience is central to achieving modal shift,” explains Geuens. “Convenience, reliability, and value for money will persuade more customers to shift freight transport from road to rail.”

Lineas, along with a coalition of European rail freight operators, has the ambition of doubling rail freight volume by 2030. Given the economic and environmental case, it’s vital that they succeed.

Today, 75% of European freight travels by road. Every year each driver spends 120 hours in traffic jams, and around 50,000 people die prematurely because of air pollution and road accidents.

The market expects overall freight volume to grow 30 percent by 2030, and the benefits of rail freight are undeniable. It emits nine times less CO2, eight times less air pollution, and burns six times less energy.

"Our golden triangle program will deliver full transparency of consignments, including ETAs, deviation management, full track and trace, and proactive notifications. Delivering trust and convenience to customers underpins modal shift," says Geuens.

“Our golden triangle programme will deliver full transparency of consignments, including ETAs, deviation management, full track and trace, and proactive notifications,” explains Mark. “Delivering trust and convenience to customers underpins modal shift.”

Looking at the internal benefits to Lineas, Mark Geuens “We’ll have end-to-end control of deliveries across the partner ecosystem. Realtime trusted data will help us optimise the use of our resources, including trains, wagons, railyards, and personnel.”

Logistics UK names GB Railfreight

'Rail Business of the Year'

ONE of the UK's biggest business groups, Logistics UK, has named GB Railfreight Ltd the Rail Business of the Year at its annual Logistics Awards, held at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.

Over the last 12 months, against a challenging operating environment, GB Railfreight has opened a new headquarters, invested in a new greener fleet and publicly made the case for rail freight, advocating to both the media and government how rail freight can be a key driver of the UK economy and provide a more sustainable solution as the UK moves towards net zero. This has all been achieved alongside delivering business growth and continuing to provide value for its customers.

David Wells, Logistics UK's Chief Executive commented: "GB Railfreight is one of the fastest growing rail companies in the UK and has continued to demonstrate the value of rail freight through its supply chain and logistics operations over the last year, greening its fleet and providing measurable benefits for its customers. I would like to congratulate GB Railfreight for its win; it truly is 'the best of the best' in the rail sector."

The Logistics Awards 2022 recognise and celebrate the companies and individuals who have made a significant contribution to the logistics and supply industry over the past 12 months and who excel in their fields. The awards were sponsored by organisa-

tions including the Port of Dover, Workforce Recruitment, DWF, Brigade Electronics, DDC FPO, AIPUT, Board RM, DHL Supply Chain, Kärcher, Logistics UK Fuelcard and Logistics UK Recovery.

KEEP THE DATE: Railway industry calendar of events

2023

07 February London, UK Rolling Stock Forum 2023

09 February Birmingham, UK TransCityRail Midlands

21-23 February Rome, Italy International Railway Summit

23 February London, UK Rail Business Awards

28 Feb-2 March São Paulo, Brazil NT Expo São Paulo

03 March London, UK Golden Whistle Awards

08 March Glasgow, UK Rail in Scotland

28-30 March Lille France SIFER13th International Exhibition of Railway Technology

09-11 May Birmingham, UK Railtex

09-11 May London, UK Railtex

23 May London, UK Railway Innovation Awards

31 May-1 June Asia Pacific Rail Bangkok, Thailand

03-05 October Milan, Italy Expo Ferroviaria

If you would like your event listed here free of charge, just send details to freighttracks@gmail.com