Issue #2 Freight Tracks

FREIGHT TRACKS

FEBRUARY 28 2022

#2

What’s in a Name?

WORLD FREIGHT TRAIN DAY 2022 LAUNCHED

Wide push back on STB Forced Switching rule

LOGISTICS STAR SHINES ON NEW STOBART MULTIMODAL OPERATION Closing soon: Logomotive competition - Don’t miss out!

CONTENTS FEBRUARY 28 2022 #2

FEATURES

16 30 38 41

NEWS

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LOGOMOTIVE competition Last chance to enter our competition with Sheldrake Publishing

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The Little Engines that Can Making trains, breaking trains - these little locos never give up

headline news World Freight Train Day launched Wide push back on STB plan Logistics star on the case NEWS REVIEW Bullish demand for intermodal freight Colas Rail UK’s timber trials GBRf educates children about rail safety Five rail startups to watch in 2022 Merced County partners Patriot Rail

REGULARS

Timber on the Tracks Moving sawn timber has never been easier in Scandinavia

10 People on the Move 45 Small Scale Rail Freight 46 End of the Line: What’s in a name?

48 Competition entry

Irish Rail Small operator, big ambition What is happening on the small island?

Press releases can be sent to editor@freight-tracks.com Cover photo: AccorCulina Group company Stobart Europe is hitting the New Year running with the establishment of an important new division – Stobart Multimodal.

If you have any stunning photos of freight trains you might like to see on the cover, send them to freighttracks@gmail.com.

Publisher & Editor: James Graham editor@freight-tracks.com

Editorial support: Kim Smith Designer: Alex Brown freighttracks@gmail.com

Sales Manager: Martin Kingswell martin@freight-tracks.com

Webmaster: Natasha Antony Contributors: Neil Madden, Chris Lewis Johnathan Webb. Will Huskisson

All rights reserved, No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Multiple copying of the contents of the magazine without prior written consent is forbidden.

Material sent to the editor, whether commissioned or freely submitted, is provided at the contributor’s own risk. Freight Tracks cannot be held responsible for loss of damage however cause. The opinions and views expressed by authors and contributors within Freight Tracks are not necessarily those of the editor or Freight Tracks. We are unable to guarantee the bona ideas of any advertisers.

Copyright: 1435 Media London 2022 1435 Media London 259 Sydenham Road Croydon CR0 2ET United Kingdom

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February 28 2022

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headline news

WORLD FREIGHT TRAIN

Organisers aim to help rail freight raise its profile around the world

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ccording to Wikipedia, a freight train, cargo train or goods train is a group of freight cars (US) or goods wagons (International Union of Railways) hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, transporting cargo all or some of the way between the shipper and the intended destination as part of the logistics chain.

But for those who work within the industry and even those on the other side of the boundary fence who just love watching the trains go by, this dry description barely covers what they feel about rail freight, about freight trains.

If you are reading this magazine, you too must enjoy and appreciate the freight train.

You’ll know that almost all railroad operations started as freight carriers, designed to get coal to the cities, manufactured goods to the quayside, farm produce to the market.

Fast forward to the third decade of the 21st century and it is clear that millions of the public are unaware of the freight train legacy. In most advanced countries, freight as a function of the railroad ecosystem has all but disappeared from public view.

City centre rail yards have been history for decades. Back in the day, clanking manifest trains made up of mixed box cars, tank cars, piggyback cars and gondolas in North America or a slow goods train in the UK trundling milk wagons and goods vans, were visible up and down the country.

Now, the rise and rise of global supply chains founded on the ubiquitous and standardised ocean container means that when you do see a freight train it looks very much like almost every other freight train you see.

That might be a bit of an exaggeration but you get the drift.

So Freight Tracks, which has been established to champi-

on and inform the sector, wants to correct this. That is why we have worked to launch the first World Freight Train Day on September 27 2022.

We intend this day to be a special one for all rail freight staff, operators, planners and even users.

With a range of downloaded publicity material and educational packs for schoolchildren, we will provide materials that can help spread the message about the importance of rail freight around the world.

September 27 1825

So why have we decided to mark this day on September 27?

World Freight Train Day will be staged on the 197th anni-

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headline news

N DAY 2022 LAUNCHED

d and also mark one of the most important dates in railway history

many decades in a number of countries before the S&DR but this was the first recognisable operation that has the modern characteristics of a railroad. That is why the symbolic date has been chosen.

An appeal

versary of the opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway (S&DR). It was a railway company that operated in north-east England from 1825 to 1863.

The world’s first public railway to use steam locomotives, its original route connected collieries near Shildon with Darlington and Stockton-on-Tees in County Durham.

The movement of coal to ships rapidly became a lucrative business, and the line was soon extended to a new port at Middlesbrough.

While coal waggons were hauled by steam locomotives from the start, passengers were carried in coaches drawn by horses until carriages hauled by steam locomotives were introduced in 1833.

There had of course been tramways and plateways for

For the next seven months, we will be working on plans to mark the day in an appropriate manner. We appreciate that many operators and industry bodies currently promote rail freight. However this is often to their own regions or countries. We aim this to be a global effort.

We will approach strategic partners for sponsorships and donations to cover the costs of developing promotional and educational material.

Any excess investments made towards the day’s events will be donated to suitable railway industry charities both in the UK and elsewhere.

I would very much like to bring together all those in the industry tasked with promoting the industry to outsiders to work on this project.

If you would like to get involved in any way, just get in touch - editor@freight-tracks.com.

James Graham, Founder & Editor, Freight Tracks

a rail freight story again. reight-tracks.com www.freight-tracks.com

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Wide push back on STB headline news

Association of American Railroads: Forced Switchi UNITED STATES On March 15 and 16, the US Surface Transportation Board (STB) will hold a hearing on a rule that would mandate forced switching on railroads. Passenger rail, environmental groups, economists, labour and more are pushing back on the STB Forced Switching rule The STB, the agency that oversees freight railroad economic regulations in the United States, may force railroads to turn over traffic to competitors. This forced switching rule would slow rail operations and hurt shippers, consumers, the environment and the economy. Such market intervention is widely opposed and lacks justification Forced switching, which is a form of forced access, would allow the government to force Railroad 1 to hand-off traffic to Railroad 2 without any evidence of anti-competitive behaviour.

Switching is an operationally complex series of movements, so railroads only perform switching when the facilities allow it.

That could change under this rule.

Thorny issue

According to rail freight industry mandarin Peter Lecody, President of Texas Rail Advocates, there is a legal minefield awaiting this move from the STB. He says: “How can a railroad plan its 24/7 day if a “visitor” comes knocking on your door and says I need to “borrow” your car for an hour or two? What happens if the visitor doesn’t return the car in time, has an accident or doesn’t clean the car up after use?

“This analogy, while rather broad, does show that forcing open access can create all kinds of issues for the “host” property owner railroad. It’s a thorny issue that will no doubt lead to litigation in the courts if the STB approves.

“Reciprocal Switching is also referred to by some parties as “Forced Shipping”, that is being told you really don’t control your own property.”

At the same time, GoRail is organising a letter to the STB from those that the forced switching rule would negatively impact.

“Especially in this moment, when our supply chain, economic recovery and environmental future are top of mind, rail is a tool that could address multiple national goals,” the letter states. “For these reasons, we urge the Board to oppose the proposed rule on reciprocal switching, EP 711-1.

Addressed to Chairman Martin J Oberman and members of the Surface Transportation Board, the letters says: “US freight railroads account for 40% of long-distance freight in the United

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States (but just 1.9% of transportation-related emissions) and host nearly three-quarters of Amtrak’s passenger network.

“They also self-fund the maintenance of their networks and operations, a huge economic benefit to the communities and businesses connected to the world’s most productive and cost-effective freight rail system.

“Continued investments are critical to safety and efficiency on this network. Because EP 711-1 stands to undercut rail revenues, it also stands to undercut the massive investments that enable efficient service. Less efficient service disadvantages rail customers and pushes them to other modes.

“For our communities and businesses, forced access presents both short-term disruption to an already strained supply chain and long-term harm if it leads to fewer transportation options for businesses and more congestion on public infrastructure.

“Another consideration is the potential impact of the rule on the carbon footprint of US goods movement. Researchers at the think tank Third Way have urged Congress to enact policies that shift freight “away from more carbon-intensive modes like trucking and aircraft and towards rail. Just a 10% shift would cut greenhouse gas emissions by 17 million tonnes annually. It makes little sense, in this context, to pass a rule that could result in just the opposite.”

The letter concludes: “Freight transportation is changing as e-Commerce reshapes supply chains. Railroads face steep

Forced Switching rule

headline news

ing is ‘Forced Inefficiency’

competition, not only from each other, but also from other modes like trucks. Forced access would not only disrupt the most reliable piece of the supply chain, but also jeopardise the long-term viability of railroads across the nation.”

Switching already happens

The government can order switching in the event of anti-competitive conduct. Switching is usually reciprocal. To meet customer needs, railroads work together daily to perform necessary switches, pursuant to negotiated agreements. These switches are done in markets where it makes operational and economic sense for both railroads.

Any shipper who believes a carrier is abusing its market power by engaging in anti-competitive conduct can already file a case at the STB, and if true, the STB can order the switch and then set the terms of the switch if the railroads cannot agree.

Recent proposed regulation in this area has sought to remove the need to show anticompetitive conduct. This would lead to on-demand switching for a vast majority of shippers that has great potential to harm the network.

Fierce competition faces railroads.

Railroads face fierce competition from trucks, barges and other market forces. To respond to a changing and competitive marketplace — and better serve emerging customers — railroads continually improve their networks through investments in infrastructure, equipment, training, operations and technology.

Technological, regulatory and structural changes over time have disrupted the US freight market and those disruptions will only increase in the future. Autonomous and/or platooned trucks will reduce costs for rail’s top competitor, which could limit rail’s competitive advantages of scale and distance. Policy should not be made in a vacuum or with the mistaken belief that freight markets are static

Railroad consolidation

Consolidation also is not a justification for forced switching.

Since 1960, shippers who were served by more than one railroad before a major rail merger are still served by more than one railroad after the merger.

Additionally, consolidations brought greater efficiencies and more effective service that benefitted everyone.

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headline news

LOGISTICS STAR ARTHUR NEW STOBART MULTIMOD

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ulina Group company Stobart Europe hit the New Year running with the establishment of an important new division – Stobart Multimodal.

Stobart Multimodal will offer a wide range of integrated specialist services including ambient and temperature controlled logistics solutions, road and rail transport to a continental port of exit, export Customs formalities, shipment to the UK, import customs clearances and deliveries in to Culina Group locations.

Following the acquisition of Stobart Europe in the summer of 2021, Culina Group had a vision to establish a fully integrated supply chain and over the last six months has been working hard to make Stobart Multimodal a reality.

Accelerated development of the vision was prompted by the various unprecedented logistics challenges of 2021, including COVID, Brexit and the evolving driver shortage. These challenges have been financially tough and time-consuming for many Culina Group customers. Significantly COVID-exacerbated Brexit issues have frequently caused continental loads to arrive in to the UK late, sometimes leading to empty shelves in stores. The challenges confirmed to Culina Group that the time was right to develop the Stobart Multimodal concept.

“Well over 100,000 full loads are delivered into Culina Group warehouses from the continent each year and up until now we have had limited control over when goods would be arriving,” said Thomas Van Mourik, Culina Group CEO, “Stobart Multimodal will address this. High-level logistics solutions will be offered and performance will be guaranteed, all backed up by emergency solutions in the form of Culina Group resources. We will work with selected partners on specific corridors easing the pressure on our customers supply chains and limiting disruption to their operations.”

Arthur Koutstaal

Leading the development of Stobart Multimodal is international logistics expert Arthur Koutstaal who has nearly forty years’ experience in logistics and has worked in numerous operational positions for prominent businesses such as Geest North Sea Line (now part of Samskip), P&O Ferrymasters Zeebrugge, ECS European Containers, Koolwijk Logistics, and Move Intermodal.

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“I am very pleased to welcome Arthur to the Culina Group business in the position of Senior Supply Chain Specialist for Stobart Multimodal,” said Van Mourik. “He has always had strong links with the UK and Ireland and has historically

headline news

KOUTSTAAL TO OVERSEE DAL OPERATION

worked very closely with Culina Group delivering into our warehouses so knows our business well.”

Stobart Multimodal priorities will be focused around infrastructure and IT whilst developing its network with strategic

commercial partners.

Culina Group will also be looking at potential acquisitions that fit with the Stobart Multimodal business model as well as identifying appropriate investment opportunities.

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Stadler’s Stefan Asenkerschbaumer put up for election to Board of Directors

SWITZERLAND Stadler’s Board of Directors is nominating Prof Dr Stefan Asenkerschbaumer as a new member of the Board of Directors for the Ordinary General Meeting on May 5 2022.

Long-time board member Fred Kindle will not stand for re-election.

Asenkerschbaumer started his career in 1987 as a commercial trainee and held numerous management positions over the following 30 years.

Since January 1 2022, he has been Chairman of the supervisory board of the Bosch Group and Managing Partner of Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG (RBIK).

He is married and has two children.

“We are delighted that Stefan Asenkerschbaumer has agreed to strengthen the ranks of our Board of Directors. With his extensive technical and operational experience in the industry and his proven financial expertise, he will be a great asset to Stadler’s Board of Directors,” says Peter Spuhler, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Group CEO of Stadler.

Norfolk Southern appoints Paul B Duncan VP Network Planning and Operations UNITED STATES Norfolk Southern Corporation has appointed Paul B Duncan as Vice President Network Planning and Operations. Duncan succeeds John Friedmann, who is retiring on March 1 2022 after 27 years with Norfolk Southern. Duncan will join the company in March and report to Chief Operating Officer Cindy Sanborn.

Duncan will lead a newly combined organisation, Network Planning and Operations, that consists of Network Planning and Optimization (NPO) and the Network Operations Center (NOC).

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Bernard Gustin appointed independent Director and Executive Chairman of Lineas BELGIUM Lineas has made structural changes to its Board of Directors to strengthen the leadership of the group in order to accelerate the transformation plan and improve its performance.

This is needed since COVID and other structural economic challenges have impacted the results of the group.

Bernard Gustin is a new independent director and has been elected Executive Chairman by the company’s board of directors.

Gustin will focus on three main areas: support the executive committee in executing and accelerating the ongoing transformation; develop a strategy that allows Lineas to improve its relevance as Europe’s largest private rail freight operator; and, recommend an adapted financing strategy to allow Lineas to reach its ambitious economic and soci-

etal objectives in addition to the structural refinancing projects implemented in 2021.

In other changes to the executive board, Gilles Mougenot takes on the responsibility of Vice-Chairman and Chairman of the to be set up Nomination Committee; Geert Pauwels steps down as director and CEO; Bernard Gustin will steer the Lineas management team that will collectively take the responsibility for the group’s day-to-day management.

Pauwels successfully restructured the heavily loss-making SNCB (Société nationale des chemins de fer belges) division. As a result, the division was transformed into Europe’s largest private rail freight company with a clear purpose and intent for modal shift.

UP appoints Beth Whited to sustainability executive role UNITED STATES Union Pacific has appointed Beth Whited as Executive Vice President – Sustainability and Strategy, effective immediately.

In her role, Whited will oversee its sustainability initiatives, guiding the railroad’s efforts to reach net zero by 2050.

She will continue to lead the company’s human resources organisation, pioneering efforts to provide a world-class employee experience.

“Beth’s vast railroad experience makes her the perfect person to lead Union Pacific in these critical areas,” said Lance Fritz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Under her leadership, Union Pacific set its science-based targets, and launched award-winning DE&I programs and employee benefits. She’ll now be a critical partner for me in our strategy discussions, decisions and implementations.”

February 28 2022 @freighttracks

Whited has served as Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer since 2018 and has been responsible for Union Pacific’s human resources and labour relations functions, as well as the company’s employee engagement culture initiatives.

NEWS REVIEW

NS offers starting bonuses of up to $5,000 for conductor trainees UNITED STATES Norfolk Southern Corporation is offering starting bonuses of up to $5,000 for conductor trainees in priority locations and $2,500 for other locations. Priority locations include Binghamton, NY; Buffalo, NY; Cincinnati, OH; Louisville, KY; Manassas, VA; Harrisburg, PA; Conway, PA; Birmingham, AL; Sheffield, AL; Chattanooga, TN; Roanoke, VA; and, Linwood, NC. “Our conductors play a critical role in keeping the trains moving that transport the goods that power our nation’s economy. We are actively hiring people who want a high degree of

local customers, and transporting trains hundreds of miles.

Conductors will operate locomotives when achieving promotion to locomotive engineer. Applicants need only to be 18 years of age and successfully complete a standard background check.

“One of the clear benefits of our industry is the opportunity for future advancement and the potential for increased earnings. For example, a conductor can be promoted to a locomotive engineer position which has guaranteed minimum annual pay of approximately $94,000, along with benefits. Many of our engineers earn more than $100,000 with the work opportunities at their locations,” added Dodd.

New hire conductor trainees are currently eligible for incentive bonuses totalling $2,500, or $5,000 in priority markets, for achieving the below milestones: $500 ($1,000 for priority locations) upon completion of training examinations. $2,000 ($4,000 for priority locations) upon successful completion of the conductor training programme paid in two installments: $1,000 ($2,000 for priority locations) upon conductor training program completion; $1,000 ($2,000 for priority locations) nine months after conductor training programme completion.

Best-in-class healthcare

responsibility, thrive in autonomy and desire a sense of pride in the work they do. In return, they can expect great pay, bestin-class healthcare benefits, technical training and professional growth opportunities,” said Brad Dodd, Director Talent Acquisition at Norfolk Southern.

Once training is completed, Norfolk Southern conductors are guaranteed minimum annual pay of $52,000, participate in the Railroad Retirement System, in addition to a 401(k) savings option as well as other competitive benefits. Conductor’s annual guaranteed minimum earnings progressively increase over their next four years of service to approximately $63,500.

But with additional work opportunities at their service location, most conductors earn far more than the guaranteed minimum.

Norfolk Southern conductors are responsible for the safe and efficient movement of freight trains. Offering a high degree of responsibility and autonomy, a conductor’s job can include coupling railcars to build trains, delivering railcars to

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Conductors and engineers participate in the Railroad Employees National Health & Welfare Plan, which offers best-in-class healthcare coverage that exceeds typical government and private sector employee coverage. Healthcare coverage is effective the first day of the second calendar month that they are employed by Norfolk Southern.

After one year of employment, employees and their families are eligible for dental insurance and a $20,000 life insurance plan for the employee.

Norfolk Southern utilises a comprehensive training programme for both conductors and locomotive engineers, consisting of classroom and field training.

Successful completion of these programmes is a requirement for employment. Conductor trainees should expect to complete a training programme of approximately 10-13 weeks before promotion to a conductor position. The first two weeks of training occur at the Norfolk Southern Training Center in McDonough, GA. The remaining weeks of training take place at or near their hiring location. The company provides all the technical training and tools conductors need to be both safe and successful on the job.

NEWS REVIEW

Bullish demand for intermodal freight creates two new direct Scandinavian routes

All aboard as Bowen Rail trainee driver recruitment campaign hits the track

AUSTRALIA Queensland’s newest rail freight operator is searching for the next crop of train drivers to jump behind the controls of its fleet of state-of-the-art locomotives.

Bowen Rail Company (BRC) General Manager Brendan Lane said 12 trainee train driver positions were being recruited in readiness for when construction and testing and commissioning activities are complete.

“This latest round of recruitment of new to the industry and experienced applicants is the next step on the road to optimising our existing business capacity, which is very exciting for the team,” Lane said.

BRC’s diesel freight locomotives are next-generation rolling stock developed in partnership with Caterpillar Company’s Progress Rail business in the USA. They have been designed to use technology to create a safer working environment for crews and to remove some of the physical requirements of the job that had created barriers to enter the industry.

“Despite the cutting-edge nature of our fleet, our trains still need humans and we’re delighted to be investing in people and our community, as well as systems and technology,” Lane said.

“The trains are the most powerful diesel locomotive in Queensland allowing us to haul in a double not triple-head, configuration and, on a per train basis, they are more fuel-efficient.

“But the perks of the job extend beyond brand new equipment.

“There’s a lot to be said for living in a close-knit community with a great sense of civic spirit, and we provide a lifestyle roster that lets you take full advantage of all that The Whitsundays have to offer.”

BRC had partnered with Trojan to assist with recruitment and training of the new train drivers. You can submit an application at www.bowenrail.com.au/work-with-us. Applications close March 6 2022.

SWEDEN With two new direct domestic routes from Trelleborg and Gothenburg, Green Cargo seizes the increasing intermodal traffic arriving at the Southern and Western Sweden ports to continue their journey by rail to the Mälarregion. These routes provide customers within the Green Cargo network with a high departure frequency, fast lead times and punctuality.

On the west coast, Green Cargo connects via the APM and Arken terminals at the Port of Gothenburg and goes directly to Rosersberg in northern Stockholm. From the Port of Trelleborg, the freight goes via Nässjö and continues directly to Årsta in southern Stockholm.

“We are responsible for meeting the customers’ requirements and the need for faster and environmentally smarter connections between Skåne and the west coast to and from Mälardalen. It is an efficient solution with long-haul freight

by rail and short-haul freight by road, which reduces particle emissions and contributes to increased traffic safety on the roads,” says Jan Elgström Strategic Key Account Manager with responsibility for the direct routes.

Transporting long-haul freight by rail rather than by road considerably reduces environmental impact. Moving the freight by rail between Gothenburg and Rosersberg results in an emission of 0.032 kg CO2 compared to 900 kg CO2 emitted by road freight.

Between Trelleborg and Årsta, the rail freight would account for 0.04 kg CO2 compared to 1,100 kg CO2 emitted through road transport.

“The strength of our network combined with these two new direct routes enable us to meet varying requirements for everything from individual load carriers to large even flows on a fixed schedule with five to six departures in a week. The solution is optimised for intermodal transportation of trailers, containers, tank containers and swap bodies.” says Elgström.

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NEWS REVIEW

DB CARGO UK AND GRO INTERNATIONAL SERV

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new international service for Toyota has been launched by DB Cargo and Groupe CAT to move finished cars between Toton in Nottinghamshire and Valenciennes in northern France. This follows a four-year, £2.6 million project to develop an automotive transfer facility at DB Cargo UK’s strategic site in the East Midlands and £3 million investment by car handler Groupe CAT in its specialist wagon fleet.

Using 20+ year old refurbished rolling stock, the services will take new generation hybrid Corollas from Toyoya’s manufacturing plant at Derby to French customers while on the return leg, Toyota Aygo, Yaris and Yaris+ vehicles are being brought to the UK. This ensures full utlisation of the new

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service and avoids empty moves.

Each journey, operated on a twice a week schedule, takes 250 cars in both directions, each trip the equivalent of taking around 29 road transporters of the road.

DB Cargo UK’s Chief Sales Officer Roger Neary said the start of services was a significant milestone after months of collaboration and construction by all parties involved.

He says: “Freight belongs on rail and this is a really exciting collaboration between DB Cargo UK, Groupe CAT and Toyota. It’s a win-win-win for all those involved and will see us deliver an efficient and environmentally-friendly rail logistics solution for one of the world’s biggest automotive manufacturers. Not only that, it has also seen us breathe new life back

NEWS REVIEW

OUPE CAT LAUNCH ICE FOR TOYOTA

into a previously disused area of our strategic Toton site.”

Continuous progress

Leon van der Merwe, Vice President Supply Chain with Toyota Motor Europe, said: “As a company we are dedicated to making continuous progress towards carbon neutrality and this includes seeking ways to reduce emissions from manufacturing, vehicle use and logistics.

“By utilising this new rail freight multi modal opportunity, we are helping to ensure our low emission hybrid electric vehicles built at our British Burnaston plant can be transported to our customers in an increasingly sustainable way”.

DB Cargo UK is currently the UK’s leading transporter of

finished vehicles by rail, much of which is conducted working in partnership with wagon owner ands logistics specialist Groupe CAT. Its £2.56 million investment has seen the construction of a very large hardstanding for vehicles comprising of some 4.25 acres, along with associated loading and unloading facilities.

Around 11,000 tonnes of construction material were required. Over 800m of new track was laid, dead straight and to a maximum gradient of one in a thousand. Some 1.1 km of roadway was newly constructed or upgraded, while 900m of security fencing has been constructed for the site.

Construction started in late September 2021 and was completed earlier this month.

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Ian Logan and Jonathan Glancey Foreword by Norman Foster Logomotive is a visual tribute to the heyday of railroad graphics and design.

Arriving in America in 1968, the London designer Ian Logan was blown away by the logos and slogans he saw painted on the sides of freight trains rumbling down Main Street.

In between designing fabrics for Mary Quant and Jeff Banks, he went back time after time with his camera, travelling across America, wandering into freight yards to record the Route of the Eagles, the Rebel Route, the Speedway to America’s Playground and so many other mesmerising advertising ideas of the day.

FREIGHT TRACKS readers in the UK will be able to buy the book online from Sheldrake Press at a 25% discount by signing up as a member, and you will get a free limited-edition print by using the code FT740322 at the checkout.

FREIGHT TRACKS readers in the US can get the 25% discount and the print with the code FT740322.

£35.00

logomotive.sheldrakepress.co.uk

$55.00

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I Lo N a g c Pa om opy ge ot o 48 ive f

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NEWS REVIEW

CARGONET FIELD TESTS KALMAR’S NEW HIGH-CAPACITY ELECTRIC REACHSTACKER NORWAY Kalmar, part of Cargotec, has signed a one-year agreement with Norwegian rail operator CargoNet covering the field-testing of a Kalmar Electric Reachstacker. Following the conclusion of the agreement, CargoNet has the option to continue with regular commercial operation of the machine. The agreement was signed in January and the machine will be delivered to CargoNet in Q1 2023.

CargoNet is Norway’s leading rail freight operator, focused on rail-based intermodal services within Norway and between Norway and Sweden. The company is 100% owned by Norwegian State Railways (Vy, formerly NSB).

The high-capacity Kalmar Electric Reachstacker to be field-tested by CargoNet will have a wheelbase of 7.5m and stacking capability up to six high. The maximum lifting capacity of 45 – 45 – 34 – 23 tonnes in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th rows respectively represents a world first for an electric reachstacker.

The field test will analyse the overall function, performance, behaviour and durability of the electric powertrain.

Kalmar introduced its new range of electric reachstackers to the market in December 2021.

The range currently comprises eight

models – six toplift and two combi – with lifting capacities up to 45 tonnes, stacking up to six high and four rows deep with a wheelbase of up to 6.5m.

All models are powered by lithium-ion batteries and have Bosch Rexroth drivelines, with four battery capacities available to choose from.

Per Allan Kristensen, Terminal Manager, CargoNet: “Transitioning away from traditional diesel-powered lifting equipment towards fully electric drivelines is a must if we are to achieve our goal of drastically reducing the CO2 emissions from our operations. We are excited to be continuing our long-term

partnership with Kalmar, an industry leader in eco-efficient cargo-handling technologies, by thoroughly evaluating their electric reachstacker offering.”

Alf-Gunnar Karlgren, Vice President, Counterbalanced Container Handlers, Kalmar: “CargoNet’s capacity requirements are a perfect match with the next step in the development of our electric reachstacker concept, which is to introduce a model with a 7.5m wheelbase.

“Our industry-leading eco-efficient solution will provide CargoNet with a powerful tool to help them achieve their ambitious emission-reduction targets.”

Adif launches tender for rail work transport SPAIN Adif has approved a €2.7 million, three-year tender for a railway transport contract for replacement parts required to carry out works and for different maintenance tasks on the lines of the Railway Network of General Interest (RFIG).

This contract, which will be carried out under an open order regime without a firm purchase commitment, has been broken down into three lots.

The first of them, tendered for an amount of €1.4 million, includes bal-

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last transport.

Lot 2, with a tender amount of €907,500, includes the transport of sleepers. Lastly, lot 3 includes rail transport, track devices and other elements, and has been put out to tender for €363,000.

This tender contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), such as number 9, which has among its goals the development of reliable, sustainable and quality infrastructures.

NEWS REVIEW

COLAS RAIL UK’S FREIGHT TEAM TAKE ON SUCCESSFUL TIMBER TRIALS

UNITED KINGDOM Colas Rail UK’s freight division played a key role in the transport and delivery of 400 tonnes of timber in a successful trial organised by Euroforest and Pontrilas Sawmills.

Exploring new ways to reduce their carbon footprint after previously transporting their materials by road, the Colas team provided a sustainable solution in the form of utilising Class 70 locos to haul the cargo across 130 miles (210 km) from Newton Abbot, Devon to Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales.

The trial was the first in over five years for Euroforest in moving timber by rail as they explore new options to replace the use of road haulage vehicles.

Speaking about the success of the trial, Colas Rail UK Freight Director, Simon Ball said “This is a great opportunity to provide a sustainable alternative in operating on rail, especially as we lead the field in the transportation of timber by rail.

“We are acting to contribute to Net Zero Targets, in line

with the objectives of our Group in promoting rail freight and in reducing the number of HGVs on the road, especially during the shortage of drivers.

“Working with the client and Network Rail, I’m convinced that we can move forward and build on the success of the trial.”

Rob Blackmore, Network Rail’s Local Operations Manager for the Severn and Gwent area said: “It has been a real team effort to get the trial off the drawing board and onto the rails.

It will further enhance Network Rail’s drive to decarbonise the UK.” Mark Williams, Euroforest Director of Operations for England and Wales said “The difficulties with road transport of goods has been highly publicised over the last couple of years.

“Moving roundwood timber by rail is a great solution to this problem. Rail transport provides an efficient and environmentally friendly method of moving bulk loads to our customers.”

Train hopping a dangerous trend at the Laredo Sector UNITED STATES Laredo Sector Border Patrol agents assigned to the Laredo South Station prevented undocumented individuals from using railcars to further their dangerous journey into the United States.

The incident occurred during the late evening of Feb. 23, when agents conducting train inspections at the Serrano train yard, east of Laredo, Texas, discovered 21 undocumented individuals in a boxcar. The individuals were found to be in the United States illegally from the country of Mexico.

This dangerous method of travelling further into the United States after illegal entry is strongly discouraged as it often results in serious injury or death. Many times, migrants choose this gruelling method of transportation without realising the consequences of their actions until it is too late. Fortunately, in this case, agents detected the individuals and were able to rescue them before any fell victim to an injury.

For anyone who is thinking of entering the United States illegally, the message in simple: Don’t do it!

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AAR releases US rail GBRf educates traffic figures for school children second week in February about rail safety

UNITED STATES The Association of American Railroads (AAR) has reported US rail traffic for the week ending February 12 2022. For the week, total US weekly rail traffic was 504,482 carloads and intermodal units, up 5% compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week were 236,457 carloads, up 11.9% compared with the same week in 2021, while US weekly intermodal volume was 268,025 containers and trailers, down 0.4% compared to 2021.

Seven of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2021. They included coal, up 14,634 carloads, to 69,021; nonmetallic minerals, up 5,315 carloads, to 28,262; and farm products excluding grain, and food, up 2,022 carloads, to 16,911.

Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2021 were petroleum and petroleum products, down 345 carloads, to 9,673; motor vehicles and parts, down 305 carloads, to 13,659; and miscellaneous carloads, down 282 carloads, to 9,649.

For the first six weeks of 2022, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 1,357,008 carloads, down 0.8% from the same point last year; and 1,509,334 intermodal units, down 11.8% from last year. Total combined US traffic for the first six weeks of 2022 was 2,866,342 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 6.9% compared to last year.

North American volumes

North American rail volume for the week ending February 12 from 12 reporting US, Canadian and Mexican railroads totalled 329,598 carloads, up 9.3% compared with the same week last year, and 350,974 intermodal units, down 0.1% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 680,572 carloads and intermodal units, up 4.3% North American rail volume for the first six weeks of 2022 was 3,879,720 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.8% compared with 2021.

Canadian railroads reported 72,963 carloads for the week, up 5.2%, and 67,484 intermodal units, up 4.7% compared with the same week in 2021. For the first six weeks of 2022, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 793,071 carloads, containers and trailers, down 12.2%.

Mexican railroads reported 20,178 carloads for the week, down 3.6% compared with the same week last year, and 15,465 intermodal units, down 12.4%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first six weeks of 2022 was 220,307 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 2.5% from the same point last year.

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UNITED KINGDOM On Thursday February 3, children from Crossdale School, in Keyworth, Nottinghamshire in England’s East Midlands, received presentations from GB Railfreight’s (GBRf) safety team about the dangers of the railway.

Rod Storer, Depot Safety Manager, and Chris Parsons, SHEQ Manager, from Rail Innovation and Development Centre (RIDC) Melton, based in Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, led a series of presentations adapted to suit the school’s Key Stage 1 and 2 students.

As part of an initiative to educate local communities about its operation at RIDC Melton, the sessions were based on the dedicated train testing facility, and its electrified high and low speed test tracks.

GBRf has already delivered safety talks to Asfordby Hill School, in Leicestershire, and plans to visit more schools in the East Midlands area.

Rod Storer, Depot Safety Manager, GB Railfreight, said: “RIDC Melton can be extremely dangerous if people do not understand the risks associated with an electrified test track.

We are committed to educating communities local to our operation, especially children, to ensure they are aware of the dangers that exist.

“We hope the children of Crossdale school not only found the sessions engaging and informative, but have taken on the serious message that the railway is not a playground and ignoring important rules can result in life-changing consequences.”

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Alstom ships last electric freight locomotive to Azerbaijan AZERBAIJAN Alstom had celebrated the delivery of the 40th Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotive under a contract to Azerbaijan Railways (ADY).

“The final delivery is a milestone that we always celebrate.

The shipment of locomotives for Azerbaijan is of particular importance for us.

“Despite all the difficulties posed by the pandemic, we have been able to reach this milestone as a result of the commitment of our team.

“These locomotives play a key role in boosting the freight transportation capacity within Azerbaijan, and, moreover, they contribute to the ambitious goals of increasing the transit potential of the Trans-Caspian railway corridor. We are continuing to develop our close partnership with Azerbaijan Railways, including the organisation of the locomotive fleet maintenance and the implementation of railway signaling projects,” said Kanat Alpysbayev, Managing Director of Alstom in Western and Central Asia.

“These locomotives play a key role in boosting the freight transportation capacity within Azerbaijan, and, moreover, they contribute to the ambitious goals of increasing the transit potential of the Trans-Caspian railway corridor. “

Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotives In 2014, ADY signed a contract with Alstom for €288 million for 50 electric locomotives, which includes 40 Prima T8 AZ8A heavy freight locomotives produced at Alstom’s JV EKZ in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan and 10 Prima M4 AZ4A passenger locomotives produced in Belfort, France and delivered to Azerbaijan.

Alstom’s Prima T8 is one of the most powerful electric locomotives in the world. This model is a 25 tonne-per-axle two-section freight locomotive able to tow 9,000 tonnes and running at 120 kmh. The Prima T8 AZ8A is designed to operate in temperatures ranging from -25°C to 50°C. It requires minimum maintenance and provides high reliability levels and low lifecycle costs thanks to its modular design.

Alstom’s Prima range covers all market segments of locomotives from heavy-haul, freight and passenger operation and shunting or track work operation. Over the past 20 years, more than 3,200 Prima locomotives have been sold worldwide.

Alstom is present in Western and Central Asia with more than 1,000 people, three country offices in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan, five depots, repair centre and two plants, EKZ in Nur-Sultan for electric locomotives manufacturing and maintenance and production of on-board transformers, and KEP in Almaty to produce point machines.

Media statement on anti-coal activist involved in blocking of railway AUSTRALIA An anti-coal protestor, Megan Byrnes, who came close to being killed or seriously injured in November last year when she locked herself onto a Bowen Rail Company train stopped at signals near Collinsville in Central Queensland appeared in Southport Magistrates Court on February 15 to face charges of trespass, contravening police direction, interfering with a railway and use of a dangerous attachment device (sleeping dragon).

On the day the lock-on occurred, the driver was waiting for a passing train to clear the area before rejoining the main line when he became aware a protestor had locked onto a wagon further back in the train. He immediately stopped what he was doing and asked for the police to be called. The trains travel at speeds of up to 80 kph.

Police cut the protestor off the train and the train then safely travelled to the coal export terminal at Abbot Point. Bowen Rail Company General Manager Brendan Lane said anti-coal protestors seemed to be oblivious to the danger they had placed themselves in.

He said: “What this protestor did was incredibly selfish, she could have been killed or seriously injured. If our driver hadn’t shown the situational awareness he did, he may have had the traumatic experience of knowing that someone had been hurt or killed on his shift.

“The other protestors who helped the protestor to lock onto our train should also take a long hard look at themselves and ask themselves why they would put another person’s life at risk like that?

“They should think about what it would be like to make the terrible call to say someone they helped lock onto a train was dead or in hospital.”

Byrnes was arrested by police and charged with a number of offences, she subsequently requested her matter be adjourned and moved from the Bowen Magistrates Court to the Southport Magistrates Court. The maximum penalty for use of a dangerous attachment device is two years’ imprisonment or a $7,000 fine.

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CLdN Cargo launches Italian connection ITALY CLdN Cargo has launched its own Italian rail connection between Rotterdam and Montirone, Italy to play a role in the decarbonisation of freight transport. The new service started running from February 14.

For more than five years, CLdN Cargo has been active in Italy providing high quality intermodal transport services to Northern Europe with its own fleet of 5,500 trailer and container units.

The service will initially operate three times a week connecting CLdN’s own Rotterdam ro-ro terminal with the Magli Intermodal Service (MIS) Terminal in Montirone, 13 km south of Brescia. This intermodal connection will move CLdN Cargo’s own trailer and container equipment combined with other

types of equipment sourced by CLdN’s forwarding division.

The next step

‘It has been on our wish list for a long time to have a rail connection to Italy under our own control’, said a representative of CLdN Cargo. This next step follows the December announcement when CLdN Cargo appointed an exclusive commercial agent to increase their presence in the Italian market.

‘Securing rail capacity is vital in this market with the increasing Italian volumes as well as the upcoming mobility package which will only boost unaccompanied rail and ro-ro traffic’, said the representative.

Smile, you’re on GB Railfreight’s camera UNITED KINGDOM GB Railfreight (GBRf), working in partnership with 21st Century, part of Journeo, has upgraded its entire fleet of almost 100 Class 66 locomotives with new Forward-Facing CCTV (FFCCTV) systems and connection to the Journeo Portal.

Providing real-time access to train location, status information and condition monitoring data, the cloud-based Journeo Portal provides new levels of situational awareness to GBRf. Without leaving the Portal, the control room team has immediate access to live video footage and can remotely download data and securely share any information with stakeholders, such as Network Rail and British Transport Police. This removes the need to visit lo-

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comotives to collect footage, with data now available in minutes, and eliminates the difficulties of sharing information using emails and external media.

Ian Langton, Production Director at GB Railfreight commented: “The safety of our colleagues and performance of our services is of paramount importance, and this technology is an incredibly useful tool. It gives the teams in our control room immediate access to train locations and critical data. We can also analyse incidents and near misses more quickly and more easily, providing stakeholders with evidence of criminal activity or infrastructure risks. All of which helps us build a better rail network.”

Geoff Pulford, Rail Solutions Specialist at 21st Century, added: “GBRf is

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one of the UK’s most advanced freight operating companies and we’ve a long-standing partnership with them.

The FFCCTV combined with the Journeo Portal’s Transit module brings new levels of operational insight and safety and opens further avenues for innovation.”

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Empty railcar freight – expl

By Darell Luther, CEO, Tealinc UNITED STATES When moving a private empty freight railcar (non-tank car), there are several options. If that private railcar moves off a loaded revenue move (paid, loaded move) then the return trip for the empty railcar on the exact same route (or equal distance/mileage on some railroads) is typically free of charge (non-revenue move).

It’s a cycle that works pretty well for all involved parties. It’s an advantage to the shipper as the empty railcars are returned to the loading location and ready for their next load. This also helps the railroad since it means that once the railcars are loaded, they’re ready for their next revenue move.

Unless you have a contract in place that explicitly states otherwise, when moving an empty railcar that has been sitting in storage or otherwise is not moving off a revenue move, the story looks and feels completely different since the railroad charges for this move (revenue move – empty). In fact, while it’s certainly not the intent of the railroad, empty railcar repositioning can discourage a rail shipper from acquiring (leasing, buying, etc.) and repositioning private railcars. When moving empty railcars to a new railcar lessee, new railcar user or when newly-built railcars are repositioned, the railroad will charge for this empty move. And that cost can be expensive. Generally speaking, the empty railcar transportation rate billed by the handling line (railroad) currently ranges from $3.59 per mile for longer hauls all the way up to $7.78 per mile for shorter hauls. In the mid-range length of haul the range is more in the $4.50 to $4.75 per empty mile.

This empty freight charge can be a substantial part of the onboarding cost of bringing a new or used railcar into service for lessee’s, buyers and private shippers of railcars. Years back the service of repositioning an empty freight car was free to those shippers leasing or buying railcars so long as the railcars were predominately used in future revenue moves on the originating rail line. Railroads were assured they’d get the line haul revenue and actually incentivised the shipper to supply their own railcars in lieu of the railroads supplying the railcar.

This was on top of a freight rate differential between private and railroad supplied railcars for the shippers’ business. Unfortunately, all of that incentive has gone away and the charges are significant.

A little fact checking regarding railcar supply. Beginning

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years ago, and especially now with Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR), railroads have made it clear that they are only willing to invest in owning and/or leasing railcars that can haul a broad base of commodities or that support a very broad transportation industry. Typically speaking, the more products a single railcar type can carry or the lower risk the commodity is, the more likely it is that the railroad will engage in buying/ leasing those railcars to support the shipper’s business. From a railroad’s perspective, it makes really good business sense.

This business requirement has really shifted the number of railcars a railroad buys/leases and offers to its customers (system supplied railcars).

In fact, about 25 years ago the railroads supplied about 60% of all railcars to their customers. Now, over 80% of all freight railcars are privately owned and controlled. As an example, one primary industry railroad invests in is railcars for the grain industry. This is an area where the utilisation of the railcars is high and can be supported without much extra effort by private industry railcars. The railroads have pooling or usage agreements that allow the interchangeability of private and railroad supplied railcars, using the private railcar bid structure to manage high railcar demand times. This allows the railroads to have a smaller fleet and a mechanism to meet peak demands while not having to invest in railroad-owned railcars for these peak shipment times.

Mad about costs

The first move of a railcar empty to a new loading location is expensive and makes no initial economic return for the new shipper of the railcar. Sometimes railcars are physically so far from where they are to be used that it’s a stretch to make the economics of buying or leasing a railcar work for a shipper. Imagine having to reposition 20 mill gondolas from the eastern US to the Rocky Mountain states or an average rail distance of 800 miles. At $4.60 per empty mile those 20 mill gondolas would cost $3,680 per railcar or $73,600 for all 20 railcars. This is before the shipper makes a single cent of return on their investment in the railcars.

Although it can be easy and understandable to do, one can’t blame the railroad for instituting charges for billing for empty revenue moves or, put differently, providing their ser-

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loring a different approach

vices. After all, the railroad still incurs costs for what is would be a free empty move to the shipper.

When we acknowledge that, it is hard to blame the railroad for billing for their service where they incur expenses.

At the same time though there is an opportunity to drive more efficient loads and reduce empty railcar mileage by expanding the loading opportunities for each empty railcar. A win-win for the lessee, shipper and railroad as the number of loads would increase incrementally and the cost of transportation would remain the same on a gross basis and would go down on a per unit basis as more empty railcars were loaded.

Change Is in order

Here at Tealinc, we have sympathised with our customers for years. We’ve helped our customers identify the empty freight costs and worked creatively with many of our customers to identify ways to offset those empty freight costs.

Unfortunately, we’ve felt our customers pain directly when many determined they could not make a fair business case for rail given the excessive initial onboarding costs.

We know it’s time for a change.

As a true entrepreneurial company, we’ve been thinking for years outside of the box. We know in order to positively impact our customers business and in order to get more railcars repositioned to our customers where they need them, we’ve got to think differently. We haven’t yet changed the railroads

minds but we are thinking maybe we need to start somewhere else.

We know that companies compete in transportation costs, savings, location as much or more than the actual commodity. Tealinc has explored and continues to explore the single use trade-off for negating some or all of the empty mileage repositioning charges. The plan is to have the railcar move to a closer geographic loading place minimizing the empty miles that need to be paid for by the shipper.

This loading place may or may not be in the same industry in which the railcar is going to be used but would be compatible with the product being shipped.

The single use loaded movement would directionally support the ongoing empty movement of the railcar to the intended shippers’ location.

There are a few methods to make this work and we’re looking for a few adventurous souls involved in the bulk commodity shipment arena to test the hypothesis.

This will take some time to put together but the idea is that we’ll gather a database to house single shipment or shortterm shipment needs categorised by industry/commodity, railcar type and general geography.

If we have a railcar in California and you need that railcar in Utah short term and we have an end user in Florida needing the car, we’ll link up the entire move and work to apply true cost savings and shared resources to all parties.

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Merced County partners with Patriot Rail to establish new rail district UNITED STATES The Merced county board of supervisors approved an agreement with Patriot Rail to establish a rail district at Castle Commerce Center, making the site a focal point for the movement of freight by rail and future economic development.

The rail district, located near the southeastern corner of Castle, will enhance the ability of agricultural producers, manufacturers and other enterprises from throughout the San Joaquin Valley to ship and receive products via the Burlington-Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) mainline, which runs adjacent to the site.

A spur from currently connects to Castle, and Patriot Rail will develop additional infrastructure to facilitate enhanced rail freight service from the location.

The expansion of rail service in the new district is mutually beneficial for producers, Patriot Rail, and Merced County alike. The new district will allow businesses from Merced County and the surrounding region to further expand their operations by quickly and efficiently receiving and shipping more freight by

rail – the most environmentally sensitive and sustainable way to move goods over land.

As part of the agreement, Patriot Rail will lease approximately 6,500 feet (2 km) of track and related property. The lease term is for 20 years, with potential renewals subject to mutual agreement between Merced County and Patriot Rail. Patriot Rail will maintain the track and anticipates making an initial investment of $1.2 million to increase rail capacity and fluidity of shippers in the Cas-

tle rail district.

“This agreement is the culmination of years of market analysis and strategic planning,” said Chairman Lloyd Pareira of the Merced County Board of Supervisors. “Coupled with the autonomous vehicle testing happening at Castle, this is an exciting time for Merced County.

We’re on the front-end of additional job creation and economic development.”

John E Fenton, Patriot Rail CEO, said: “Patriot Rail is pleased to advance and help drive Merced County’s vision of economic growth. We are committed to providing service and safety excellence as a premier rail solutions provider, and to partnering with Merced County customers to ensure exciting new competitive options for shipment by rail to build business and grow jobs.”

Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) added: “This unique partnership reflects the growing global demand for the agricultural products grown right here in the Valley,” said “Together, Merced County and Patriot Rail are working to reduce supply chain shortages while proving Castle’s potential as an engine for economic productivity. It’s projects like these that will reduce inflation, create more jobs, and strengthen our regional economy.”

The agreement with Patriot Rail, a recognised leader in rail, was executed through Patriot Rail subsidiary Foster Townsend Rail Logistics.

Greenbrier completes successful railcar asset-backed securities issuance

UNITED STATES The Greenbrier Companies, a leading international supplier of equipment and services to global freight transportation markets, has completed its first offering of railcar asset-backed securities and long-term financing for GBX Leasing, a joint venture between Greenbrier and The Longwood Group.

GBXL’s wholly-owned subsidiary GBX Leasing 2022-1 LLC issued an aggregate principal amount of $323.3 million of its Series 2022-1 Class A and Class B Notes with a blended interest rate of 2.9%.

The notes have a weighted average life of approximately

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six years. The transaction is secured by nearly 4,500 railcars with a fair market value of $413 million and their associated operating leases. The railcar securitisation will be consolidated on Greenbrier’s balance sheet but is non-recourse to Greenbrier.

Greenbrier CEO and Chairman William A Furman stated, “The strong response from investors produced excellent terms for GBXL’s first asset-backed securitisation. The quality of this transaction demonstrates the respect and confidence engendered by Greenbrier’s leasing capabilities and the current strength of railcar securitisations in the debt market.”

NEWS REVIEW

Five rail startups to watch in 2022

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ig Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 2,093,000+ startups and scaleups globally has identified five of the most promising rail, including freight, startups to watch this year The Global Startup Heat Map highlights the five rail startups you should watch in 2022 as well as the geo-distribution of the other 559 startups and scaleups analysed for this research.

StartUs hand-picked the five highlighted rail startups based on data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, the relevance of technology and funding, among others. The most relevant startup for rail freight is Rail Flow though the others may have applications for rail freight operators.

Rail-Flow

German startup Rail-Flow digitises rail freight management.

The startup’s solution for railway undertakings combines request inflow from various customers into a standardised format. Traditional systems rely on manual work and paper-based workflow for the same task and are time-consuming. However, Rail-Flow enables its users to compare requests and create or update offers within a single platform and in a much shorter time frame. Therefore, this digital channel boosts sales efficiency, increases turnover, and strengthens compliance. It also matches freight capacity with requester demands to optimise

rail logistics operations. In addition to purchase and tender management, the startup’s products include intermodal transport and offer management solutions for operators, carriers, and freight forwarders.

Russian startup Cognitive Pilot develops autonomous self-driving solutions for the rail industry. The startup combines deep-learning neural networks, computer vision, and post-processing algorithms to distinguish several railroad objects, signals, and switches.

Intramotev Autonomous Rail is a US-based startup that develops autonomous, battery-electric railcars.

The startup uses sensors and computer vision to achieve self-driving capacity while the batteries power the locomotive.

Pantherun Technologies is an Indian startup that provides end-to-end embedded devices for railway communication. The startup’s range of solutions includes �evel 1 network switches and industrial computers tailored for harsh environments and temperatures.

It also provides in-train controllers as well as wayside signalling and telecom systems and train-to-ground communication solutions. Pantherun Technologies enable a network for the industrial internet of things (IoT) integration.

Russian startup ZENTORN enhances the energy efficiency of train engines. The startup combines plasma electrolytic oxidation, isothermal stamping, and powder metallurgy to apply modification coatings on piston rods to improve its structural properties

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From RCG apprenticeship to

By Elisabeth Fiala, social media communicator in the OBB Rail Cargo Group Choosing a profession is one thing. Being successful is the other. Nicole Plaimer, who has completed the RCG (Rail Cargo Group) apprenticeship programme to become a freight forwarding clerk, has accomplished both.

After completing her apprenticeship at RCG, she also participated in the AustrianSkills, the national championships for professions, where she came third, making her one of the three best forwarding apprentices in Austria. ÖBB talked to Nicole and got an insight into her career path and the apprenticeship training at RCG.

Nicole:

At the age of 16, I moved from Waldhausen im Strudengau, in beautiful Upper Austria, to Vienna to the ÖBB apprentice home in Kundratstraße to start my apprenticeship as a forwarding agent at RCG. This was in September 2017.

As you can imagine, it was quite an adjustment to suddenly be on your own in such a big city. However, there was always something going on with all the other apprentices in the dorm and we were often out and about together in Vienna. There was also a theater group in the apprentice dormitory, and I was part of it. In the course of this, we went to see plays in various theatres, which gave me a whole new cultural perspective on Vienna.

Why did you decide to do an apprenticeship as a forwarding agent? How did you find out about it?

Nicole:

I wanted to find a profession where I could work in an office. Unfortunately, I didn’t find a suitable job in the countryside of Upper Austria so I decided to move to the city. By the way, my uncle also works for ÖBB and made me aware that RCG was looking for apprentices. I then applied online and was invited for an interview only one day later.

How is the programme structured? Did you immediately start working in the office?

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forwarding agent, I was given the opportunity to gain experience in many areas of the Rail Cargo Group and was able to get involved from the very first minute.

By means of job rotation, you rotate to a different department every six months. This way, the apprentices can gather many impressions and ultimately also decide where they want to work. That’s a very cool strategy.

At the beginning, I got an insight into the operational tasks of container transport to Hamburg at the ÖBB headquarters at Vienna Main Station. After this exciting experience, the training shifted me towards contracts and customer agreements. Here I learned how costs are calculated and how prices are set.

The next stop for me in the second year of my apprenticeship was back in the countryside, in Amstetten in Lower Austria.

There I worked as an order data processor and gained experience in single-wagon transport. That means I handled individual shipments from different customers, put them together to form a whole train and gave the orders to the shunting team on site.

After my time in Amstetten, I went back to Vienna. The rotation took me to the “Claims & Insurance Management” department, where I worked in the goods claims area.

Finally, at the beginning of the third year of my apprenticeship, I was offered a unique opportunity.

By means of an exchange project, I was allowed to gain insight into logistics at a trucking company, the international freight forwarder UnitCargo, far away from rail transport. I had a very exciting time there and gained completely new impressions, because the way of working is surprisingly quite different when it comes to a different mode of transport.

My last rotation took me to the “Production Services” department. It was interesting to deal with system mainte-

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the state championships

nance of the programmes I had always worked with until then.

At the end of my third year of the apprenticeship programme, I decided to return to the “Claims & Insurance Management” department and gain a foothold in the commodity claims area. So I decided to move to Vienna for the long-term. I therefore spent my fourth year of apprenticeship as a forwarding logistics specialist in “Claims & Insurance Management,” where I was taken on and where I still work today.

But what I found to be the best experience was my participation in AustrianSkills.

The “national championships for professions” offer the chance to prove one’s knowledge and acquired experience.

Apprentices from a wide variety of trades take part there every year to show that they are the best of the best.

How were you able to show your skills there?

Nicole: The competition consisted of various tasks: a

resentation in English in which we introduced a fictitious freight forwarder to a new customer, freight calculations in trucking, air freight and sea freight. This included filling out the respective freight documents and various operational tasks such as writing a pick-up order to the carrier, talking to customers about complaints, processing complaints and clearing a shipment. The competition was very strong and competent. I also learned a lot about the other modes of transport at vocational school and this knowledge definitely stood me in good stead at AustrianSkills.

I managed to achieve third place and so I am now one of the three best forwarding apprentices in the whole of Austria, which makes me very proud!

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shunters & switchers

Clayton Class 18 hybrid+ CBD90 shunting locomotive

THE LITTLE ENG 30 n

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shunters & switchers

GINES THAT CAN www.freight-tracks.com

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shunters & switchers

THE LITTLE ENGINES THAT CAN There would have been visitors at the Berlin Industrial Exposition in 1879 who would have been amazed and stunned as a miniature train, pulled by a contraption that did not emit smoke and steam, passed by. They were witnesses to transport history: the debut of electric traction. Trains were, by then, a commonplace. But this was different and would herald the modern world in so many ways, writes James Graham

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isitors at the Berlin Industrial Exposition on May 31 1879 would stopped in their tracks as a smokeless locomotive passed by, pulling carriage carrying doubtless excited but nervous passengers. Watching he train go by, those watching were witnesses to transport history: the debut of electric traction.

The discovery of the dynamo-electric principle by Werner von Siemens in 1866, led 13 years later, to the display by Siemens & Halske of the world’s first electric powered train.

Fast forward to the third decade of the 21st century and the ‘latest’ thing in transportation technology is an electric-powered or hybrid electric shunting or switching locomotive.

Think about the job they do: dragging cuts out, kicking cars, coupling up tracks.. Most of their work is slow speed hard drag

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work, and if you look at their design, you can see the form does indeed follow the function.

Shunting locomotives operate within rail yards, assembling and disassembling trains. They generally do not move trains over long distances. Because they remain in a concentrated area, improving switching locomotive emission levels can improve the air quality in the locality.

These Trojan machines labour in the service for which they are designed. They perform powerfully and, because they are in freight yards most of the time, when something breaks it tends to get taken care of quickly. Service shops are normally close by as well. Having a yard engine down for any real length of time is costly in terms of car dwell time and yard congestion.

US Class 1 railroad Union Pacific has been aggressively

shunters & switchers working to achieve lower emissions switchers over the past 16 years. In 2018 the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District awarded approximately $15 million in grants to re-power 10 diesel-electric switching locomotives into new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-certified Tier 4 single-engine switching locomotives.

Funding for this initiative was made possible through California’s Proposition 1B: Goods Movement Emission Reduction Program, a partnership between the California Air Resources Control Board and local air districts. This is a programme aimed at incentivising freight-moving equipment owners to upgrade to cleaner technologies.

“Union Pacific has been a great partner,” said Kristian Damkier, an air quality engineer with the Sac Metro Air District.

“We’ve been working together since 2004; we have an excellent working relationship.”

These locomotives seek to reduce particulate matter and nitrogen oxide emissions by more than 90%. Union Pacific is the only Class 1 railroad operating Tier 4 Genset switchers, and is the first Class 1 to pursue Tier 4 single-engine repowers.

This was not Union Pacific’s first group of Tier 4 switchers, but it is the company’s first group of Tier 4 switchers with one engine. A single engine means the locomotives should be more reliable and easier to repair.

The company pioneered the Genset switching locomotive concept in 2002, creating a marketplace for Genset technology with a $72 million investment. It had taken about a decade for technology to mature enough to achieve a Tier 4 single-engine

switcher. Through this partnership with the Sac Metro Air District, Union Pacific hopes to create another new marketplace for single-engine Tier 4 switchers.

Union Pacific’s old diesel-electric switchers were stripped down and rebuilt, or repowered, into the new Tier 4 switchers.

The ten locomotives were delivered by 2019. The new switchers operate exclusively in California.

“We’re proud of our partnership with both air quality management organisations,” said Clint Schelbitzki, Union Pacific general director of public affairs for California and the Pacific Northwest.

“As we move forward, we’ll continue to look for opportunities to partner with community organisations to ensure we’re staying focused on a more sustainable future.”

Damkier says people living near the rail yards using the new switching locomotives will see an immediate benefit. “The use of this technology will improve air quality, and in the long-term reduce regional ozone levels,” he said.

In the future, when Union Pacific buys additional ultra-low-emission switchers, the company hopes to pursue the single-engine approach.

“Union Pacific is stepping up to the plate and working with us to make these projects happen,” Damkier said. “In the future, we’re hoping railroads focus locomotive replacement efforts on California to improve the air quality in the areas that need it most.”

Golden jubilee

Two years ago, Dutch locomotive manufacturer Bemo Rail marked its half century. Bemo designs and manufactures bespoke shunters from scratch at workshops in the Netherlands, combining and tailoring standard components to customer-specific needs and requirements. This modular approach to construction makes it possible to deliver any combination of capacities, speeds, and pulling forces. Their shunters are used predominantly in heavy industry, on storage and transhipment sites and at rail and metro depots and workshops.

A company statement said: “We employ a highly skilled workforce and integrate only the best quality materials and components. Right from the very first pencil stroke for a new design to the delivery of a brand new locomotive, safety, ergonomics and the environment are top of mind. Boasting a spacious workshop and an industry-savvy engineering department, anything is possible at Bemo Rail.”

Since 1970, Bemo Rail had represented locomotive brands such as Vollert, MaK, Hunslet and Allen from England and Germany. In 1983, the Bemo business model changed. To meet customers’ needs, it started engineering its own locomotives.

First using parts that were in available in the European market; later using parts machined in their own workshop.

Co-founder Paul Berkhout said: “The first Bemo locomotive was a diesel locomotive for the Dutch Railways. We received a one-million-guilder (approximately €453,780) subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to build the locomotive.4

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shunters & switchers

The new EMD Joule is a zero emissions fully battery-powered switcher

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The Dutch Railways ordered a second locomotive right away, an electric one with a conductor line. That second locomotive was finished before the ‘first’. At that time, we engineered the locomotives and had them assembled by Steemeijer in Hoogwoud.”

EMD Joule

The new EMD Joule is a zero emissions fully battery-powered switcher developed by Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company, which includes battery capacity from 1.9 megawatt hours up to 2.4 megawatt hours, with additional options available. The switcher has nominal power up to 3,000 horsepower, and a run time of up to 24 hours, dependent upon charging and utilisation.

The switcher’s battery recovers energy through dynamic braking. When dynamic braking is activated to control train speed, the battery will restore its energy reserves.

Union Pacific Railroad will purchase 10 EMD Joule switchers. The purchase is part of the largest investment in battery-electric technology by a US Class I railroad.

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“We are pleased to supply our EMD Joule locomotives to Union Pacific representing our largest battery-electric locomotive order to-date,” said Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby. “At Caterpillar, we’re continuing to invest in new products, technologies and services to support our customers during the energy transition, helping them achieve their climate-related goals as they build a better, more sustainable world.”

The locomotives, which do not use fuel and emit zero exhaust emissions, will be tested in rail yards in California and Nebraska, helping identify the locomotives’ capabilities and challenges for broader deployment.

Union Pacific Chairman, President and CEO, Lance Fritz said: “We’re committed to actions that reduce Union Pacific’s environmental footprint as we work toward our ultimate goal of reaching net zero emissions by 2050.” He added: “These investments will contribute to further developing this important technology and providing industry-wide benefits.”

The locomotives will be manufactured in Muncie, Indiana and the first units will arrive on-site in late 2023, with complete delivery anticipated in early 2024.

shunters & switchers Clayton Equipment GB Railfreight (GBRf) has taken delivery of the first of the fifteen Class 18 hybrid+ CBD90 shunting locomotives to be manufactured by Clayton Equipment.

This forms part of a three-month trial for GBRf with Beacon Rail Leasing as they work to boost sustainability and it marks the expansion of its growing fleet.

As GBRf looks towards the future of its assets, the shunting locomotive will enable low noise and zero emissions, demonstrating a clear contribution to the challenge of meeting the UK’s net zero carbon targets.

The Clayton locomotive was delivered to Whitemoor early this month, where it underwent a series of testing to understand its capabilities and performance.

The Class 18 is powered by an on-board battery that provides emissions-free operation where charging facilities are available, or through a regenerative braking system. When challenges with range or operation occur, an efficient onboard Stage V compliant engine can be utilised to increase the locomotive’s running time.

Clive Hannaford, Managing Director, Clayton Equipment, said: “We are very proud to supply GB Railfreight through Beacon Rail with the Class 18 locomotive. In the fast-changing environment with decarbonisation targets, the increased demand for lower emissions, new technology and more capacity, the Clayton Equipment Hybrid+ CBD90 will support GBRf with sustainable environmental benefits which meets their commitment to invest in new technology and provide real cost savings”.

David Golding, Asset Director, GB Railfreight said: “The Class 18 hybrid+ shunting locomotive has the power to play a key role in the decarbonisation of our future fleet. Going forward, it will offer a wide range of sustainable benefits capable of significantly reducing the environmental impact of our operations.”

Rob Dee, Chief Commercial Officer, Beacon Rail said: “We are very pleased to have delivered the first of our order of 15 Class 18 hybrid+ shunting locomotives, from Clayton Equipment, to GB Railfreight. This is a key milestone in our delivery program and we look forward to working with GB Railfreight through their trial period. This locomotive will offer our customers a greener and sustainable option for rail freight operations against the backdrop of targets to reduce emissions,”

Environmental impact MECHAN is helping to reduce carbon emissions at a Scottish rail depot after introducing an electric shunter.

A Rotrac E2 shunter has been supplied to Direct Rail Services’ (DRS) Motherwell facility, following a 14-month trial to prove it can replace a diesel-powered locomotive.

The battery powered shunter, manufactured by our German partner, Zwiehoff, is being used by DRS to move flatbed wagons in and out of the depot at all times of the day and night. It replaces a diesel shunter that was louder, more pol-

“David Golding,

luting and could only be operated by a train driver. The Rotrac, however, can be controlled by maintenance personnel, offering greater flexibility.

Lindsey Mills, our sales manager, said: “We have a longstanding relationship with DRS, having supplied them with lifting jacks and other equipment, which is why they approached us for advice on emission-free shunting options.

“We were pleased to receive an order for the Rotrac shunter, after it performed so efficiently and reliably during the trial period. We believe it is the perfect solution for this depot and feedback from the client has been very positive.”

Mechan is the sole UK and Irish supplier of the award-winning, Zwiehoff shunters. They use innovative battery technology to provide the necessary drive to move up to 500 tonnes and have a compact, simple design making them easy to manoeuvre and extremely robust.

Steve Wilkinson, DRS’s head of engineering, added: “We’re always looking for innovative ways to reduce our carbon footprint and this new electric shunter demonstrates our ambitions to reduce CO2 emissions wherever possible. It has proved itself to be as useful as a traditional diesel shunter and has been a hit with our engineers, offering more flexibility and zero exhaust emissions.”

Asset Director, GB Railfreight: “The Class 18 hybrid+ shunting locomotive has the power to play a key role in the decarbonisation of our future fleet”

A stein of beer

In 2017, WINDHOFF Bahn- und Anlagentechnik delivered a battery-powered shunting vehicle TeleTrac RW60AEM to Warsteiner Brewery in Warstein, Sauerland. The new shunter is used on the company’s siding and at the container terminal. In the afternoon, two 80-tonne mobile cranes placed the shunter onto the local rail siding.

So far, a diesel locomotive was used for the various shunting tasks. From now on, railway traffic at Warstein will be quieter and emission-free, above all. The brewery thus follows the general trend for sustainability in the energy sector through the use of electric power also for heavy-duty working vehicles.

The WINDHOFF shunter RW60AEM with its 34 tonne ser-4

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shunters & switchers vice weight generates a towing force of around 1,000 tonnes, sufficient for the handling of trains with 12 container wagons.

The on-board battery weighs in at 2.5 tonnes and provides ample energy for several working days. Battery charging is effected via cable from any 400V mains outlet, and there is no further need for a diesel fuel station with the many stringent requirements for environmental protection. Six Warsteiner staff have been trained as BOA shunter operators. The highly efficient RW60AEM will be used in 3-shift operations, arranging Warsteiner containers for world-wide shipping.

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Russian

In the first part of this month, BMZ (Bryansky mashinostroitelny zavod, the Bryansk engineering plant) successfully completed the modernisation of shunting diesel locomotive production. The majority of these models are destined for the Russian railway RZD. The modernisation has enabled the company to expand its capacity for building six-axle Class TEM18DM shunters to some 240 locomotives annually. The locomotive is fitted with a Type

1-PD4D diesel engine. This will help BMZ set up production of the new four-axle Class TEM23 locomotives.

Strategic investments in workshop equipment saw 20 pieces of equipment purchased. These included painting and drying booths, robotic welding complexes, high-performance machining centres and high-precision measuring equipment.

Funds for the upgrade of the production facilities came from the Russian Industrial Development Fund (VEB.RF Group), the investments exceeding 1.7 billion RUB (around €17.2 m).

Of these, 775 million RUB (around €8.9 m) were provided by the Industrial Development Fund (VEB.RF Group) in the form of two loans under the Development Projects programme.

Vadim Yakovlev, the BMZ General Director, told the media: “The development of shunting locomotive production is of great strategic importance for us, since this type of locomotives accounts for a significant share of the factory output.

Today BMZ occupies 75% of the shunting locomotive market in Russia.“ The factory is also engaged in the batch production of Class 2TE25KM and 3TE25K2M mainline freight diesel locomotives for RZD and other clients.

MECHAN is helping to reduce carbon emissions at a Scottish rail depot after introducing an electric shunter.

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BECAUSE NOT ALL FREIGHT ON A TRAIN MOVES IN A BOX

visit: tankcontainermedia.com

OUT OF THE WOODS

Timber on the tracks A Swedish sawmill has transformed its logistics process by converting trucked timber to containers by rail. NEIL MADDEN LOOKS HARD AND DEFINITELY SEES THE WOOD FOR THE TREES.

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hipping sawn timber and timber products by rail can be challenging.

Both cumbersome and heavy, timber usually requires special handling equipment at both ends of the logistics chain, as well as particular types of wagon. These might be staked flatbeds or high capacity boxcars; but in all cases it means using expensive equipment that is far from commoditised.

More to the point, the pressure to reduce the carbon footprint of logistics chains is leading to the search for backhaul cargoes; and with timber that is not easy. By definition the sources of forest products are in sparsely populated, rural areas with limited demand for backhaul cargo, such as consumer goods.

However, a company in Sweden might have found a solution; using standard ISO containers.

The forestry sector is a cornerstone of Swedish basic industry with annual exports totalling SKr145 billion. More than 80% of Swedish forest products are sent abroad (23.4 million tonnes in 2020), making Sweden the fifth-largest exporter in the world.

This is set to grow as the use of wood in a variety of sectors, including the construction industry, is increasingly seen as a more climate-smart alternative to steel and concrete. New areas of use are emerging with forest products replacing plastic and other non-degradable materials in the manufacture of clothing, chemicals, hygiene products and technical components.

Moreover, Sweden’s slow-growing trees produce high-quality raw material with a good structure.

Southbound

One producer, Fiskarheden sawmill, produces more than 370,000 cubic metres of sawn timber a year from its facility in Malung-Sälen, central Sweden. More than 90% of this output

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is exported, much of it to Japan which prizes the high quality.

Previously, wood shipments were transported 250km by road eastwards to the Port of Gävle, located on the Gulf of Bothnia, for onward shipping by deepsea vessel.

But working closely with forwarding company Träfraktkontoret, Fiskarheden has devised a new routing over rail to ship the cargo some 410 km south to the Port of Gothenburg on Sweden’s west coast, and so much closer to the North Sea and beyond.

The first train carrying 32 40-foot containers from Japanese shipping company Ocean Network Express (ONE) arrived at Gothenburg port on August 30 last year. ONE is an alliance established in 2017 by the integration of Japanese carriers ‘K’ Line, MOL and NYK. Such has been the success of the new service that it is now being scaled up, with the aim of running three trains a month starting in February this year, each carrying 40x 40ft high cube containers, explains Joakim Limberg, Export Sales Manager at Fiskarheden.

OUT OF THE WOODS

In order to achieve this, Fiskarheden invested heavily in the transformation of the rail terminal in Malungsfors to facilitate container handling. This included a new load plate, three ‘tents’ for storing goods, two trucks, and upgrading and increasing the surface for the container handling area.

Now the year-round logistics chain is up and running the sawmill calculates that the carbon footprint has fallen from 406 kg to 207 kg of carbon dioxide per TEU (20 ft container).

“We stuff sawn timber from our mill in the form of stacked packages that are already wrapped,” Limberg continues.

“These packages are put onto the load plate which then feeds the material into the container like a pizza oven.”

The sawmill decides which packages belong to each other so as to optimise the payload for each container. “We aim to get as close as we can to 30,000 kg per container,” says Limberg.

This has the twin advantage of maximising the revenue per container and minimising the carbon footprint in terms of tonne-kilometres.

“The fact that we can handle and stuff containers here in Malungsfors is a major step forward. It is a long-term investment that will open up new markets for us via the Port of Gothenburg and it is definitely the right path to follow in our ambition to reduce our climate footprint,” adds Magnus Larsson,

Fiskarheden Chief Executive Officer.

Trendy For the Port of Gothenburg, the largest in Scandinavia, Fiskarheden’s initiative is a particularly interesting example of a general trend towards shipping more and more cargo by rail both to and from the port.

“What is being undertaken here in Malungsfors is an impressive and highly focused investment,” says Richard Mellgren, Senior Business Development Manager at Gothenburg Port Authority.

“It is inspiring to see that many companies in the forest industry are choosing the Port of Gothenburg to a greater extent and that the port can contribute to reinforcing the international competitiveness of the forest industry by offering frequent4 Caption: Left: Such has been the success of the Fiskarheden service to Gothenburg that it is now being scaled up, with the aim of running three trains a month starting in February Caption: Top: Sawn timber in stacked packages is put onto the load plate which then feeds the material into the container like a pizza oven

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NEWS REVIEW

Timber on the tracks 4

departures, an efficient, climate-smart service and direct transportation to wider markets.”

Most recently, the number of rail departures between Gothenburg and the town of Piteå has been increased from one a week to two.

Located in the far north of the country, some 1,400km from Gothenburg, the shuttle service cuts the transport time by almost a week compared with a feeder vessel solution via the Baltic, and reduces carbon emissions by 87%, according to forwarding company First Row Shipping & Logistics AB, which is responsible for the expansion.

The service began operating in April 2021 and the expansion represents a doubling of capacity to 144 TEU per week between Gothenburg and Piteå.

“There’s a strong focus on Gothenburg in the container sector and we have received numerous enquiries about rail services to other locations using the port as a hub,” says Niko-

las Rowland, chief executive of First Row. Freight movements by rail can be co-ordinated effectively with ship departures, which means containers can be turned around quickly. After making the journey from Piteå, the trains arrive directly at the container terminal operated by APM Terminals. The freight can then be lifted straight onto a ship for onward transport.

Currently, around 60% of landside container freight is transported by rail to and from the port. In an effort to increase rail volumes of both containers and trailers, Gothenburg Port Authority has made a series of investments to facilitate rail traffic, serving industry throughout the whole of Sweden.

Key investments made at the port in recent years include the rail-linked Svea transhipment terminal as well as the Arken Combi Terminal. The last single-track section of the Port Line is in the process of being converted into double-track, and will be completed in 2023.

Fiskarheden invested in the Malungsfors rail terminal, including upgrading and increasing the surface for the container handling area

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COUNTRY REPORT

Irish Rail: A small operator with big ambitions A smallish island nation with a population of about 5 million and few heavy industries isn’t promising territory for any rail freight operator. Chris Lewis takes himself off to the Emerald Isle to see for himself.

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ireland

Irish Rail: A small operator with big ambitions

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reland was one of the first countries in the world to develop a comprehensive railway system. Up to around a decade ago, in a country with few modern roads, national operator Iarnród Éireann (IR) held a respectable slice of the freight market. However, the new motorway network has eroded its market share almost to the point of invisibility.

To try and redress this rather sorry state of affairs, and also to focus the government’s mind on rail again after what the industry sees as years of neglect, IR has launched a Rail Freight 2040 Strategy to breathe life into “an underutilised asset”. The Strategy envisages a cumulative investment of €500 million, delivering a five-fold increase in the number of rail freight services across the network.

With an estimated annual saving of around 25,000 tonnes of CO2, the strategy would also align with Project Ireland 2040, the Climate Action Plan, as well as the European Union’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and EU Green Deal, and supports the national goal of a 51% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

Howard Knott, of the Irish Exporters’ Association Multimodal Freight Group points out that while, up to 2012 rail fought its corner quite successfully, “since then rail service and traffic development have stalled. This is despite the growing awareness of the climate emergency, worsening truck driver shortages, and the clear need to spread the growth of freight shipping to ports other than Dublin.”

Knott says that the depressed rail freight volumes are due to a lack of government will, with IR being starved of cash to operate even the present level of services efficiently or offer rates that would encourage new traffic.

He adds: “It is therefore crucial that the document moves very rapidly to being a Government of Ireland Rail Freight 2040 Strategy.”

Appropriate funding needs to be in place to enable IR to develop services ahead of demand, Knott argues.

Tall order

Almost anywhere else in Western Europe, a five-fold increase would be a tall order, but as IR’s rail freight general manager, Glenn Carr, points out, it is from a very low base of around 20

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freight trains a week. Rail’s share of the national freight market is currently just 1% and the plan envisages a still relatively modest 100 trains a week.

“A five-fold increase in freight is easily achievable,” he told Freight Tracks. “The biggest obstacle would be obtaining rolling stock.”

IR’s current freight business – which includes a weekly container train operated on behalf of logistics company XPO between Waterford and Ballina, traffic from Tara Mines, served by a spur from the Dublin-Belfast line at Drogheda and bulk timber traffic exports from Ballina and Westport to a processing plant at Waterford – actually keeps the existing modest wagon fleet fully occupied. It would have to be expanded to realise the RF 2040 goal.

New, not secondhand

Additional rolling stock would probably be new, rather than secondhand, says Carr. For reasons largely lost in the mists of history, Ireland ended up with a 5’ 3” track gauge (1600mm), unique in Europe. However, this should not pose a problem for any experienced wagon builder, he says, although it does arguably increase the length and cost of the technical approval process.

The 2040 plan envisages that new container wagons would be able to carry 45’ boxes, temperature controlled units and support track and trace systems. Gauge clearance for 9’6” high boxes would not be a problem on any of the routes covered by the plan, says Carr.

New intermodal and bulk wagons would be low track force, capable of running at higher speeds and formed into longer trains.

New bi-mode locomotives would replace the aging Class 071 diesel fleet which will be life-expired by 2030 and these would further enhance the green credentials of rail freight and help reduce operating and maintenance costs. The plan does not specifically mention electrification solely for freight, although possible wiring of the Dublin-Cork stretch could bring some benefits, Carr considers.

Terminals would be the other major component of the Strategy. Ireland’s ports would play a major role here and the

ireland ambition is to connect all Tier 1 ports. Suggested terminals are opportunity for bulk traffic, adds IR. As existing sources are exat the container ports of Dublin, Waterford and Cork, along hausted and move further west, the opportunity for rail to offer with the bulk port of Foynes, although this latter would require an economic alternative to road increases, it says.

Ballina already has a regular container rail service from the reinstatement of 20 miles of closed line from Limerick, a project that IR would pursue together with Shannon-Foynes Port. port of Waterford, operated on behalf of logistics firm XPO. PriA currently disused line to Cork’s Marino Point would also be or to that a container train operated from the port of Dublin to Ballina but this was halted due to the road congestion caused reinstated.

Berths at the port of Dublin are currently close to maximum by a section of street running needed to access the port.

The 2040 plan suggests that a grade separated junction at capacity and further expansion will be difficult, so the need to develop traffic at Ireland’s other seaports colours a large the entrance to the port be considered and in the interim operation of off-peak and part of the RF 2040 night time services. strategy’s thinking.

Carr suggests that For example, although nighttime operation or Shannon-Foynes is simply holding trains at currently only a bulk North Wall depot until port, it notes that new the road traffic peak container services are has passed could also planned for introducbe workable solutions tion in 2022 targeting for the short term.

2% to 6% of the conThe Strategy sugtainer market nationgests more passing ally within two years loops would be added as an alternative to to single track routes Dublin. with some sections A network of indoubled to provide termodal terminals competitive journey including more inland times and improve reterminals would also liability. be developed, includThat said, Carr ing Dublin Eastern believes that at least Gateway and Limersome of the targeted ick Junction Western traffic could probably Gateway, along with be handled without smaller ‘tactical’ terhaving to do too much minals in Cork, Sligo, to increase existing the Galway area and network capacity, Ballina. other than build new Carr says that the terminals. One area object of the plan is the RF 2040 Strategy not to restore freight ignores is Northern to every rail route, but Rail lines in Ireland and Northern Ireland (UK) Ireland, a separate poto create a strategic litical entity that is part network that can work in conjunction with road to offer a comprehensive nationwide of the United Kingdom.

This is perhaps surprising considering that NI contains Ireoffering. He said: “It’s about strategically attracting a critical mass, targeting industry clusters, so we can get scale and fre- land’s second biggest city, Belfast, as well as a large part of the island’s remaining heavy industry. Reflecting this, the Dublin/ quency on key routes.”

Although distances in Ireland are mostly relatively short, IR Belfast route, operated jointly by IR and NI transport body notes that rail is beginning to compete with road on distances Translink, is one of the only two double-tracked long distance of as little as 100km in Europe – for example, between Teesport routes radiating from Dublin.

Currently, there is no freight to or from Northern Ireland or and the new iPort Terminal in Doncaster in England. It suggests that, with suitable infrastructure, a shuttle service could be de- indeed anywhere on the Northern Ireland network, with which veloped along the Kildare/Meath-Dublin axes, which currently IR shares a 5’ 3” track gauge.

The RF 2040 Strategy makes no mention of NI not for any sees the heaviest road freight flows. Movement of construction materials from the Mid-West into Dublin could also be an political reasons. Contrary to what some outsiders believe,4

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ireland 4

the Irish and Northern Ireland administrations spend a great deal of time talking to one another about a whole range of cross-border issues. A joint government All-Island Strategic Rail Review is currently underway and this will consider the opportunities for freight, explains Carr.

Knott points out also that the RF 2040 document has emerged during the public consultation period for the All-Island Rail review.

Knott points out that Northern Ireland’s ports of Larne and Lisahally, close to Londonderry/Derry, are rail connected and the latter location could feed traffic onto and off the network and act as a tactical rail freight terminal serving the whole North-west region of Ireland.

IR says that Ireland has some of the highest freight track access charges in Europe at around €0.0077 per gtkm, which is not attractive to potential customers.

It would review charges to understand why they are so high and identify any additional compensatory funding that may be required.

Carr points out that there is at present virtually no government support for rail freight in Ireland.

IR would seek funding for the Railfreight 2040 Strategy from the European Commission and its institutions including the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency and its related programmes. Given the Commission’s focus on climate action and decarbonisation, IR would be well positioned the report suggests.

Decisions are expected in about March or April, says Carr.

Irish rail freight today

Historically, IR operated a comprehensive network of container services, centred on Dublin and the port of Waterford, which was the major hub for the former Bell Lines intermodal sea-rail

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operation, which slid into bankruptcy in the closing decades of the last century. However, there are tentative signs of a container rail revival in Waterford.

In 2021, US-owned global logistics operator XPO started a weekly train from the port of Waterford to Ballina in the west of Ireland, mainly, though not exclusively, to move products to and from a Coca Cola plant.

Port of Waterford Chief Executive Frank Ronan said that Waterford had “a long and proud” history of involvement in rail freight and added that the XPO service could herald a revival of rail container business through the port. “We’re half-way between Dublin and Cork – in a sweet spot,” he told Freight Tracks in an interview.

Waterford was able to load containers direct between train and ship and could in fact handle substantially increased volumes with its existing terminal equipment. “We’re good to go – we could easily handle a train a day,” said Ronan.

However the Rail Freight 2040 plan was welcome, Ronan added, as it would address infrastructure issues on the rail network, add new wagons to the fleet and create new strategic terminals in other parts of the country. This will help to create new flows for rail.

XPO Logistics managing director for UK and Ireland, Dan Myers, says that the Waterford-Ballina service has already attracted new business and much interest from potential new customers, as well as opportunities for collaboration with competitors.

“Demand and interest will increase the capacity in the coming months,” he predicts. One added bonus of the routing via Waterford is that it avoids the UK ‘landbridge’ – which is perceived as more difficult since the UK left the European Union in 2021 – and also avoids the congested port of Dublin. Myers expects that XPO will increase train frequency to the point where it could be operating daily trains inbound and outbound.

SMALL SCALE RAIL FREIGHT

I like driving in my car In each issue of Freight Tracks we look at scale model versions of modern and old school freight rolling stock DOUBLE-DECKER CAR TRANSPORTER IN TRAFFIC RED LIVERY, TYPE DDM.915

AUTOZUG was a German rail transport company that provided automobile (Motorail) and night passenger train services for Deutsche Bahn AG. It was based in Dortmund and was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG. On September 30 2013 the company was merged into DB AG’s long-distance division DB Fernverkehr.

The model version

The model is included in the Fleischmann HO scale (1:87) freight cars range. Its overall length is 264 mm. Super-detailling, livery and lettering are a mark of this model.

Lifting loading ramps over the buffers can be raised as in the prototype.

It is loaded with eight removable model cars. The model is produced for Epoch V, 1990-2005.

The real railway

In the first part of the epoch, 1990 to 1995, saw incredible changes brought about by the end of the Cold War be-

tween the West and the USSR. The four years saw co-operation and first integration of the Deutsche Reichsbahn (DR) from the former East Germany and Deutsche Bundesbahn (DB) from the former West Germany.

A new colour scheme for DB locomotives of red was launched, while modified international markings of goods vans came into force.

From 1994, DB and DR joined together into Deutsche Bahn AG. A new logo was created: the square DB-sign Traffic red branding for freight cars was also introduced.

After the merger of the Deutsche Bundesbahn and the Deutsche Reichsbahn, in 1996 a new company was formed - DB AutoZug. AutoZug was responsible for the transportation of private cars. In 1999, the night trains of the Deutsche Bahn including the brands UrlaubsExpress and DB NachtZug also came under control.

In 2002, the organisation became DB AutoZug GmbH, and a company in its own right.

From January 1 2003 the Euro Night

and D-night trains were the responsibility of DB AutoZug GmbH. In December 2007 DB NachtZug and UrlaubsExpress were branded together under the new name CityNightLine. At the same time, the number of car-trains was reduced by around 1,200 to approximately 920 and four of the nine terminals were closed.

The company transported 183,000 vehicles and generated with a turnover of €60 million.

The following year brought the procurement of new-car wagons to replace some of up to 40 years old. For holiday travel by car, the market share of the company was less than 0.5%. Some 70% of the customers were regulars, a quarter being pensioners.

Statistically, customers had an above average income.

By the 2008 holiday season, further changes in service were made. The terminal in Troisdorf Germany closed, and services to Livorno, Italy; Fréjus, France and Rijeka, Croatia no longer in operation. However in Alessandria, Italy a new terminal came into operation.

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What’s in

Rail freight off-duty

End of the Line.

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he British have had a fondness for naming locomotives since George Stephenson was a lad. There are, of course, named locomotives elsewhere but the number of freight locomotives carrying names remains high in Britain, even in the 21st century.

With some 455 in total built since 1998, the class 66 is the UK’s most populous diesel locomotive. It can be seen nearly anywhere on the UK rail network, working trains from intermodals to ag-

66552- Maltby Raider - Freightliner Orange/black livery

N 66301 - Kingmoor TMD - DRS Blue with white logo livery

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lass 66 member 66301 is the first DRS Class 66 to be named since the type entered traffic with the British operator.

amed in 2004 to celebrate the movement of 0.75 million tonnes of coal by Freightliner Heavy Haul from Maltby Colliery, Yorkshire.

66594 - NYK Spirit of Kyoto - Freightliner Dark green livery

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his low-emissions locomotive was named as a tribute to NYK for its consistent drive to transport more of its container business by rail on Freightliner services.

The name was suggested up by NYK employee Paul Squires reflecting the Kyoto Protocol – the international agreement to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

66614 - 1916 POPPY 2016 - Freightliner Dark green livery

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his locomotive was named ‘Poppy’ at a naming ceremony at Tunstead Quarry on October 28 2016 in memory of 15 workers from Buxton Lime Firms (now Tarmac) who served and died in the Battle of the Somme on its centenary.

An aluminium cast of a sculpture, made using 1916 manufacturing processes and featuring the names of the workers who lost their lives in the battle, was fitted as a lasting tribute.

66532 - P&O Nedlloyd Atlas - Freightliner Dark green livery

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amed to mark 30 years of partnership between Freightliner and P&O Nedlloyd. Atlas suffix added after Greek God of Strength, reflecting the power and strength of the Class 66.

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February 28 2022 @freighttracks

66619 - Derek W. Johnson MBE - Freightliner Orange/black livery

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his locomotive was named ‘Derek W. Johnson MBE’ in February 2006, after the Chairman of Johnson Stevens Agencies, who placed the winning bid to name the loco at the Freightliner 40th anniversary dinner.

a name? gregates, passenger railtours and engineering trains. Not all 455 class 66s survive service, as many have been transferred for use abroad or scrapped.

The five UK operators of class 66 locomotives are DB Cargo, who operate the majority of the 66 fleet, Freightliner, GB Railfreight, Direct Rail Services and Colas Rail. But what are the stories behind the names? Here are some locomotive names explained.

66047 - Maritime Intermodal Two - DB Cargo UK Blue livery

Rail freight off-duty

End of the Line.

Rail Riders Express and free entry to the Rail Riders World model railway exhibit at York railway station.

The club ran an annual mileage competition. In 1989, this competition was won by Jonathan Carter, who set a world record of 125,386 miles (201,789 km) travelled by train in one year.

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aritime International, a partner of DB Cargo UK, got its own livery on five Class 66 locomotives. This is the second loco repainted blue.

66055 - Alain Thauvette - DB Cargo UK Red livery

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his locomotive is named after the man who developed rail freight services at DB Cargo until his departure in 2016.

66077 - Benjamin Gimbert GC - DB Cargo UK Red livery

B

66721 - Harry Beck - GBRf White ft Harry Beck’s Tube Map livery

enjamin Gimbert GC, an engine driver with the LNER was awarded the George Cross and the Order of Industrial Heroism for saving an ammunition train from a fire on June 2 1944 during the Soham rail disaster.

O

n 26 January 26 2007, 66721 was named ‘Harry Beck’ by John Smith, MD of GB Railfreight, in honour of the graphic designer who created the London Underground Tube map. He drew the diagram in his spare time while working at the London Underground Signals Office. London Underground tentatively introduced it to the public in a small pamphlet in 1933. It was immediately popular, and the Underground has used topological maps to illustrate the network ever since.

66079 - James Nightall GC - DB Cargo UK EWS brown livery

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ailwayman James William Nightall GC (20 May 1922 – 2 June 1944) was posthumously awarded the George Cross and the Order of Industrial Heroism for the gallantry he showed during the Soham rail disaster alongside Benjamin Gimbert.

66175 - Rail Riders Club - DB Cargo UK Red livery

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66763 - Severn Valley Railway - GBRf Blue Yellow livery

ail Riders, originally called Great Rail Club was a club for young rail enthusiasts run by British Rail in the United Kingdom between 1981 and 1991. Membership entitled children aged 5-15 to discounted rail travel, receipt of a regular quarterly magazine called

E

MD Class 66 Co-Co Number 66763 attended a Diesel Gala in May 2016 where it was given the name Severn Valley Railway at a ceremony during the gala. The SVR is the UK’s sixth-longest standard gauge preserved heritage steam line. It was formed in July 1965 by a group of members who wished to preserve a section of the line which had closed in 1963.

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Reader Competition

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n order to win the lavishly illustrated Logomotive (£35/$55), just answer the following question:

What does the ‘A’ stand for in AT&SF Railway?

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mail your answer to freighttracks@gmail.com by 23:59 on Monday March 14 2022. The winner will

be selected by an independent third-party on March 15 2022 and the winner’s name will be published in the next issue of Freight Tracks. No-one associated with 1435 media can enter.

P

lease include your name and address for delivery of Logomotive. Only one entry per reader, please.

Special Reader Offer FREIGHT TRACKS readers will be able to buy the book online from Sheldrake Press with a 25% discount by becoming a member.

The publishers have kindly offered a free limited-edition print with every copy bought using the special promotional code FT740322.

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Winning Ideas, Successful Books

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KEEP THE DATE: September 27, 2022

Around the world, day and night, freight trains move the stuff we need, the stuff we enjoy and the stuff we make. Hour after hour, cargo is shifted from the quayside, the factory door to the warehouse.

WORLD FREIGHT TRAIN DAY 2022 will celebrate the drivers, yard staff, loaders, planners and workshop staff who get the freight through.

Freight Tracks will work with railroads and Freight Operating Companies to promote the importance of the modern freight train in the global supply chain. The date marks the day the world’s first public railway, the Stockton & Darlington Railway in England, opened.

Over the next eight months, we will plan a series of events and projects that salute the Freight Train in all its importance.