Freight Tracks issue 38

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Will intermodal traffic freight future? Upgrading larger transport

ONE special Tanzanian rail freight project has become a matter of interest to those closely following Africa’s rail infrastructure projects.

The Tanzania Intermodal and Rail Development Project (TIRP) had a budget of $271 million. Much of the funding was provided by the World Bank. It was wrapped up at the end of last

year.

Tanzania has had few transport challenges which are more important than restoring a viable rail operation with a reliable intermodal service. This has required rehabilitating the rail lines and enabling an acceptable level of maintenance. Improving rail operations inside any intermodal container business is, simply put, no

traffic be Tanzania's rail

Upgrading a key corridor directly benefits Tanzania’s transport sector, writes Gordon Feller

easy task. It means facilitating trade, economic productivity and efficiency and global competitiveness for Tanzania and neighbouring countries.

The poor state of rail infrastructure and equipment contribute to the operational weaknesses in all components of the logistics chain. It all starts at the port: long customs clearance processes; long operating delays; insufficient intermodal facilities. TIRP’s main objective had been to deliver a reliable open access infrastructure on the Dar es Salaam-to-lsaka (970 km) rail segment. TIRP’s focus on upgrading a key corridor directly benefits Tanzania’s larger transport sector by helping to increase port capacity in Dar-es-Salaam. It also sets up new logistics services and standards along this railways line - even up to the cities of Mwanza and Kigoma.

Tanzania’s location and size are both notable. With a land mass of about 947,000 sq km, and with rich mineral and agricultural resources, it plays a critical role as a transport hub for landlocked neighbours, provides opportunities for investors, foreign and domestic. Tanzania has an extensive transport system with a road network of about 93,000 km and a railways system run-

ning across 3681 km. Of that total, approximately 2706 km are operated by Tanzania Railways Limited (TRL). And, nearly 975 km is operated by Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA).

A National Transport Policy (NTP) was formally approved by the government in 2003. It’s been updated to reflect the changes that are necessary to improve performance of the sector. NTP’s over-arching goal has been facilitate the achievement of the National Development Vision 2025, the UN’s Millennium Development Goals and the “National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction (aka MKUKUTA)".

One of NTP’s major achievements has been the fundamental reform of transport sector management. The reform includes delegating regulatory and executive functions to autonomous authorities; creating an independent user-financed funding mechanism for road maintenance; concessioning transport operations to private firms; limiting the role of the Ministry of Transport to policy setting and sector oversight.

In order to implement the NTP, the government developed a 10-year Transport Sector Investment Programme (TSIP) which described the transport environment as one where “the movement of freight along major corridors han-

dling international traffic of land-locked neighbouring countries to/from Tanzania, or national traffic to/from remote areas from the coast, is characterized by long transit time, extensive delays and high transport costs.” In parallel, the government’s “Short-Term Sector Investment Programme (STSIP) was developed to help align the TSIP with the government’s annual Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks.

Although road network quality, and associated services, improved significantly during the last decade, transport costs are still high. For some neighboring landlocked countries, it can be as high as 50% of the value of exports. During the past 20 years, the railway transport has lost major market share on long haul inter-regional and intra-regional transport corridors to the road transport.

This is due to deteriorating railway infrastructure and inefficient operating standards. Tanzania’s railways concession did little to upgrade rail infrastructure and to improve the competitiveness of the railway transport vis-à-vis road transport on inter-regional and intra-regional transport corridors.

Tanzania’s rail transport shortcomings are well known. But the lack of a commonly agreed strategy has led to an uncoordinated response by key stakeholders. It will take years to successfully tackle the declining market share for railway’s mode of transport, poor railway infrastructure and major capacity issues. Many have been seeking to tackle the rapidly declining market share for the railway mode of transport, poor railway infrastructure and major capacity issues. Consequently, TIRP’s new railway centric intermodal transport strategy was based on a clear business model for both freight and passenger services. One key principle was that inter-regional and intra-regional transport corridors are needed. (Although passenger service is important, TIRP was focused on freight traffic).

TIRP targeted logistics processes: processing times at the port; the regularity (of train operations); the reliability (of the transit time); loading and unloading times; facilities at the rail heads; intermodal facilities.

Numerous studies have concluded that the use of intermodal transport would

reduce the high transport costs in Tanzania and in the sub region. However, intermodal transport has not really developed on key surface transport corridors. This was due to the poor performance of railways and port services, and this resulted in the transport chain being unreliable and unpredictable. The situation led to increased producer prices and a lengthening of the supply chain. As constraining national activity and reduced the competitiveness of Tanzania’s trading sectors, poor infrastructure created delays for good transport to and from its six landlocked neighbours (Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Zambia and Malawi).

The impact of increased transport costs is well illustrated by the fact that they account for 40% of the value of Burundi’s exports. This impedes investment and growth in the greater regional economy. Competing transport corridors from Mombasa or Durban have reached out to some of Tanzania’s neighbors – and they will continue to attract traffic which could otherwise be transiting through Tanzania. Due to the lack of good intermodal integration, and poor performance of the railways, Tanzania has lost the opportunity to become the major regional transport hub for its growing neighbors (which have an estimated combined population of about 90 million).

Tanzania defined a business model that worked to optimise the scope of the infrastructure rehabilitation accordingly. TIRP aims to create the conditions for competitive rail services which improve the performance TRL, the train operator. Carrying out transport services on this infrastructure can increase market share. It can also result in improved financial self-sustainability.

The World Bank’s project leaders designed the project around four components:

Component 1: Railway Track Rehabilitation –about $123 million

The focus is on rehabilitation of key sections of railway track infrastructure, plus other infrastructure improvements which help to guarantee more reliable service between Dar-es-Salam and Isaka. It involves the procurement of rails, sleepers, and related engineering works (alignments, laying of track, rebuilding of bridges and culverts).

Component 2: Rolling Stock Rehabilitation –about $20 million:

The rehabilitation of locomotives and selected rolling stock to deliver service at the level identified above in key results. Most of this equipment has been dedicated to new intermodal services, although the improvement in TRL’s traction capacity is has had a positive impact on existing services.

Component 3: Terminals Improvements – $2 million

The re-design and upgrade of rail exchanges at the port, and particularly in and around the two container depots in the port, plus the Isaka terminal. This enables more efficient modal transfers to rail.

Component 4: Capacity Building $5 million was provided for training programme.

ALSTOM AND RAILPOOL FOR 50 TRAXX UNIVERSAL

ALSTOM, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, and RAILPOOL, rail vehicle lessor, have signed a contract for 50 Traxx Universal multi-system locomotives in a contract valued at up to €260 million. The Traxx Universal locomotives can be operated for freight and passenger corridor services for efficient cross-border operations.

Kevin Cogo, Vice-President, Rolling Stock, Locomotives & Components, Alstom DACH: “We are delighted that RAILPOOL has chosen Alstom to expand their operations in several parts of Europe. This contract marks the continuation of a long-standing and successful partnership. With our proven Traxx locomotives and our state-of-the-art Atlas signalling solution, we are proud to contribute to a more efficient and sustainable freight and passenger transport.”

Torsten Lehnert, CEO of RAILPOOL: “With mitment to develop our one-of-a-kind full-service on top of the recent office opening in France Erlichman. All 50 locomotives ordered from tions in France and along the most important the further advancement of sustainable high-performance France.”

The engineering of the locomotives will heim, Germany, while final assembly is planned Other sites involved are Wroclaw, Poland (carbody many (bogies production) and Zurich, Switzerland

UNIVERSAL LOCOMOTIVES

“With this purchase we solidify our comfull-service offering in the French market France under the leadership of Frédérique from our partner Alstom will cover operaimportant European corridors, contributing to high-performance rail transportation out of will be done at the Alstom site in Mannplanned to take place in Kassel, Germany. (carbody shell production), Siegen, GerSwitzerland (project management).

ALSTOM, a global leader in intelligent and sustainable mobility, and Akiem, a prominent European rolling stock leasing company, have entered into a significant framework contract for the acquisition of 100 Traxx Universal multi-system (MS3) locomotives. Within this agreement, the initial order comprises 65 locomotives, and the total value of the framework contract amounts to €500 million.

This collaboration solidifies Akiem's position as a frontrunner in the European leasing market while also demonstrating their commitment to advancing railway activities across the region. The company is making substantial investments in corridors connecting France to twelve other European countries, underlin-

ing their dedication to enhancing rail transportation.

The Traxx Multi-system locomotives boast exceptional advantages, including optimized energy consumption and the ability to operate both Freight and Passenger services at speeds of up to 160 kilometers per hour. These locomotives will effectively serve operations in twelve European countries, namely Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg, Hungary, Poland, Czechia and Slovakia.

Notably, a distinctive feature of the multi-system locomotives is that some of them will be equipped with a diesel or battery-powered last mile functionality. This unique feature enables seamless access to

ports, terminals, or industrial sites without requiring a separate shunting locomotive.

This landmark partnership between Alstom and Akiem signifies a significant step towards promoting smart and eco-friendly mobility solutions, and it further solidifies the companies' roles in shaping the future of European rail transportation.

TTX Company on the move

TTX Company is moving its headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina.

As a fast-growing hub for various industries, Charlotte presents a unique opportunity for TTX, providing many benefits across the business, including a particularly business-friendly environment for the owners, and a vibrant community with exceptional opportunities for professional development for employees, says a company statement

"As a result of the relocation to Charlotte, all non-remote corporate employees will have an opportunity to continue in their role from our future headquarters. This relocation will not affect remote or field employees’

positions. We will also continue to operate our FMO locations in the Chicagoland area.

"While we value our 50-year tenure in Chicago, we look forward to our next chapter, driving strong, innovative rail and freight car management services from the Charlotte metro area," says the statement.

Calling all rail businesses: final chance to enter Logistics UK's Logistics Awards 2023

Logistics UK has announced that, following a number of last-minute enquiries, the deadline for entry to its Logistics Awards 2023 has now been extended until 17:00 on Friday 28 July to allow all those wishing to enter to do so. With a dedicated category for Rail Business of the Year, Logistics UK is urging all those involved with rail operations to enter now for the chance to be shortlisted.

Now in its seventh year, the awards continue to grow year on year, recognising the best of industry and celebrating the hard work and dedication of individuals and businesses over the past 12 months.

The winner of each category will be announced at a glittering reception and three course dinner with entertainment, to take place at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge on December 7 2023.

David Wells, Logistics UK's Chief Executive, comments: "The rail sector is an extraordinary asset to the UK and its economy and we are delighted to celebrate all that it continues to achieve at our prestigious annual Logistics Awards. We understand the demanding nature

of the sector and therefore we are thrilled to extend the submissions deadline to allow deserving applicants more time to enter. The calibre of entries is always incredibly impressive, and I personally look forward to reading this year's entries and celebrating the sector's successes."

Previous winners of this category include Tarmac and Railfreight Services in partnership, GB Railfreight, and Maritime Transport Ltd. Visit https://lnkd.in/ezqxkWBr for more info. Closing date for entries is 28 July 2023 at 17:00.

CPKC marks first birthday 'Empress' steam run

with

CANADIAN Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) has revealed the 2816 Empress steam locomotive will travel from Canada, through the US and into Mexico departing Calgary, Alberta on April 14 2024, the one-year anniversary of CPKC's creation.

"Our unique, unrivaled railway network connects a continent and links Canada, the U.S. and Mexico," said Keith Creel, CPKC President and Chief Executive Officer. "On April 14 2023, we drove a ceremonial Final Spike completing that continental connection. We look forward to proudly celebrating that historic railway moment with a special tour starring the 2816, honoring our history and looking forward to an exciting future filled with opportunities for our railroaders, customers and communities."

Following a special anniversary event in Calgary on April 13 2024, the 2816 will depart Calgary on April 14 2024, traveling to stops in the following cities:

Moose Jaw, Sask.

Minot, N.D.

St. Paul, Minn.

Bensenville, Ill.

Davenport, Iowa

Kansas City, Mo.

Shreveport, La.

Laredo, Texas

Mexico City, Mex.

The public will be able to see the 2816 up close in these cities with additional details about the stops and related events available early in 2024.

"This 2816 steam tour will bring the story of our uniquely North American railway's history and compelling future to life for rail fans and visitors across our network," Creel added. "We look forward to celebrating in communities across our network."

The 2816, a 4-6-4 Hudson-type steam locomotive, was built in 1930 by Montreal Locomotive Works. It served as a roving steam-powered ambassador for Canadian Pacific throughout Canada and the U.S. before being placed in storage in 2012. Now, after a decade of slumber, the engine has been carefully prepared to once again travel the rails. The locomotive continues to undergo preparations for next year's tour, including equipping The Empress with Positive Train Control.

KISAN Rails was launched by the Indian Ministry of Railways to move perishables, including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fishery and dairy products from production or surplus regions to consumption or deficient regions. Speedy movements ensure minimum damage during transit.

The railway is one of the most disciplined way of transport. While a truck, a ship and an aircraft can defy the orders of the central authority for movement, a railway train by design must necessarily follow the route assigned to it by central authority. This can ensure that goods reach the targeted destination without the threat and vulnerability of enroute diversion.

Why

Kisan Rails couldn’t take off ?

These trains were launched with much fanfare

during COVID when the regular running of trains was suspended. This provided clear running paths to these trains besides vacant sprawling passenger platforms of Imdian Railways used to welcome them, where their cargo could be delivered.

All this however vanished, once the regular train services were reintroduced post-covid and passengers platforms became crowded again and paths became scarcer

How Kisan Rails could have helped to handle the tomato crisis and what is needed to revive them?

Kisan Rails can be an excellent logistical input to transport perishable. They can transport huge quantities of perishables goods in double quick time

Running Refrigerated container trains for trans-4

port of perishable goods, which can drop off loaded containers and pick up empty ones from timetabled stations which can be distribution hubs.

These refrigerated containers can also act as temporary warehouses for places where currently coldware houses are not available.

IR has large numbers of air-conditioned ICF coaches which are being condemned on account of their replacement by LHB/ VB trains.

Just as non-AC ICF coaches have been successfully converted as automobile carriers opening a new revenue stream for IR, old ICF design AC coaches can be converted into refrigerated parcel vans for transporting perishables. This will also add a new traffic stream to the revenues of the railways.

In addition to above there is a need to set up cold storages at rail heads. Until such time regular cold houses can be set up, refrigerated containers can be kept at rail heads which can double up as transportation cum warehouse modules for perishables.

Kisan Trains need to run as timetabled express trains with first- and last-mile connectivity to Kisan Mandis.

All this needs to be done by private enterprise by suitable enabling measures and support system.

Forty-eight Gati Shakti Multi Cargo Terminals commissioned

TO achieve the goals set out in PM Gati Shakti framework, a master circular on “Policy for Management of Railway land” which includes provisions for leasing of railway land for cargo related activities, public infrastructure as well as railway exclusive use was issued on October 4 2022.

Railway land can be leased for cargo related projects/facilities for period up to 35 years at annual lease charges of 1.5% of market value of land by transparent methods of competitive bidding.

The revised railway land management policies will enable integrated development of infrastructure. A master circular related to development of Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminals Railway has been issued on December 6 2022.

Since such commercial policies are open-ended programmes continuing on railways, consequential development of cargo terminals coupled with generation of sizeable employment is also likely to be a continuous process in future.

The zone-wise details of Gati Shakti Multi Cargo

Terminals including South Central Railway commissioned so far are:

UIRR: Greening Freight Package: for Combined Transport

THE industry association of European Combined Transport, UIRR, looks forward to the Greening Freight Package1 of legislative proposals unveiled by the European Commission yesterday, on 11 July 2023. The European freight transportation sector has long been anticipating the proposals, which extend to

The revision of the Combined Transport Directive, The revision of the Weights and Dimensions Directive of commercial road vehicles, The new Regulation CountEmissionEU, and The new Regulation on Rail Infrastructure Capacity Management.

The adoption of the Greening Freight Package came almost exactly 15 years after a package called Greening Transport was launched in July 2008. The 2008 Greening Transport Package has been far more extensive, however not all of its contents were successfully legislated: the Energy Taxation Directive, for instance, has remained in the legislative mills ever since.

The impact of the 2008 Package has been modest when judged from the perspective of the greening of transport. UIRR will enthusiastically contribute to the legislative process of the Greening Freight Package with the hope to develop new laws that will have a ro-

bust impact.

Freight transportation offers countless opportunities for improvement. Contemporary door-to-door Combined Transport for instance is 40-70% more energy efficient, while leaving behind a carbon footprint that is 60-90% smaller than the presently still dominant unimodal long-distance trucking – as shown in a study published by the CT4EU campaign3. Door-to-door Combined Transport not only solves the energy efficiency and carbon intensity issues of long-distance trucking, but also effectively resolves the driver shortage, the NOx, PM10, ozone and noise emissions of trucks, as well as meaningfully contributes to reducing

road congestion, accidents and infrastructure degradation.

Door-to-door Combined Transport could realistically triple its performance until 2050 if the regulatory framework is correctly revised. The legislative proposals of the Greening Freight Package are all interrelated also with the TEN-T Regulation presently under revision, which presents a unique opportunity for a holistic legislative approach making things better for the economy and the environment.

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Kapoor joins db cargo uk as ctdo

DB Cargo UK has appointed Rohan Kapoor as Chief Transformation and Digitalisation Officer (CTDO).

Kapoor’s IT and Transformation teams work with departments across the business to develop and implement plans to make the company more innovative, agile and efficient – a key pillar of DB’s future strategy to improve and grow its business.

“I will be aiming to foster an environment of collaboration and growth. Together, we will build a culture that encourages innovation, embraces change and delivers exceptional results," says Kapoor.

ecco-rail: this is vandalism, not art for art's sake

ECCO-RAIL'S brand new 193 889, delivered a few weeks ago, was deliberately damaged with graffiti. The incident was immediately reported like any other deliberate damage to property. In the current case, ecco-rail has video recordings of the crime. It has already been in contact with the police, who are working on the identification. Sadly the loco will be damaged again and again. Of course, the new acquisition will be freed from the colors at the next visit to the workshop.

ecco-rail says it stands for art andthe right to express ourselves clearly for it, but graffiti should be practiced in the designated places.

There are legal places and walls to let his creativity run wild.

Joint letter against increase in DB Netz cancellation fees

ÖBB Rail Cargo Group (RCG) CEO Clemens Först and other high-ranking railway managers are expressing concerns about the lack of competitiveness and the potential threat to the modal shift. They believe that the proposed cancellation fees by DB Netz for 2024 would lead to severe competitive disadvantages.The railway managers, including Dirk Stahl (CEO BLS Cargo), Laurence Zenner (CEO CFL Cargo), Bernard Gustin (CEO Lineas), Roger Mahler (CEO Metrans Germany), Désirée Baer (CEO SBB Cargo), Clemens Först (CEO Rail Cargo Group), and Marcel Theis (COO SBB Cargo International), have jointly written an open letter highlighting their worries.

The railway managers emphasise the significance of DB Netz for the European rail freight market, considering that over 50% of all rail freight volumes involve crossing at least one border, often interacting with the DB Netz railway network. They assert that any decision made in Germany regarding this matter cannot be solely viewed from a national perspective, as it has implications for the entire European rail freight industry.

Kristian SCHMIDT Director – Land Transport DG MOVE European Commission

Rue de Mot 28

1040 Bruxelles

Michael THEURER Parliamentary State Secretary Federal Minister for Digital and Transport

German Bundestag

Platz der Republik 1

11011 Berlin

CC: Philipp NAGL

The rail freight sector has proven over the last years that it is not just the most sustainable mode of land transport available for some years to come, but also systemically relevant for the European economy – e.g. supply chain disruptions during COVID or Ukraine war –and part of the answer to the energy crisis given it requires seven times less energy per ton-kilometer than road.

Nevertheless, Europe is a global laggard with respect to modal share of rail. The entire European rail freight sector has developed a comprehensive strategy ”30by2030“, which aims to increase the modal share of rail together with a technology roadmap which has been formulated and is being implemented by the Rail Freight Forward alliance. Next to ”doing our homework“ in terms of attractive rail freight products with high quality and productivity, as well as reducing the barriers for shippers to utilise rail freight, there are two mandatory prerequisites for growth of modal share outside our direct influence:

1. We need capacity on the European rail network

2. We need a possibly level playing field vs. road

Both of these prerequisites are currently not be achieved by DB Netze, Germany‘s rail infrastructure provider,

thereby undermining rail freight’s competitiveness. Due to the central location of Germany within Europe, and given that over 50% of rail freight crosses at least one border, any decisions by DG Netz have a significant European dimension impacting continental rail freight transportation.

Over the past months, two developments have taken place which undermine rail freight’s ability to grow: first through massive construction activities to compensate for the underinvestment in rail infrastructure in the last decades. While mitigating measures are proposed by DB Netze, such as providing Diesel traction services on detours, we are faced with significant capacity restrictions as well as reduced quality and productivity. The second is a significant increase in cancellation fees While we understand the mid-to-long-term benefits of the construction activities and are open to dialogue to explore how to balance capacity needs and planned works, we completely oppose punitive cancellation fees that will be introduced by DB Netze in 2024 without a useful prediscussion and not sufficiently taking into account input from the sector, particularly international operators.

Until now, a minimum fee of €0.05/path kilometre was due for the cancellation of train pathsmore than 30 days before the day of operation, capped at a maximum of EUR 491. According to the new train path price system 2024, DB Netz AG will increase that amount six-fold to €0.30 EUR/path kilometre in the ”Standard“ train segment (corresponds to 15%) for all cancellations from November 30 for the following timetable year for each cancelled individual train path - in the worst case

for up to 365 days. For a daily train connection of 1000 km this would be approximately €100,000.

For comparison, passenger services only pay a 2% cancellation fee despite the fact that these services are not subject to economic and supply chain volatility. We feel that this is a strong discrimination against the rail freight sector versus passenger rail, and especially road transport, where there are clearly no cancellation fees. Progressively higher rates of up to 200% apply to all cancellations made with less notice.

To further illustrate how this measure completely ignores market requirements and dynamics we want to sketch out the process. In order for rail freight to provide high quality service for our customers – which is also a prerequisite for high productivity and therefore competitiveness vs road – we need to order regular train paths. This applies especially to the German infrastructure due to the general and temporary capacity restrictions. This has to be done in April of the prior year. Especially in the current economic environment and given the supply chain disruptions which are being experienced – specifically in continental and maritime traffic – it is obvious that not everything that is jointly planned with our customers in April will be transported in exactly that manner for all of the following year. Volumes, and therefore frequencies change, sourcing and destination markets of our customers and therefore transport routings are prone to change. In all these cases we will be subject to the punitive cancellation fees outlined above.

We are convinced that these new cancellation regu-

lations will create massive false incentives for Railway Undertakings (RUs): the RUs will switch to short-term orders with many operating days, which will lead to an overall more unstable system. For construction site planning, DB Netz will no longer be able to make adequate replacement provisions in the future due to the lack of planned routes, which will lead to transports being immobile. In addition, passing on the cost risk to the end customer will become problematic and additionally fuel intermodal competition to the detriment of rail freight and sustainable land transport.

On top of this, the cancellation rates of 120% for cancellations after the planned departure (up to 20 hours after the planned departure) and 200% (from 20 hours after the planned departure) have been significantly increased compared to previous cancellation regulations, cancellations which are often a direct consequence of problems related to infrastructure works or irregularities and which are inevitable to close the roundtrip of wagon sets.

The argumentation to use the high "no-cancel-fee" to incentivize RUs to cancel their train paths that are not used at least up to 20 hours after departure is understandable. Nonetheless, we find it highly problematic to charge more for an unused service than for a service that is actually used (instead of €3.21/train km €4.03/ train km in the “Standard” route segment). The significant difference between the "no-cancel-fee" for freight and passenger, which was set at 150%, is also incomprehensible.

Furthermore, the new cancellation regulations do not provide for any special consideration of extraordinary reasons for cancellation that are beyond the RU's control - not even more than 30 days before the planned departure.

There is also no reciprocity in this scheme and there is no obligation for compensation to the RU in the case of booked capacity being cancelled by the Infrastructure Manager at short notice.

Given the importance of the German network to the entire European railway system, it must be recognsed that any scheme introduced by DB Netz, be it positive of negative, will have a direct impact on the European Union’s modal shift objectives. There is a clear responsibility upon policy makers and Infrastructure Managers to ensure there is a framework in place which allows rail freight to achieve the targets set out in the European Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy.

In order to adequately take these unavoidable circumstances into account, we are calling for the mandatory review of reasons for cancellation by DB Netz AG and adjustment of marketcompatible cancellation fees in the new train path pricing system for 2024. Constructive proposals are on the table, e.g. rolling planning, cancellation fees based on total volume of an RU, etc. For the future, there must be a requirement to assess the impact of such changes to charging principles on modal shift in advance.

Signed:

Dirk STAHL CEO

BLS Cargo

Roger

MAHLER CEO

Metrans Germany

Laurence

ZENNER CEO

CFL Cargo

Clemens FÖRST

CEO

Rail Cargo Group

Bernard GUSTIN

CEO Lineas

Désirée BAER CEO

SBB Cargo

Marcel THEIS COO

SBB

Cargo International

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ON THIS DAY: RAILFREIGHT

JULY 24

1870 THE first railroad car to travel the entire distance from the Pacific to the Atlantic coast of the United States arrives in New York City.

1877 JOEL Tiffany (1811-1893) is awarded US Patent 193,357 for his design of the first successful refrigerator car.

2011 EUROPEAN-SIZED freight wagons operate on the UK’s High Speed 1 for the first time: two wagons from DB Schenker's Spanish logistics business Transfesa and four curtain-sided Mega Combi swap bodies, a type commonly used in the automotive industry.

JULY 25

1870 GEORGE Stephenson puts his first steam locomotive, Blücher, in service at Killingworth Colliery on Tyneside. The locomotive has two cylinders, each 7.9 in (203mm) in diameter with a 2 ft (610mm) stroke, and an eight foot (2.5m) cylindrical boiler. It is named in honour of the Prussian general Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher who had lead his army against Napoleon at the Battle of Leipzig in 1813 and would later lead his army against Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

2015 AT 8:36 am a Canadian National Railway Company (CN) yard conductor died after he tripped, slipped or fell while trying to board a train. He was working at the CN Markham Yard in Homewood, Illinois. The crew included a locomotive engineer, a conductor (the deceased), a brakeman, and a utility man; train #R96991-25 consisted of two locomotives and 12 cars. The NTSB

determines that the probable cause of the accident was that the conductor slipped, tripped or fell during his attempt to board locomotive GTW #4927 as it passed at 12.5 mph (20 km/h), three times the maximum authorised speed to board moving equipment.

JULY 26

1803 THE Surrey Iron Railway opens throughout as the first public railway in England. The 8¼ mile (13.23 km) route follows the shallow valley of the heavily industrialised River Wanfle, from the River Thames southwards to Croydon, with a short branch from Mitcham to Hackbridge. The line is double-track and the rails are cast-iron tram-plates of 'L' section made in 3 feet (914 cm) lengths with a 3.5 in tread. The gauge was 4 ft 2 in and the rails were secured to stone blocks. Because the route was almost flat it was possible for a horse to pull five or six wagons loaded to 3½ tons (3.2 tonnes) each.

JULY 29

1803 SURREY Iron Railway formally opens throughout. It is the first public railway in England. The 8¼ mile (13.23 km) route follows the shallow valley of the River Wandle, then heavily industrialised with numerous factories and mills, from the River Thames southwards to Croydon, with a short branch from Mitcham to Hackbridge.

The line is double-track and the rails are cast-iron tram-plates of 'L' section made in 3 feet (914 cm) lengths with a 3.5 in tread. The gauge was 4 ft 2 in and the rails were secured to stone blocks.

RAILFREIGHT HISTORY

Because the route was almost flat it was possible for a horse to pull five or six wagons loaded to 3½ tons (3.2 tonnes) each.

finalised its purchase of Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.

AUGUST 5

1977 THE NTSB report on the accident on October 19 1976, at New Haven, Indiana when the N & W freight train Extra #1376 West collided head-on with N&W yard locomotive unit #3363, which was pulling 55 freight cars. One locomotive unit, a caboose, and one car of Extra #1376 West, and the yard locomotive and one car were derailed. The brakeman on the locomotive of Extra #1376 West was killed and four crewmembers were injured. The estimated cost of damage was $168,400.

AUGUST 7

JULY 30

1840 THE Pennsylvania Railroad orders its first 4-4-4-4 T1 duplex-drive steam locomotives. They are expected to be serious competition for diesel power.

JULY 31

1815 THE explosion of a locomotive boiler designed by William Brunton on the Newbottle Waggonway in North East England kills around a dozen people. The driver had tampered with the safety valve to make the machine run faster. It is regarded as the first railway disaster.

AUGUST 2

2010 CATERPILLAR announces that its Progress Rail Services subsidiary had

2014 AT about 03:10 Union Pacific local train LUM41-06 traveled into a Ken’s Foods, Inc., warehouse, ran through the end-of-track bumping post, and then collided with the inside wall while switching cars. The train consisted of three locomotives and 14 loaded tank cars. Three Ken’s Foods employees were in the warehouse at the time. Estimated damages were $188,000 and there were no injuries. The probable cause, considers the NTSB, is the engineer’s failure to stop the train before it collided with the bumping post and the inside wall of the building because he was incapacitated by a seizure.

Contributing to the accident was the Federal Railroad Administration’s failure to establish medical certification standards, other than hearing and vision criteria, for railroad employees in safety-sensitive positions.

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