Freight Tracks issue #5

FREIGHT TRACKS

APRIL 11 2022

#5

BRAZIL GOES NUTS FOR WABTEC CargoBeamer to launch its own wagon production

NS billions stock buy-back move

IN SUPPORT OF UKRAINE

CONTENTS APRIL 11 2022

#5

FEATURES

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NEWS

Shortlines – Worth a second look: Darell J Luther, CEO, founder Tealinc, Ltd

Greening the Supply Chain J.B. Hunt launches CLEAN Transport Programme to help customers reduce the carbon footprint of their supply chain

Hazmat training UP’S hazmat class is hot stuff Georgia Ports Authority finds congestion solution with intermodal sites hundreds of miles from shore

Saving the past 180 years of railroad history saved NS donates N&W archives, $750, 000 to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture

Cover photo:GB Railfreight (GBRf) has unveiled its latest Class 66 locomotive named ‘Glory to Ukraine’, outshopped in a special Ukrainian livery.

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 Sales Executive: Peter Dolan Webmaster: Natasha Antony Contributors: Neil Madden, Chris Lewis, Stuart Flitton, Johnathan Webb. Will Huskisson

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headline news Etihad Rail: Dubai rail freight terminal Brazil rail freight goes nuts for Wabtec CargoBeamer to launch production News Review VTG wins Transition Prize CP statement on TSB investigation Gebruber Weiss expands Turkish

REGULARS

24 People on the Move Scale Rail Freight 43 Small Center line for freight Limit: Did you fall for our April’s 44 Yard Fool joke?

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

Press releases: editor@freight-tracks.com www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 3

headline news

GBRf names locomotive

GB Railfreight (GBRf) has u locomotive named ‘Glory to special Ukrainian livery.

GBRf stands with Ukraine comotive honours the peopl they continue to courageou says the company.

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April 11 2022 @freighttracks

headline news

(From left) Adam Barber, Arlington Fleet Services; Gary Woodman, Arlington Fleet Services; Bob Tiller, GB Railfreight; Jim Nickman, Arlington Fleet Services; Christian Sganca, Arlington Fleet Services

e in support of Ukraine

unveiled its latest Class 66 o Ukraine’, outshopped in a

e and this newly painted loe affected by the conflict as usly defend their homeland,

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 5

headline news

BRAZIL RAIL FREIGHT GO Wabtec introduces a new sustainable, heavy-haul W abtec Corporation is to introduce a new locomotive model to Brazil’s freight rail market with deliveries to Suzano, MRS and Rumo in late March and early April. The introduction of the ES44ACi diesel-electric locomotive provides Brazil’s railroadswith improved performance on their decarbonization journey.

“The ES44ACi locomotive features the Evolution Series diesel engine, producing the same 4,500 horsepower with just 12 cylinders compared to its predecessor the 16-cylinder FDL engine,” said Daniela Ornelas, Vice President of Products at Wabtec. “This represents greater energy efficiency and lower emissions, thanks to a project aimed at the thermal efficiency of combustion combined with a dual-intake air cooling system adopted in these four-stroke turbocharged engines equipped with electronic fuel injection.”

This engine technology enables the locomotive to reduce fuel consumption and emissions by more than 5% compared to its predecessor. The highstrength materials used in the ES44ACi also improve the reliability of the diesel engine and dramatically increase intervals for major maintenance by approximately 28%, lowering operating costs over the locomotive’s life cycle.

The effort to bring the ES44ACi locomotive to Brazil’s rail market was an eight-year project with operators. The objective is to improve Brazil’s heavyhaul rail network and drive sustainability. To date, the company already secured orders for 25 locomotives from Suzano, Rumo and MRS. “Our sustainability vision is grounded in operating in an ethical and socially responsible manner, maintaining a culture of safety, protecting the environment, and supporting our commu-

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nities and developing our employees,” said Juliano Andrade, Latam Commercial Director at Wabtec. “This was the main concept applied to the ES44ACi. We therefore want to build a better and more sustainable future.”

Rumo, the largest railway operator in Brazil, will receive the ES44ACi at the end of the month. The new acquisitions for the fleet reinforce the technological initiatives focused on operational efficiency and safety.

“Our priority is to promote an increasingly sustainable operation, not only in the economic aspect, but also in the social and environmental aspects,” said Marcus Rogério Vianna Jorge, Director of Undercarriage at Rumo. “With the constant renewal of the fleet, we have gained in efficiency in the flow of agricultural and industrial loads, in addition to contributing significantly to the reduction of emissions.”

For MRS, a logistics operator that manages a 1,643 km rail network in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, the ES44ACi will help optimize their system. The new locomotive adds more technology and advances to the national railway sector, which the renewal of its concession is heading towards the final stretch at the Federal Audit Court.

“MRS has been investing heavily in expanding its fleet to contribute even more efficiency to the national logistics system, generating gains in energy efficiency,” said the General Manager of Maintenance Engineering at MRS, Anelise Salzani. “We are acquiring the ES44ACi because we expect it to be a locomotive with high power and lower diesel consumption. It incorporates two pillars of the company: the search for more productivity and the reduction in the volume of emissions, the consolidation of a more sustainable operation.”

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

headline news

OES NUTS FOR WABTEC

l locomotive to Brazil’s rail freight market

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 7

headline news GERMANY CargoBeamer, Europe’s leading logistics service provider for the intermodal transport of non-craneable semi-trailers, is entering the production of intermodal wagons. In central Germany’s Erfurt, the company will open a facility to produce CargoBeamer’s proprietary freight cars later this year.

At the site, which was used to manufacture locomotives in the 20th century, the final assembly of the wagons will initially take place. After a short ramp-up phase, about 500 wagons are to be produced annually from early 2023. Until the start of production, the 3,000 sq m production facility will be modernised, including energy-efficient renovation of the roof and reactivation of an existing rail connection. Initially, around 15 people will be employed in Erfurt, with the headcount expected to grow to around 50 employees in the medium term.

All kinds of loading

The proprietary wagons are designed for the intermodal transport of semi-trailers and other loading units by rail. Its construction of a steel frame and a loading pallet enables horizontal, parallel, and automated loading of all kinds of loading units in a CargoBeamer terminal.

While no additional conversations are needed on the clients’ trailers, transportation on rail means reducing carbon emissions by about 80% compared to covering the same distance by road. Furthermore, the craneable loading pallet allows CargoBeamer trains to be handled in any conventional crane terminal, where the pallet and transport unit are lifted off the train together.

Ambitious growth plans

Philipp Aubert, Managing Director of CargoBeamer Rolling Stock, explains: “To achieve our ambitious growth plans, the number of wagons – in addition to a dense network of routes and terminals – will be the key indicator for shifting more transports to climate-friendly rail. In recent months, we have discovered that production capacities for

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intermodal wagons in Europe are no longer sufficient for our plans and have therefore decided to carry out the final assembly of our freight cars ourselves.

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

For CargoBeamer, where we are rapidly growing into an international company with locations and employees in a wide range of European countries, it

headline news

CargoBeamer to launch its own wagon production facility

is a particular pleasure to bring parts of the wagon production back to Germany and to strengthen the regional economic power in central Germany by opening

this site in Erfurt.

“At the same time, having our first manufacturing facility expands our know-how, allows us to actively counter

market fluctuations and capacity bottlenecks in terms of production, and thus ensures our growth ambitions for the coming years.”

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 9

headline news

Etihad Rail announces rail freight terminal at Dubai

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tihad Rail, the developer and operator of the UAE’s National Rail network, and Dubai Industrial City, one of the region’s largest manufacturing and logistics hubs and a part of TECOM Group, has announced an advanced freight terminal spread across 500,00 sq m.

The terminal, which comes as a result of the collaboration between Etihad Rail and Dubai Industrial City over the past years, will contribute to cementing the UAE’s position as an international trade hub and boost Dubai’s global competitiveness in manufacturing, logistics, transport, trade, and investment. This comes in line with the UAE’s Railways Programme, which aims to facilitate trade by connecting the country’s industrial and manufacturing centres and opening new trade routes.

The announcement follows Etihad Rail’s achievement earlier in March 2022, of completing the connection of Abu Dhabi and Dubai with a direct railway within the UAE National Rail Network, in the presence of HH Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of

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Finance and HH Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court and Chairman of Etihad Rail. Their highnesses installed the final piece on the railway track, marking the start of a new phase of logistic and economic integration between the two emirates, and in preparation for linking the rest of the emirates to an integrated national railway network in the UAE.

UAE’s transportation system

The announcement of the rail freight terminal was attended by HE Eng Shadi Malak, CEO of Etihad Rail; HE Malek Al Malek, Director General of the Dubai Development Authority and CEO of TECOM Group; Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Commercial Officer of TECOM Group; Saud Abu Alshawareb, Managing Director of Dubai Industrial City, and other officials and key representatives.

The rail freight terminal will complement Dubai and the UAE’s advanced infrastructure and state-of-the-art transport network, cementing the nation’s position as a gateway to the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

The terminal at Dubai Industrial City will deliver a major boost to the UAE’s Industrial Strategy, also known as Operation 300bn. Increasing the industrial sector’s contribution to the economy by building advanced logistics infrastructure will strengthen the country’s position as the leading Arab nation on the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report.

Malak said: “The terminal will contribute to strengthening the supply chain and freight logistics services, in line with the UAE’s efforts to develop the country’s transport and logistics sector. With a capacity of five million tonnes, the terminal will connect the industrial and manufacturing centres in the UAE, open new trade routes, and support the country’s sustainable development.”

Malak added: “The announcement of the new terminal comes in line with the UAE Railways Programme, which aims to enhance the country’s transportation infrastructure through the development of the UAE National Rail Network, which play a key role in the country’s development, modernisation and urban planning. Through our co-

headline news laboration with Dubai Industrial City, we look forward to providing our local and international customers with logistics and shipping services to support them in achieving their strategic goals and contribute to growing their business.”

HE Malek Al Malek, Director-General of the Dubai Development Authority and CEO of TECOM Group, said: “The vision of our leadership has focused on enhancing our robust infrastructure and world-class transport system as they are essential drivers of economic development. Dubai has transformed into a global logistics and industrial hub in recent years, attracting leading regional and international players and enabling them to grow and expand from the emirate.

The addition of rail into the UAE’s stateof-the-art infrastructure and transportation network will strengthen the nation’s leading position as a global trade and logistics hub.”

Abdulla Belhoul, Chief Commercial Officer of TECOM Group, added: “Our Group has always been a key contributor to achieving the leadership’s vision of economic diversification. Over the past two decades, we have focused on advancing the industrial sector through our leading business districts, including Dubai Industrial City, which provides advanced infrastructure and a competitive environment which facilitates strategic partnerships and reinforces the sustainability of supply chains.

The addition of the station will support the growth of business partners, expand the emirate’s logistical capabilities, and attract more investments in the industrial sector, thus consolidating its position globally.”

The new terminal builds on Dubai Industrial City’s proximity to Jebel Ali Port and Al Maktoum International Airport, which allows hundreds of companies to reach two-thirds of the world’s population in eight hours. It will provide a range of benefits to the 780 business partners in Dubai Industrial City and the surrounding areas, centred around improving efficiencies and reducing costs.

The environmentally-friendly terminal will be the newest mode of transport in Dubai and will complete a compre-

hensive mobility network comprising one of the world’s busiest airports for international travel, the region’s largest port and state-of-the-art infrastructure nationwide.

Global industrial and logistics hub

The development at Dubai Industrial City is part of Etihad Rail’s sustained efforts to generate maximum benefit for the National Railway project. Spread over 50 million sq m, Dubai Industrial City is a major business district for local and regional manufacturing and logistics and is strategically situated adjacent to Jebel Ali Port, Al Maktoum International Airport, and Dubai’s network of high-speed roads.

The industrial hub provides a range of logistics facilities and substantial storage area covering 430,000 sq m. With such capacity, the hub offers suitable housing for construction materials and machinery, lowering storage costs and increasing operational efficiency for companies within the district. Dubai Industrial City is expected to attract additional light and medium industries and businesses across a range of sectors.

Economic and industrial growth

Through integrating Dubai Industrial City into the UAE National Rail Network, more than 780 companies, operating within

the industrial hub - which provides direct access to Dubai’s main lines, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Road and Emirates Road - will be able to benefit from Etihad Rail’s cost-effective, time-saving, and efficient rail solutions. In addition, more than 280 factories in Dubai Industrial City will also be able to benefit from Etihad Rail’s transport solution, which enhances the transport solutions available for these companies and supports the wider industrial growth in the UAE. The new terminal is located within the Etihad Rail’s network which runs from Seih Shuaib to Dubai and Sharjah and forms a critical part of Stage Two of the UAE National Railway.

As construction is ongoing in this phase, Etihad Rail continues to pursue strategic partnerships with a range of key entities. Such partnerships align with the company’s wider efforts to ensure this national project plays an important role in the sustainable economic development of the UAE.

Sustainable and reliable

The UAE National Railway will deliver wider national economic growth through an efficient, sustainable, safe, and cost-effective transportation network.

Locomotives on the network are equipped with advanced emission reduction technology to cut carbon emissions by 70-80%.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 11

headline news

CP statement on TSB investigation into February 2019 BC derailment CANADA Canadian Pacific (CP) has issued the following statement regarding the Transportation Safety Board (TSB) report into the February 4 2019 derailment that tragically took the lives of three CP railroaders.

CP continues to mourn the loss of Dylan Paradis, Andrew Dockrell and Daniel Waldenberger-Bulmer. This is a tragedy that will never be forgotten and one which has strengthened CP’s unwavering commitment to safety across its entire operationm says the railway.

Given the gravity of this incident and the tragic loss of life, it was extremely disappointing that the TSB misrepresented the facts at a news conference and misunderstood key facts about the incident in its Report.

Specifically: At the news conference, the TSB’s Manager, Head Office and Western Regional Operations – Rail, misrepresented what happened on the locomotive when the relief crew arrived to relieve the inbound crew. The relief crew did not immediately decide to apply handbrakes upon arriving at the locomotive.

The Report itself contradicts his statement. Per the TSB report, the relief crew had been on board the locomotive for over 20 minutes and had performed another job briefing before the train started to move. No decision to apply handbrakes was made during this time.

The assessment of the situation and the decision to apply brake retainers were made using the collective knowledge and experience of everyone involved. Both the locomotive engineers of the inbound crew and the relief crew were fully-trained, qualified and certified, and were well-experienced in the handling of trains on mountain grades.

The trainmaster was also a qualified locomotive engineer with experience on mountain grades. Both crews and train-

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master agreed on the appropriate steps to be taken in line with existing procedure.

The Field Hill operating procedure itself was based on operating practices established in collaboration with the running trades employees, Transport Canada and company management in the wake of previous incidents more than two decades ago. This was not an issue of training and/or experience.

Poor braking performance

The TSB has erroneously concluded, based on inappropriate extrapolation of data and unsupported inferences, that the involved-train exhibited poor braking performance. As confirmed in the Report, the train involved in the incident was fully functional, met all industry standards and passed all regulatory brake test inspections.

CP demonstrated that its Safety Management System contains all of the necessary elements as required by regulations. CP’s safety hazard reporting procedure was effective, both in form and in execution. There were no systemic hazards that were not appropriately addressed, including Field Hill

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

train braking performance, by CP’s Safety Management System.

CP has a robust training and certification program that meets or exceeds applicable regulatory standards, utilising leading technology and focusing on practical application. Learning at CP is never complete, and CP’s training programs are continuously being updated and refined using the most current practices and learnings to confirm complete understanding.

CP has a strong culture of safety and always works to improve. CP remains the industry leader in technology-driven train inspections with a decade-long track record of reduced train accidents and improved train performance.

Through investigation, CP fully co-operated with the TSB and believes that real and substantive safety improvements are only achieved when fact-based and objective analysis is undertaken to truly understand the cause of an incident like the Field derailment.

CP will be addressing the inaccuracies and misrepresentations made at the news conference and in the Report in greater detail directly with the TSB. This matter remains the subject of a preliminary inquiry by the RCMP.

headline news UNITED STATES Norfolk Southern has instigated a new programme for the repurchase of up to $10 billion of its common stock beginning April 1 2022. The company’s current programme was terminated on March 31 2022.

Purchases will be

Nor

made through open market transactions, privately negotiated transactions or an accelerated share repurchase programne.

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o i l l i b 0 ns e w $ 1

k c a b y u b k c o t ns

FINNISH BROAD GAUGE: SUCCESSFULLY TRANSPORTING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS

FINLAND Innofreight’s trio for liquid transport is complete with the AcidTainer for transporting various acids, like phosphoric acids, nitric acids and sulphuric acids.

In combination with the FinnoWagon, up to 136 tonnes per double wagon can be transported. It is also the first Innofreight container, for the transport of hazardous goods.

The first two AcidTainers are successfully in operation for the Finnish transport company VR Transpoint, with eight more to follow in the next few upcoming months.

They supply the company YARA with phosphoric acid. The wagons are on track between the Finnish cities Kokkola and Siilinjärvi.

In combination with Innofreight’s

FinnoWaggons, these tank containers offer the optimum option for acid transport, on the Finnish broad gauge.

The AcidTainers are exposed to additional environmental impacts. While icy temperatures of up to -40°C are common in Scandinavia during the winter months, the phosphoric acid inside the containers has temperatures of up to +55°C.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 13

headline news

G&W’s 2021 US industrial develop demonstrate customer growth

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enesee & Wyoming (G&W) has announced 2021 industrial development results, with 69 projects accounting for $1.5 billion in customer investments expected to generate more than 1,000 new jobs in communities served by the company’s 103 US freight railroads “Our railroads create flexible, customized transportation solutions that generate economic growth for the states and local markets we serve by adding long-term manufacturing jobs and direct investments in communities,” said Kevin Phillips, G&W’s vice president of industrial development.

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G&W maintains a database of more than 600 potential industrial complexes, parks and other properties across its US footprint.

Highlights and trends

Among the highlights and trends of G&W’s 2021 new business wins: Despite a stressed global supply chain, there was investment in all major commodity groups, led by chemicals and plastics, minerals and stone, and agricultural products. A new “steel corridor” continues to grow along Indiana & Ohio Railway (IORY) with

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

the development of a new customer facility in Delta, Ohio, that will receive inbound coils to make pipe. This marks the fourth steel customer to expand business along IORY since 2015.

Customers that develop sustainable solutions are leveraging our footprint.

In the south, Georgia Southwestern Railroad will serve a biodegradable plastics facility in Bainbridge, GA. Out west, California Northern Railroad will serve a plant in Williams, CA, that will produce renewable carbon pellets. And in the Midwest, Toledo, Peoria &Western Railway and Illinois; Midland Railroad welcomed new wind-turbine transload

headline news

pment results

sites in Havana, IL, and Remington, IN. Transloading between truck and railcars has become an attractive logistics solution for customers without direct rail access.

A transload site was established in Visalia, CA along the San Joaquin Valley Railroad for biodiesel and renewable diesel, while the Rapid City, Pierre; Eastern Railroad will transfer feldspar minerals at a transload site in Oral, SD. G&W maintains a database of more than 600 potential industrial complexes, parks and other properties across its US footprint as well as a catalogue of more than 200 transload locations. The company has an

NEW HQ after 20 years

in-house team to help customers create track designs at facilities.

Locally managed

G&W owns or leases 116 freight railroads with 7,300 employees serving 3,000 customers. G&W’s four North American regions serve 43 US states and four Canadian provinces and include 113 short line and regional freight railroads with more than 13,000 track-miles.

G&W’s UK/Europe Region includes the UK’s largest rail maritime intermodal operator and second-largest freight rail provider.

AUSTRIA To mark its 20th birthday, Innofreight has treated itself to a brand-new headquarters. In 2002 Innofreight started as a two-person company. 20 years later, 130 employees at six international locations are working to advance rail freight transport even further. 2,000 InnoWaggons and 20,000 containers are currently rolling through 20 European countries.

Although Innofreight operates internationally, it remains true to its roots in Bruck an der Mur – after all, it only moved to the other side of the roundabout. The brand-new business park was built by the city of Bruck an der Mur. As the biggest tenant, Innofreight has settled into two and a half floors of the building.

The walls also reflect Innofreight’s great dynamic and development. Artist Jelena Donko has created a special design with lines and waves that can be found in the Innofreight offices.

With the opening of the restaurant MiraMonti at the end of April and the 45 sq m model railroad “InnoBahn”, the new business building will also offer additional highlights for everyone interested in the future.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 15

headline news

NS wins sustainability awards for carbon reduction initiatives

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orfolk Southern Corporation is the recipient of two prestigious awards for its achievements in sustainability: the Responsible Care Energy Efficiency Award for Locomotive Fuel Efficiency from the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the 2022 Green Bond of the Year Award from Environmental Finance.

The ACC recognizes member companies for initiatives to improve energy usage, and specifically cited Norfolk Southern’s locomotive fuel efficiency program with an exceptional merit designation. The company’s efforts include using more alternative fuels, retiring less energy-efficient locomotives, and applying locomotive energy management systems. The holistic approach resulted in a 7% improvement in fuel usage, saving approximately 47 million gallons (21 million litres) of fuel and avoiding more than 470,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in the last two years.

“We took a comprehensive approach and invested in a range of energy efficiency innovations that are delivering significant results,” said Jamie Helmer, Director of Fuel Efficiency for Norfolk Southern.

“From applying innovative technology to make our locomotives even greener, to increasing the efficiency of our operations, every step we take will make a positive impact for our customers, communities, and planet.”

Environmental Finance awarded Norfolk Southern the Corporate Green Bond of the Year Award, for its issuance of $500 million in green bonds – the first Class 1 railroad in North America to do so. The green bonds fund investments that not only help customers reduce their supply-chain emissions, but help the company achieve its science-based emission reduction targets. Funded projects include locomotive fuel efficiency

improvements and investing in intermodal terminals to further promote the shift of freight from trucks to trains. Shipping by rail is the most sustainable way to move freight, and these investments are another step in the company’s ongoing journey to build a more sustainable future.

“Our green bond offering has given us tremendous opportunity to reduce our environmental impact, improve the efficiency of our organization, and drive long-term shareholder value,” said Josh Raglin, Chief Sustainability Officer for Norfolk Southern. “Norfolk Southern’s commitment to sustainability and innovation has earned us notable recognition over the years, and these awards are a further testament to our success.”

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headline news

InnoWaggon production brought in-house

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memorandum of understanding, with a contract worth €2 billion between Tatravagónka, Budamar Logistics and Innofreight, guarantees safe and high-quality production of InnoWaggons for the next ten years. The memorandum was signed at TZV Gredelj, Croatia, in the presence of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković.

In the future, around 1,000 InnoWaggons will be produced per year in the Croatian halls. This means the completion of three to four wagons a day. Modern, highly automated and continued top quality will prevent downtime and enable independence from external suppliers.

Tradition that endures

Together with the Slovakian wagon manufacturer Tatravagónka and the Slovakian logistics company Budamar Logistics, three renowned companies have joined forces to supply InnoWaggons from Croatia to the rest of Europe in the next few years.

Around 400 people are currently employed at TZV Gredelj, with an additional 600 to be recruited, which guarantees the

highest level of production all year round. This is a sustainable development that guarantees Innofreight production reliability. At the same time, the Croatian economy is being strengthened and jobs are being created, as Prime Minister Plenković emphasizes.

In addition to the Prime Minister, the Croatian Minister of Transport, Oleg Butković, and the Minister of Economy, Tomislav Ćorić, were also on site. Peter Wanek-Pusset, owner of Innofreight, Ľubomír Loy, COO of the Budamar Group, and Ivan Petriček, co-owner of Tatravagónka, jointly signed the memorandum.

Focusing on the big picture

Innofreight has developed dynamically in the 20 years since it was founded, playing a key role in shaping the innovation process in rail freight transport and constantly focusing on the benefits for customers.

The step towards our own wagon production makes it possible to continue along this path in the future and to supply companies with high-quality and affordable InnoWaggons.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 17

headline news

Wabtec brings in state-of-th high-tech solutions for India Indian Railways is at the forefront of deploying digital solutions to modernise their operations and drive efficiency across its rail network

INDIA Wabtec Corporation was awarded a contract from Central Organisation For Modernisation Of Workshops (COFMOW), Indian Railways for its Online Monitoring of Rolling Stock (OMRS) project. The new automated OMRS system is part of Indian Railways’ “SMART Yard” initiative and will improve the availability of the railway’s fleet of coaches, wagons, and locomotives by detecting and addressing defects, pre-

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venting in-service failures.

“Indian Railways is at the forefront of deploying digital solutions to modernize their operations and drive efficiency across its rail network,” said Nalin Jain, Digital Electronics Group President, Wabtec Corporation. “This order supports their ‘Smart Yard’ initiative, which will showcase the next generation of condition-based predictive maintenance technologies. The OMRS systems will

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

streamline Indian Railways’ operations by automating the inspections of bearings and wheels and pinpointing customised maintenance to maximise the utilisation of its rolling stock.”

Wayside solution

The OMRS is a wayside solution comprising Rail Bearing Acoustic Monitor (RailBAM) and Wheel Condition Moni-

he-art global digital n Railways tor (WCM/WILD) to detect faults in the axle–journal bearings and wheels of rolling stock. The RailBAM technology uses acoustic signatures from bearings to identify bearing defects in advance before they would be identified through human inspection. The WCM technology uses impact forces exerted by wheels on to the rail to identify wheel defects. The OMRS systems enable operators to optimally plan the inspection and removal of defective bearings and wheels based on condition instead of fixed time-based inspection schedules, resulting in a healthier and reliable fleet.

“Wabtec and Indian Railways have partnered for decades to continually provide the country with rail technology solutions that enable an efficient, reliable and safe rail network,” said Sujatha Narayan, Senior Vice President and India Region Leader, Wabtec Corporation.

“This project will bring in state-of-the-art global digital high-tech solutions to the substantial portfolio of the India business enabling Indian Railways in their journey of modernization and digitalization.”

Deployment

COFMOW is managing the deployment of Indian Railways’ Smart Yards across

the country. As part of the contract with COFMOW, Wabtec’s teams in Australia and India will lead the design, development, supply, installation, and commissioning of 97 OMRS equipment sets in various zonal railway locations across the country.

The data from all the wayside OMRS systems will be fed into a state-of-the-art central data control centre to be established in Delhi through the Wabtec Fleet ONE software.

Wabtec is a leading technology provider to the Indian Rail Transportation sector for both Indian Railways and metros. Its portfolio includes locomotives to critical sub-systems such as brakes, couplers, doors, air-conditions, pantographs to the smallest of brake pads and power relays, which are used in a variety of rolling stock.

With a 1-million-square-foot operational footprint and 2,800 employees in India, Wabtec has increased its presence in the country over the past few years.

The company has a strong engineering presence with more than 1,200 employees, which includes over 500 Digital Electronics technologists The company has approximately 27,000 employees located at facilities in 50 countries throughout the world.

headline news

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SHORTLINES

Shortlines – Wor Darell J Luther, CEO and founder of Tealinc, Ltd

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hen it comes to rail origins and destinations, railroad hauling service providers can be characterised in two basic classifications: 1) Class I railroads and 2) Shortline railroads. The Class I railroads are defined as any railroad that has a revenue threshold of $457 million and are currently made up of the “Big 7”: BNSF, CN, CP, CSX, KCS, NS and UP. The Shortline railroads are made up of the smaller tier railroads.

According to the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Associations (ASLRRA) there are 603 shortline railroads that operate within the boundaries of the United States. Additional valuable shortline railroads also exist in Canada. For the purpose of drilling down, let’s drill down on the US shortlines today.

These shortline railroads have nearly 10,000 customers

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April 11 2022 @freighttracks

that traverse around 47,500 miles of track representing approximately one carload of product out of every four carloads that are originated or terminated on rail by direct connection to the customer or via transload. Shortlines have become a master service provider at first mile / last mile requirements focusing on a larger number of customers with smaller volumes of traffic.

These customers generally require more specialized attention or handling to reflect the nature of their business.

While Class I and Shortline railroads truly work in a harmony together, it is typically thought that Class I railroads have a more difficult time giving these smaller customers the attention they need to effectively compete with other modes of transportation versus the service a Class I railroad will provide.

Nothing personal – it’s just a volume focus.

SHORTLINES

rth a second look CONSIDER: What is the financial health of the shortline?

Many shortlines were originally bootstrapped into existence. You’ll want to be sure there’s enough financial depth to provide for a long-term service envelope

Also consider if you have two competing railroads for your business, e.g. a shortline that has the option of connecting with two Class I railroads, you generally will get a better rail rate package

What is the status of the physical rail infraIs the shortline a stand-alone entity or part of structure? a bigger corporate conglomerate?

In many cases shortlines will operate interchange If the shortline is part of a bigger corporate locomotives requiring a better track classification to entity, e.g. shortline holding company, be sure they

aren’t so detached from their customers that they forget about providing the service you require.

It is highly unlikely but worth researching.

A bigger conglomerate may also provide a better service package because they have more financial depth than a stand-alone company.

Stand-alone shortlines seem to be more service-centric by providing value for the customer at every stage of the operation.

What and where are the connections with Class I or other shortline or regional railroads?

What does the service handoff look like?

What are your specific level of service requests?

The pickup and delivery system continues to be faced with the challenge of first mile and last mile finite requirements.

This challenge isn’t only in the rail industry. It cuts across all transportation provider industries such as barge, air, rail, ocean going vessel, etc. There are a lot of shippers and receivers in the United States, Canada and Mexico that don’t ship consistent volumes or have seasonal requirements or they may just have one-time shipments.

First / last mile

A way to think of the first / last mile situation is to think about a web that gathers customer shipments and funnels them into a network that is all going the same direction. Conversely, if the web requires deliveries of railcars, then the interchange from a Class I is parsed out according to waybill requirements to indi-

operate at a speed that doesn’t detract from the service offering. Track in good condition, even that track restricted to 10 or 20 miles per hour, is a must.

If the shortlines track isn’t in good condition you run the risk of significant service delays, cancellation of service or abandonment.

Does the shortline communicate with its connections?

In today’s environment most waybill, bill of lading and interchange information is electronic.

If the originating or terminating shortline has this capability, the flow of information will be significantly easier and more accurate.

vidual customers.

This gathering and distribution of shipments from the web or into the web takes time and resources. Many shippers have as few as one to ten carloads a week, and sometimes at the rate of one a day or every other day. Just due to size, a Class I railroad typically has a difficult time providing the level of service necessary to manage these finites gathering and distribution requirements.

While both Class I railroads and Shortline railroads have varying pros and cons and ways to best serve your rail origin/ destination needs, depending on your size and anticipated volume and appetite for shipping/receiving, several facts need to be reviewed when considering locating your business on a shortline or possibly converting from a different mode of transportation to rail originated via shortline railroad.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 21

NEWS REVIEW

Gebrüder Weiss expands its Turkish network

Turkey becomes more important for rail transport on the New Silk Road between Asia and Europe TURKEY With a new location in Mersin, the transport and logistics service provider Gebrüder Weiss has expanded its network in the south of Turkey. The activities carried out from the country’s second-largest port include air and sea freight services, as well as intermodal land transport. Mersin is a central logistics hub on the Mediterranean Sea for shipments to the Caucasus, the Middle East, and Central Asia.

“Turkey is an emerging growth market and, with its location on the Mediterranean Sea, an important freight handling facility for transports between Asia and Europe. Mersin represents another region being developed by us for our customers, following on from Istanbul and Izmir. Favorable transport connections to the Mediterranean region as well as the proximity to industrial operations in the hinterland are all advantages offered by the new location,” says Wolfram Senger-Weiss, CEO

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of Gebrüder Weiss.

Mersin is connected to the northern economic centres of Kahramanmaras, Konya and Kayseri, from which mainly textile and agricultural products, chemical industry and mechanical engineering are exported.

“The key factor is the location’s immediate proximity to producers. In addition to air and sea freight services, we also offer local customers pharmaceutical and multimodal transports as well as warehouse logistics and customs clearance,” adds Çiler Keskinel, Country Manager Air & Sea Turkey at Gebrüder Weiss.

New Silk Road

The Country also serves an important gateway function on the so-called “Middle Corridor” of the New Silk Road towards Central Asia and China. This offers an alternative to the transports via

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

the Northern Corridor through Russia, running from Turkey (Istanbul), Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan to China. “We have our own locations in most of the countries along the Middle Corridor and are familiar with the local legal and cultural particulars in these regions. We are also seeing increased demand from our customers for shipments on this route,” says Senger-Weiss.

The transit time is currently between 35 and 45 days, as the route also crosses the Caspian Sea. Mersin is the third Gebrüder Weiss location in Turkey, in addition to Istanbul and Izmir, where the company has been organizing partial-load transports along with air and sea freight services with 75 employees since 2012.

By taking over the freight forwarder 3S Transport & Logistik last year, Gebrüder Weiss also further expanded its transports from Istanbul to Germany.

The Steel Issue WE ARE DEVOTING FREIGHT TRACKS ISSUE 6, APRIL 25 2022, TO THE MOVEMENT OF STEEL

BY RAILWAY. THAT IS WHY WE HAVE DUBBED IT “THE STEEL ISSUE”.

The Association of American Railroads spells it out. Railroads haul the iron ore, steel scrap and coke that are used to make steel. Railroads also move steel slabs, re-bar and pipe for use in construction projects. In 2020, US railroads hauled nearly 500,000 carloads of steel and other primary metal products, 650,000 carloads of iron ore and 240,000 carloads of scrap metal for producing new steel.

In Italy, the steel sales unit at DB Cargo Italia Services, a subsidiary of DB Cargo, moved over one million tonnes of steel for its Italian customers in 2021.

The volume in 2020 was just 645,000 tonnes, down some 20% on the preceding year’s.

If your company operates anywhere in the rail freight supply chain handling, moving or distributing steel, then this issue is just for you.

Whether you want to inform our readers or promote your products, we have the ideal editorial and advertising packages for you.

Editorial contributions can be made to: editor@freight-tracks.com Great advertising opportunities for the issue: freighttracks@gmail.com

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

VTG RAIL UK WELCOMES NEW OPERATIONS DIRECTOR UNITED KINGDOM VTG Rail UK has appointed Keith Link as Operations Director. Link joins VTG from a successful career in the automotive industry where he gained extensive skills and experience, including in the management of multisite operations and asset performance for businesses across mainland Europe.

Colin Denman, Managing Director of VTG Rail UK, said: “I am delighted to welcome Keith to VTG Rail UK. Keith has enjoyed a successful career in senior operational roles and is a highly effective team leader.

“It’s important to me that as a rail company we continue to learn best practice from other sectors, and I am confident that Keith’s considerable experience in the automotive industry will bring fresh ideas and continue to drive us forward as the UK’s leading wagon provider.”

Link added: “I’m really pleased to join the VTG Rail UK team. This is a new challenge for me and one that I am relishing as I haven’t worked in the rail industry before.

“In particular I’m very much looking forward to working with each member of my team.

“They all have exceptional skills and experience and, together, we’ll look forward to driving VTG Rail UK to even greater heights.”

Have you filled a role?

Share it with our readers. editor@freight-tracks.com 24 n

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Jeremy Bush joins TNW Corporation as Superintendent Railway Operations, TXGN and TXR Railways UNITED STATES Jeremy Bush has joined TNW Corporation, a privately held operator of short line railroads and logistics centers, as Superintendent of Railway Operations at the TXGN Railway and TXR Railway. Bush reports directly to TNW’s Director of Railway Operations, Bobby Franklin.

As Superintendent of Railway Operations, Bush is responsible for managing day-to-day operations at TXGN and TXR Railways, as well as training and managing employees; enforcing the compliance of all safety procedures; fostering solid partnerships with community leaders, and providing responsive, excellent customer service to customers.

Bush brings seventeen years of professional experience in the rail industry which began in 2005 at Norfolk Southern. He held various positions there, including Trainmaster, Terminal Superintendent and Division Trainer.

Most recently, Bush was the Manager of Operating Practices at the New Orleans Public Belt (NOPB). He is a certified Conductor and is experienced in risk-based leadership training and hazmat sentinel training.

“The addition of Jeremy to our management team opens many new opportunities for TNW,” said Franklin. “He understands what is required to successfully manage and operate TXGN and TXR and his relationships with Class 1 carriers will help us continue to grow.”

TNW Corporation is a transportation logistics company that operates three short line railroads with three transload facilities in Texas and owns the largest private railcar storage facility in the United States.

NS appoints Floyd Hudson Vice President Transportation UNITED STATES Norfolk Southern Corporation has appointed Floyd Hudson as Vice President Transportation. Hudson was previously General Manager of the company’s Southern Region. He succeeds Hunt Cary, who is departing the company.

“Floyd has been a leader in our work to implement precision scheduled railroading (PSR) and achieve continuous improvement in our operating ratio. He has played a central role in the flawless execution of our PSR-based TOP21 operating plan, including the conversion of hump yards, consolidating and reorganizing operating divisions, and modernizing field processes,” said Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Sanborn. “Just as important as his operational experience, Floyd achieves results the right way. He is a collaborative and inclusive leader, with a record of building strong teams and mentoring colleagues.”

Sanborn said that Hudson and Paul Duncan, the company’s new Vice President Network Planning and Operations, will make a powerful Operations leadership combination along

with veteran Norfolk Southern executives Vice President Engineering Ed Boyle and Vice President Advanced Train Control Tom Schnautz.

“Floyd has a deep understanding of our network, extensive Operations leadership experience, and an excellent enterprise perspective on the business as a whole,” said Sanborn.

Hudson joined Norfolk Southern as a management trainee in 2004 and progressed through Operations field leadership roles of increasing responsibility in several locations across the Norfolk Southern network.

He has led both the Southern and Northern regions and spent a year on a rotational assignment as Chief of Staff to Chairman and CEO Jim Squires.

Hudson is a graduate of North Carolina Central University, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree.

He also completed the executive development programme at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 25

NEWS REVIEW NS partners with Commtrex to enhance transload facilities access

UNITED STATES Norfolk Southern (NS) is partnering with Commtrex to enhance access and visibility of rail-accessible transload facilities on the company’s network. Customers shipping with NS will search Commtrex’s database for rail-served facilities by location, commodities handled and other parameters.

“This partnership is impactful and enables transload customers to easily identify facilities served by Norfolk Southern,” said Leggett Kitchin, NS Vice President Industrial Products.

“The technology enhances the quality of data available to customers so they can accurately identify connecting points between our shipping network and transload partners.”

The Commtrex platform also helps streamline communications. It allows customers to identify Norfolk Southern’s 32 transload facilities in the database by their required parameters.

The Norfolk Southern service area includes 22 states and the District of Columbia. It connects customers to every major container port in the eastern United States and a majority of the US population and manufacturing base.

“Transloading is becoming an increasingly critical component in the need for supply chain flexibility,” said Martin Lew, Chief Executive Officer of Commtrex. “Close to one-third of the 2,500 Commtrex members are railserved shippers, and Commtrex empowers them to effectively identify and connect with transloaders across North America. There is no other platform that can connect shippers with Class I’s, short line railroads, transloaders, terminals, and ports and Norfolk Southern’s partnership with Commtrex will provide shippers with a best-in-class customer experience.”

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Rail Forum and Tar to create freight UNITED KINGDOM Tarmac, working with the Rail Forum and industry partners, is helping to launch an annual SME challenge designed to create the freight terminals of the future.

The scope of the challenge will be formally outlined at an online event on Wednesday 20 April, along with details about the process, timeframes and how to get involved.

Now in its fourth year, the SME rail challenge is designed to provide opportunities for SMEs to work collaboratively to develop and offer solutions to real needs identified by different rail freight clients across the industry, including Tarmac.

The project is a collaboration between Tarmac, DB Cargo, Freightliner, Ermewa, GB Railfreight and is supported by the University of Derby, Rail Freight Group and the Rail Forum.

Tarmac is among the largest users

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of rail freight, transporting construction materials by rail UK-wide as part of the business’ ongoing sustainability commitments.

Chris Swan, our head of rail, said: “We’re always keen to explore new ways of innovating rail freight and, in particular, opportunities to further reduce CO2 across our business and the industry.

“The SME challenge is a great opportunity for collaboration and to discover creative ideas from inside and outside of the sector to develop UK rail terminals of tomorrow. We are proud to be part of such an exciting initiative and look forward to hearing from SMEs nationwide as the challenge gets underway.”

Challenge opportunity

Bob Hodgson, Engagement Manager

NEWS REVIEW

rmac launch SME challenge terminals of the future at the Rail Forum, said: “We are really pleased to bring this fourth challenge opportunity to the SME community.

“Some of the areas SMEs should consider are decarbonisation, automation and digitalisation.

“The Rail Forum SME challenges have been very successful with a number of SMEs gaining ‘first of a kind’ funding to bring their products to market.”

Elaine Clark, CEO of the Rail Forum, said: “The success of the SME challenges demonstrates they are providing real opportunities for SMEs to work collaboratively with clients to take their ideas from concepts through to the next stages of development and we look forward to watching them come to life.”

The SME challenges are delivered as part of the Rail Supply Group’s Rail Sector Deal Midlands Pilots. All SMEs are welcome and places can be booked at: www.midlandsrail.co.uk/events/sme-challenge-freight-terminals-of-the-future/

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 27

NEWS REVIEW

Investigation into derailment in NSW on March 17 starts

AUSTRALIA An investigation has commenced into the derailment of freight train number 5WB7 at Casino, New South Wales, on March 17 2022.

At about 22:30, an axle in the rear part of train 5WB7 broke as the train entered Casino Yard, derailing the wagon.

As the train passed through the yard it travelled over a set of points for the closed Murwillumbah Branch (set for the mainline), at which point the derailment worsened with the rear four wagons derailing and becoming detached from the rest of the train.

The train then passed through a second set of points (also set for the mainline) and came to a stop. A further four

wagons at the rear of the train were derailed. A significant amount of track and signal infrastructure was damaged within Casino Yard, however there were no injuries.

This investigation is being led by the NSW Office of Transport Safety Investigations (OTSI).

OTSI conducts rail investigations in NSW on behalf of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) under the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (Cwlth). OTSI investigators have begun collecting evidence from involved and other interested parties to determine the factors contributing to the accident.

This evidence will include:

• CCTV footage • data logger information • recent track inspection and mainte-

nance works • wagon build and maintenance history asset handover process and supporting documentation • metallurgical analysis of the broken axle.

A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation.

However, should a critical safety issue be identified during the course of the investigation, OTSI and the ATSB will immediately notify relevant parties, so that appropriate and timely safety action can be taken.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 29

NEWS REVIEW

VTG wins German Transport Actively driving the modal Transition Prize shift with r2L technology GERMANY The German-based Pro Rail Alliance has presented its German Transport Transition Prize to VTG. The prize comes as part of the “ransport Transition In Practice project, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment.

A panel of independent experts representing practitioners and the scientific community praised the roadrailLink (r2L) technology for its innovative nature and huge potential to realize the modal shift. r2L was thus singled out as a best-practice example of sustainable transport and mobility.

“As a leading international wagon leasing and rail logistics company with the largest privately-owned fleet in Europe, VTG is actively driving the transport transition,” says Sven Wellbrock, Chief Operating Officer Europe and Chief Safety Officer at VTG AG. “We want to get rail fit for the future. And we want to give our customers solu-

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tions that are easy to adapt and slot into their supply chains. So we are delighted to have our work recognised in this way and to win the German Transport Transition Prize.”

Active contribution to transition

Together with logistics provider VEGA International and vehicle manufacturer Kässbohrer, VTG has developed a solution that enables hitherto non-craneable semitrailers to travel by rail. “Some 95% of all semitrailers in the EU are still non-craneable, which means they are not suitable for combined transport,” explains Jakob Öhrström, Managing Director and Head of the Intermodal Center of Competence at VTG Rail Europe.

“The r2L transshipment and transport technology enables freight transport to be shifted simply and with immediate effect from road to rail.”

The r2L ramp means that 97% of all

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

truck trailers that were hitherto non-craneable are now craneable. It is a fully galvanised loading ramp onto which the trailer can be driven.

A terminal crane or reach stacker then lifts the ramp, complete with the trailer, onto a double pocket wagon.

This technology thus adds value for the environment, makes transport more seamless and can already cut CO2 emissions today. As a reference point, an average truck consumes 33 litres of diesel per 100 km and generates 2.615 kg of carbon dioxide emissions per litreof diesel.

Based on this data, every single r2L ramp can save up to 200 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year.

These numbers once again underscore VTG’s commitment to working with the forwarding industry to actively support the European Union’s climate targets – and actively drive the modal shift from road to rail.

NEWS REVIEW

project44 expands European rail and barge freight visibility with acquisition of Synfioo UNITED KINGDOM project44, the leading supply chain visibility platform, today announced its acquisition of Potsdam-based Synfioo, provider of the most comprehensive visibility and ETA platform for rail freight data in Europe.

Through this deal, project44 has also extended its barge visibility for inland waterway segments across the continent.

Synfioo’s visibility and ETA capabilities are a natural addition to project44’s multi-modal visibility platform used by leading shippers, LSPs and carriers. With Synfioo, project44 will provide customers with unrivalled end-to-end data to facilitate faster on-time deliveries and more accurate ETAs, as well as low-carbon rail and barge shipping in Europe.

for every customer shipment • Intermodal end-to-end rail data combined with machine learning algorithms offering the most precise rail journey ETAs and customer delivery times

Enhanced barge visibility

project44 has also enhanced its barge visibility capabilities as part of this acquisition, to provide granular, accurate visibility of vital inland waterway seg-

only expanded the breadth and depth of our visibility platform, but also added European tech talent and expertise to our rapidly growing international team, which is now well over 400 exceptional team members,” said Renaud-Houri, EVP International at project44. “Shippers, LSPs and carriers aren’t alone in navigating the complex European market, with project44’s platform making it easier than ever to improve ETAs, reduce costs, maximise on-time deliveries and

Rail freight visibility

“Europe’s rail infrastructure was developed nearly 200 years ago and was not built for the cross-border trade that exists today,” said Marian Pufahl, former CEO and co-Founder of Synfioo. “Our platform brings together a proprietary infrastructure network and freight forwarder information to offer the most comprehensive rail freight data for Europe. Now as project44, we will continue to drive data harmonisation between the various rail networks and provide unrivalled visibility to our customers.”

Through the acquisition, project44’s European rail network now provides the following capabilities: • Comprehensive visibility of all cargo rail movements across European countries • IoT-enabled rail tracking combined with proprietary data, and direct integration to all of Europe’s rail infrastructure networks for granular visibility • Visibility of over 99% of European rail volume, including wagon-level tracking for 90% of rail cars, to ensure visibility

ments across Europe. Customers can now harness specialised data science techniques, combined with real-time satellite tracking, to ensure the most accurate visibility of inland waterways.

Key features include: • Intelligent asset-matching technology which extends visibility coverage, using data science-based techniques to track individual barges in real-time, without requiring traditional identifying information • Dynamic routing models that offer accurate ETAs, as well as intermodal endto-end movements that include barge segments • Sophisticated water depth modelling and inland waterway data sources which enable carriers to assess load capacity, maximise on-time deliveries and avoid delays for shippers and LSPs “By acquiring Synfioo, we’ve not

mitigate bottlenecks. Most importantly, this level of visibility will help more companies to harness sustainable, low-carbon rail and barge shipping, which will play a vital role in helping Europe meet its net-zero ambitions.”

Essential information

“We started our journey with project44 in 2021 to help us deliver global visibility and improve the accuracy of our ETAs. This information is essential to our customer commitment of responsive logistics,” said Xavier Bour, Global Ground and Rail Leader at CEVA Logistics.

“With rail transportation representing a critical part of our global network and our sustainability strategy, enhanced capabilities and rail coverage would further help CEVA and our customers achieve our goals.”

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 31

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NEWS REVIEW

HŽ Cargo wagons and locomotives exclusively for sale on RAILVIS.com

L

ast month, a selection of rolling stock was placed on RAILVIS.com in the form of an auction. It was divided into 25 individual auction bids according to the type of wagons and locomotives. The Croatian carrier has a total of 3700 wagons and 60 locomotives. This is therefore a sale of about a quarter of the fleet.

HŽ Cargo, whose profile can be found on the RAILMARKET. com portal, transports freight on 2,605 km of the Croatian rail-

way network every day. It co-operates with carriers in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Romania, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Slovenia and Serbia. The company has more than a century of tradition, having been founded in 1918.

RAILVIS is a railway business marketplace connecting rail industry stakeholders. It allows the industry to share idle assets like locomotives or wagons, sell unused wagons or find and hire personnel or advertise.

Never miss a rail freight story again.

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GREENING THE SUPPLY CHAIN

J.B. Hunt launches CLEAN Transport Programme to help customers reduce the carbon footprint of their supply chain

J

.B. Hunt Transport Services, one of the largest supply chain solutions providers in North America, has launched CLEAN Transport, a new programme that will allow customers to acquire carbon offset credits equivalent to the emissions created by their shipments.

“J.B. Hunt is committed to leading the industry toward a low-carbon future,” said Craig Harper, Chief Sustainability Officer and Executive Vice President at J.B. Hunt. “Many of our customers are working towards shortand long-term sustainability goals, and CLEAN Transport will serve as a great extension of the efforts they’re already taking to reduce the carbon footprint of their supply chain.”

CLEAN Transport will help customers offset carbon emissions based on lane-specific activity each quarter.

Working with credible third-party organisations, J.B. Hunt will provide pro-

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gram participants with data showing the amount of carbon offsets needed to achieve a carbon neutral shipment and obtain carbon credits supporting the project selected by the customer.

Carbon offset projects include reforestation, forest management, regenerative agriculture and clean power generation.

CLEAN Transport is currently available for J.B. Hunt Intermodal customers and will expand to additional service areas as part of the programme’s growth.

Customers can select which lanes are part of the programme or J.B. Hunt can provide recommendations based on a carbon footprint evaluation of lane activity.

Carbon offset projects available through CLEAN Transport are verified and registered with recognized organizations such as the American Carbon Registry, Verra, Gold Standard and Climate Action Reserve to confirm that the

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

emission reduction or removal was successful and the intended environmental benefits were executed. J.B. Hunt offers multiple sustainable and efficient transportation solutions to help customers reduce carbon emissions.

Empty miles

In addition to using energy efficient equipment and alternative fuels, J.B. Hunt avoided an estimated 4.3 million empty miles (7.2 million kms) in 2020 by using its technology platform J.B. Hunt 360° to secure backhaul freight.

The company is an industry leader in converting over-the-road shipments to intermodal, which on average reduces a shipment’s carbon footprint by 60%.

J.B. Hunt recently announced it plans to expand its intermodal fleet to as many as 150,000 containers in the next three to five years as part of a joint initiative with BNSF Railway Company.

Safety first

hazmat training

UP’S HAZMAT CLASS IS HOT

Thanks to extensive outreach efforts, firefighters from 2 materials (hazmat) response training in Union Pacific’s

“

We’re excited to be building community relationships,” said Tom Robinson, manager-Hazardous Materials, Supply Chain. “There’s a lot we can do to support local emergency responders.”

More than 230 firefighters and first responders

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from Rapides Parish, Louisiana, gained hands-on experience on real-life equipment during the day-long “Railroading 101” class.

“Most annual hazmat training is book work and PowerPoint slides. Physically interacting with locomotives and rail cars un-

hazmat training

T STUFF FOR FIREFIGHTERS

22 fire districts and departments received hazardous largest-ever class of its kind in central Louisiana.

der the guidance of Union Pacific personnel is invaluable,” said Matt Robertson, training officer, Alexandria Fire Department, Louisiana. “We rarely see railroad emergencies, so completing our annual training with real equipment passing through our city was meaningful.”

Outfitted in personal protective gear, rotating shifts of local full-time, part-time and volunteer firefighters, as well as training candidates, participated in day-long sessions on locked switches at Alexandria’s repair track.

Participants were able to learn railroad safety best prac-4

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hazmat training

Above: Locomotive Engineer Earnest Recard, also a firefighter, teaches volunteer firefighters about the traction motors on locomotive wheels Left: Locomotive Engineer Cory Van Mol activated his relationships within the Louisiana firefighting community and the railroad to help make each of the three one-day training sessions a success.

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April 11 2022 @freighttracks

hazmat training

4

tices, then actually manipulate protective housings, valves and fittings, and truck components on locomotives, boxcars and tank cars to apply the same chlorine kits and Midland capping kits used in emergency response scenarios.

“My favorite part of the day was the locomotive orientation,” Robertson said. “Getting to see the safety shutoffs inside the cab, as well as the orientation on the electrical and diesel systems, and the exterior shutoffs, was interesting.”

Railroad personnel provided full-scale response guidance: contacts, resources and how to read rail car markings, as well as insight into Union Pacific’s emergency response and recovery processes.

“This is true community engagement,” said Drew Tessier, senior director-Public Affairs, Corporate Relations. “Thank you to the Gulf Coast Service Unit, Manager Tom Robinson, Locomotive Engineer Cory Van Mol, Brakeperson Lee Litton and Locomotive Engineer Earnest Recard for being UP’s driving force behind this effort.”

If Union Pacific offered the class again next year, would you

recommend attendance for team members?

“Yes, 100%,” Robertson said. “I received a lot of positive feedback from my department – we enjoyed it, and half of my department was able to participate over the three-day period.”

Did You Know?

Many chemicals, including ethanol, are considered hazardous materials.

Thanks to robust tank car designs, technologies that monitor track and rail car health and first responder training, rail is one of the safest modes of transportation for moving hazardous substances.

In fact, more than 99.999% of all hazmat moved annually by rail reaches its destination without a release caused by a train incident.

In the event of a Union Pacific emergency, please contact the railroad’s Response Management Communications Centre at (888) UPRR-COP.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 39

SAVING THE PAST

180 YEARS OF RAILROAD HI SAVED Norfolk Southern donates Norfolk and Western Railway archives, $750, 000 to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture

UNITED STATES Norfolk Southern Corporation has donated the complete collection of historical documents and archives from predecessor company Norfolk and Western Railway to the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC).

The collection dates to the 1840s and includes thousands of photographs and glass plate negatives, as well as business records, annual reports, blueprints, plans, bridge drawings, advertisements, portraits, and three-dimensional artifacts from predecessor railroads that together provide a fascinating look into the growth of rail transpor-

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tation across the eastern United States.

The company will also donate $750,000 to support the collection in perpetuity.

“The Commonwealth of Virginia has played a pivotal role in our history, and we are incredibly proud of the contributions it has made to our success,” said Jim Squires, Chairman and CEO of Norfolk Southern.

“This important piece of history belongs in Virginia, and we’re confident that our archives will be in excellent hands with the Virginia Museum of History & Culture.”

Norfolk and Western single-track line in 1838 to City Point (now Hopewell In the years to follow companies were built, m consolidated until the Southern Railway in 1982 ern.

Since then, Norfolk So come one of the nation’s and premier transportati the archives represent th

ISTORY

originated as a nine-mile o connect Petersburg and l), Virginia. w, more than 200 railroad merged, reorganised, and company merged with 2 to create Norfolk South-

outhern has grown to bes largest freight railroads tion companies. In total, he history of Norfolk and

SAVING THE PAST

Western and its predecessor companies.

“Railroads have played a critical role in the expansion of both passenger travel and commercial transportation in the United States,” said VMHC President and CEO Jamie Bosket.

“With the addition of the Norfolk and Western collection, the VMHC now houses one of the most significant railroad archives in the U.S. We’re thrilled to preserve this iconic history and to make it publicly available to students and teachers, researchers, and railroad enthusiasts.”

The $750,000 grant will allow the VMHC to digi-

tize, catalog and preserve the collection. As part of the donation, Norfolk Southern has created a special fund to allow the VHMC to hire interns from underrepresented communities to support the museum’s work annually for the next five years, beginning this coming fall academic semester.

Among the historic materials in the archives are publicity materials including radio programme scripts and posters, timetables, and rolling stock records as well as advertisements, contracts, an extensive collection of photographs, and construction plans for rail stations and yards.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 41

Hi CUBE BOXCARS

SMALL SCALE RAIL FREIGHT

Center line for freight In each issue of Freight Tracks we look at scale model versions of modern and old school freight rolling stock and infrastructure HO scale ExactRail center-beam flatcar RRP $46.95

I

f your model layout customers need to ship lumber and other building materials by rail in North America, then a center-bean bulkhead flat car is what you need.

The model version

ExactRail used etched-brass, plastic, and wire detail parts on its model.

In a 2013 review in Model Railroader magazine, the model was well received by the reviewer.

The ExactRail center-beam bulkhead flatcar has 125 parts, including an .010″ thick etched-brass “opera windows” partition with freestanding ratchets, and individual deck panels. The latter was done so there wouldn’t be ejection marks on the carbody from the injection-moulding process. The car uses wire “loop” style uncoupling levers to match the prototype. Because the car features many delicate parts, it should only be handled from the base of the

carbody.

This model is decorated for Western Pacific, which owned 10 of these cars.

The paint is smooth and evenly applied and the white lettering is crisp and opaque. The lettering placement matches a prototype photo in Jim Eager’s Western Pacific Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment (Morning Sun Books, 2001).

The trucks have an accurate 5′-10″ wheelbase, and the 36″ wheelsets are correct. The truck centres are a scale 3″ short (51′-9″ instead of 52′-0″).

However, the distance over the pulling faces is spot on at a scale 64′-2″.

The car weighs 3.7 ounces, which is 1.6 ounces too light compared to National Model Railroad Association recommended practice of 20:1.

The car’s underbody features a separately applied air reservoir, control valve, brake cylinder, and levers.

“This isn’t the first time a Thrall center-beam bulkhead flatcar has been pro-

duced in HO, but ExactRail has certainly set the standard for excellence. The model accurately captures the looks of the prototype,” wrote the reviewer.

The real center-beam

Center-beam flatcars, centerbeams, center partition railcar, or “lumber racks” are specialty cars designed for carrying bundled building supplies such as dimensional lumber, wallboard, and fence posts.

They are essentially bulkhead flatcars that have been reinforced by a longitudinal I-beam, often in the form of a Vierendeel truss, sometimes reinforced by diagonal members, but originally in the form of stressed panels perforated by panel-lightening opera windows, either oval-shaped or egg-shaped.

These flatcars must be loaded symmetrically, with half of the payload on one side of the center-beam and half on the other to avoid tipping over.

www.freight-tracks.com April 11 2022 n 43

Yard

Limit Rail freight off-duty

Belgian throwback

A

s the first private rail freight operator in Belgium, then still under the name DLC, the first intermodal train departed from Antwerp to Schwandorf on April 2 2002. Dillen & Le Jeune Cargo (DLC) was founded in 2000, However, privatisation was not without its problems. In the context of the restructuring of Belgian Railways, ABX, the Belgian Railways’ loss-making road freight company, which also had branches in other countries, was to be privatised. According to press reports, Belgian Railways assets were sold off to ABX at extremely low prices. For example, the Brussels site of Klein-Eiland, €70,000 sq m in size, was to be sold for €10 000, although the true value of the land was estimated at €260 million.

Lego to enter freight railcar manufacturing

Did we fool you on April 1? We couldn’t resist the age-old journalist tradition of an April’s Fool joke.

Lego executives: won’t get fooled again.

44 n

Senior executives at Billund, Denmark-based construction block manufacturer Lego have exclusively revealed to Freight Tracks that it intends to make an entry into the lucrative freight railcar manufacturing industry, attracted by the booming rail freight industry in Europe and elsewhere.

Chief Marketing Officer Pil Afpool told Freight Tracks that the company, better known for toy building blocks, had noticed from Freight Tracks e-zine that the rail freight industry is booming. Development of a boxcar and container platform will be first in what Afpool hopes will be a series of eight railcars. He says: “We have decades of engineering and design work making the basic Lego brick which we can scale up to full-size rolling stock. We have long shipped our products by rail when appropriate so we have a long experience of the rail freight industry.”

Early photos of design models, such as an open hopper above, have suggested that visually the rolling stock will not look different from existing stock. The difference is that instead of steel, the railcars are made of the famous building bricks.

Afpool says: “Everyone knows the agony

April 11 2022 @freighttracks

of standing on a Lego brick in their bare feet.

That is because none of our bricks ever buckle under weight.

“We have leveraged this strength into making cars that we know will be up to the market’s expectations. One great advantage with our rainbow of colours is that an owner’s or lessee’s branding can be built into the fabric of the vehicle.”

The company is planning to build a 100,000 sq m manufacturing facility at Billund which will connect to the Danish railway system and allow the wagons to roll directly into revenue service. The walls and floors of the workshop will be made by large bricks but the company has had to accept steel beams and roofing as the distance is too large for Lego bricks.

Afpool has also revealed that foreign customers can be sent a self-build version of the rolling stock. He says: “We can send a container of Lego bricks which will be enough to assemble a complete wagon. We will also include a full instruction manual.

“However, we know all the men tasked with assembling each vehicle will not read it.”

BECAUSE NOT ALL FREIGHT ON A TRAIN MOVES IN A BOX

www.freight-tracks.comMarch April 2022 nnXX X www.freight-tracks.com 2811 2022

visit: tankcontainermedia.com

RAILROADS HAVE BEEN CARRYING FREIGHT SINCE DAY 1.

IT’S NOW DAY 71,420.

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.

That was 71,406 days ago today.

Join us as over the next six months, we will plan a series of events and projects that salute the Freight Train in all its importance.

KEEP THE DATE:

September 27, 2022