RCA puts innovative rolling stock on rails
07-Sep-2009
Today Rail Cargo Austria (RCA) presented five innovative goods wagons and the first Taurus engine with RCA branding at the freight depot Nordwestbahnhof. The innovative rolling stock is the spearhead of a new generation of goods wagons that are purchased in the framework of a long-term investment plan. Austrian Federal Minister Doris Bures acted as godmother for the train “RCA 1”. She emphasized the importance of investments in the further development of rail goods traffic. “Even today, about 30% of goods traffic are handled by railway in Austria, the average in the EU is about 15%. Before the backdrop of climatic protection and safety, it must be the aim to extend the share of rail traffic in the entire volume of goods traffic continuously,” so Minister Bures.
New rolling stock
The new goods wagons are the sliding-wall wagon Habbiins, the flat wagon Laaprs, the bogie wagon Eanos, the ACTS carrier wagon Slps-x and the container carrier wagon Sgnss-y. The know-how of numerous experts was contributed to the development of the rolling stock. “This new good wagon generation is a further symbol of the innovative power of the ÖBB Group and will give Rail Cargo Austria a lead over its competitors in international competition“, so Peter Klugar, spokesman of the board of management of ÖBB-Holding AG, expressed his delight. The perfect cooperation of Rail Cargo Austria, Industriewaggon, ÖBB-Traktion, ÖBB-Technische Services, ÖBB-Werbecenter and various ÖBB partners was necessary for the successful planning and production of the train “RCA 1”.
Internationalisation
The renewal of the rolling stock is part of a long-term investment programme. “We adjusted the investments to the current economic situation, but will continue to pursue the internationalisation strategy of Rail Cargo Austria with full power”, so Ferdinand Schmidt, President of Rail Cargo Austria. RCA is the leading complete logistics provider in Central, South-Eastern and Eastern Europe. With the acquisition of the Hungarian MÁV Cargo in 2008, we were able to further consolidate this position. Even today, about three quarters of all RCA transports are handled across borders. Between Austria and Hungary, “trains of trust” are used now, which enable uncomplicated customs clearance. In the past months, RCA was able to achieve decisive successes in international production with the acquisition of the railway company Linea in Northern Italy and the security certificates for Slovenia, Rumania and Bulgaria. “Now we can go from Milano via Austria to the ports of the Black Sea and the Turkish border“, so Mr. Schmidt expressed his delight about the developments.
Climate friendly
The CO2 balance of Austria will also profit from the investments of Rail Cargo Austria because the ÖBB is the most climate friendly mobility provider of Austria. “We set new standards for Europe – by using renewable energies, energy-efficient transportation with engines and buses and in natural risk management”, Klugar explained on the occasion of the christening of the train. At the moment, approximately 92 % of the traction supply come from eco-power, about 87 % of it from local hydraulic power stations. The eight hydraulic power plants operated by the partial group ÖBB-Infrastruktur Bau AG produce about 33 % of the entire ÖBB-traction supply demand.