RAIL4CHEM
Encyclopedia
RAIL4CHEM was a German rail freight transport company, and the parent company of a number of European subsidiary rail freight transport companies including rail4chem Benelux B.V. (Rotterdam), the rail4chem transalpin AG (Basel) and Fer Polska S.A. (Warsaw).
The business was acquired by Veolia Cargo
in 2008, which was acquired by SNCF in 2009, in 2010 the company was grouped under SNCF's new freight train brand Captrain, and absorbed into the Captrain Deutschland subdivision, and became an provider to the division of long distance freight trains.
and VTG AG (both located in Hamburg
) and one Swiss firm Bertschi AG; headquartered in Dürrenäsch
. Hoyer merged its rail freight subsidiary into the company in 2002.
Initially the company was set up as a rail freight service for chemical companies, the organisation serves both national and international freight movements within Europe.
Amongst the first workings were the movement of chemicals from the works at BASF Ludwigshafen to Aachen
to be moved further by the Belgian state railway SNCB / NMBS.
Later the company took on non-chemical industry freight work.
In 2004 the company gained a safety certificate to operate in the Netherlands, and in Swizterland. In 2005 the founder companies increased the capital of the company by €4 million to €5 million to enable the purchase of multi-system electric locomotives. Safety certificate for operations in Belgium was acquried (by the subsidiary Rail4chem Benelux BV) in January 2006, and for operations in France in February 2006,
On 20 February 2008 it was announced that the business was to be sold to the French company Veolia Cargo
for an undisclosed sum. Veolia Cargo was acquired by SNCF
(and Eurotunnel), with Rail4chem becoming part of SNCF; it was reorganised into the Captrain railfreight operation division of SNCF. The business underperformed during the difficult market conditions following the late-2000s financial crisis
and was absorbed into the Captrain deutschland division in 2010.
RAIL4CHEM was a founder member of the European Bulls Rail Freight Alliance, an european consortium of European rail freight operating companies.
Rail4Chem Benelux's main business was the transportation of containers from the Port of Rotterdam
to Germany but also operated international tank trains to DSM in Geleen
as well as intermodal trains via Amsterdam
and cereal trains via Europoort
.
The trains known as 'mobile pipelines' are operated between the BASF operations in Antwerp and Ludwigshafen.
Up till the opening of the Betuweroute
only diesel locomotives were used in the Netherlands.
type, and predecessors; the Adtranz
built DBAG Class 145 (for work in germany), and the Bombardier Transportation
built DBAG Class 185 (for work in germany, austria, and switzerland.). Other locomotives such as the Siemens EuroSprinter
ES 64 U2 have been used based on requirements, as well as older locomotives have also been used in Switzerland.
For non electrified lines in germany, netherlands and belgium, locomotives of the diesel types EMD JT42CWR (Class 66), as well as Vossloh
locomotives, primarily Vossloh G 2000 BB and MaK G 1206 types were used.
The business was acquired by Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo was a European rail freight transportation company that operated mainly in France and Germany.On 2 September 2009 the company was acquired by Eurotunnel and SNCF the deal being finalised on 1 December 2009.-History:...
in 2008, which was acquired by SNCF in 2009, in 2010 the company was grouped under SNCF's new freight train brand Captrain, and absorbed into the Captrain Deutschland subdivision, and became an provider to the division of long distance freight trains.
History
In 2000 the railway company RAIL4CHEM was founded as a joint venture between three German companies: BASF AG (Ludwigshafen), HoyerHoyer
-People:*Brian Hoyer - American football quarterback*Didier Hoyer - French sprint canoer*Ernest Max Hoyer - the first mayor of Bossier City*Hein Hoyer - German statesman and mayor of Hamburg...
and VTG AG (both located in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
) and one Swiss firm Bertschi AG; headquartered in Dürrenäsch
Dürrenäsch
Dürrenäsch is a municipality in the district of Kulm in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:While Dürrenäsch is first mentioned in 924 as Aske inferior, there are traces of earlier, nearby settlements. Several, individual Hallstatt era items were found on the castle hill...
. Hoyer merged its rail freight subsidiary into the company in 2002.
Initially the company was set up as a rail freight service for chemical companies, the organisation serves both national and international freight movements within Europe.
Amongst the first workings were the movement of chemicals from the works at BASF Ludwigshafen to Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
to be moved further by the Belgian state railway SNCB / NMBS.
Later the company took on non-chemical industry freight work.
In 2004 the company gained a safety certificate to operate in the Netherlands, and in Swizterland. In 2005 the founder companies increased the capital of the company by €4 million to €5 million to enable the purchase of multi-system electric locomotives. Safety certificate for operations in Belgium was acquried (by the subsidiary Rail4chem Benelux BV) in January 2006, and for operations in France in February 2006,
On 20 February 2008 it was announced that the business was to be sold to the French company Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo
Veolia Cargo was a European rail freight transportation company that operated mainly in France and Germany.On 2 September 2009 the company was acquired by Eurotunnel and SNCF the deal being finalised on 1 December 2009.-History:...
for an undisclosed sum. Veolia Cargo was acquired by SNCF
SNCF
The SNCF , is France's national state-owned railway company. SNCF operates the country's national rail services, including the TGV, France's high-speed rail network...
(and Eurotunnel), with Rail4chem becoming part of SNCF; it was reorganised into the Captrain railfreight operation division of SNCF. The business underperformed during the difficult market conditions following the late-2000s financial crisis
Late-2000s financial crisis
The late-2000s financial crisis is considered by many economists to be the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s...
and was absorbed into the Captrain deutschland division in 2010.
RAIL4CHEM was a founder member of the European Bulls Rail Freight Alliance, an european consortium of European rail freight operating companies.
Subsidiaries
In Autumn 2004, RAIL4CHEM established a new subsidiary company: Rail4Chem Benelux which took over all the activities of the Dutch private rail carrier Short Lines.Rail4Chem Benelux's main business was the transportation of containers from the Port of Rotterdam
Port of Rotterdam
The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2004 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken by first Shanghai and then Singapore...
to Germany but also operated international tank trains to DSM in Geleen
Geleen
Geleen is a city in the southern part of the province of Limburg in the Netherlands. With 33,960 inhabitants, it is part of the municipality of Sittard-Geleen. Geleen is situated along the river Geleenbeek, a right tributary to the river Meuse. The town centre is situated at about 60 m above sea...
as well as intermodal trains via Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
and cereal trains via Europoort
Europoort
Europoort is an area of the Port of Rotterdam and the adjoining industrial area in the Netherlands. Being situated at the mouth of the rivers Rhine and Meuse with the hinterland consisting of the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and partly France, Europoort is by certain measurements the world's...
.
Operations
RAIL4CHEM was certified to operated in Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium and France.The trains known as 'mobile pipelines' are operated between the BASF operations in Antwerp and Ludwigshafen.
Up till the opening of the Betuweroute
Betuweroute
The Betuweroute is a double track freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany. Betuweroute is the official name, after the Betuwe area through which it passes, but the line is popularly referred to as Betuwelijn, after an older track in the same region. The Germans have named their part the...
only diesel locomotives were used in the Netherlands.
Rolling stock
In 2005 the electric locomotive fleet of RAIL4CHEM consisted of 14 locomotives of TraxxTraxx
Traxx may refer to*TRAXX, family of locomotives*TraXX FM, radio station*Traxx , 1983 computer game by Jeff Minter*Traxx , 1988 film with Shadoe Stevens and Priscilla Barnes*Traxx Radio, radio station...
type, and predecessors; the Adtranz
Adtranz
ABB Daimler-Benz Transportation , commonly known under its brand Adtranz, was a multi-national rail transport equipment manufacturer with facilities concentrated in Europe and the USA....
built DBAG Class 145 (for work in germany), and the Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation
Bombardier Transportation is the rail equipment division of the Canadian firm, Bombardier Inc. Bombardier Transportation is one of the world's largest companies in the rail-equipment manufacturing and servicing industry. Its headquarters are in Berlin, Germany....
built DBAG Class 185 (for work in germany, austria, and switzerland.). Other locomotives such as the Siemens EuroSprinter
EuroSprinter
The EuroSprinter family of electric locomotives is a modular concept of locomotives for the European market built by Siemens. The internal Siemens product name is ES 64, with ES for EuroSprinter and the number 64 indicating the 6,400 kW power at rail.Additional information is given in the name...
ES 64 U2 have been used based on requirements, as well as older locomotives have also been used in Switzerland.
For non electrified lines in germany, netherlands and belgium, locomotives of the diesel types EMD JT42CWR (Class 66), as well as Vossloh
Vossloh
Vossloh AG is a German transport technology manufacturer based in the Westphalian town of Werdohl. The group has 4,700 employees , and generated sales of €1.2 billion, of which approximately 60% came from the rail infrastructure division, and the remainder from the motive power and components...
locomotives, primarily Vossloh G 2000 BB and MaK G 1206 types were used.