RETRACK - Reorganisation of Transport networks by advanced Rail freight Concepts



In the RETRACK Consortium, new and upcoming European rail freight operators, experienced IT and training specialists and leading European research and development organisations have taken the initiative to design, develop and implement a new and innovative trans-European rail freight service concept, starting with the rail corridor Rotterdam to Constanza (Romania) and on to the Black Sea area and Turkey. The chosen trans-European corridor for RETRACK is an ambitious one, with a high potential for a modal shift of cargo from road to rail, creating an effective and scalable freight corridor between high growth areas in Western and Eastern Europe.

With this new rail freight service concept, the RETRACK partners want to demonstrate that rail freight services on trans-European corridors can be successfully offered as a genuine competitive alternative to road haulage. This will be beneficial for different organisations and entities:

a) European shippers and logistics service providers, because they can choose to use multimodal door-to-door transport including a rail freight service with a high level of reliability and frequency against competitive prices. The use of rail freight service can fit seamlessly into their Supply Chain Management (SCM) requirements, and using rail freight service can be as easy as using road haulage.

b) ”new” European rail freight operators, because they have the opportunity to transport a substantial volume on the corridor Rotterdam – Constanza for a variety of shippers and logistics service providers, and based, on this can set up a viable rail freight service. This viable service is aimed at integration of SCM Requirements of customers.

c) European society and citizens, because it will results in initial annual savings in transport kilometres of about 12 million. Also, the Train Control Centre to be developed in RETRACK will result in strongly improved cross-border interoperability for rail freight services.

Homepage: www.retrack.eu