Fuel trains given priority in Germany

[Maybach]

This is interesting!

From IRJ:

THE German government has published the final version of a new emergency law that will allow infrastructure managers, primarily DB Network, to overrule existing track access contracts with freight and passenger operators in order to prioritise the transport of fuel such as coal and oil.

The ordinance calls for timetables to be amended on a consensual basis where possible, and says that prioritisation powers can only be used in “exceptional circumstances”, such as a refinery running out of crude oil or a power station that is critical to the national grid requiring emergency stocks of coal.

Unprecedented in peacetime, the measure has been drawn up in response to the impact on energy supplies of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, plus a very hot summer that has seen water levels fall in the River Rhine.

Fuel trains given priority in Germany

The German government has drafted an emergency law that will allow DB Network to overrule track access contracts in order to prioritise fuel transport.

www.railjournal.com

 

[Maybach]

In the end this was, according to RailFreight.com, "Much ado about nothing":

The prioritisation of trains carrying energy supplies in Germany was enforced two months ago, on 24 August and is planned to stay in place for six months. At the time, rail freight companies had mixed reactions to the Energy Security Transport Regulation policy. However, according to spokespersons from Deutsche Bahn and the Network of European Railways (NEE), things have been going relatively smoothly so far.

DB told RailFreight.com that RUs have not submitted many requests since the policy was implemented, resulting in six daily trains running since the beginning of October. “The punctuality of these trains has been above average and impact on the overall punctuality only minimal. No existing paths had to be changed,” DB pointed out.

Rail prioritisation of energy supplies in Germany: much ado about nothing?

The prioritisation of trains carrying energy supplies in Germany was enforced two months ago, on 24 August and is planned to stay in place for…

www.railfreight.com