AT the end of December German Rail (DB) announced the outcome of months of strategic review, assisted by consulting firm McKinsey, confirming a programme of measures to tackle the company's worsening financial performance.

BRITISH construction materials supplier Tarmac has awarded five-year contracts to four rail freight operators as it seeks to increase the volume of aggregate and other materials it moves by rail.

SWEDISH open-access operator and traction provider Hector Rail has acquired 15 six-axle class 151 freight locomotives from DB Schenker with the aim of offering railfreight operators a cost-effective alternative to leasing new locomotives.

GERMAN Rail (DB) has announced the outcome of months of strategic review, assisted by consulting firm McKinsey, confirming a programme of measures to tackle the company's worsening financial performance.

UNICREDIT Leasing, Germany, has awarded Siemens a contract to supply eight 3kV dc Vectron electric locomotives, which will be leased by DB Schenker Rail Italy.

GERMAN Rail (DB) has recruited investment bank Lazard to explore options for its Arriva passenger rail and bus subsidiary, including a stock market listing, while it is also looking at the future structure of its DB Schenker railfreight division.

EUROPE's largest railfreight market endured a difficult start to 2015 according to first half figures released by Germany's federal statistics agency on September 1, which show volumes fell to 178.3 million tonnes, a 3% drop compared with the corresponding period in 2014.

German Rail (DB) has launched a major restructuring of its organisation and a reduction in its management team in the wake of an 18.2% drop in Ebit for the first half of 2015, and a 39% fall in after-tax profit from €642m to €391m, reports David Briginshaw.

GERMAN Rail (DB) has launched a major restructuring of its organisation and a reduction in its management team in the wake of an 18.2% drop in Ebit for the first half of 2015, and a 39% fall in after-tax profit from €642m to €391m.