In Germany, planning for introducing 740 m long freight trains across the German core national network is to be speeded up, following a favourable evaluation by the Federal Transport Ministry.
The Secretary of State for Transport said that efficient railway infrastructure was needed across Germany, and that the ability to operate 740 m long trains was a ‘core element’ for increasing freight capacity.
Since 2013 the ministry has been assessing the cost-benefit ratio of individual projects which are needed to allow standard freight train lengths to be raised.
The ministry found that the benefit:cost ratio of 81 projects was sufficiently high for them to be included in the priority listing of schemes in federal railway upgrade legislation.