The current restructuring program of SBB Cargo is based on the goal of returning to profitability by 2020 and improving the operating result by at least CHF 20 million. As a result, SBB’s rail freight traffic shall again become competitive and self-supporting by 2023.
“The trend is particularly positive in the truckload traffic system – revenue increased by CHF 21.7 million in the first half of 2018. This means an increase of around 6 per cent,” reads a press release by the SBB Swiss Federal Railways.
At present, 90 per cent of freight cars in wagonload traffic account for around half of the 344 operating points. That is why SBB Cargo is checking its productivity at 170 operating points. In this context, the development of the Cadenazzo cargo terminal is a success story: of three customers and 50 handling operations per month in 2012, the terminal has grown to 15 employees, 14 customers and 1,700 handlings.
From January 2019, SBB Cargo will be the first rail freight company in Europe to test the automated clutch and brake in combined traffic in a pilot project. Since July, 100 freight cars have been converted. At the same time, the Bellinzona plant will be equipping twelve Re 420 locomotives with a hybrid clutch as of 13 August 2018. The total investment amounts to CHF 1.5 million.
