Photo: DB Cargo
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel in Germany,” says Rouven Kötter (SPD), First Deputy of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Regional Association, “to get more freight traffic onto the rails.” But a little more assertiveness seems to be needed. That’s why there are now “rail coaches.”.
At the end of November, 20 rail freight experts from various parts of Germany met in Frankfurt at the initiative of the regional association and the Baden-Württemberg public transport company. The aim was to exchange information on rail freight, utilize existing expertise, and improve networking. "We can learn from each other," said Rouven Kötter.
The "rail trainers" help interested parties with initial assessments of whether a rail siding is worthwhile for the shipping company, or whether goods should be handled via a transshipment facility, and how to find a suitable transport company. Municipalities use the service to assess the feasibility of a stop for their local rail network, which often serves multiple companies. It also plays a role in the reactivation of railway lines.
Photo: LKZ Prien
The concept of "rail coaches" originated in Salzburg, Austria, in 2008 and subsequently spread to Germany. The Frankfurt Rhine-Main Regional Association has had a regional rail coach since 2020: Michael Roggenkamp advises municipalities and companies on a wide range of issues related to rail transport. Rail coaches have also been established in other German states and regions. The participants aim to foster the exchange of experiences to advance the strategic development of their respective regional rail infrastructure in collaboration with local municipalities and industry.
The network currently includes, among others, the German GVZ Society, the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV), the Logistics Competence Center (LKZ) Prien, consulting firms such as "AnschlussBahnProfis Ingenieurbüro GmbH", regional councils, senate administrations, ministries in Saxony, and various local transport companies.
