| Founded | 2005[1] |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Paris, France |
| Employees | 830[1] |
| Parent | DB Schenker Rail (UK) |
| Website | www.eurocargorail.com |
Euro Cargo Rail is a French rail freight operator formed in 2005 as a subsidiary of English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS).
Contents |
Euro Cargo Rail was founded in February 2005,[2] in April 2005 EWS International[note 1] was awarded a safety certification allowing freight train operations in France; it was then able to operate trains on behalf of ECR.[3][4]
The company became a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn in 2007 when its parent EWS was acquired.[5] By 2008 it was the second rail freight company in France after SNCF with 5.3% of the market.[1]
By 2010 the company's market share was estimated at 8%.[6]
In October 2010 Euro Cargo Rail formed a joint venture with the Port of La Rochelle, called OFP La Rochelle.[7]
The initial operations of ECR were carried out with four leased Vossloh G1206 diesel locomotives,[3][4] maintenance of the locomotives was to be carried out at EWS's Dollands Moor depot in the United Kingdom, so the locomotives were given a TOPS classification number, 'Class 21'.[8]
From 2007 to 2009 the company also acquired several Vossloh G1000 BB locomotives,[9], and briefly leased 3 TRAXX F140 AC locomotives from MRCE in 2007;[10] these were return from lease in 2008.[11]
The company began leasing around ten Vossloh G2000 locomotives, and five Vossloh Euro 4000 locomotives (1668mm gauge) in 2008-9 from Angel Trains Cargo.[12][10]
In 2008 two TRAXX F140 MS locomotives operating in ECR livery were used for homologation of the type in France and Belgium; certification was obtained in July 2009. The two locomotives formed part of an order of 20 units delivery in 2009/10. 45 more units were ordered in 2009 to be split between DB Schenker (25 units) and ECR (20 units), and delivered from 2010 onwards.[13]
EMD Series 66 locomotives were transferred from EWS to ECR; by November 2007 fifty locomotives had been transferred,[14] also in late 2007 the company began receiving shipments of a 60 unit order of EMD Series 66 locomotives,[15][16] numbered as 'Class 77' from 77001 to 77060.[17]
From 2010 the company began leasing Alstom Prima electric locomotives (sub types BB 27000, and BB 37000 dual and triple voltage) from Akiem. [18] [19] The company also began hiring SNCF Y8000 type shunters from Akiem in the same year.[20]