Connection Ludwigshafen - Lübeck SK v.v.
KombiRail Europe is now responsible for and traction this connection.
Connection Duisburg - Lübeck v.v.
KombiRail Europe is now responsible for and traction this connection.
Of our connections to be converted are in operation.
So far, the traction changeover has gone completely smoothly for our haulage and logistics customers. Our wholly-owned subsidiary KombiRail Europe has also played a major role in this. Step by step, the rail transport company (RU) is taking over routes in the national network in close coordination with Kombiverkehr and handling them under its own traction.
The scale of the traction changeover at Kombiverkehr in such a short space of time is certainly a first in the industry and unique to date. Our customers are not aware of the complex processes involved in the background. What they do notice, however, are the advantages associated with the handling of transport operations in own traction - as in the case of KombiRail Europe.
First and foremost, they benefit from greater predictability and reliability. ‘Our aim is to transport every train and every load unit promptly and within the specified times,’ says Managing Director Gerd Wehland. ‘Even if roadworks cause delays, we do everything we can to run the trains as part of our weekly program.’ The initial results are extremely promising. 98 percent of the planned trains have been completed; the reference values to date have been between 85 and 90 percent. Almost no train has been cancelled so far. This is possible because KombiRail Europe is pursuing a new approach. The rail transport company continues to run delayed trains and does not lay out the round trips. The company boss attributes the success of this alternative approach, which should lead to greater customer satisfaction, in part to the fact that KombiRail Europe operates extremely effectively with highly motivated employees and can score points with significantly greater flexibility in the deployment of train personnel.
KombiRail Europe has prepared thoroughly for the takeover of the new routes in recent months. ‘We have hired a large number of new employees for the additional tasks, invested in a new IT connection to the Kombiverkehr systems and in technical equipment,’ reports Co-Managing Director Kerstin Corvers. KombiRail Europe is significantly increasing the number of its locomotives: The company currently has a dozen units, and will have 25 once all additional transport operations have been taken over. ‘Six new locomotives will be added in November alone,’ continues Corvers. The company is purchasing them from several lessors. The situation with the wagons is more relaxed: Kombiverkehr, or rather its subsidiary Dienstleistungsgesellschaft für intermodale Verkehre (DIV), is currently building up a sufficiently large stock of wagons, which KombiRail Europe is also accessing. This is where the Group's internal division of labour comes into play.
Expensive to build up personnel - in times of a shortage of skilled labour, it is anything but a sure-fire success ‘Creating the necessary foundation in the organisation was a challenge,’ says Gerd Wehland, who took up his position as Managing Director at KombiRail Europe on 1 February However, he always considered the mission to be feasible, he says This is where his experience comes in handy; he has been a railwayman since 1986 Within just one quarter, he has managed to triple the number of dispatchers to twelve and increase the number of train drivers by 18 to 67 This means that the number of employees is now in triple figures, as there are currently 14 wagon inspectors and 22 experts in administration as well as in train control and monitoring Two transport monitoring specialists - Philip Reinke and Christoph Petersen - work at Kombiverkehr in Frankfurt (read more about this topic here) and work hand in hand with their colleagues at the parent company
To get an idea of what taking on the additional rail transport operations means for KombiRail Europe, it is more than double the previous business ‘We're talking about 62 additional round trips per week,’ reports company boss Wehland This brings the company's total to more than 3,500 round trips per year KombiRail Europe will largely continue to operate what it has been handling to date
However, the efforts are worthwhile, as the new tasks also offer considerable opportunities for Kombiverkehr's customers: those responsible at KombiRail Europe see several synergies for greater efficiency and therefore also for higher quality and customer satisfaction. These can be achieved, for example, by implementing new shunting concepts or linking services in the overall network. If, for example, locomotives can be swapped between routes to compensate for cancellations, this would be an added value for everyone.
Until the timetable change in mid-December, the team at the Duisburg-based company still has a lot to do in terms of traction conversion. Is the mammoth task causing worry lines to form on the forehead of the KombiRail Europe boss?‘Not really,’ says railwayman Wehland. ‘I'm very positive and know that we can do it,’ emphasises the 55-year-old. But the whole team has to be on board. In order to get them on board, the management is providing intensive information about the new tasks. ‘To kick things off, we held a huge meeting with all employees in a hotel,’ says Gerd Wehland. ‘We explained what the traction changeover means for our company and how we are proceeding.’ This was well received. And together with the workforce, the company has also set itself a mission (see box below). If it is successfully implemented with regard to the traction changeover, everyone will benefit - customers, employees and, of course, rail freight transport as a whole.
August 2024
- Hamburg – Köln v.v.
5 Round trips/week - Hamburg – Ludwigshafen v.v.
5 Round trips/week
September 2024
- Köln - München v.v.
5 Round trips/week
October 2024
- Duisburg – Leipzig v.v.
5 Round trips/week - Leipzig – München v.v.
6 Round trips/week
November 2024
- Duisburg – Lübeck v.v.
10 Round trips/week - Lübeck - Ludwigshafen v.v.
5 Round trips/week
December 2024
- Duisburg – Hamburg v.v.
5 Round trips/week - Hamburg – Lübeck v.v.
3 Round trips/week - Hamburg – Kiel v.v.
3 Round trips/week - Hamburg / Hannover Lehrte – München v.v.
5 Round trips/week - Duisburg / Ludwigshafen – München v.v.
5 Round trips/week
KombiRail Europe has set itself a mission for its work and employees. The aim is to achieve the greatest possible success while maintaining the highest safety standards and making sensible, synergetic use of resources.
It continues: KombiRail Europe makes rail the backbone of intelligent, sustainable transport services. In collaboration and co-operation with our parent company and partners, innovative and individual concepts are developed and aligned to the needs of the customer. This can only be achieved with a high standard of safety, quality and reliability. Our dealings with employees, customers and suppliers are always characterised by a high level of trust and respect.
This includes the following parameters:
- - Simplicity: constantly reducing complexity and increasing the value chain.
- Reliability: acting sustainably and with integrity.
- Responsibility: no compromises when it comes to safety, quality and environmental awareness. Diversity strengthens the community.
