New freight record at Lötschberg

BLS Netz, partner of the Rotterdam - Genoa corridor, is proud to celebrate a daily freight volume record, performed with the integrated Lötschberg system on 20th May 2010. Within 24 hours, 113.241 gross tons were moved through and across the Lötschberg system distributed over 91 freight trains in both directions. Out of this, 34 freight trains travelled the mountain line and 57 freight trains used the new partly single-tracked Lötschberg base tunnel, which is in full commercial operation since December 2007. Besides the high number of freight trains, also 52 passenger trains utilised the Lötschberg base tunnel on this day. The Lötschberg system, operated by BLS Netz, is part of rail freight corridor Rotterdam - Genoa, the busiest transport axis in Europe which will be equipped with ERTMS. The Lötschberg base tunnel is among the first sections on the corridor on which trains are already operated with ERTMS. With this freight record, BLS Netz underlined the high quality and reliability of ERTMS and the Lötschberg system as well as its significance for the transport chain and the European economy.