• If you were to give your definition of a Rail Freight Corridor, what would that be?

A way to bring different national Infrastructure Managers together to harmonize technical limitations and train paths constructions, as well as to eliminate administrative double work and to remove old national barriers on a deregulated European railway market. However, the Rail Freight Corridors are still struggling to find the right forms and how to pack the services to be offered.

• Can you describe to us your experience with ScanMed RFC?

A very structured and creative way to offer train paths within a complex set of regulations – this to support all actors to enhance the competitiveness of long-distance rail freight passing through several nations, all with their own cultures as well as processes for planning and allocating capacity.

• How would you qualify it?

Very positive from our point of view and for some of the selected partner-railway undertakings, while others are very negative. Our business model cannot afford conflicts between our selected RU partners.

• What would you expect ScanMed RFC to deliver that would support ScandFibre’s development?

We, End Users, need to strengthen our position to make RUs our partners in the logistic chain. When we have reached this, we will most likely return to ScanMed RFC with a specific request. ScanMed RFC could support us more in rolling out the standard for RFIDs Readers and Air protocol according to EPC Gen 2 ISO 18000-63 along the Corridor. Standards would evolve in a simpler joint rail freight language connecting the cargo to specific wagons and not only to a group of wagons on a moving train.

• Where would you like to see the Rail Freight Corridors in 10 years?

ScanMed RFC knows what End Users need and have taken the lead and the driving seat for the IMs along the Corridor. This is a reliable benchmark for other Corridors to create a competitive European Rail Freight Corridor Network also for intercontinental rail freight. This also opened new ways of mixing and selecting the RUs, supporting new business models in a fully digitalized and comprehensive environment. ScanMed RFC has been a strong contributor and facilitator towards the necessary shift of paradigm, now five years ago, for a far more reliable, flexible, and cost-efficient European wide rail freight that still attracts cargo from road to rail.