RACO carried out an investigation process to examine relative consumption values for traction power required by long-distance freight trains, and determined that a uniform flat-rate tariff for all freight train types amounts to discrimination in network access.

RACO therefore instructed infrastructure managers to introduce an additional relative consumption value for the train category “Long-distance freight train” in the 2019 List of Infrastructure Services. This category includes freight trains with accompanied and unaccompanied combined transport, long-distance freight trains, entire trains, and short-distance single wagonload trains.

RACO’s decree dated 8 June 2017 is legally binding. SBB Infrastructure will now present data by 1 September, along with proposals for implementing differentiated, discrimination-free relative consumption values for the train category “Long-distance freight train”.

Thanks to previous efforts, the industry has already been able to reduce relative consumption values to 0.0168 kWh/Btkm. The possibility of measuring power directly from catenary has also been introduced.

New relative consumption values for power used in freight transport