Angel Trains has announced the lease of seven diesel-electric locomotives to Freightliner PL, the Polish subsidiary of the UK-based rail freight operator Freightliner. The locomotives are type JT42CWRM, manufactured by Electro-Motive Diesel Inc. and labelled as Class 29 in Poland and as Class 66 in Western Europe. They will be capable of operation in Poland and Germany and will be well suited for haulage of heavy trains.

Adam Cunliffe, Business Development Director, Freightliner Group Ltd, said: “We are delighted to work with Angel Trains to provide a unique and exciting investment into the Polish rail freight market.  Freightliner is eager to commence its operations in Poland and provide an unparalleled service consistent to that already offered through our UK operation, where Freightliner is well established as the fastest growing and most innovative rail freight operator.”

Tim Jackson, Director of Angel Trains International, responded: “Both Angel Trains and Freightliner have developed their businesses with great success since being created out of the privatisation of British Rail 12 years ago. It’s really satisfying to see our two companies working together at last in such an entrepreneurial way. For Angel Trains Cargo, this is the materialisation of a strategic decision taken two years ago to add Poland to the other ten countries in which we offer our freight clients a mix of diesel and electric traction and a consistently professional approach.  We look forward to announcing more placements with Polish operators in the course of this year.”

Christopher Siewierski, Angel Trains’ Business Development Manager for Poland, added: “This is a milestone for Polish railways – brand new locomotives for the first time in at least two decades, breaking the investment deadlock in Poland through the use of private capital and initiative. Freightliner’s choice to work with us demonstrates to operators in Poland the competitiveness of our offer in terms of economics and fleet flexibility.  We wish Freightliner the best of luck and success in growing its business and establishing a new standard for reliability in Poland”.

This transaction marks Angel Trains’ first lease of locomotives to a Polish operator. In addition to the transaction announced , Angel Trains already has on order ten Bombardier Traxx F140 MS electric locomotives, which will be homologated in Poland, Germany and also Austria.  Angel Trains is currently in discussions with several operators about the lease of these locomotives, deliveries of which commence in the fourth quarter of 2007.  

Angel Trains already has some of its diesel multiple unit passenger trains running cross-border into various points in Poland every day from their operations in Germany.  It expects to offer passenger trains for regional operations in Poland in due course.