Cargolink
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Freight trains |
| Founded | 27 March 2008 |
| Headquarters | Drammen, Norway |
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Area served
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Norway |
| Parent | Autolink |
| Website | www.cargolink.no |
Cargolink AS is a Norwegian railway company. Owned by the automotive distribution company Autolink, Cargolink has operated both autorack and container trains since November 2008. Cargolink has a fleet of ten diesel locomotives, five shunters, 100 autoracks and 60 container cars. Combined autorack and container trains are operated up to five times per week along the Sørland-, Bergen-, Rauma-, Røros- and Nordland Lines, as well as services through Sweden.
Autolink, the largest distributor of automobiles in Norway, has traditionally bought train services from CargoNet. In 2007, they signed a contract with Ofotbanen, and at the same time bought 40% of the company. However, Ofotbanen was in financial difficulties, causing a dispute between the two owners. The result was that Autolink formally established Cargolink in March 2008, without the knowledge of Ofotbanen, and terminated the contract with Ofotbanen in July. Cargolink received an operating licence in September and service started in November.
Cargolink has a fleet of five shunters at their port in Drammen, in addition to three Di 6 diesel locomotives and three TRAXX electric locomotives for main haulage. While the shunters are owned by Cargolink, the diesel locomotives are leased from Dispolok of Germany and the electric locomotives are leased from Hector Rail. It also has more than 100 closed autoracks for automobile transport, and 60 container cars. 70 new autoracks are under delivery from Sweden.
On contract from Autolink, Cargolink operates autorack trains throughout large portions of the Norwegian railway network, from the seaports in Drammen and Oslo. Services are provided along the Sørland Line to Stavanger, along the Bergen Line to Bergen, along the Dovre Line to Trondheim, along the Rauma Line to Åndalsnes, and along the Nordland Line to Mosjøen, Mo i Rana and Bodø. It also operates through Sweden to reach Narvik and Malmö Each route has up to five weekly departures in both directions with combined autorack and container trains. The company transports 55,000 cars annually on 600 trains, giving a revenue of 65 million kr. Autolink is responsible for about three-quarters of all new-car distribution in the country. On the weekly return trips from Northern Norway, Cargolink uses the empty cars to transport aluminum from Elkem Mosjøen.
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Wikipedia