Encouraging climate-friendly railfreight
Ludolf Kerkeling, the chairman of ‘Die Güterbahnen’, an association of railfreight operators initiated by the Network of European Railways (Netzwerk Europäischer Eisenbahnen e.V.), has been awarded Germany’s Federal Cross of Merit on a ribbon. It was handed over by the prime minister of the state of Brandenburg, Dietmar Woidke, at a ceremony held in the Potsdam state chancellery.
The award recognised Kerkeling’s services to climate-friendly rail transport. As a member of the board of Havelländische Eisenbahn, he played a decisive role in bringing innovative hybrid locomotives into service.
Kerkeling said he is “pleased, humbled and encouraged” by the award, adding that it was not he alone, but a team from Havelländische Eisenbahn that had put the manufacturer Stadler Rail’s Eurodual locomotive into service. "It wasn’t a walk in the park, both in terms of getting approval and commissioning the units in the German rail network.” (cj)