European Railroad Discussion > Sweden/Norway: HectorRail Sold

HectorRail today is by far the most successful private operator in Nordic. They have about 90 locomotives at their use which means they are able to take part in effective rail transport offering in Sweden, Norway and Germany. Main bulk of transportation happens between these countries and inside Sweden.

Hoeght family (also known for their ships) has owned HectorRail since rail operators beginnings in 2004. The first ten years have seen an enormous profitable growth. HectorRail also became known as one of the companies who could take older and newer nonworking locomotives and turn them into production machines again. Since the economy slump of 2008 HectorRail also faced some uncertain economic times and difficult rolling stock situation. These have now been solved and company is just waiting for the new growth in Europe to start. This was also a good opportunity for the ship operating family to follow the trail of some other ship operators (like Maersk) and distance themselves from rail operations.

It remains to be seen which turns the new owner will take after the sale comes effective. Will they be able to preserve the HectorRail spirit of the black dressed personnel, will the company still use used locomotion in addition to new ones and will their success in traffic building continue?

For railfanning side here are some locos HR is using today:
1) HectorRail class 142 (ex. ÖBB 1044) double heading a forest industry trains in Umeå. Picture by Ilkka.

2) One of the newest acquisitions the 8 Rc3 locomotives previously used lightly by SJ have now joined the Swedish+Norwegian operations. Not all are painted to HR handsome gray livery and retain their earlier black paint scheme.

3) HectorRail locomotive depot a couple of years ago in Hallsberg. In the foreground are some rare locos like the ex. ÖBB class 1012 prototype and ex. MTAB El15 locomotives. El15s were the very fist locos for HectorRail in 2004. Picture by Gerry.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/14 06:58 by McKey.

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Some more electrics of one of my favorite Nordic operators.

4) Double headed for formidable trains, TRAXXion (TRAXX F140 AC2) in Umeå waiting for their next shift at the point of forest industry train. Picture by Ilkka.

5) HR class 242 ES64U2 (German class 182) locomotive 531 seen leading the passenger service in Stockholm.

6) HR class 441 number 001, a Siemens built rugged ES64F4 locomotive leading another forest industry train in Hallsberg, Sweden. Picture by Gerry.

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Nice photos, that's an interesting mix of locomotives.

Nathan

Yes, Gerry and Ilkka are excellent photographers both!

Think about what advantage a company that can rebuild and maintain locomotives has in competition with those that don't have this ability!

Here is one of HR diesel locomotors to follow the electrics. I know they have many more but for some reason these are enormously difficult to spot. This is HectorRail class 921, ex. Green Cargo Z70 "sportscar" rebuild. Looks like the broom here is just waiting for winter to arrive despite time being in the middle of the summer ;) or maybe the broom is used to clean Switch points on sidings?

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I don't know about that "X" logo in the 3rd picture - it looks like it might be prescient based on your news report here!

Ray

Hi McKey,

Many thanks for this interesting post!

McKey Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It remains to be seen which turns the new owner
> will take after the sale comes effective. Will
> they be able to preserve the HectorRail spirit of
> the black dressed personnel, will the company
> still use used locomotion in addition to new ones
> and will their success in traffic building
> continue?

Do you have an idea, who is the new owner is?


>
> For railfanning side here are some locos HR is
> using today:
> 1) HectorRail class 142 (ex. ÖBB 1044) double
> heading a forest industry trains in Umeå. Picture
> by Ilkka.

Those are not former class 1044, but 1042 locomotives.

E111

E111 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hi McKey,
>
> Many thanks for this interesting post!
continue?
>
> Do you have an idea, who is the new owner is?

Private equity investment fund according to Railway Gazette

http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/freight/single-view/view/eqt-acquires-hector-rail.html

Nice pic´s, thank you, but
nonetheless this are 1042 (or 1142 = 1042 with remote control).

Pic 1: 1142.656, Semmering September 2009 or 2010
pic 2: 1144.235, Semmering September 2012 (the remote control version of the 1044)

Erwin from Austria

86235 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> E111 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hi McKey,
> >
> > Many thanks for this interesting post!
> continue?
> >
> > Do you have an idea, who is the new owner is?
>
> Private equity investment fund according to
> Railway Gazette
>
> http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/freight/single-
> view/view/eqt-acquires-hector-rail.html



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/14 16:08 by spandfecerwin.

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Wow, thank you for providing the 1042s original ÖBB colored pictures for the background! Are any of the locos in active use these days?

spandfecerwin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice pic´s, thank you, but
> nonetheless this are 1042 (or 1142 = 1042 with
> remote control).
>
> Pic 1: 1142.656, Semmering September 2009 or 2010
>
> pic 2: 1144.235, Semmering September 2012 (the
> remote control version of the 1044)
>
> Erwin from Austria
>
> 86235 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > E111 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Hi McKey,
> > >
> > > Many thanks for this interesting post!
> > continue?
> > >
> > > Do you have an idea, who is the new owner is?
> >
> > Private equity investment fund according to
> > Railway Gazette
> >
> >
> http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/freight/single-
>
> > view/view/eqt-acquires-hector-rail.html

Yes, they actually started 10 years ago with this symbol ;) I wonder what the original thinking for the symbol was. Of course it is extremely well visible on the gray base paint of the locos, and cool looking.

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I don't know about that "X" logo in the 3rd
> picture - it looks like it might be prescient
> based on your news report here!
>
> Ray

Here are a couple of more X-pics. The first loco is missing the pantographs, so it is X:d for the time being...(3 out of the fleet of 6 ex. NSB ex. MTAB El15s, HR class 161s are).

And a faded out sticker with the X sign on another El15 still on the MTAB bluish paint scheme (some units still are blue after 10 years of use at HR).

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Maybe one more picture of the El15s. This one was taken by David Gubler years ago on a real film when visiting Narvik.

Many more pics and stories can be found at 4rail.net and books on Malmbana (i.e. Running with IOREs).

The El15 recognition drawings are still hanging from the wall at Narvik station...

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McKey Wrote:
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> Wow, thank you for providing the 1042s original
> ÖBB colored pictures for the background! Are any
> of the locos in active use these days?

Yes they are, either seldom in the West but daily in the East (Vienna, Semmering). Very few pic´s because i am a lazy photographer.

Pic 1: 1142.662 with Regionalexpress Wien-Hütteldorf 2014-04-04

Pic 2: two 1142´s resting for next use, Wien-West 2013-04-15

Erwin from Austria



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/14 01:46 by spandfecerwin.

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Look at those colors, thank you very much Erwin!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/14 01:59 by McKey.

Still, did you notice that _every_ old owner sold their stock to new Development fund? It is pretty much custom in Nordic countries that the old management will stay for a while to keep the existing customers happy...and to ensure they won't start a new competing business, which is always a possibility when they don't ave interest in the new company.

Yet, I hope you are right. Let the success story continue!

rantoul Wrote:
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> ...It remains to be seen which turns the new owner
> will take after the sale comes effective. Will
> they be able to preserve the HectorRail spirit of
> the black dressed personnel, will the company
> still use used locomotion in addition to new ones
> and will their success in traffic building
> continue?...
>
> The news article states current owners will remain
> as manager and board member. This sale seems more
> about financing than wholesale operating changes.

Below a powerful ES64F4 Eurosprinter (HR class 441> 4 current systems, 4 axles, first type in order (as they start counting from 1 instead of 0)) climbing a hill with a short freight in Valtorp. Picture by Nick.

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I liked how they had fun with their locomotive names.

What a great subject suggestion!

Please see here: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?17,3574267

railfan400 Wrote:
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> I liked how they had fun with their locomotive
> names.