With coronavirus causing major ripples across industries, rail freight is arguably more important now than ever. In this issue of Future Rail, we speak to the European Rail Freight Association’s (ERFA) Conor Feighan to find out why the organisation has been lobbying for changes to regulation surrounding the European freight market.

We ask how derailments happen on high-speed rail networks, and highlight where the logistical gaps remain in the UK’s highly controversial HS2 project. We also get the lowdown on Amtrak’s steadily improving financial performance, and ask whether the Covid-19 pandemic may have scuppered its chances of breaking even this year.

Also in this issue, we find out how operators can improve railway resilience against adverse weather, achieve more reliable connectivity between rail systems, and prevent the spread of dangerous pathogens (in particular Legionella) in cars and stations.

Joe Baker, editor