RDC makes quarter-stake investment in Eurorail

U.S. railway investment and management company Railroad Development Corp. (RDC) recently deepened its relationship with partner Eurorail by acquiring a 25 percent stake in the company.

A rail-based logistics company headquartered in Belgium, Eurorail in 2012 joined RDC in a 50-50 investment in freight-rail feeder operator RegioRail. Currently, RegioRail controls four feeder operations in France.

"Through RegioRail, we have developed a high quality partnership with RDC," said Eurorail Managing Director Eric Debrauwere in a press release. "Their entry into the capital of Eurorail is based on shared vision and mutual confidence."

The strengthening of the partnership through the investment stake — which occurred in December — confirms the commitment of both partners to the joint pursuit of opportunities in the European freight-rail sector, RDC and Eurorail officials said.

"Europe is a challenging and fragmented market but with numerous niches representing opportunity for rail freight," said RDC Chairman Henry Posner III. "This investment represents an additional commitment to the European market based on our confidence in our partners."

RDC’s portfolio also includes freight-rail operations in Iowa, Peru and Colombia. Other European interests include intercity passenger operator Hamburg-Koln-Express and United Kingdom passenger rolling-stock producer Vivarail.