VIK, a wholesale raw wood and timber merchant, and the research and production corporation United Wagon Company (UWC) signed a contract the supply of 40 timber flat car fleet. The shipment of the railcars is planned for the second quarter of this year.
The technical and economic parameters and design features of the wagon model 13-6852-02 for timber allow the owner to reduce the required timber flat car fleet size, speed up car turnaround time, and also significantly save on the costs of freight transport and rolling stock maintenance. The 13-6852-02 car is the most demanded model of timber flat cars in United Wagon Company’s product line, the manufacturer says.
“We attach a great deal of importance to delivery conditions and reliability of the railcars, as these factors are relevant to us performing our obligations to customers. The choice of UWC flat cars is an obvious option for us, seeing that we have had no complaints throughout years’ experience of operating the Tikhvin flat cars, and these cars have proven efficient,” Oleg Batalov, CEO of VIK said.
The 40–foot long flat car features an increased load capacity of 74 tonnes and a loading volume of 122 m3. This allows up to an additional 10 cubic metres of cargo to be carried in each railcar. Openings in the end wall simplify cargo inspection at customs control posts. The design of the side racks minimises the unused space, while allowing more freight to be loaded into the railcar. The wagon floor keeps cargo residues from falling onto the track and has drain holes to prevent water accumulation.
The flat car is equipped with an innovative bogie, model 18-9855, which significantly reduces the cost of maintaining the railcar in good working order. The car has a maintenance interval of up to 1 million km or 8 years, while the service life of the flat car is 40 years.
United Wagon Company and VIK have been developing their partnership since 2017. Together with the delivery under the new contract, the company’s fleet will include a total of 80 railcars built in Tikhvin.
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