Railway cargo transport needs constant innovations that launch new concepts of efficiency, performance and safety of cargo wagons. Generally, all wagons (depending on the type of cargo) have a similar design, but when it comes for details, the railway industry makes real progress.
To deliver a performing freight transport, apart from ensuring a high level of safety, the efficiency of a vehicle is part of vital characteristics: wagons should be able to carry as much freight as possible with the lowest gross weight possible, while loading and unloading should not take more than the necessary. A challenge for the development of freight wagons consists in reducing noise, which implies, of course, the whole system: wheel, wagon and rail. The composite materials used and the new equipments for noise protection make the braking system of wagons to significantly contribute to noise reduction.
Innovative vehicles will be needed if the railways’ share in the growing volume of goods traffic in the EU is to be increased from 17 to 25% over the next two decades. This is the conclusion of the White Book for Innovative Railway Freight Wagons 2030 from the Technical Innovation Group for Rail Freight Traffic (TIS). This publication is based on the “5L Initiative” (in partnership with Dresden University of Technology, the Department of Rolling Stock of the TU Berlin and railway industry companies), which focuses on the attributes of low noise, lightweight, logistical suitability, robustness, and reduced running costs.
These factors must be considered not only in the construction of new goods wagons but also when retrofitting the up to 700,000 items of rolling stock currently in use. “In order to ensure acceptance of the ambitious target of bringing an additional 288 billion tonnes/kilometres onto the rails by 2030 it is important, for example, to significantly reduce noise levels by developing quieter braking systems”, said Prof. PhD. Eng. Rainer König (TU Dresden), who supervised the technical elaboration of the study.
Technological innovation on cargo wagons is mandatory in order to consolidate the competitive position of railway transport and the use of new wagons developed by companies which support the “5L” project is aimed to increase the railway transport market share from 16% (according to “EU transport in figures. Statistical pocketbook 2012”) to 25% (or 288 billion t-km) up to 2030. Therefore, achieving a technical and operating concept in the design of wagons (which considers measures for reducing travel times, noise level, and the dimensions for a better use) will answer the challenge launched by increasing freight volumes.
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