TÜRASAŞ, the Turkish rolling stock manufacturer, has completed the prototype of a railcar designed to transport trucks semi-trailers by rail. The Ministry of Transportation in Ankara says testing has begun, and the goal is to produce 100 railcars by 2026.
Turkiye is preparing to introduce a new type of railcar for intermodal transport. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, the Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, announced that TÜRASAŞ has completed production of the prototype railcar designed for transporting truck semi-trailers.
According to the minister, testing has begun, and the new vehicle is expected to allow semi-trailers used in road transport to be loaded directly onto locally produced freight railcars.
TÜRASAŞ, the acronym for Türkiye Raylı Sistem Araçları Sanayi A.Ş., is the Turkish state-owned company specializing in the production of rail vehicles.
100 railcars planned for 2026
Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said that the project marks a first for Turkiye and could usher in a new era in logistics.
“We have successfully completed the production of the prototype as part of our railcar project for transporting trucks semi-trailers, developed by TÜRASAŞ using local and national resources, and have begun testing. By introducing these new-generation freight vehicles into the rail fleet, we will turn a new page in logistics,” the minister stated.
The Ministry of Transportation states that, once testing is complete, the railcars will be put into service to support a more efficient, economical, and sustainable logistics solution.
The announced target is to produce 100 railcars by 2026 at TÜRASAŞ.
Trucks Semi-Trailers, Transported by Train Over Long Distances
The new railcar is designed to enable the transport of trucks semi-trailers by rail as part of intermodal chains. In practice, the cargo can remain in the semi-trailer, which is then transferred to the train for long-distance journeys.
According to Uraloğlu, the railcars will integrate road and rail transport into the same logistics chain. Over long distances, freight would benefit from the economic and environmental advantages of rail transport, while last-mile distribution would continue to be handled by the flexibility of road transport.
The minister said that the railcars will contribute to the development of intermodal transport by simplifying the transfer of goods between modes of transport.
A Solution for Greener Logistics
The project is being presented by Turkish authorities as part of efforts to offer the logistics sector a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective alternative to long-distance road transport.
Instead of semi-trailers traveling the entire distance by road, they could be loaded onto trains for the main segments of the route, reducing road traffic, fuel consumption, and emissions.
For Turkiye, the project also has an industrial component. The ministry emphasizes that the railcars are being developed using local resources and are expected to join the national rail fleet once testing is complete.
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