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Rail operations
Published in Jason Monios, Rickard Bergqvist, Intermodal Freight Transport and Logistics, 2017
There is a considerable challenge in matching wagon types to unit loads to achieve high levels of on-train capacity utilisation. Wagon platform lengths of 60’ (i.e. 3 TEU) are common for maritime flows (see the example in Figure 3.6), dating from the time when the proportions of 20’ and 40’ containers were fairly similar. With the reduction in the proportion of 20’ containers in deep-sea shipping, it is more difficult to fully load these wagons. As a consequence, new wagon designs with 40’, 45’ or 80’ platform lengths are becoming more common across Europe. The challenges of fully utilising the available wagon platform length are also felt in the continental/domestic market, where unit load sizes vary considerably, and, most particularly, where operators try to combine maritime and continental/domestic traffic on the same train. Either a compromise has to be made, whereby wagons are sufficiently flexible in their design to cater for the spectrum of unit loads but with a trade-off in utilisation levels, or different wagon designs are needed to be able to efficiently cater for each of the unit load types, with implications for overall fleet planning and utilisation. Wagon loading may also be influenced by axle load limits, meaning that wagons may not always be able to be fully loaded.
Intermodal Road and Rail Vehicles and Maritime Vessels
Published in Lowe FCILT David, Intermodal Freight Transport, 2006
German rail wagon manufacturer Graaff has a two-axle flat rail car primarily intended for loading containers and swap bodies. This design has a shock-protected loading platform equipped with 16-foldable locking pins to carry loading units in different combinations. The wagons can accommodate either one 30 foot or one 40/45-foot ISO container or two 20-foot units, and has a load capacity of 32 tonnes. These wagons are approved for operation at up to 120 kilometres per hour.
Compression, tension & lifting stability on a meter gauge flat Wagon: an experimental approach
Published in Australian Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2022
The design and dimension of a freight wagon body is determined by its purpose (American Railway Encyclopedia 1961) and the railway of track gauge. Freight wagons are used to transport solid, liquid or bulk products in loose condition or within a container. To transport customer specific multi-purpose products including ISO containers (20 feet or 40 feet), the present flat wagon is designed (shown in Figure 1). The container carrying metre gauge flat wagon consists of 17 Ton/axle load T17APB Bogie. Hence, the wagon is capable of taking 68 Ton maximum gross load. The tare (empty weight) weight of the wagon is 14 Ton. Therefore, the wagon can carry the maximum 54 ton payload (gross weight – self weight of wagon). The structural requirements of the flat wagon are considered based on EN 12663–2:2010 standard (EN 12663-2 2010). Satisfying the structural requirement of the present flat wagon, S355J0 grade steels are used for the whole underframe of the wagon except the top cover plate. The material used for the top cover plate is S355J0 W, which is weather resistant steel as this top cover plate is exposed to rain water. The other parametric data used for this wagon are tabulated in Table 1. The wagon is also equipped with several accessories’ items (tow hooks, handrail, flag carrier, and footstep) to facilitate ease of access during operation.