The consortium of DB Cargo and VTG has completed its research involving the development and testing of a new generation of freight wagons.
The consortium presented the results of the project at German Federal Ministry of Transport (BMVI).
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The results show that the newly developed wagons use 2-3% less energy, and further adjustments and new digital modules can lead to optimising dispatch and operations.
VTG CEO Dr Heiko Fischer said: “Our collaboration showed how rail transport can be made quieter, more cost-effective and more energy-efficient.
“We are now carrying these findings over into our operations: The newly developed wagon types have been added to our regular rental portfolio and will be available to our customers in the future. That means we are making rail freight traffic even more attractive.”
The consortium launched the project in 2016 to make rail freight transportation cost-effective. The project commenced test operations in March last year covering 150,000km.
BMVI contributed €18m towards the research project, while DB Cargo and VTG shared procurement costs amounting to €4.5m.
DB Cargo has placed an order for 300 freight wagons, which includes the car transporter wagon and multifunctional flat wagon BraCoil for steel shipments.
DB Cargo CEO Dr Roland Bosch said: “We are continuing to invest in our fleet and are opting for flexible freight wagons.
“They improve the quality of our transports and make them more economical, but they also add value for our customers.”
Headquartered in Hamburg, VTG Aktiengesellschaft is an international wagon hire and rail logistics company with a fleet of 94,000 railcars.
In October last year, it acquired CIT Rail Holdings (Europe) and its wagon-leasing company Nacco Group for net proceeds of around $1.1bn.
