In Russia the use of containers as an intermodal means of transport for consumer goods is a young market with high growth potential of up to 10% each year. But in Europe containerisation has already reached high levels: containers are now the principal means of goods transportation. The global redistribution of production capacities over the last 30 years and the Chinese “economic miracle“ have given absolute dominance to eastwest transport of containers by sea. However, intense global competition between sea carriers, limitations on vessel capacity and economic slowdown on local markets have increased the importance of cost and speed as key criteria when selecting providers of logistics services. As a result, intermodal transportation using railways has become increasingly popular. This, in turn, generates strong incentives for developing new, more efficient rolling stock designs. Railcars that offer an optimal quality-price balance will be in strong demand. The current exchange rate of the Russian currency strengthens the competitive positions of all exporters from the Russian Federation, including manufacturers of rolling stock and railcar components.
The articulated flat car for transportation of heavyweight containers was developed by the All-Union Research and Development Centre for Transportation Technology (St. Petersburg, Russia) to European standards specifically for operation on 1435-mm track. The cars are manufactured by the railway equipment holding, United Wagon Company, at its production site in Tikhvin in the Leningrad Region (north-west Russia).
Thanks to its articulated structure, the 80-foot flat car has a payload capacity of up to 107.5 tons, which allows it to safely transport various ISO container sizes, tank containers and swap bodies with gross mass of up to 36 tons. For example, the car can transport four 20-foot universal containers or two 40-foot containers, as well as other combinations. The car is equipped with hinged container twist locks in compliance with European standards for the accommodation of containers in various combinations. The car also meets the requirements of TSI — EU technical specification 321/2013 (13 March 2013) for interoperability of rolling stock.
Russia’s UWC railway equipment holding is thus presenting a railcar for the highly competitive European market, which is fully competitive with analogues in terms of technical characteristics and build quality.
 | 80-foot six-axle flat cars for transportation of heavyweight containers on 1435-mm gauge |
|---|
The car comes in two versions:
• Bogies with 25 t and speed of up to 100 km/h
• Bogies with 22.5 t and speed of up to 120 km/h
Model Sggrs80 for transportation on 1435-mm gauge
