New Wagons At Green Cargo For SSAB’ Steel Transports

A technological shift is afoot for wagons and load carriers for specialised freight transport for the SSAB stretches between Luleå and Borlänge and Borlänge and Oxelösund. A total of 40 new wagons have been leased from Wascosa. They were built by Tatravagónka, are equipped with disc brakes. The assembly of a new type of load carrier on the wagons that is intended to transport steel products is currently ongoing at Green Cargo’s maintenance depot in Eskilstuna.

This involves mounting a cassette on different types of wagons and has been trialed for some time on the Viking wagon for the southern stretch between Borlänge and Oxelösund with satisfying results. The cassette solution creates the opportunity for greater flexibility in wagon usage and allowing the use of wagons that are not typically used for steel products. The wagons designed for trains transporting steel can also be used to transport other types of goods when required. It is also possible to fix a container to a wagon for the transport of, for example, scrap goods.

“Brake technology for the new wagons is the greatest technological development in this area. Disc brakes are used instead of brake blocks. This means that we are using technology that meets EU requirements for quiet freight wagons while we escape the problem of the transition from cast iron blocks to blocks of composite material that have a reduced braking performance,” says Erik Hedlund, Rail Safety Developer at Green Cargo.

„Fitting disc brakes to wagons is a tried and tested technology that we at Green Cargo have previous operating experience of, including from our NRE trains between Narvik and Oslo that have been operating for nearly one year. In our experience, the disc brakes have proven very effective and optimal compared with wagons fitted with brake blocks, particularly when faced with winter conditions. The brakes come with properties that prevent ice and snow from negatively impacting the bogies compared with traditional brakes that have many moving parts. Wagons with disc brakes have also been used for the transportation of steel for some years, again with favorable results.“

Another innovation that is being tested is to cover the bogies with a coating. The purpose of the coating is to prevent ice and snow from accumulating on the bogies in winter conditions, an issue that effects the running of the trains and increases the need for equipment maintenance.