Třinecké železárny switches to Innofreight

Třinecké železárny, one of main Czech steelmaking companies, has started test transport of iron ore using Innofreight technology, at the same time putting into trial operation a stationary unloading facility, newly built at its plant for this purpose.

Part of the transports were thus switched from standard open box wagons to a rake of 15 articulated 2x 30' InnoWaggons with 60 MonTainers. The latter are of the XML version, 15 feet long, 27 m³ in volume, with a tare weight of 2.3 t and a maximum construction payload of 35.7 t (38.0 t in total), resutling thus in the maximal payload of 142.8 t per InnoWaggon. In this case, tare weight of 2x 30' InnoWaggon and the four XML Montainers together is 36.2 t, which in theory would result in maximal payload of 143.8 t with 22.5 t axleload, therefore design payload of Montainers is the limit. However in real terms, around 138 t is loaded per InnoWaggon on account of the reloading technology.

The first loaded train arrived in Třinec on 31 January 2023. During February and March, more trains will be added to verify the loading, transport and unloading processes and by 1 April 2023, normal operations should be up and running, with 20 rakes deployed. A total of 290 InnoWaggons and 1,160 MonTainers have been purchased for this purpose by Budamar Innovations (a joint venture between Budamar Logistics and Innofreight), which hires them to ZSSK CARGO. The iron ore is transported from Ukraine, and is reloaded from 1,520 mm gauge wagons in Čierna nad Tisou.

This is the fifth Innofreight's stationary unloading facility in the Czech Republic, after the installations at the Mondi Štětí paper mill and the coal power plants in Opatovice nad Labem, Chvaletice and Mělník.