2012-01-11 Session 34: Fran-Scan hi-cube intermodal corridor Britain – France – Scandinavia Higher loading gauges on the railway can be introduced comparatively easily and give better coordination between transportation modes and higher capacity for many loads, including consumer and forest products. For many commodities, volume (rather than mass) limits how much can be loaded into today’s vehicles and load units. On the highways in Europe a vehicle height of 4.5 m or taller is permitted in five nations – Norway, Sweden, France, the United Kingdom and Ireland – which contributes to high capacity and efficiency in transportation. The nations in between, however, only permit up to 4.0 m height on the highways, which prevents through traffic with tall vehicles between France and Scandinavia. On the railways the maximum vehicle height in much of Europe is presently 4.65 m, but there is sufficient margin to normal overhead line height to permit 4.9 m or even taller vehicle height between Scandinavia and England via France. A new intermodal gauge, P/C 450 (2.60 m4.83 m), enables: - 4.5 m high semitrailers on flat wagons with a ramp (ro-ro) - 4.0 m high semitrailers on flat wagons with a ramp - 1.15 m high lumber packages stacked three high (+50 %) instead of two. With ro-ro loading instead of lifting the majority of the existing semitrailer and swap bodies, even without reinforcements, can be handled in intermodal transportation. The new intermodal gauge P/C 450 was introduced in 2011 on the Øresund bridge and already fits in the Eurotunnel between France and England and on some lines in Sweden. Introduction of this gauge is proposed for an integral corridor between Norway, Sweden, northern France and England. Due to its narrow width this new intermodal gauge avoids many obstacles, and can thus be introduced comparatively easily. Surveying a pilot route from a major sawmill to its shipping port revealed zero stopping obstacles. With minor additional enlargement of the loading gauge through Belgium and northern France, a route would be opened to London for the most common European loading gauge, G2. Intermodal coordination, intermodal development and wagonload development are described.

1. Railway Group
Fran-Scan
Hi-Cube Intermodal Corridor
Britain – France – Scandinavia
Hans E. Boysen
Department of Transport Science
Royal Institute of Technology
2012-01-11
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2. Purpose
Railway Group
• To identify opportunities, challenges and logistic
effects of operating higher railway loading
gauges in Europe
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3. Presentation Outline
Railway Group
PART 1: INTERMODAL COORDINATION
PART 2: WAGONLOAD COORDINATION
PART 3: WAGONLOAD DEVELOPMENT
PART 4: SUMMARY
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4. Intermodal Transportation Growth
Railway Group
Swedish cross-border rail freight tonnage excluding iron ore (1000 tons)
Data: TA
Cross-border intermodal transportation is growing rapidly.
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5. Standard and Hi-Cube Intermodal Loads
Railway Group Victoria Skeidsvoll
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6. Highway Vehicle Height Limits
Railway Group
Vision: P/C 450
4.2 m
rail corridor
>4.5 m
4.65 m
>4.95 m
4.0 m
>4.5 m
4.1 m
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7. Narvik
Rail Freight Corridors
Railway Group Fran-Scan corridor
Luleå
Existing P/C 450 lines Piteå Oulu
Planned P/C 450 lines Skellefteå
Rail ferry link
Umeå
Trondheim
Östersund
Örnsköldsvik
Ånge Sundsvall
Tampere Kouvola
Turku
Fran-Scan Bergen Falun
Borlänge Gävle
Oslo S:t Petersburg
Uppsala Helsinki
Drammen Västerås
Örebro Tallinn
Hi-Cube Stavanger
Trollhättan
Hallsberg
Skövde
Katrineholm
Norrköping
Linköping
Stockholm
Kristiansand Jönköping
Göte-
Intermodal borg
Ålborg
Halmstad
Varberg
Nässjö
Riga
Helsing - Älmhult
Corridor Århus
Esbjerg Taulov
Køben-
havn
borg
Lund
Malmö
Fran-Scan Odense Trelleborg
(P/C 450) Hamburg
Lübeck
Rostock
Sassnitz
Bremen
Osnabrück
Berlin
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Metz

8. Intermodal Gauge P/C 450
Railway Group
Overhead contact wire
Container/
Trailer width
swap body width
260 cm
260 cm
Container/
Trailer height Trailer Container/
P = pocket swap body
450 cm P 450 swap body height
C = container C 450 365.5 cm
Total height
483 cm ATOR
Wagon
Wagon floor height
Wagon 117.5 cm ATOR (UIC 571-4)
ATOR = above top of rail
Wagon pocket height 33 cm ATOR (UIC 571-4)
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9. Sample Intermodal Pocket Wagons
Railway Group
Green Cargo Ruud
270 mm pocket height, Sdggmrs 270 mm pocket height, Sdggmrss
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10. Sample Intermodal Flat Wagons
Railway Group
Gareth Bayer Anders Jansson
820 mm floor height, Sffggmrrss (FKA) 1155 mm frame height, Sgnss
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11. Intermodal Load Heights in P/C 450
Railway Group
Wagon floor height Wagon type, examples Max. container/swap body height
ATOR within P/C 450
1.175 m UIC 571-4 3.655 m
1.170 m Sdgms 3.660 m
1.155 m Sdggmrss, Sdgmns, Sgnss 3.675 m
1.150 m Sdggmrss-t 3.680 m
0.825 m Sffggmrrss 4.005 m
0.820 m Sffggmrrss (FKA) 4.010 m
Wagon pocket height Wagon type, examples Max. trailer height
ATOR within P/C 450
0.330 m UIC 571-4 4.500 m
0.310 m Sdgms 4.520 m
0.270 m Sdggmrs, Sdggmrss, Sdgmns 4.560 m
ATOR = above top of rail
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12. Volume Capacity Increase
Railway Group
Relative volume capacity (%) Relative volume capacity (%)
vs. trailer height (m) vs. container/swap body height (m)
120 120
115 115
110 110
105 105
Relative volume capacity (%) Relative volume capacity (%) vs.
100 vs. trailer height (m) 100 container/swap body height (m)
95 For mega trailers with 95
floor height 1.0 m
90 90
4 4,5 3,15 3,65
+17 % larger unit volume capacity with
intermodal gauge P/C 450 than with P/C 400.
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13. Railway Intermodal Gauges
Interunit 2011
Railway Group
(modified)
Fran-Scan
P450
P432
P422
P410
P400
P380
P359
No code
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14. Approximate Distances
Railway Group
Folkestone – Malmö ≈ 1300 km
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15. Present Corridor Loading Gauges
Railway Group
Overhead line
Eurotunnel
Øresund Top of rail
GC
P/C 450
Betuwe
GC
P/C 432
Development: Denmark planning for a taller loading gauge.
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16. Loading Gauges
Railway Group
Corridor Loading gauge,
segment height
Norway M, 4.595 m
Sweden C, 4.83 m
A, 4.65 m
Øresund bridge P/C 450, 4.83 m
Denmark G2, 4.65 m
Fehmarnbelt link
Germany G2, 4.65 m
Netherlands G2, 4.65 m
Betuwe line GC, 4.65 m
Belgium GB-M6, 4.602 m
France GB1, 4.32 m
Eurotunnel 5.75 m
Sufficient height of loading gauge SE-C and Eurotunnel for P/C 450
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17. Vertical Clearance Requirements to OHL
Railway Group
OHL = overhead line
• Overhead line construction tolerance: 30 mm
• Contact wire dynamic movement: 50 mm
• Electrical minimum clearance (EBO, VDE 0115-1):
- 25 kV 220 mm
- 15 kV 150 mm
- 3 kV 50 mm
- 1.5 kV 35 mm
• Vehicle dynamic movement (TSI): 50 mm
• Track ballast tamping allowance: 50 mm
Total clearance 215 mm to 400 mm needed to OHL.
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18. Loading Gauges and OHL Heights
Railway Group
OHL = overhead line
Corridor Loading gauge, OHL Total OHL height OHL normal
segment height voltage clearance needed for height
needed P/C 450
Norway M, 4.595 m 15 kV 0.33 m 5.16 m 5.5 m
Sweden C, 4.83 m 15 kV 0.33 m 5.16 m 5.5 m
A, 4.65 m
Øresund bridge P/C 450, 4.83 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.23 m 5.33 m
Denmark G2, 4.65 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.23 m 5.3 m, 5.5 m
Fehmarnbelt link
Germany G2, 4.65 m 15 kV 0.33 m 5.16 m 5.3 m, 5.5 m
Netherlands G2, 4.65 m 1.5 kV 0.215 m 5.045 m 5.5 m
Betuwe line GC, 4.65 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.23 m 5.5 m
Belgium GB-M6, 4.602 m 3 kV 0.23 m 5.06 m 5.3 m
France (north) GB1, 4.32 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.23 m 5.5 m
Eurotunnel 5.75 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.23 m 6.3 m
Sufficient clearances to normal OHL heights for P/C 450.
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19. Lift-on Lift-off Loading
Railway Group CargoNet
• Lift-on lift-off requires load unit reinforcements.
• Few semitrailers are reinforced (<10 %).
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20. Roll-on Roll-off Wagons in P/C 450
Railway Group Trailer Train
4000
4830
Wheels > 0.63 m
4000
4830
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21. Other Loads: Construction Equipment
Railway Group
Anders Karlsson
1268 mm floor height, Rs
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22. Other Loads: House Sections and Lumber
Railway Group
Bengt Dahlberg Peter Norberg
1268 mm floor height, Rs 1235 mm floor height, Rns
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23. House Sections and Lumber in P/C 450
Railway Group
Overhead contact wire
Section width Load width
255 cm 210 cm
Packaged Packaged
lumber lumber
Maximum House Packaged Packaged Maximum
Package
section height load height
356 cm section 110 cm lumber lumber 353 cm
Maximum
total height
483 cm ATOR Spacer Packaged Packaged
4 cm
lumber lumber
Wagon Wagon
Top of rail
Wagon floor height Wagon riser height
127 cm ATOR 130 cm ATOR
ATOR = above top of rail
Lumber can be stacked 1 package higher (+50 %)
in intermodal gauge P/C 450 than in P/C 400.
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24. Lumber: Three Packages High (+50 %)
Railway Group Ulf Jaarnek
1305 mm riser height, Sgns
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25. Lumber: Three Packages High (+50 %)
Railway Group Ulf Jaarnek
1305 mm riser height, Sgns
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26. Swedish Softwood Lumber Export
Railway Group
to the Main European Markets
Statistics Sweden, Swedish Forest Industries Federation
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27. Presentation Outline
Railway Group
PART 1: INTERMODAL COORDINATION
PART 2: WAGONLOAD COORDINATION
PART 3: WAGONLOAD DEVELOPMENT
PART 4: SUMMARY
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28. Railway Loading Gauges
Railway Group
Vision: G2
rail corridor
>G2
G2
<G2
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29. Loading Gauge G2
Railway Group
• Central and eastern Europe use the G2 gauge.
• HS1 and Eurotunnel are cleared for the G2 gauge.
Folkestone
Calais
• How to connect?
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30. Clearing a Path for G2 to Britain
Railway Group
• Belgium: GB-M6 and P/C 450 nearly envelop G2.
P/C 450
GB-M6
G2
• France: GB1 and P/C 450 nearly envelop G2.
P/C 450
GB1
G2
Minor additional gauge enlargement would open
London, Folkestone, northern France and Belgium
to the larger wagons of central and eastern Europe.
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31. Sample Enclosed Wagons
Railway Group
Transwaggon Transwaggon
G1 gauge, Habbiins 14 wagon G2 gauge, Habiis 11 wagon
IL 22.6 m, IW 2.83 m, V 173 m3 IL 21.838 m, IW 2.83 m, V 186.3 m3
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32. Volume Capacity Increase
• Volume capacity comparison of Habbiins 14 (G1)
Railway Group
and Habiis 11 (G2), per meter of inside length.
Relative volume capacity (%)
vs. loading gauge
114
112
110
108
106
104 Relative volume capacity (%)
102 vs. loading gauge
100
98
96
94
G1 G2
+11 % larger wagon volume capacity
with loading gauge G2 than with G1.
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33. Presentation Outline
Railway Group
PART 1: INTERMODAL COORDINATION
PART 2: WAGONLOAD COORDINATION
PART 3: WAGONLOAD DEVELOPMENT
PART 4: SUMMARY
KTH Railway Group • Center for research and education in railway technology

34. Maximising Loading Gauge Height
Railway Group
OHL = overhead line
Corridor OHL normal OHL Total Loading gauge
segment height voltage clearance height possible
needed
Norway 5.5 m 15 kV 0.33 m 5.17 m
Sweden 5.5 m 15 kV 0.33 m 5.17 m
Øresund bridge 5.33 m 25 kV 0.40 m 4.93 m
Denmark 5.3 m, 5.5 m 25 kV 0.40 m 4.90 m
Fehmarnbelt link
Germany 5.3 m, 5.5 m 15 kV 0.33 m 4.97 m
Netherlands 5.5 m 1.5 kV 0.215 m 5.285 m
Betuwe line 5.5 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.10 m
Belgium 5.3 m 3 kV 0.23 m 5.07 m
France (north) 5.5 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.10 m
Eurotunnel 6.3 m 25 kV 0.40 m 5.90 m
Loading gauge height 4.90 m possible under normal OHL height.
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35. Desired Flat-Top Loading Gauges
OHL 5.30 m Clearance ≥ 0.40 m (25 kV)
Railway Group
Wide P/C 450
3.60 m 4.90 m 2.60 m 4.83 m
Medium P/C 400
3.40 m 4.90 m 2.60 m 4.33 m
Narrow
3.15 m 4.90 m
Pocket 0.33 m
TOR 0.00 m
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36. Loading Gauge Comparison
Railway Group
Note: Largest inscribed rectangle above floor height, 1.2 m.
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37. Opportunities of a Larger Gauge
Railway Group
Kockums Industrier Kockums Industrier
133 m3 volume, Hiqqrrs-vw wagon 158 m3 volume, SECU container
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38. Opportunities of a Larger Gauge
Railway Group
Frederik Tellerup Michael Nilsson
5 seats across, X53 unit 3.45 m width, X55 unit
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39. Presentation Outline
Railway Group
PART 1: INTERMODAL COORDINATION
PART 2: WAGONLOAD COORDINATION
PART 3: WAGONLOAD DEVELOPMENT
PART 4: SUMMARY
KTH Railway Group • Center for research and education in railway technology

40. Conclusions
• P/C 450 intermodal gauge (2.6 m 4.83 m) enables:
Railway Group
- 4.50 m high semitrailers, loaded by lift-on lift-off
- 4.00 m high semitrailers, loaded by roll-on roll-off
- 1.15 m high lumber packages, loaded three tall.
• P/C 450 fits within the Swedish C loading gauge.
• Overhead line normal heights are sufficient for P/C
450 Norway – France – Eurotunnel – Folkestone.
• Minor expansion would enable G2 gauge to London.
• On rebuilt or new lines, 4.9 m flat-top is desired.
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41. Recommendations
Railway Group
• Show the applicable P/C intermodal gauges in all
railway network statements.
• Implement P/C 450 on Fran-Scan connecting
lines:
- Trelleborg – Halmstad 2015, Skälebol – Oslo
- Malmö – Hallsberg, Fors – Luleå
- Mjölby – Stockholm
- København – Esbjerg
• Implement in the Fran-Scan corridor:
- P/C 450: København – Hamburg – Lille – Calais
- G2: Rosendaal – Lille – Calais
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42. Railway Group
Thank you!
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