Transportation capacity as well as efficiency can be raised significantly by operating longer trains, even with existing technology.
For freight train operators a large portion of the cost is fixed per train or increases less than proportionally to increase train size. Power ratings per locomotive are higher for the modern locomotives that are procured now. Several dominating commodities, including intermodal and forest products, are comparatively light per meter train length, necessitating train lengths of more than 800 m to fully utilize the locomotive performance, even for a single locomotive. Longer freight trains than the 630 m cleared today can therefore raise the transportation capacity of the railway system as well as the train operators’ revenues. Longer trains can also give better coordination with connecting links, across Öresund as well as to Germany.
Practical limitations consist of locomotive performance, gradients and electrical power feeding, braking performance and length of terminals, yards and sidings. Several important freight yards, such as Malmö and Hallsberg, already have tracks up to 877 m and 890 m long. In the near term longer freight trains can be introduced and train conflicts minimized at night on double track lines in southern Sweden and by directional operation of parallel lines in northern Sweden, even before sidings are extended.
Needs, propulsion performance, braking performance and infrastructure limitations are described.
1. Transportforum 2012-01-12 Session 42: More efficient freight transportation through longer trains
Transportation capacity as well as efficiency can be raised significantly by operating longer trains, even
with existing technology.
For freight train operators a large portion of the cost is fixed per train or increases less than
proportionally to increase train size. Power ratings per locomotive are higher for the modern
locomotives that are procured now. Several dominating commodities, including intermodal and forest
products, are comparatively light per meter train length, necessitating train lengths of more than 800 m
to fully utilize the locomotive performance, even for a single locomotive. Longer freight trains than the
630 m cleared today can therefore raise the transportation capacity of the railway system as well as the
train operators’ revenues. Longer trains can also give better coordination with connecting links, across
Öresund as well as to Germany.
Practical limitations consist of locomotive performance, gradients and electrical power feeding, braking
performance and length of terminals, yards and sidings. Several important freight yards, such as Malmö
and Hallsberg, already have tracks up to 877 m and 890 m long. In the near term longer freight trains
can be introduced and train conflicts minimized at night on double track lines in southern Sweden and by
directional operation of parallel lines in northern Sweden, even before sidings are extended.
Needs, propulsion performance, braking performance and infrastructure limitations are described.
END
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2. Transportforum 2012-01-12 Session 42: Effektivare godstransporter genom längre tåg
Transportkapacitet såväl som effektivitet kan höjas betydligt genom att köra längre tåg, även med
befintlig teknik.
För godstågsoperatörer är en stor del av kostnaderna fasta per tåg eller ökar mindre än proportionellt
med en ökning av tågstorlek. Effektprestanda per lok är högre för de moderna lok som nyanskaffas.
Flera dominerande godsslag, däribland kombi och skogsprodukter, är dock jämförelsevis lätta per meter
tåglängd, vilket gör att tåglängder större än 800 m behövs för att utnyttja lokens prestanda till fullo, även
för ensamt lok. Längre godståg än de 630 m som är klarerade idag kan därför öka både
järnvägssystemets transportkapacitet och operatörernas intäkter. Längre tåg kan också ge bättre
samordning med anslutande länkar, både över Öresund och till Tyskland.
Praktiska begränsningar utgörs av lokprestanda, lutningar och elektrisk effektmatning, bromsprestanda
samt hinderfri längd hos terminaler, bangårdar och mötesspår. Flera viktiga godsbangårdar, såsom
Malmö och Hallsberg, har redan spårlängder upp till 877 m och 890 m. På kort sikt kan längre godståg
införas och tågkonflikter minimeras nattetid på dubbelspåriga banor i södra Sverige och genom partiell
enkelriktning av parallella stråk i norra Sverige, även innan mötesspår förlängts.
Behov, traktionsprestanda, bromsprestanda och infrastrukturens begränsningar beskrivs.
SLUT
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