The Swedish Transport Administration and APM Terminals (APMT) at the Port of Gothenburg are conducting trials with a 730-metre freight train. The first trial took place last week from Örebro to the container terminal at the Port of Gothenburg. By the end of the year, the terminal will be able to receive 730-m trains on a daily basis, the port said.
Keld Pedersen, CEO at APMT Gothenburg, said: “Operating long trains enhances the competitiveness of rail transport. It allows rail operators to increase load capacity by at least 15%. The trial was a preview of how things will work once we are fully geared up to receive the longest trains in Sweden here at the terminal.”
Micael Thunborg, market developer at the Swedish Transport Administration, said: “The challenge lies in designing a stable timetable and a stable rail situation where passenger traffic is not impeded by slower freight trains. This is particularly sensitive of course during the daytime and we are extremely pleased that yesterday’s trial proved so successful.”
TMRail was entrusted with operative responsibility for the trial run from Örebro to the port in Gothenburg. The maximum speed was 100 km per hour. The longer trains can carry an extra 16 containers on each compared with the 630-m version.
This rail initiative is part of the operator’s plan to invest more than SEK800m (US$111m) through to 2016. In addition to extended tracks within the terminal, the initiative includes the addition of a sixth track and two new rail cranes. Overall, this will lift capacity at the APMT multi-track loading and unloading facility by as much as 50% by the end of the year, when the planned rail investments are expected to be fully implemented.
