TX Logistik AG (TXL)is exploring opportunities for a new intermodal connection between Oradea in Romania and the Rhine-Ruhr area of Germany. During a presentation at the Oredea terminal near the Hungarian border, initial discussions were conducted with representatives from forwarding agents, logistics companies and other Romanian industries.

TXL also demonstrated on the spot how semi-trailers and road vehicles can be simply put on the rails with the innovative transshipment systems NiKRASA and roadrailLink. With this system, non-craneable semi-trailers can be loaded onto rail using a positioning aid and a loading adapter.

Potential Romania

“We still see considerable growth opportunities for intermodal transport on the west-east axis”, says Berit Börke, CSO of TX Logistik. “Romania in particular is a market with potential for new connections to Western Europe.” Since spring 2018, the railway logistics company has been operating an open train connection between Cologne and Curtici in Romania with five round trips a week. Mega trailers are mainly transported on that route.

The NiKRASA transhipment system met with great interest among the participants in Oradea. “We currently have around 150 NiKRASA adapters in use on various routes throughout Europe,” explains Stefano Noseda, Regional Director for Italy & Southern Europe Sales at TX Logistik. “This is also an option for freight forwarders and shippers in Romania, as there are virtually no craneable trailers on the road in eastern Europe and our system can cope with the existing standard equipment on site. Rail transport is also a way of countering the shortage of truck drivers.”

roadrailLink

The roadrailLink (r2L) adapter system converts a standard pocket wagon into a car transport wagon, is a load carrier developed by Vegatrans and KässbohrerTransportTechnik, which is constructed with mobile and adjustable ramps and can be easily loaded in any rail terminal with a reach stacker or terminal crane.

A complete train with 16 double pocket wagons can accommodate 96 vans, 64 trucks or 32 semi-trailers – mixed loading variants are also possible. Berit Börke says: “The mixed load makes a very flexible design possible. You are not tied to one type of wagon, but can also change easily within a train composition. This opens up completely new possibilities for combining train systems.”