A technique to transport non-craneable trailers by rail is now available for the train service between Tilburg in the Netherlands and Rzepin, in western Poland.

The collaboration between GVT, VTG and Vega has led to a new concept in the Netherlands. The trailer is placed on the train by the truck itself, which rolls off the train thereafter. This is different from other systems, where the trailer is lifted by a dedicated system. After arrival of the train at the destination, the last mile can be carried out by road. But for the long haul, the truck is off the road. And this is a gain for the rail freight sector.

Flexibility

You are much more flexible this way, said Roland Verbraak, general director of GVT. GVT plans to set up the service for daily departures in both directions. Tests are currently carried out, and next week the first operation is planned. The Tilburg-Rzepin train service is an existing connection, and an important line for rail freight traffic between the Netherlands and Poland.

At the moment, non-craneable trailers are rarely seen on the track, because comparable techniques are only available in a few places. In Poland, the technology is used in the CLIP terminal in Poznan, and TX Lostiks has recently launched the system in Hungary. The EU is also financing a large-scale project for a new rail-road terminal at Calais, where non-craneable trailers can be put on rail.

Rail Freight Summit Poland

Roland Verbraak from GVT will be speaking at the RailFreight Summit in Poznan this year. Here, he will discuss the challenges and opportunities on the rail freight connection between Tilburg and Rzepin in Poland.

You can register for this event here or have a look at the programme here.