New VTG Maintenance Concept Revolutionizes the Market

VTG is transitioning from time-based to mileage-based maintenance starting in 2022. This innovative concept ensures flexible revision intervals and higher availability of the cars. With this change, VTG is ushering in a new era of freight car maintenance. The new concept achieves higher availability of freight cars.

(Hamburg) VTG is ushering in a new era of freight car maintenance: Starting in 2022, the VTG maintenance regime will shift from the previously time-based approach to a mileage-based maintenance system. Based on real-time data collected and analyzed via VTG Connect, VTG will be able to fully utilize the mileage potential of freight cars thanks to demand-driven maintenance. “We always want to offer our customers the best possible overall package of safety, flexibility, and availability regarding car rentals and services. Our European fleet is comprehensively equipped with telematics systems – the foundation for the development and fundamental transition to the new maintenance regime. This allows us to better meet customer demands for higher availability of the cars,” says Sven Wellbrock, Chief Operating Officer Europe & Chief Safety Officer of VTG AG.

Revolution in Freight Car Maintenance

Changes to the Railway Construction and Operating Regulations in 2018 paved the way for this innovative approach, which VTG is now implementing fleet-wide as the first European car holder on this scale. Mileage-based maintenance allows for more flexible revision intervals and increases the availability of the cars. This is made possible by demand-based revision intervals based on actual performance, and additionally, more mobile maintenance can be carried out within the framework of mileage-based maintenance. These will continue to follow the VPI European Maintenance Guide (VPI-EMG). “We certainly adhere to the established technical regulations. However, through our expanded way of thinking, we are establishing a new maintenance culture. We are not changing the maintenance guidelines, but applying real-time information to proven systems,” says Frank Sadowski, Head of Technical Support & Safety at VTG Rail Europe.

Safe and Better Monitoring, Planned Revisions

A crucial success factor in the innovative concept is also the fleet-wide use of VTG Connect. The reliable mileage recording is only possible through the digitization of the VTG fleet. “VTG Connect provides us with real-time data that enables seamless monitoring. This allows us to make predictions and plan maintenance intervals much better,” says Stefan Franke, Head of Technology at VTG Rail Europe. Safety is always a priority, including in the development of mileage-based maintenance. “Now that we know the actual mileages, we further strengthen the safety factor by conducting revisions as needed,” adds Frank Sadowski. The concept was designed based on high safety factors and has been reviewed by experts, and appropriate safety considerations have been conducted. Currently, the entire European fleet of VTG is being assessed for its capability for mileage-based maintenance. In principle, almost all cars that have lower annual mileages qualify for a more flexible revision cycle. The exception is cars that, due to their technical equipment, are not suitable for mileage-based maintenance, which is verified by experts down to the component level. In the first step, two-thirds of the VTG fleet will already be transitioned to the new concept of mileage-based maintenance. Photo: © VTG