VTG with Flexible Superstructure and Substructure in Freight Car Construction

With a new car architecture, VTG makes rail freight transport more flexible than ever before: By separating the superstructure and substructure, as well as the modular adaptability of the m² platform, the freight car becomes multifunctional for various applications. Since the superstructure is interchangeable, a car no longer serves just a single transport purpose.

(Hamburg) VTG consistently aligns the value chain to customer needs. The new transport concept “Modular Solutions” is a response to an increasingly faster and more agile market, providing greater operational possibilities and more efficient repairs through individual combinations of substructure and superstructure.

Depending on individual needs, the respective components can be linked in various ways. The modular design makes logistics overall more flexible, but also improves the usability and utilization of rolling stock throughout its entire lifecycle. “Standard was yesterday,” says Sven Wellbrock, Chief Operating Officer Europe & Chief Safety Officer of VTG AG. “We want to offer our customers integrated and, above all, individual solutions from assets, logistics services, and digital services. With modular solutions, rail freight transport will become an integral part of the supply chain.”

Modularization of Freight Transport

With the new transport concept “Modular Solutions,” VTG has created a sustainable and simultaneously flexible business model that is entirely customer-oriented. “Our task is to completely rethink the freight car – including all services and business models,” says Torben Jaeger, Head of VTG Europe Solutions. “The majority of freight cars in rail transport are built and approved for a specific purpose. In light of an increasingly agile market, this is no longer timely in every case. We no longer think only in terms of cars or products, but in terms of solutions.” The individual combination of modular superstructures with all common intermodal cars not only maximizes operational possibilities, but the assets can also be made available more quickly. Cars that are only used seasonally do not have to sit in the depot for the rest of the year. Ultimately, modular cars also make repairs more efficient: If a container is defective, the entire car no longer necessarily has to go to the workshop; instead, an intact container can be placed on the platform. The same applies to a defective car. Here, the container can be moved and continue its journey. This way, downtimes can generally be reduced.

Joint Development with DB Cargo

The car concept m², developed jointly by VTG and DB Cargo, goes even further. “With m², we are also modular in the substructure and can bring the car to any desired length,” says Dr. Hanno Schell, Head of Technical Innovations at VTG AG. The focus is on maximum adaptability. Thanks to the modular design, the flat car can be continuously adapted to current wishes and conditions – length, bogies, and brake configurations can be selected and modified individually and as needed.

Wide Modular Offering

The tailored modular solutions are already available for a variety of industries. Customers can choose from platform and superstructure solutions for various transport goods, including steel products, wood products, or bulk goods. For liquid and gaseous products, there is a wide selection of various tank containers.

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