TX Logistik tests train measuring 838 meters in Sweden

Successful test run in rail freight transport: TX Logistik AB, the Swedish subsidiary of the German TX Logistik AG, has operated a train measuring 838 meters in length in Sweden. The railway logistics company, part of the Mercitalia Group (Gruppo FS Italiane), deployed the fully loaded train on the approximately 500-kilometer route between Malmö and Frövi (Örebro Province).

(Troisdorf/Malmö) This train from TX Logistik AB transported food products for the Swedish retail chain Coop. The Swedish Transport Administration Trafikverket was involved as a third partner in the test run.

So far, only trains with a maximum length of 630 meters have been permitted on most routes in Sweden. “An extension to 838 meters would significantly increase transport capacities and make rail freight transport even more efficient and attractive for shippers,” says Lars Winther Sørensen, Managing Director of TX Logistik AB in Sweden. This, in turn, is a crucial prerequisite for shifting more goods from road to rail. According to Lars Winther Sørensen, even for goods that have so far been transported almost exclusively by road, a more extensive use of rail is possible.

The use of longer trains is an important impetus for climate-smart transport by rail. Specifically, the combination of high loading capacity per train and high speed contributes to a highly productive transport system. The test train carried 48 semi-trailers and traveled at speeds of up to 120 kilometers per hour. This made it faster than trains in comparable test runs in other countries. It was pulled by a four-axle locomotive that is typically used in rail freight transport.

Increasing rail share with longer trains

Coop has been transporting food and other goods by rail in Sweden since 2009. Since 2012, TX Logistik has been operating for the retail chain between Bro, 30 kilometers northwest of Stockholm, and Malmö. Just two years ago, the number of trips was doubled from ten to twenty. “30 percent of our transports are currently handled by rail,” explains Peter Rosendahl, Transport Manager at Coop Logistik. The retail chain would like to increase this share further. “That’s why we participated in this forward-looking project and hope to extend our trains in the near future.”

Further tests planned

In planning and executing the two test runs on May 8 and 9, TX Logistik, Coop, and Trafikverket worked closely together. Further tests in Sweden are planned.

Photo: © TX