The Wolfson Centre for Bulk Solids Handling Technology

UWC to supply 700 grain hopper cars

(Posted on 12/02/19)

Research and production corporation United Wagon Company will supply Trade House RIF, one of Russia's largest exporters of cereal crops, with 700 hopper cars for the transportation of grain and grain mill products. Shipment of the cars is expected to be completed by the end of Q3 2019.

The 19-9549 model allows for the full loading capacity of the rail car (76 t) to be used. Having bogies with a larger axle load of 25 tf and a car body with a volume increased to 120 m3, the car can transport efficiently a wide range of grain freights, allowing for up to 6 tonnes more grain to be loaded into each car compared with standard model. Using UWC-produced hopper cars therefore means that, for the transportation of 50,000 tonnes of grain, roughly one fewer rolling stock unit will be required thanks to the increased loading capacity of model 19-9549. This means that the fleet of cars can be reduced by almost 10%. In this way, the shipper can transport more freights with a smaller number of cars, increasing operational efficiency.

The model is accepted at all loading and unloading terminal types, and the car is fully compatible with the existing infrastructure. Five loading hatches allow for the even distribution of freight within the car, while their sealing reliably protects the freight from the adverse effects of precipitation.

The overhaul mileage of the car has been significantly extended, to 1,000,000 km (or 8 years), thanks to the use of the 18-9855 bogie model, allowing to slash maintenance costs almost threefold over the car's entire life cycle. For comparison, a grain transportation car using a standard bogie will be sent in for depot repairs after logging just 110,000 km (or after 3 years of operation).

Marina Turyanskaya, Director of Trade House RIF, commented, “Our company is taking active steps to develop its partner relations with suppliers from different regions of Russia, and is seeking to provide optimal prices, comfortable working conditions and efficient transportation, with the freight delivered to its destination intact and in a timely manner. The UWC grain railcars meet our high expectations in full and allow us to cope with the increasing cargo traffic using a reduced fleet of cars, which enables us to cut down expenditures in turn and to maintain prices for our services at their targeted levels.”

UWC has a proven track record in supplying cars to Trade House RIF. There are a total of 500 Tikhvin-produced cars in the exporter's current fleet.