In order to simplify maintenance and ensure uniform logistics, Swiss national rail operator SBB wants to standardise its wagon fleet. To that end, it is ordering up to 840 new wagons from Slovak manufacturer Tatravagonka.
The purchase is supposed to help SBB reduce the number of wagon types that it has in use to three, simplifying maintenance. At present, SBB has some 4,400 wagons in use of 16 different types.
The operator says that the first wagons from the order will be delivered from the end of 2026. As part of the possible 840 new wagons, SBB could be getting up to 570 flat wagons and 270 bulk wagons.
Prerequisite for success
The company says that a modern and efficient fleet is a prerequisite for successful rail freight transport, and its entire rolling stock arsenal will be renewed by 2040. “With the order for up to 570 modern ‘Rens’ flat wagons and up to 270 ‘Fans-u’ bulk wagons, this is the first of two tranches to modernise our freight wagon fleet,” says Raphael Weber, purchasing project manager at SBB. “In the coming years, we also want to purchase new covered wagons in a second tranche.”
In the medium term, the Rens flat wagons are supposed to become the only flat wagon in use at SBB. It has ordered 200, with the option of 370 additional wagons. They are equipped with side and end wall flaps as standard and are suitable for transporting heavy goods, steel products or bulk goods and building materials, the company explains.
Automatic brake testing and DAC
SBB also ordered 70 Fans-u bulk wagons, with the option of 200 more. They are suitable for transporting gravel, sand or excavated material. The modern “Fans-u” weigh less than their predecessors in use by SBB, so it can carry more freight. The first Fans-u are expected to be delivered by the autumn of 2027.
“The new wagons of both types are prepared for the use of automatic brake testing and digital automatic coupling. Individual components of the new wagons, such as bogies or brakes, are selected from the same manufacturer in coordination with the new wagons from SBB Infrastructure. This creates important synergies”, explains SBB.
“This simplifies maintenance because we need fewer different tools and spare parts, for example,” explains Raphael Weber. “This allows us to save costs and maintain our rolling stock more efficiently.” Besides the “Rens” and “Fans-u” wagons from the current order, the last wagon type to be in use at SBB by 2040 is the “Hbbillns” wagon.
