In the face of an ever more competitive market, it’s nothing short of a bid to revolutionise rail freight by unlocking unrealised efficiency and sustainability in British operations. The independent Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) recently collaborated with UK-based Railfreight Consulting to pioneer a more scientific and quantitative approach to calculating maximum payloads. Their reappraisal of established methodology aimed to provide freight operators with the tools to optimise loading for the latest traction available to the UK rail freight market.
RSSB’s initiative addresses a longstanding challenge the rail freight sector faces. The study examined the need for accurate and up-to-date information regarding maximum payloads. They want to see accommodation made for these newer, more powerful locomotives and providen empirical basis for reviewing the maximum payload for existing traction types such as Class 60 and the almost ubiquitous Class 66.
Unlike the road freight market, where trucks operate with predefined weight limits, rail freight relies on precise calculations to determine the maximum payload for each class of locomotive on specific track sections. Greater flexibility at the expense of greater complexity, but an advantage not fully realised unless periodically reviewed and updated.
Potential to transform the landscape of rail freight operations
The study is all the more pertinent, given that there’s a fleet othere’sractive units entering operations, ranging from such classes as 59, 68, 70, 88, and through to the innovative tri-mode class 93 and the ‘on-order class 9‘. In the study, the RSSB and Railfreight Consulting sought to enable updates to the recognised Freight Train Loads Book. The findings, presented in an online session hosted by the Rail Freight Group, focused on the static aspect of payload calculations. It looked at how the increased performance of modern locomotives can deliver added value within the existing timetabling constraints set by the UK infrastructure management agency, Network Rail, and their Sectional Running Times (SRT) documentation. RSSB then extended the approach to consider both faster running and higher payloads within the same SRT, transforming the landscape of rail freight operations and going some way towards solving capacity constraint issues, which may otherwise prove expensive to remedy.
Aaron Barrett, RSSB’s lead research analyst, elaborated on the significance of this research. The new methodology, he explained, allows freight operators to leverage the full capabilities of their locomotives. By unlocking untapped potential in terms of efficiency, reliability, and sustainability for each freight journey, operations can be enhanced.
Rail freight in a better position to compete
The key to this revised approach lies in developing a comprehensive methodology that not only calculates maximum payloads more accurately but also facilitates easier updates to the Loads Book in the future. The study pointed out that the Loads Book, containing maximum train payload information for each locomotive class on specific track sections, has seen only minor improvements since the late 1990s. The last major update coincided with the introduction of ubiquitous Class 66 locomotives, leaving a substantial gap in reflecting the capabilities of more recent locomotives.
Ralph Goldney from Railfreight Consulting highlighted the science behind the limits on train payload and the advancements made through this research. “By embracing a m“re scientific and quantitative approach, we are moving away from a static system”, he said. “This”allows us t“ adapt to the evolving landscape of modern locomotives and ensure that freight operators can fully exploit the technological advancements in their fleets.”
Notably, the ra”l freight sector’s commitmesector’secision payload calculations distinguishes it from the road freight market. Rail operations are more closely monitored to avoid incidents and infrastructure damage, emphasising the industry’s dedicaindustry’sfety and efficiency. UK rail freight operators not only stand to benefit from improved efficiency but also to add to their role in reducing the environmental footprint of freight transportation. The combination of longer trains, faster running, and optimised payloads puts rail freight in a better position to compete with other modes, offering a greener and more sustainable alternative for the movement of goods across Britain.