DB LAUNCHES INTELLIGENT FREIGHT TRAIN PROJECT

Conventional wagonload freight accounts for more than three quarteres of European railfreight. Yet, despite intense competition from highway haulers, the railways have done little to modernize or improve the efficiency of this type of traffic. German Rail (DB) has now launched an ambitious project to develop an intelligent freight train which could restore confidence in the future of wagonload freight. 20 of these innovative freight wagons are already at the trial stage. They are being used to test the interaction of components in an intelligent system before consideration is given to adopting the system step-by-step in railway operations. International cooperation is required so that rail freight cars can be employed throughout Europe as "mobile measuring gauges" in the same way as trucks; therefore, two programs are being conducted in parallel: DB's innovative freight wagon project and also a planned study of the new system by a consortium of European partners. The European Union has been asked to support this study which will enable the partners to contribute their ideas towards the development of the intelligent freight train, known as Intefret.

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  • Corporate Authors:

    Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

    345 Hudson Street
    New York, NY  United States  10014
  • Authors:
    • Jahnke, B
  • Publication Date: 1996-3

Language

  • English

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00719179
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Mar 27 1996 12:00AM