Railcar manufacturers agreed that innovation and the use of new technologies applied to railcars allow for better cargo handling, providing greater certainty to rail users compared to road transport.
Luis Pardo, executive vice president at Trinity Industries , said that through innovation it is possible to increase payload , reduce energy consumption and the life cycle cost of cars.
“In the United States, it is estimated that 70% of railcars are underutilized, or are not on time, ready, or in service, so physical improvements can increase payload, as well as energy or life cycle, but they do not contribute to the efficient use of railcars as visibility, data analysis, and technology do,” he explained during the webinar “ Innovations in Railcar Design for Operational Efficiency ,” organized by the Mexican Association of Railroads (AMF) .
Therefore, the company has made structural improvements to the units, such as reduced weight, smaller size, stronger structures, new materials—such as resins—and components.
“In the dry cargo van, thanks to the engineers’ analysis and listening to the customers, we were able to improve the design and reduce the weight by five thousand pounds, which is 2.3 tons that translates into increased payload. This also helped make loading and unloading more efficient. In the manufacturing process, we found efficiencies by having a structure with a more plant-friendly manufacturing process,” Pardo emphasized.
He also mentioned that in the case of the hopper, they made structural changes to allow for heavier loads, while for car carriers, there is more space for maneuvering. As for the tank cars, they use resin for better sealing and to prevent corrosion.
“These are improvements made to the design of the cars in conjunction with the talent of our people and the needs of the client. Improvements that help us reduce weight and fuel consumption are one thing, but where real efficiency in railway operations can be achieved is in the implementation of systems that allow us to read data, make decisions, and correct them, especially now with artificial intelligence (AI),” he stated.
He said that the industry installs sensors to obtain certain data, such as location, conditions and health of the car, which helps them to know if the handbrake is on, among other factors.
Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Hernández, Manufacturing and Industrial Engineering Manager at The Greenbrier Companies , explained that the actions they are taking are focused on the safety and resistance of critical loads.
“We have a super high-strength gondola, made of grade 100 steel, an innovation in the rail industry that increases load capacity to 15,000 pounds. It is important to give capacity to the vehicles and railcars, while also reducing space and increasing their useful life and fatigue life,” he commented.
Among other tests, he said that the train cars undergo compression testing to ensure there is no deformation and to extend their lifespan.
The specialist predicted that in the coming years new steels will be used that allow for greater rigidity , load capacity and safety in movement, among other things.
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