RCA keeps transports on the railway

03-Dec-2009

Rail Cargo Austria has a climate-friendly and economical solution for the reorganisation of full-load traffic in Styria.

The initial situation was not easy: the full-load traffic business in the quality network (see background) from and to the Styrian logistics centres Graz-Werndorf and St. Michael has been generating massive losses for Rail Cargo Austria at the latest since the start of the economic crisis. In the end, only 30 to 50 % of the capacity of part load transports in Styria was used. Contrary to reports in the media that said that RCA was shifting all of these transports from rail to road, RCA actually developed alternative transport solutions.

Solution

In a first step, the transports in the quality network and in the base network (see background) were analysed and adapted according to the respective optimal capacity utilisation. In addition, the connections of the logistics centre Graz-Werndorf and St. Micheal were replanned. Loading times were rearranged, loads bundled and two additional trains included in the operation.

Impacts

This bundle of measures makes it possible that most of the freight of RCA’s logistics locations in Styria can continue to be transported on the climate-friendly railway. Two truck runs a day have to be shifted onto the road for a short time. However, RCA is confident that also these two trucks will be brought back onto the railway in 2010. RCA has achieved its goal of an economically viable operation of rail transports in full-load traffic: these measures will have their effect on RCA’s results with several million Euros. ”Transport and logistics cannot be forced into a rigid system. Commodity flows change; the network must be allowed to breathe. With the solution for part-load transports in Styria we have shown that RCA has a solution-oriented approach to problems – to the benefit of our customers, profitability and climate protection,” explains Friedrich Macher, Spokesman of Rail Cargo Austria’s Board of Management.

Requirement to European transport policy

It is clear that the general transport policy conditions for an economically viable rail freight transport must be met. These policy decisions can only be made on highest level. “Brussels must enhance promotion of European rail freight transport. Wishful thinking, demands and lip services are of no use, if massive investments in roads continue and the railway is left at a disadvantage,” challenges Macher the European Union to come up with a sustainable and future-oriented European railway transport policy.

From road to rail

RCA has been very successful with the implementation of all these measures. Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH & Co. KG - Wals will return to using the additionally created resources in the quality network. Between Salzburg and Graz-Werndorf, Porsche has once again shifted its transports from road to rail. This means that there will be 500 truck transports less on Austria’s roads. ”In meetings, RCA and Porsche have strived to find an economically viable and ecologically sensible solution. With the proposal that has now been agreed, RCA has succeeded to realise a solution that meets our requirements,” explains Walter Huber, Managing Director of Porsche Konstruktionen GesmbH & Co. KG.

Background

In full-load traffic, wagons of different customers are carried from the forwarding to the destination station. This usually requires several changes of the wagons from arrival trains to departure trains (exchange of rolling stock) in marshalling yards.

Full-load traffic base network: the base offer in full-load traffic connects all points of dispatch and borders and ensures a time of carriage within Austria of basically 36 hours.