Ukrainian Railways (UZ) has launched a freight service between Romania and Ukraine. It connects the Constanta port on the Black Sea with Perechyn in western Ukraine. In order to reduce the gauge changing time, UZ is using a specialised bogie technology.
UZ explains that the new service, operated in cooperation with UZ Cargo Poland and transport company Lisky, will help to attract new customers amid declining freight volumes and revenues.
Already last week, UZ announced that it had operated the first trip on the route. The rail operator transported rolled steel from Constanta to Perechyn.
Moreover, UZ says that it sent 60-foot-long fitting platforms with wooden floors from Chop (western Ukraine) to Constanta. These were converted from 1,520-millimetre-gauge bogies to their 1,435-millimetre equivalents.
“The key advantage is the bogie change technology: the platforms can be changed from a 1,520-millimetre track to a 1,435-millimetre track without overloading the load”, writes the Ukrainian operator. Replacing the bogies is a much faster process than transferring the load to new wagons, taking only a few hours, UZ adds.
The bogie technology therefore has the benefit of avoiding additional unfastening and refastening operations and reducing handling and material costs. It also reduces the time to cross the border.