Deutsche Bahn (DB) is upgrading its Ulm-Dornstadt rail-road transshipment terminal. As part of the €148 million investment, the rail operator has installed three automated gantry cranes at the facility. They should lead to a major capacity increase.
The installation of the gantry cranes at Ulm-Dornstadt means that containers can be transported fully automatically and without human intervention for the first time, according to DB. In total, the installation process took three weeks. Technical outfitting is expected to be completed by May 2027, after which trial operations will commence in mid-2027.
The cranes are approximately 26 metres tall and 48 metres wide. Each crane can move containers weighing up to 41 tonnes. “State-of-the-art control and assistance systems ensure precise handling and quiet operation, thanks to integrated ‘soft-landing’ technology”, writes DB.
As a result of the upgrade, the terminal capacity should grow to 300,00 loading units per year. Alongside the gantry crane upgrade, DB will upgrade track infrastructure. The terminal is getting four new 720-metre craneable transshipment tracks. This upgrade will be ready by 2029, if all goes according to schedule.
Dual-use infrastructure
Due to the automated nature of the gantry cranes, they do not feature crew cabins. The systems are centrally controlled and do not require a staffed operator station. There is a remote control station for emergency control, however.
The €148-million investment received €91.6 million in support from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility Military Mobility programme. This is because the facility is considered to be dual-use. Once completed, the terminal upgrade is expected to prevent around 22.4 million truck-driven kilometres on the road annually.