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                Metrans is going for hybrid and electric locomotives. The company also aims to largely electrify terminal pro- cesses. For example, hybrid shunting engines are al- ready in use. In addition, orders have been placed for electric rail cranes. The required current will be sustain- ably generated. Despite traffic growth, in 2021 CO2 emissions on the Metrans network were reduced by around 60 percent. The company is compensating for all currently unavoidable emissions through certificat- ed development projects.
ALL-INCLUSIVE
Shifting containers by rail calls for more than just a locomotive and a gaggle of railcars. Container stor- age for shipping and leasing companies; sale/leasing of new and used containers; maintenance, cleaning and repairs; and repositioning throughout Europe – all these services are essential for transporting con- tainers. Metrans has been meeting these needs for almost 31 years. That all started in Prague in 1991, when Jiri Samek founded the company. With two block trains per week, even then Metrans was al- ready shifting large volumes of freight from road to rail. In its entire network, the total is now around 550. From the start, Metrans was a pioneer for sustained
freight traffic. Peter Kiss, after Samek’s death in 2018 his successor as CEO, summarizes the company phi- losophy: “We offer simple and neutral solutions in the complex area of trimodal transport. Above all, we aim to assist our customers about differing, but sometimes very specific, situations.” With all-inclu- sive solutions for container transport.
A SUCCESS STORY CONTINUES
Now as then, Metrans relies on vision and innova- tion. Energy efficiency and environmental compati- bility are to the fore there. Back in 2004, the group accordingly opted to develop lightweight railcars. With correspondingly less rolling resistance and en- ergy consumption, these weigh around four tons less than a normal railcar. These cars as also fitted with ‘whispering brakes’ that reduce movement and brak- ing noise by up to 50 percent. The DigiTwin project also signals the way ahead. A ‘digital twin’ aims to digitally reproduce all the states of a railcar that would otherwise need recording by wagon inspec- tors. Digital recording simultaneously saves costs and time. Solutions like these enable Metrans to fur- ther develop rail freight transport as an efficient envi- ronment-friendly alternative to road traffic. ■ lm
CONTAINER WORLDS ■
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