m2 project - DB Cargo Polska as a co-creator of an innovative form for the freight rail transport of the future

(9 lipca 2020 r.) The m² project is a result of cooperation between the DB Cargo AG Group, the largest freight rail carrier in Europe and VTG, the largest owner of a rolling stock fleet for rent in Europe. The goal of the project is to design and offer for commercial purposes new types of freight wagons the design of which could be adapted to various types of goods and therefore to the customers’ needs in a simple and economic way.

Manufactured in the Rybnik workshop of DB Cargo Polska, the wagons combine multifunctionality and modularity. The structure of wagons may be adapted to the current demands – length of frame and type of body may be each time customized according to the customers’ requirements. The forwarders are therefore provided with tailor-made transport solutions while the carriers are able to quickly react to customers’ new expectations.

“I am happy that DB Cargo Polska significantly contributes to the next innovative project of the DB Cargo Group. Since many years our goal is to implement innovations and create trends on the European rail market. We have been continuously developing the transport network of single wagons and wagon groups which is the largest in Europe, we have been equipping our wagons with sensors and telematic devices to track the position of wagons, assess the condition of goods and measure humidity inside the wagons, we have been working on digitization and automatization of our production processes – says Marek Staszek, CEO of DB Cargo Polska. – The m² project is the natural next step in modernizing our services. With innovative wagons we will be able to provide our customers with flexible services and strengthen our competitive position” – he adds.

What is characteristic to m² wagons is very high quality of manufacture. The prototypes were completely welded with manual shielded arc welding. For this purpose, an innovative welding technique was used that allows for making welds thicker than 24 mm. Four new welding technologies were developed for welding steel with increased plastic limit. A small group of welders with the highest skills, confirmed with a test welding, have been assigned to the project. The components of the structure were cut and prefabricated with a laser beam, with plasma act cutting and water jet cutting.

It was not an accident that our Rybnik Rolling Stock Plant has been selected as the contractor for the m² wagons. Excellent technical base, good location, high qualifications and skills proven by many years of experience in maintenance and repair of German wagons or untypical projects such as modernization of Snps 468 container flat cars brought trust that the works would be done within deadlines and with high quality – says Robert Nowakowski, Board Member for Production at DB Cargo Polska – I would like to thank all the colleagues who have been involved in the project. I am very happy that we have proven our professionalism again.”

After the construction was successfully completed, the prototype wagons are subject to numerous tests in field. The brake tests under various load have just gone well. First dynamic tests have also been successful. In the next step, noise tests and fixed load tests will be performed.

m² in facts and figures:

• 450 m of weld per one wagon
• 1 tonne of welds in total
• 100 pages of welding plans
• 90% of groove welds
• 5 new welding technologies
• 100 AP working tests
• 17 specialist instruments to assembly the structure
• 5 months of work with no accident
• 100% surface-tested welds / 50% of content-tested welds

Shots from construction of the migawki z realizacji wagonu m² >>>