New Contracts at CFR Freight

In the latest period, the CFR Freight company has been particularly preoccupied with the modernization of the existing wagon park and its extension with new wagon types, which should meet the new transport requirements.
To this end, SC Romvag SA Caracal is currently building three types of wagons, financed by an EBRD loan, within the Romanian railways modernization Program. The types are Hbikklls - with sliding doors, Rils - with mobile cover, and Shmms - with mobile cover for the transportation of tin rolls. Also, capital repairs have produced wagons of the Eacs and Eaos type, with a new consolidated cage, which meet current requirements in the UIC and RIV provisions and have a high operating reliability.
The new wagons program put an emphasis on the wagon park for combined traffic. An order was issued for SC ASTRA Vagoane Arad to manufacture a new type of four-axle wagon, with low platter. This is a domestic patented Design, built after a project by the Wagon Research and Design Institute in Arad, according to the latest technical regulations worldwide.
The wagon has a load-bearing metal frame built with rolled profiles, bent sheet profiles and welded steel sheets. The platter has different elevation - 850 mm near the bogies and 625 between the bogies, over a length of 10,500 mm. The slope between the two elevations is 2,550 mm long.
Bogies in the welded construction are fitted with wheels featuring a 760 mm rolling diameter.
The automatic brake is KE-GP-A; with KE Ra/3.8 KSLn triple valve, two RLV 11d pressure relays, a WM 10 weighing vent and two 10"/12" brake cylinders. The blocking brake applies on the drums of a single bogie, uses a cogwheel-screw design and can be operated on both sides of the wagon.
The wagon is fitted with eight stallers for the truck wheels, and can operate in a temperature range of -20 C to +50 C.
Existing wagons will also be modernized to increase the wagon park for combined transportation. Following the order issued to the Wagon Research and Design Institute in Arad by CFR Freight, a plan was worked our to convert low-wall two-axle platform wagons, of the Ks type, into two-axle platform wagons for containers. Following the modification, the wagon will be able to carry containers and boxes with 20", 30" and 40" sizes. The prototype will be built in the fourth quarter of 1999.
This type of platform on two axles is fitted with:

- rolling gear and suspension for 22.5 tons per axle;
- traction, connection and bumper gear according to UIC;
- automatic KE-GP-A SS-mode brake and block brake acting on a single axle;
- fixing gear for containers and boxes;
- stairs, handles, lamp supports, label boxes and other accessories, according to client needs and existing norms.

The wagon is designed to travel on track with 1,435 mm width, at temperatures between -20 C and +50 C. It is built to meet requirements imposed by UIC 577 and UIC 519, as well as ERRI reports as to the date of the contract signing.

 On August 13, 1999, the Romanian Commodity Exchange held an international open public tender for the purchase by CFR Freight of 100 covered freight wagons, on two axles, with high capacity, featuring sliding aluminum doors, type Hbb(ii)ns, delivered in barter for scrap metal and/or old decommissioned freight wagons, in their present state.
The tender was won by Ples Corporation, of Hungary, which signed on September 14, 1999, the acquisition contract with CFR Freight.
The contract stipulates the following:

- completion term: December 31, 2000;
- the amount of scrap iron due to be delivered by CFR Freight, coming from wagon dismemberment;
- CFR Freight will deliver the scrap iron by December 31, 1999 in portions of 5,000 - 6,000 tons a month, then in portions of 10,000 tons/month, until the contract obligations are met;
- in case old decommissioned freight wagons are delivered, on their own wheels and in their current state, the contract states that Ples will support the cost of the presence of a CFR Freight delegate, who will sign the dismemberment protocol.
- the Hungarian firm will purchase, from Romanian suppliers, the following parts: chassis, front walls, assembled axles;
- the cost of homologation testing and trials by AFER of the new wagon type for Romania will be supported by Ples.

The wagons mentioned in the contract meet the latest technical specifications and are among the most demanded in the European transports.
The wagon has a useful volume of 108 cubic meters and allows a fast loading of a vast range of merchandise.
The total loading capacity is 25 tons for a maximum loan per axle of 20 tons and a maximum speed of 120 km/h, or 30 tons for maximum load per axle of 22.5 tons and maximum speed 100 km/h.
The design of the wagon allows the transportation of packaged goods, which a high volume and relatively low specific weight, as well as goods that require weather protection. The removable upper cap allows the loading to proceed both vertically and horizontally.
Depending on the necessities, six separating walls can be fitted inside the wagon, allowing the wagon to be separated according to the number of clients using it.
Through this contract, CFR Freight will have the chance of bringing new wagons into its park, without having to pay. At the same time, it will make use of the 20-year-old technically obsolete and deteriorated wagons, which now fail to meet traffic safety standards and are no longer suitable for repair.
The contract will also allow Romanian suppliers (repair and manufacturing plants) to contract and deliver, in their turn, a number of significant parts and components, such as chassis, assembled axles, and front walls. This will both stimulate the activity of these units, but also create jobs in the Romanian industry.
At the same time, the contract is a challenge for the Romanian industry, which will have to assimilate the manufacturing of top components in the railway transportation sector: assembled axles able to withstand 22.5 tons, new welding techniques and light (aluminum alloy) parts, and braking equipment suitable for travel at 120 km/h.
Before the contract is finished, both sides plan to make every effort to fully integrate this wagon in Romania, with the exception of aluminum walls. In order to accomplish this, Ples Corporation, CFR Freight and a Romanian manufacturing company will sign a contract under which the necessary parts will be manufactured.

Serban Lacriteanu and Gh. Delca

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