Prihláste sa na odber noviniek
Or how ZSSK CARGO leverages the single wagonload transport (SWL) system to create complete trains and shift thousands of tons of goods from roads to rail.
Scrap and wood have one thing in common in logistics: they are generated and loaded at many locations, yet they are typically transported in large quantities to a single recipient. This creates an opportunity for rail – provided the SWL system is maintained.
How Shipment Consolidation Works
At numerous loading and unloading tracks in stations across Slovakia, as well as on private rail sidings of state forests and private owners, individual wagons are brought in daily for loading, often grouped in sets of several freight wagons. For both commodities, the Eas-type wagons – which ZSSK CARGO has in abundance – are ideal. The composition of local trains across Slovakia thus largely consists of wagons bound for scrap or wood loading.
It can be said that in the SWL system, these commodities are key. Both are also sustainable for the future. Scrap, as a secondary recycled raw material, replaces primary resources such as coal, ore, and limestone in steel production. Wood is a renewable resource, when forests are managed well. And in Slovakia, forests cover up to 40% of the land.
Scrap Shipment Consolidation
An example of shipment consolidation is central Slovakia. In ZSSK CARGO mixed freight trains between Banská Bystrica and Žilina, high-sided open wagons carrying scrap – for example, from Šálková – can regularly be seen. At the Žilina-Teplička marshalling yard, these wagons are joined by others arriving via the SWL system from Dolný Hričov, Šurany, and even eastern Slovakia.
ZSSK CARGO then forms a complete train, which heads towards steelworks in Poland. "This year, we have dispatched ten such trains," says Martina Surmíková, Commodity Manager for Metals, Coal, and Iron Ore at ZSSK CARGO. Some wagons, bound from Hliník nad Hronom to Italy, even had return loads, bringing wire back to Slovakia for processing in Bánovce nad Bebravou.
Not every operation involves shipment consolidation, however. The SWL system also allows for the transportation of wagon groups – such as from scrap handler in Hliník nad Hronom to Podbrezová steel plant.
Numerous Eas-type wagons in ZSSK CARGO’s fleet regularly traverse Europe with scrap in unit trains. "We’ve used them for scrap transit from the Czech Republic to Slovenia and from Hungary to Poland, in the latter case transiting via Čaňa and Plaveč in eastern Slovakia," adds M. Surmíková.
Wood Shipment Consolidation
For wood, the principle is similar, with the same wagons – but loading points and destinations differ. Loading takes place at stations and sidings in Liptov, Orava, and Horehronie regions. Unit trains are then formed at marshalling yards: Lisková and Žilina-Teplička for Orava and Liptov, and Banská Bystrica for Horehronie region. Here, a unit train of up to 30 wagons begins its journey to wood processing plants, often beyond Slovakia’s borders – in Hungary, Austria, or Romania.
ZSSK CARGO ensures shipment collection via local trains, forms unit trains, and transports them to the nearest border station for continued journey on international sections.
Factors Supporting Rail Transport of Wood and Scrap
The advantages of these two commodities in the SWL system include the same wagon type, which can be flexibly used for both raw materials, an ample fleet of wagons, and ZSSK CARGO’s comprehensive network across Slovakia. Another benefit is that a single freight wagon can hold the same volume as up to three trucks. A third supportive factor is that most trucks carrying wood and scrap are equipped with their own hydraulic cranes, allowing drivers to transfer loads independently at the stations and sidings.
On the downside, Slovakia has yet to implement systematic support for SWL, as neighbouring countries like Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic have done. When considering total costs – from the road damage caused by often overloaded trucks with heavy wood and scrap, to emissions, delays on crowded roads, and accident risks – the argument for supporting SWL becomes undoubtable.
With such support, a third commodity could potentially join scrap and wood in using the same wagons: gravel. In this way, the single wagonload system, which demands considerable human, technical, and financial resources, could become more efficient, making rail more attractive, the environment cleaner, and roads safer.
Photos: Adam Komara, Petr Malý, Jakub Reguli, Jaromír Novota
