Objective Project VEL-Wagon will be a key milestone for the efficiency of intermodal freight wagons since it will demonstrate that fewer elements and less dead weight can result in the same or even more transport output. Coherently, the project will design a versatile platform element for a multipurpose function and intermodal use that will bring about an important gain of flexibility, accessibility and efficiency of railway services. The project will investigate the current status of the European freight railway market and, more importantly, it will look at the trend thereof and its associated logistics. In synchronisation, a wagon engineering activity will be launched for determining the final costs of a solution matching the market requirements. The basic working paradigm is the markets need for longer and lighter wagons with fewer axles. This has already been corroborated in a recent study commissioned by FERRMED and corresponds with the intermodal market trend of using increasingly longer intermodal loading units. Indeed, in advanced and modern logistics, due to the transportation of finished and semi-finished products, the value of the cargo has increased and its density has decreased. The project will examine the limits of light wagon construction and the future infrastructure response to the everyday-more-challenging railway traffic. The investigation will be initiated with concrete wagon concepts to be examined, namely, 4-axle rigid platforms of 80 to 90 feet length. The outcome will be a compromised solution between economic aspects and technical constraints. Intentionally, the result will pave the way for further investigations of max allowable axle load in Europe, since, in respect to infrastructure solicitation, fewer axles with somewhat higher load may be equivalent to more axles with regular load. The research intention of VEL-Wagon is necessary for understanding and paving the way for the future European transportation sustainability. Programme(s) FP7-TRANSPORT - Specific Programme "Cooperation": Transport (including Aeronautics) Topic(s) SST.2010.2.1-1. - Fast implementation of innovative/effective rail technologies to improve rail freight services Call for proposal FP7-SST-2010-RTD-1 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research project Coordinator TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT BERLIN EU contribution € 398 484,00 Address STRASSE DES 17 JUNI 135 10623 Berlin Germany See on map Region Berlin Berlin Berlin Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Silke Hönert (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (3) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLAN Sweden EU contribution € 151 200,00 Address BRINELLVAGEN 8 100 44 Stockholm See on map Region Östra Sverige Stockholm Stockholms län Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Susanne Weideskog (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data ZILINSKA UNIVERZITA V ZILINE Slovakia EU contribution € 199 091,00 Address UNIVERZITNA 8215/1 010 26 Zilina See on map Region Slovensko Stredné Slovensko Žilinský kraj Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Peter Fabián (Dr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data TATRAVAGONKA AS Slovakia EU contribution € 82 912,00 Address STEFANIKOVA 887/53 058 01 Poprad See on map Region Slovensko Východné Slovensko Prešovský kraj Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Administrative Contact Miroslav Tomas (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data