After several years of construction of passing tracks for long trains and the expansion of double track, it is now possible for the 730-meter-long freight trains to operate regular on the Swedish railways. First up is Hector Rail. Trials with longer trains between Hallsberg- Malmö has gone well and now Hector Rail has begun to run the 730-meter freight trains between Malmö and Katrineholm and between Malmö and Hallsberg.
Sweden has for years built new passing tracks for a maximum of 750 meter long trains. Along with expanded double tracks and other types of measures, the investment now starts to pay dividends.
Intensive efforts between the Swedish Transport Administration and Hector Rail has resulted in it now rolls 730 meters long freight trains in regular service in Sweden.
Longer trains mean more goods on every train, which in turn means cheaper transport per unit. A 730 meter long freight train brings 15 percent more payload than the previous maximum length of 630 meters.
Another important effect is that more goods on the same train may also free up capacity on the track for the other trains.
Today 730-meter long trains are running every day from Katrineholm and Hallsberg to Malmö, and to the continent. The trains from Hallsberg are loaded with paper rolls to customers in Europe and the trains to and from Katrineholm are filled with trailers where each train relieve road network of about 35 trucks.
Sweden allow Europe’s biggest trucks, but until now Sweden have had Europe’s shortest freight trains. It is time that we now restore the competitiveness of rail. It is Hector Rail’s ambition to constantly take the railway to new levels and this is a good example to visualise this ambition.
