Train: Advancing quieter rail freight

The “InnovTrans 2004” exhibition in Berlin shows a first preview of a technical solution for silent rail transport. It is a rotating frame freight wagon, called LEILA-DG, presented as lighter, quieter and wearing less than current solutions. An electronic monitoring and diagnostic system also allows increased productivity. The wagon was developed by a Swiss and German consortium, with financial support from the German research ministry and the Swiss federal environment agency BUWAL. The German Environment Agency also took part in the project.

The German Federal Government regards rail freight as a challenge of great significance in moving towards "sustainable mobility". The goal is to double the volume of goods transported on the rails between 1997 and 2015. One of the requirements to achieve this is a strong reduction in noise pollution. Freight transport takes place mainly at night and currently freight cars are among the noisiest. The innovations incorporated into the new LEILA-DG wagon make it possible to reduce noise pollution by a factor of 10 compared to wagons with cast iron brakes, and by a factor of 4 compared to already soundproof wagons fitted with synthetic material brakes.

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The wagon is presented to the public for the first time at the “InnoTrans” trade fair which takes place in Berlin from September 21 to 24, 2004.

Sources: Depeche IDW, Umweltbundesamt Press Release, 82 / 04, 20 / 09 / 2004

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