DB Schenker initiated service of 10,214 KM ( ~ 6386 miles ) from China thry Kazakhstan - Poland arriving Aug 02. 51 containers were shipped with transloading a Kazakhstan and Poland borders. Trip took 15 days. If the transload cranes were like CSX's North baltimore terminal transload would be very quick. More likely transloading much slowwer.
The wide guage of Russian related RRs really causes much slow down. One has to wonder when or if Russian RRs will ever go to Standard as Spain is slowly doing. Already some French freight can go to near Barcelona on standard guage.
This distance is ~ LAX - East coast & back which a container could probably transit in 8 days or less so these routes have a lot of schedule reductions possible. Customs clearances will be a real problem for speed ups.
http://www.railjournal.com/index.php/freight/15-day-transit-for-china-–-germany-freight-train.html?channel=542
Some of the customs clearances could occur at the same borders where the gauge changes and transloading has to be done, so those 2 delay causes could be combined to minimize their total effect.
As the volume builds, the transloading point could also provide a location and an opportunity to sort the containers onto different departing trains for different destinations (another example of making a positive out of a negative).
- Paul North.
Russia is never going to convert to standard gauge. When you consider the Russian psyche and the reason that a five-foot gauge was chosen, you will understand why that statement is true.
From the very earliest days, Russia chose 5 foot gauge as their standard out of fear of the Germans or other potential invaders using their rail system as an invasion route. In many locations, there are no vehicle roads, or those that do exist are not paved.
Even passenger trains on the Trans-Siberian route rarely exceed 30 or 35 MPH, and much of it is single track, which is another reason why the transit time is so slow.
CSSHEGEWISCH Russia is never going to convert to standard gauge. When you consider the Russian psyche and the reason that a five-foot gauge was chosen, you will understand why that statement is true.
While I think it's unlikely the existing Russian rail network would re-gauge, I do think there is the possibility that newer, parallel freight lines could be constructed specifically for the "China trade"...
I doubt that the Russians are as worried about a land invasion as they were during the cold war....
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
TALGO ha entered into several agreements with Russian entites with regard to its gauge-changing technologies.
While I believe that the focus is on through passenger service to/from Western Europe, this technology could certainly be used on dedicated freight cars, if there was enough traffic to warrant it.
carnej1 I doubt that the Russians are as worried about a land invasion as they were during the cold war....
Johnny
Dragoman TALGO ha entered into several agreements with Russian entites with regard to its gauge-changing technologies. While I believe that the focus is on through passenger service to/from Western Europe, this technology could certainly be used on dedicated freight cars, if there was enough traffic to warrant it.
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