The Windhoff CargoSprinter is a freight multiple unit designed to transport freight or equipment, designed by German manufacturer Windhoff in the mid-1990s.

Initially seven vehicles were built for Deutsche Bahn. Four were built by Windhoff and had the reporting code DB class 690. Another three closely similar units were built by Waggonfabrik Talbot ('Talbot Talion') and given the reporting code DB class 691. The design did not lead to further freight work, several of the trains were later converted for other uses including tunnel rescue trains.

A variant for infrastructure and service trains, named the Multi Purpose Vehicle has been sold in a number of countries, mainly for use by rail infrastructure companies. These include:

  • the United Kingdom (Railtrack, a track maintenance and specialised overhead electrification train),
  • Switzerland (specialised tunnel rescue and firefighting version), and
  • the Netherlands and Taiwan (maintenance of high speed lines).

History and design

The CargoSprinter was developed in 1996 by Windhoff in association with freight operators DB Cargo and Fraport. The train was a five-car permanently connected set of container-carrying vehicles (capacity ~10TEU), with driving cab at each end (motorised with underfloor engines), and capable of being easily connected and worked in multiple with other CargoSprinter trains. 7 vehicles were initially built (1997) for trials with Deutsche Bahn. Ex-freight trial vehicles later found use modified for specialised roles, such as tunnel rescue,

The CargoSprinter trains operated between the intermodal rail terminal Rail AirCargo Station at Frankfurt Airport, Hamburg, Osnabrück, and Hanover and between 1997 and 1999, carrying two trains per day: the equivalent of 5,000 lorry loads per year. The service was initially successful with high reliability and full utilisation; work on the connecting railway line in the second year of operation disrupted the service, causing loss of custom leading to the termination of the service.

From 2000 the units were out of service, one was used for the Siemens' CargoMover experimental freight vehicle which was displayed at Innotrans in 2002. The remaining vehicles were offered for sale in 2004, and acquired for use in Austria as tunnel rescue trains. The Australian CargoSprinters have similar technical characteristics as the original versions built for Deutsche Bahn: Push-pull operation, with 2 Volvo EU Tier II engines with 5 speed transmissions per powered end unit; a cargo capacity of 2 TEU per vehicle; all wheels disc braked; air suspended cabin with air conditioning; and the ability to work in multiple train-units; and a top speed of .

Whilst CRT was acquired by Queensland Rail the CargoSprinter was retained as part of a private company by CRT director Colin Rees. In 2004 Colin Rees announced that a more powerful version of the design was being developed, with double the capacity.

Netherlands

In 2000 independent Dutch railway company Shortlines announced that it had placed a 5DM million order for CargoSprinter trains with Windoff, to operate a freight train for Philips between Eindhoven and Rotterdam. The use of CargoSprinters was cancelled due to time and cost issues relating to installing ATB safety system on the trains.

In 2007 Windhoff acquired a contract to supply two MPV vehicles were supplied to Infraspeed for infrastructure work on the HSL Zuid in the Netherlands. The design is powered by engines, and has a top speed of .

Norway

Jernbaneverket ordered 11 track and catenary maintenance vehicles in 2014, for delivery from 2016.

Switzerland

thumb|SBB fire fighting and tunnel rescue train

A fire-fighting train, the LRZ NT (Lösch- und Rettungszug Neue Technologie) was developed by Windhoff and partners (2003) for Swiss rail operators Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon (BLS) and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS) for initial use on the Lötschberg Base Tunnel. Windhoff supplied the basic train technology, derived from their MPV design. SBB acquired a three vehicle two engined train, whilst BLS acquired a four-vehicle, three-engined train (both with one unpowered vehicle). The SBB trains comprise one fire fighting vehicle, one non-powered vehicle with the water/foam supply and breathable air supply, and a rescue vehicle with space for 60 people. The BLS train has an additional rescue vehicle. Both versions are powered by MTU 6H1800 R80 type engines of power.

In 2009 an ex-DB CargoSprinter (DB 691-502) machine was used as part of a new train design, named RailXpress – the design used a remote control modified CargoSprinter control car at one end as a control car and for shunting on non-electrified lines. At the other end of the train an electric locomotive (such as SBB Re 420) was used for mainline work, operating trains of at up to .

A related design for transportation of construction materials (gravel) also began operation in 2009, named Marti Express Shuttle; the trains consist of a converted ex-DB (Talbot) driving vehicle, 8 intermediate four axle wagons, and an electric locomotive – the train has a carrying capacity of up to .

In 2012 SBB ordered 2 additional LRZs for the Gotthard Base Tunnel from a Windhoff / Dräger consortium.

In 2015 SBB ordered 35 track maintenance vehicles for delivery from 2017 to 2021.

In 2016 SBB ordered 3 additional LRZs from a Windhoff / Dräger consortium, for the CEVA line, Ceneri Base Tunnel, and the Lötschberg and Simplon Tunnels.

Taiwan

In 2007/8 Windhoff manufactured and supplied six MPV derived trains for infrastructure maintenance work on the Taiwan High Speed Rail line.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, infrastructure operator Railtrack ordered 25 two-car units in 1998. The first 25 trainsets had only one driving car powered. An additional order for 7 more trainsets was placed in 2000 – these units had both end cars powered giving a top speed of . The vehicles are used for weedkilling, de-icing, and water-jetting and sandite treatment of the railhead.

The MPV vehicles have also been proposed for use in revenue earning freight train services; ISO container transportation using a MPV power cars and conventional container wagons was experimentally trialled in 2000; containers were transported from the Port of Southampton to terminals in Birmingham and Barking. and technically successful trials with a two MPV power cars and 7 OTA two-axle timber wagons were carried out in 2005.

Two factory train for renewing overhead line equipment on the West Coast Mainline was ordered in 1999, and delivered in 2000. Each train-consist was made up of five separable autonomous units (four of which were single-ended MPVs); the entire train is fitted for multiple working allowing self powered transportation to a work site. In operation the train-consist splits into five sub-trains: the first unit is used to dismantle and recover previously installed wire; the second unit replaces catenary support wires ("droppers"), the third and fourth units install new wire and droppers, and the fifth unit is used for quality control – measuring and recording the new installation. To allow slow speed control the MPVs were fitted with hydrostatic drives. A Windhoff MPV was also used as the basis of a piling train – used to install catenary masts. The piling train including MPV mounted piling hammers (Fambo AB), and installation cranes (Hap, Palfinger).

In 2011 a specialised factory train for overhead line installation was ordered – the initial use of the train was expected to be the electrification of the Great Western Main Line (c.2013). The train, named the 'High Output Plant System' train was completed by late 2013. The entire train consisted of a 23 vehicles designed to be split into five separate working sections: two piling sets, one with a vibrating piler, the other with a percussion piler; a concrete mixing set; a structure erection set; and a catenary installation set.

In 2016, NI Railways had an MPV delivered to undertake sandite duties.

See also

  • M250 series, high speed electric multiple unit for containerised freight (Japan)

References

Literature

  • also
  • , images of INFRASPEED MPVs (Netherlands)