Our vision 2030+

We have set ourselves the goal of making rail freight fit for the future: This can only succeed if we become even more innovative and use new technologies. The first major step on this road will be the implementation of the innovative freight wagon at RCG. After that, we will work with the entire industry to plan the intelligent freight train. The measures will ultimately culminate in the vision of autonomous production in rail freight transport. We are now graphically depicting this path in a technological rail map. 

Moving forward together

For the innovative freight wagon, we can drive forward the topics independently and thereby attempt to achieve a competitive advantage, but for the intelligent freight train we need the whole of Europe. That is because a collaborative European approach is needed to ensure interoperability across company and national borders. For this reason, it is particularly important that we play a key role in the most important European committees for the intelligent freight train, advocate for our project and drive it forward together with other rail transport companies and wagon keepers. This approach will enable us to achieve significant efficiency improvements in rail freight transport in the medium term and thus remain competitive with other modes of transport. 

By 2025

In the coming years, the development of the innovative freight wagon will be a top priority for us at RCG. This involves modernizing our freight wagon fleet with the help of various innovations. An important milestone was the development of TransANT, a lightweight wagon with a modular design including container concepts. Further innovations are on the horizon: We are currently testing various solutions in connection with wheelsets for different challenges - such as radially adjustable wheelsets and modern sensor technology in the wheelset that could minimize abrasion. Many of these innovations should be in widespread use by 2025 and bring us a step closer to the innovative freight car. 

By 2030

As a logical consequence of the innovative freight car, we need an intelligent freight train that will allow train preparation and operational processes to be automated in the future. To achieve this goal by 2030, the Digital Automatic Coupler ( DAC ) - i.e., a center buffer coupler with power and data management - is the enabler. This is because the DAC is considered a prerequisite for automation and digitization in rail freight transport. To drive this revolution forward, we are playing a leading role in the Europe-wide DAC Delivery Program. 

Vision 2030+

Our vision is the autonomous production for which the (partially) automated freight train is a crucial building block. This includes autonomous "First & Last Mile" as well as "Automated Train Operations" (ATO), i.e. autonomous steering and braking of the train with the supervision of a train driver. We still have a long way to go, but with every technological development we take a step forward. We as RCG are pioneers for the automation of rail freight transport and are playing a major role in making the vision a reality!