Abstract

The paper analyses the main technical and economic elements of the current European rail freight market and presents the basic concepts of possible new technologies in the rail freight system. They would enable the railways to enter the more rewarding niches of the freight transport market. In an attempt to understand better the problems of introducing innovations into the transport sector this paper also considers the theoretical framework and analyses the implementation paths of the proposed technological innovations. New technologies are confronted with various barriers and difficulties created by the existing and dominant technological paradigms. These are often powerful enough to prevent the introduction of alternatives and promising innovations. The empirical part of the paper focuses on the possibilities of combining the existing innovative rail freight technologies which could, with the appropriate organizational solutions (time-tables) and political support, increase the competitiveness of the rail freight transport in new and promising market segments.

Abstract

The article deals with the development of the new paradigm of the European rail freight system predominantly suitable for the feeder lines (market niches). Taking into consideration the so far adopted legal solutions of the EU Commission for internationalisation (liberalisation) of the European railway system, the concept of the new rail freight model was developed in order to contribute to the increase of the quality, as well as to the growth of the volume of the rail freight services in Europe. Based on the findings about the disadvantages of the existing rail freight paradigm, the new solution consisting of the three interrelated and interconnected subsystems: institutional, technical/technological and organisational, is proposed. New liberalised access to the entire European rail infrastructure network will increase the competition and most probably attract new railway freight service providers. The introduction of the suggested innovative solutions in form of small, self-propelled, bi-directional train formation that can be automatically coupled and decoupled and equipped with the innovative loading and unloading equipment (enabling loading/unloading operations wherever the truck can stay parallel to the train), is to be expected predominantly on the feeder lines (market niches) of the European railways. Članek obravnava predlog novega modela železniškega tovornega prometa, ki je prvenstveno primeren za stranske železniške proge (za tržne niše) na evropskih železnicah. Upoštevajoč sprejete pravne ukrepe Evropske komisije za pospešeno internacionaliziranje (liberalizacijo) evropskega železniškega sistema, smo razvili modelno zasnovo novega možnega sistema tovornega prometa, ki bi dvignil kvaliteto železniških storitev in prispeval k rasti obsega prepeljanega tovora na evropskih žcleznicah. Na osnovi analize slabosti prevladujočega obstoječega modela železniškega tovornega prometa v Evropi smo za oblikovanje novega združili spoznanja iz treh medsebojno povezanih in soodvisnih podsistemov: institucionalnega (pravnega), tehnično-tehnološkega in organizacijskega. Nov svoboden dostop na celotno evropsko železniško infrastrukturno omrežje bo gotovo povečal konkurenco in pritegnil nove ponudnike železniških prevoznih storitev. Realno je pričakovati uvedbo (novega modela) združenih parcialnih inovativnih rešitev obliki kratkih, v obe smeri voznih vlakov z lastnim pogonom, ki se lahko samodejno priklapljajo in razklapljajo in so opremljeni z inovativo nakladalno/razkladalno opremo, ki lahko izvaja operacije natovarjanja in raztovarjanja kjerkoli na železniški progi lahko vzporedno stojita vlak in tovornjak. Nov model bo prišel do izraza predvsem na stranskih železniških progah (pokrivanje tržnih niš) evropskih železnic.

Abstract

The paper examines the potential of three rail corridors: Trans-Sib, Central and TRACECA for freight transport between Central Europe and China. The paper applies a qualitative research method including a review of current literature and interviews. The research examines the technical, operational and bureaucratic conditions of the corridors. The research finds that the unreliable transit time, higher cost and damage and theft of cargo are the most pressing barriers to towards offering an efficient and integrated logistics and supply chain service along the corridors. This is due to, amongst others, problematic, multiple border-crossings and the lack of visible cooperation among the countries. The technical and operational barriers include a change of gauge, differing power supply and signalling systems and non-automated and fragmented information systems. The research also finds that the Trans-Sib is the most attractive corridor currently running and shows promise with the active contribution from the Russian government and relevant direct stakeholders such as Russian Railway (RZD). The TRACECA route is the most problematic option due to, among others, numerous border-crossings, infrastructure and rolling stock constraints and other associated problems.