Railway Cargo Transportation in Open Wagons

An open wagon is a type of railway rolling stock that has walls but no roof. This design is convenient when loading is done from above, and the transported cargo cannot be harmed by natural elements.

What and Where Can Be Transported in Rail Open Wagons

Primarily, bulk cargoes that cannot be damaged by atmospheric precipitation and sunlight are transported in this type of rolling stock:

• ore;
• coal;
• gravel;
• sand.

And this is far from a complete list of such cargoes. Additionally, containers are quite often transported in open wagons. In this case, the open wagon serves as a transport platform, while the container provides cargo protection. This way, almost all railway cargoes can be transported in open wagons.

Delivering cargo in an open wagon can be done in almost any direction. The main requirement is that both the loading and unloading points have railway connections. China, Russia, European countries, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and other Central Asian countries are accessible for cargo delivery in open wagons. In some cases, it is possible to arrange for the delivery of open wagons by sea on special railway ferries.

Design Features, Types, and Characteristics of Modern Railway Open Wagons

By definition, an open wagon has no roof. However, some types of open wagons are equipped with a roof. In this case, the roof is removable. Some rolling stock of this type is equipped with hatches in the floor and end walls that can be opened. This is done to facilitate the unloading of open wagons at the destination. Diagonal corners of the end walls of the open wagons have scobtraps—special ladders, so that the servicing personnel can access the inside of the wagon.

There are two types of open wagons:

1. Open wagons equipped with hatches for unloading cargo are called hatch wagons.
2. Those open wagons that do not have such devices are called closed-bottom wagons. Unloading cargo from them is done on special wagon tipplers. These open wagons also transport containers, the unloading of which is carried out using a crane.

The majority of open wagons used on railways have a carrying capacity of 69 to 71 tons. However, there are also so-called innovative wagons with a carrying capacity of 77 tons. However, it makes sense to transport high-density cargoes in innovative open wagons. For example, transporting coal in such wagons does not make sense, as the carrying capacity will not be fully utilized.

Rates for Transportation in Open Wagons and Ways to Reduce Them

If you order an open wagon, when calculating the fee for a one-time transportation, the specific type of wagon, the distance of transportation, and transit customs tariffs will be taken into account if the transportation is international. If you rent an open wagon for an agreed period, the price of one-time transportation will decrease. Renting open wagons makes sense for companies that regularly transport using this type of rolling stock.