Use of refrigerated cars and reefer sections for cargo transportation by rail

Some cargo transported by rail requires maintaining a specified temperature regime in the car, otherwise, these goods spoil quickly. Such cargo includes:

• Frozen meat and fish, seafood.
• Medications.
• Perfume and cosmetic products.
• Flowers.
• Food products, canned goods.
• Other goods.

For their transportation, special refrigerated cars or reefer cars are included in the rolling stock of railways.

Geography of transportation by reefer cars

60% of the world's refrigerated cars are used in the territories of the countries that are part of the CIS. The main transportation directions are: Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Moldova. However, of course, transportation in the direction of China and European countries is also possible.

Design of refrigerated cars and their use

Railway refrigerated cars are an isothermal car, meaning that a gap filled with thermal insulation is left between two metal layers of the body, preventing heat exchange with the environment. In addition to thermal insulation, each reefer car is equipped with technical systems that cool and heat the air inside. Each car has ventilation. Air circulates in the car forcibly. Cooling is provided by refrigeration machines. The refrigerant is freon or ammonia. The car is heated by electric stoves. Electricity, to ensure the operation of the systems, comes from diesel generators.

There are refrigerated cars with group and autonomous cooling systems. In the autonomous system, the refrigeration machine is part of the equipment of each car. If the cooling system is group, the machine producing cold is located in the central car. The cold from it is transmitted to other cars through brine pipelines, in which a water solution of calcium chloride circulates.

Refrigerated cars are not used individually. Refrigerated:

• Trains consisting of 21 or 23 cars.
• Sections consisting of 5 or 12 cars.

To ensure the operation of trains and sections of reefer cars, special types of cars have been created:

1. Diesel power car.
2. Machine compartment car.
3. Service car.

All three special cars are included in the composition of refrigerated trains. In a 23-car train, all of them are located together in the center, with 10 reefer cars attached on both sides. If the train is 21 cars, the service cars are distributed throughout it according to a scheme that cannot be changed.

Refrigerated sections do not include all types of special cars. A section of 5 cars includes only the diesel power station, while a section of 12 cars also includes the machine compartment. Accordingly, the sections consist of 4 and 10 reefer cars. A refrigerated car can carry 40-50 tons of cargo.

What affects the cost of transportation

The cost of transportation depends on which refrigerated train or section is used, the weight of the transported cargo, the distance of transportation, and customs transit duties. To reduce costs, companies that constantly use reefer cars are better off not ordering one-time transports but renting refrigerated cars for a long term.