News

Rail tank design for LNG

Wagon hire and rail logistics company VTG is collaborating with Chart Ferox, a manufacturer of storage, transport, and distribution systems for liquefied air and natural gases, to build two prototype units for the safe and economical carriage of LNG by rail.
“It is a great pleasure for us to be working with Chart Ferox for this innovative transport solution,” stated Dr. Heiko Fischer, chairman of the executive board of VTG. “This project scores double points in the environmental area as natural gas is a clean burning energy solution and correspondingly rail is an ecologically sound transport solution.”
“We are very excited by the fact that we are creating an entirely new transport option for LNG, and one that reinforces Chart’s small scale LNG product portfolio,” added Miroslav Cerny, Chart Ferox director of business development.
VTG is responsible for the development and the final completion of the two prototypes including obtaining the necessary permissions and railway specific approval. Final assembly of the LNG railcar will take place at Waggonbau Graaff in Elze (Germany), VTG’s innovation facility. The cryogenic parts, vessels and cabinets, will be built at Chart Ferox facility in Dĕčin, Czech Republic.
The prototypes will be capable of transporting double the payload volume compared with an LNG tank container or truck. Due to the insulation properties, LNG rail tank car holding time is up to six weeks. A new suspension technology between the cryogenic vessel and the undercarriage rail frame required special development, which has already concluded dynamic and vibration calculation tests.