SOLUTIONS

• The research & development effort at the base of ARON Rail Cargo System points out that innovation in rail cargo can be worthwhile and successful. Certain conditions must be met such as increased operational efficiency due to decreased transport times, faster turnover of goods and rail vehicles, and lower cost of operation. All this can be achieved by a mix of innovation in rail and logistics technologies. Increased costs of procurement are clearly offset by the direct economic advantages for operators and clients, not to speak of the reduced external costs of freight transport. By adopting this set of innovations the transport sector will move towards a carbon-free, climate-friendly economy.
  
• ARON-RCS cannot solve all problems due to a lack of viable transport political visions, or unsatisfactory cooperation and discipline in day-to-day rail operations next to excessive bureaucracy and cross-border administration, all resulting in a lack of competitive performance. Our team has identified and neutralised, however, a range of obstacles and disadvantages related to vehicle technology, logistics and rail operations. ARON Rail Cargo System is about to become the world's first universal rail vehicle & cargo logistics system making consistent use of distributed propulsion and state-of-the-art multiple-unit technology.
  
  
• The ARON Rail Cargo System incorporates Horizontal Container Transshipment (HCT). This logistics facility automatically loads and unloads all kinds of standard swap bodies and trailers. It can be applied both as a mobile loading facility carried on the train and as a semi-stationary system installed on the first track of any train station, between the storage area and the trains to be (un)loaded. This system does not require any particular track-side infrastructure. It can operate under the catenaries of electrified tracks, mobile units may use any load area negotiable by trucks.
  
• ARON-RCS 4 City Logistics – we are investigating ways to adapt ARON-RCS to a city environment. Research for Budapest implies that the 'cargo tramtrain' variant of ARON-RCS can ply almost the entire city rail network (metro, suburban light rail, tramway with the exception of lines with very narrow curves or encroachments of clearance gauge). ARON-RCS can contribute significantly to resolve the traffic problems of large cities with busy ports and intermodal terminals.
  
• ARON-RCS is fully compatible with current standards in the logistics and rail vehicle industry. The unsophisticated structure of ARON-RCS vehicle modules incorporates components and technologies tried and tested e.g. in a logistics and passenger transport settings. ARON-RCS is revolutionary because it delivers a simple and straightforward, maintenance-friendly standard solution neutralising most obstacles in the way of more efficient rail and combined freight operations.